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News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
HOUSTON — Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton and Shemar Turner were named to the Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List, the award’s committee announced Thursday morning. The honor is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding lineman.
Scourton arrived in Aggieland in January after leading the Big Ten with 10.0 sacks and ranking fourth with 15.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore last season at Purdue. Starting all 11 games he played in, Scourton was fifth on the team with 50 tackles while also forcing a fumble and breaking up three passes. He closed out the year earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors. A native of Bryan, Texas, Scourton impressed in the Maroon & White Game in the spring, tallying seven tackles, including 3.5 for loss, while contributing to both teams. This preseason, Scourton has also been named to the Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award watch lists, while earning first-team All-America honors from ESPN and Sporting News as well as second-team All-SEC accolades.
Turner returns for his senior season after helping the Aggies boast the best rush defense in the SEC and rank third in the league in total defense (316.2) last season. Texas A&M limited its opponents to just 108.8 rushing yards per game and nine touchdowns on the ground, while leading the league in sacks (42.0) and ranking second in tackles for loss (99.0). Turner started every game he played in over the last two seasons. The DeSoto, Texas, native was top-three on the team last year with 6.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, good for eighth and ninth, respectively, among SEC defensive linemen. He totaled 33 tackles and blocked a pair of kicks as a junior, being named to the All-SEC Second Team by season’s end. Turner has also earned Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List nods, and was named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
The Lombardi Award was established in 1970, in memory of legendary coach Vince Lombardi. It is presented to outstanding linemen who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field. Furthermore, the watch list includes players who are consistently showing the values of strength, agility, and football acumen in their respective positions. This marks the 51st anniversary of the award which has been handed out in Houston since its inception. The 2024 award dinner will take place on Dec. 11 and net proceeds from gala sponsorship and table sales are dedicated to supporting cancer research and families and patients battling cancer.
The Aggies begin the 2024 campaign hosting Notre Dame on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.