Senior OL named to Outland Watch List

DALLAS -- Mitchell Schwartz was named to the prestigious 2011 Outland Trophy Watch List released on Friday for the first time in his career. The award is given annually to the best interior lineman in college football, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America. The recognition is the latest prior to the 2011 season for Schwartz, who was previously named a third-team preseason All-American by GoDaddy.com and picked up first-team All-Pac-10 honors from Athlon, Phil Steele and Sporting News.

Schwartz has started all 38 games possible over the last three seasons at either left tackle (22) or right tackle (16), with his 38 career games played tied for the most by any active Cal player. Schwartz has been named honorable mention Pac-10 All-Academic in each of the three campaigns (2008-10) and was a second-team All-Pac-10 choice in 2011 when he anchored an offensive line that blocked for 1,167-yard rusher Shane Vereen.

Every Division I Bowl Subdivision conference, along with independents BYU and Notre Dame, had at least one player on the annual list, which includes only tackles, guards and centers on both sides of the ball. Of the 65 players on the watch list, 16 defensive tackles occupied spots. The rest of the linemen were on offense.

The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the three Outland finalists to be named on Nov. 21. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner.

The Outland Trophy, presented annually since 1946, is the third oldest award in major college football. The winner of the 66th Outland Trophy, named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn and Kansas at the turn of the century, will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8 on ESPN.