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Saturday, October 14 Moore named top linemanAssociated Press | |||
| HOUSTON -- Virginia Tech defensive end Corey Moore, once
labeled too small to play big-time college football, won his second
award of the week Wednesday night when he received the Lombardi
Award as the nation's top collegiate lineman.
Moore won the Mike Fox-Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's
top defender Monday. For the Lombardi, he beat out Florida State
nose guard Corey Simon, and defensive end Courtney Brown and
linebacker LaVar Arrington of Penn State.
"A lot of schools recruited me out of high school but a lot of
them thought I was too small to compete in Division 1-A football,"
Moore said. "To have been able to come to Virginia Tech and have a
career here, I've been blessed with that opportunity."
Moore made the Hokies glad they took a chance on him. Moore led
the Big East with 17 sacks for 132 yards this season. He also
dropped 11 runners for 47 yards in losses.
At 6-foot, 225 pounds, Moore isn't the prototype college
defensive end but he fit well in the Hokies defense.
"In our defensive scheme we don't ask Corey to line up over the
offensive tackle," Hokies defensive line coach Charley Wiles said.
"We put Corey outside so he can use his speed and strength. He
makes the offensive tackle operate in space."
Moore is a combination of speed and strength. He's been clocked
at 4.3 in the 40-yard dash and bench presses 400 pounds.
"Combined with his physical attributes, he has the overwhelming
will to win and he's such a leader," Wiles said. "You may go
through your entire coaching life and not coach a player like Corey."
Moore will lead the second-ranked Hokies into the Sugar Bowl on
Jan. 4 against No. 1 Florida State for the national championship.
Arrington's and Brown's selection as finalists marked the first
school in 20 years to have two Lombardi finalists in the same year.
Penn State also had Matt Millen and winner Bruce Clark in 1978.
Former Texas A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen won the 1998 award. | ALSO SEE
Hokies' Moore wins Nagurski trophy as top defenderMaxwell Awards winners Lou Groza Award winners Fred Biletnikoff Award winners Doak Walker Award winners Davey O'Brien Trophy winners Chuck Bednarik Award winners College football awards | ||
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