Alabama’s Barrett Jones won the Outland Trophy last year. (AP photo by Dave Martin)
Dee Milliner has 45 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass breakups. (Copyright photo by Annie Bates)
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Two Alabama players are up for major awards: Defensive back Dee Milliner is one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, and center Barrett Jones has a chance to win the Outland Trophy for the second straight year.
The Outland goes to the nation’s top interior lineman, and if Jones he takes it again, he will be one of only two players to win it two years in a row. Nebraska’s Dave Rimington won it in 1981 and 1982.
Jones, a senior, won the trophy last year as an offensive tackle, but he has switched to center this season. Rimington played center.
This year’s list of finalists includes Jones, Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel and North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper.
The Thorpe Award goes to the nation’s top defensive back, and Milliner made the list of finalists with Mississippi State’s Johnthan Banks and Fresno State’s Phillip Thomas.
The only Alabama player to win the award was Antonio Langham in 1993.
Both awards will be presented Dec. 6 on ESPN.
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