Kennard named IMPACT quarterfinalist
In a rough season for USC, one of the squad’s bright spots has been the performance of senior outside linebacker Devon Kennard. On Wednesday, Kennard was recognized for his performance as one of 20 quarterfinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation. The award is given at season’s end to the defensive player of the year.
Kennard, a Phoenix, Ariz. native, is having an impressive year in defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast’s aggressive 5-2 system, having already totaled 19 solo tackles on top of 4.5 sacks.
Standout · Redshirt senior defensive end Devon Kennard missed last season because of a pectoral injury, but he’s made up for lost time this year by racking up 4.5 sacks and 19 solo tackles for the Trojans.
Ralf Cheung | Daily Trojan
The 6-foot-3, 260-lb senior was expected to start last year at defensive end, but was sidelined the entire 2012 season after tearing a chest muscle right before the start of the season. The injury required surgery and kept him out of every game, allowing him to redshirt for the Trojans.
During his comeback year,, Kennard has been a leader and point of inspiration for an invigorated Trojan defense that, to this point, has usually been counted on to carry a lackluster offense to a 4-3 record.
Kennard was named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week earlier this season for his impressive performance in a 30-13 victory over Hawai’i.
The list of 20 quarterfinalists will be pared down to eight semifinalists on Nov. 13 and four finalists on Nov. 27. The final trophy banquet will be Dec. 8 at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Calif. If Kennard were to win the award, USC would receive $25,000 for its general scholarship fund. All four of the finalists will win $5,000 for their school’s general scholarship fund.
Kennard joins an impressive list of players who were also named quarterfinalists, including linebackers C.J. Mosley of Alabama and Anthony Barr from UCLA.
In total there are 11 linebackers, seven defensive backs and two defensive linemen on the quarterfinalist list. Since the award’s inception nine years ago, the Lott trophy has been awarded to linebackers and defensive linemen four times, and defensive backs only once.
The rival Bruins are the only team to have multiple quarterfinalists, as linebacker Eric Kendricks was named to the list in addition to Barr.
The Pac-12 conference as a whole has five quarterfinalists, which is fitting considering the fact that Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott will be the keynote speaker at the banquet in December.