The countdown to college football kickoff continues. We have two more linemen to keep you entertained today. First up we have Ndamukong Suh and Lee Roy Selmon. Two fantastic players that made an impact. We are officially 93 Days Away From College Football.
Ndamukong Suh Days Away From College Football
Nebraska Royalty
Ndamukong Suh had one of the most dominant seasons ever seen in college football, showing just how much an interior defensive lineman could influence the game during his time at Nebraska.
In 2009, Suh was named a unanimous First Team All-American and won all of college football’s top defensive awards, including the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Award, and the Outland Trophy. Suh was also named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year. He also finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, making him the first defensive lineman in 15 years to be a Heisman finalist. He was also a finalist for the Lott Impact Trophy and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. Suh was also a key player on Nebraska’s defense, when the team led the nation by allowing only 10.43 points per game. He made 21 tackles for loss, which was sixth-best in the country, and recorded 12 sacks, ranking seventh. Suh was named First Team All-Big 12 twice and won both the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year awards. He helped Nebraska win two Big 12 North Division titles.
Throughout his career, he recorded 215 tackles, 57 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, six blocked kicks, and even caught a two-yard touchdown pass. Off the field, he earned Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honors. Suh is considered Nebraska’s most decorated defensive player. Over four seasons, he helped the Huskers achieve a 41-24 record and reach three postseason games.
Nebraska retired his No. 93, and he is a member of both the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame and the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame.
Suh was picked second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by Detroit and played 13 seasons in the league.
Today, Suh works as an entrepreneur, real estate developer, and podcast host. He also supports others through his philanthropy and the Ndamukong Suh Family Foundation, which made a notable $2.6 million donation to Nebraska for athletics and academics.
Another Great #93 Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
Lee Roy Selmon’s life reflects the values of family, football, scholarship, and community service. He was the youngest of nine children, raised by Lucious and Jessie Selmon on a farm in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Along with his two brothers, he played football for Oklahoma, and all three earned All-America honors. In 1973, Lucious Jr., Dewey, and Lee Roy all started for the team. Lee Roy received the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Awards as the nation’s top lineman. During his three years as a starter, Oklahoma had a 32-1-1 record and won two national championships. Lee Roy captained the 1975 team.
Academically, he was named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete in 1975 and earned a degree in education. While in college, Lee Roy also volunteered ten hours each week for community projects.
After college, Lee Roy moved to Tampa and played nine seasons with the Buccaneers. He was named all-pro three times and began a business career. By 1988, he worked as an Account Relations Officer at Tampa’s First Florida Bank. He supported organizations such as Special Olympics, Easter Seals, his Baptist church, Ronald McDonald House, the United Negro College Fund, the South Florida Institute on Black Life, and the Hall of Fame Bowl Committee.
In 1993, he became associate director of athletics at the University of South Florida. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1994, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. In 1989, the Oklahoma City Chapter of the National Football Foundation honored his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lucious Selmon Sr., with its Distinguished American Award, presented by Oklahoma’s governor, Henry Bellmon.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
