The Mustang football team’s top tight end, Ryan Kennedy, has been named to the 2005 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List along with 123 other players.

Kennedy, a junior from Beeville, Texas, emerged as an impact player in 2004. He hauled in a 20-yard scoring pass at Boise State, had four catches for 33 yards at Oklahoma State and had 43 receiving yards against Tulsa.

He finished the season with 21 passes for 245 yards and a score on the year. He also earned honorable mention All-Conference honors.

The Rotary Lombardi Award recognizes the finest linemen in college football.

Each year, the award goes to an offensive or defensive lineman who best exemplifies the discipline of legendary Green Bay Packers Coach Vince Lombardi. In addition, players must demonstrate outstanding performance and ability.

This year’s watch list is divided up among the 58 offensive players and 63 defensive players who meet the criteria, which states that a player should be a down lineman on either side of the ball or a line backer who lines up no further than five yards deep from the ball.

The award doesn’t recognize specific positions and remains open to all players who meet the criteria.

Each year a selection committee chooses 12 semifinalists, four finalists and the overall winner.

The selection committee is comprised of over 500 of America’s most prominent Division I head college football coaches, football writers, sports broadcasters and previous winners.

All four finalists, their head coaches and sports information directors will be brought to Houston for two days of hospital visits, media interviews and local hospitality.

The announcement of the Rotary Lombardi Award winner will take place during the annual dinner Dec. 7 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston.

All proceeds from the dinner and related activities are donated to the American Cancer Society. Nearly $3.1 million has been raised for the American Cancer Society over the past 34 years.