Overland Park, Kan. - Ten NCAA? Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected today as finalists for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award? in collegiate football, including a national-leading four from the SEC. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.The finalists from the SEC include: Evan Engram, Ole Miss ; O.J. Howard, Alabama; Chad Kelly, Ole Miss; TreDavious White, LSU. The complete list of finalists follows this release.In the classroom, Howard has already earned his undergraduate degree as of this past May and is currently pursuing a masters degree in the Sport Business Management program at Alabama. He earned Deans List honors in his final semester of undergraduate studies and maintains a 3.0 grade point average. One of the Crimson Tides vocal leaders, Howard also leads by the example he displays both on and off the field. He is a member of the football teams leadership council and has earned himself a spot as a game captain on numerous occasions. A recognizable face across the state, Howard makes an effort to be available to the media and fans - win or lose - always displaying a positive attitude. The senior tight end goes out of his way on a consistent basis to accommodate team members, football staff and media members, despite his loaded schedule with athletics and class in his graduate year. On the field, Howard has been one of the Tides most consistent players and one of the top tight ends in the nation. Heading into the 2016 season, he was chosen to the Mackey, Maxwell, Wuerffel and Lombardi Award preseason watch lists. In eight games this year, the senior tight end has caught 22 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he was named MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game thanks to his record-setting performance against Clemson that saw him haul in five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished his junior season as the teams leader in yards per catch, averaging 15.8 yards per reception.For the last two seasons, White has donned the iconic No. 18 jersey which is given to an LSU player before the start of the season that exemplifies success both on and off the field. White is only the third player since the tradition started in 2003 to wear it multiple seasons, as he has been named All-SEC, All-SEC Freshman Team and to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. White has been a lock in the LSU defense since his career began in 2013, starting 42 of 44 games since that season. White has six interceptions and three punt return touchdowns in his career, as he earned SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for moving into a tie for second place in the category, while becoming the first non-offensive player to score touchdowns in the first two games of the season in LSU history.Engram is an integrated marketing communications major with plans to go into broadcast journalism or marketing after his playing career. He is a standout in the Oxford community, showing a special heart for physically and mentally handicapped individuals as a supporter and volunteer with the Scott Center, Northeast Mississippi Regional Center and Special Olympics Mississippi. He was on the 2015 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team and is a two-time nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Engram tops all tight ends in the nation with 6.1 catches per game and an SEC-best 87.5 receiving yards per outing. He ranks second among tight ends nationally with six touchdown catches. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native has broken the Ole Miss career records in catches (146), yards (2,094) and TDs (13) by a tight end and has already broken his own single-season school record by a tight end with 700 receiving yards and still four regular-season games left.In the classroom, Kelly maintains a 3.01 grade point average as a general studies major with minors in sociology, education and recreation administration. He was a member of the 2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Kelly has participated in two spring break mission trips to Haiti where he and other Rebels have helped the Camp Marie community gain access to clean water and sustainable farming. He regularly makes himself available to fans for autographs and photos, while also speaking with children about the values of a good work ethic and pursuing their dreams. Kelly has broken all kinds of school records since taking over as the Rebels starting quarterback at the beginning of last season. Following last years campaign in which he was Sugar Bowl MVP and broke or tied 14 school records, he once again leads the SEC and ranks top 10 nationally in passing (316.5 yards per game) and total offense (355.1 yards per game). The Buffalo, New York, native has broken Eli Mannings school record by throwing a touchdown pass in 21 straight games and has also established a school record with 12 career 300-yard outings.An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School?, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through December 12. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January.For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.Football 2016 FinalistsZach Banner, Offensive Tackle, University of Southern CaliforniaJake Butt, Tight End, University of MichiganJake Elliott, Place Kicker, MemphisEvan Engram, Tight End, Ole MissJordan Evans, Linebacker, University of OklahomaO.J. Howard, Tight End, The University of AlabamaZay Jones, Wide Receiver, East Carolina UniversityChad Kelly, Quarterback, Ole MissTyler Orlosky, Center, West Virginia UniversityTreDavious White, Defensive Back, LSUKeldon Johnson Spurs Jersey . 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Pau Gasol Jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. Dennis Rodman Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency.Margins of victory are often small in sport but Saturdays defeat to Australia was particularly tough on Scotland.Had Greig Laidlaw directed his second-half conversion a fraction to the left, or Stuart Hogg got to the rampaging Tevita Kuridrani half a yard quicker then a 10th Test win over the Wallabies would have been theirs.Following the match, Vern Cotter lamented that his side had not got the rub of the green at crucial moments, and Scotland were certainly penalised more readily than their visitors.But as the team and its supporters turn their attention towards the visit of Argentina next weekend, they will do so in optimistic mood. There was plenty on show at Murrayfield to suggest that Cotters final season in charge could yet prove to be a fruitful one.The quartet of players making their first international starts all acquitted themselves well, and in Huw Jones Scotland may just have unearthed a star in the making.Ahead of his first appearance at Murrayfield Jones had been required to serenade his teammates with a song. He picked R Kellys Ignition (Remix), and in terms of his impact on the game it proved a prophetic choice.Cheered on by my dad Bill, mum Hillary -- yes, really -- and sister Rhiannon, the Edinburgh-born, England-raised and South Africa-based centre personified Scotlands all-action approach as his two first-half tries helped secure a 17-10 half-time lead.Jones had also supplied a crucial interception and would be in the right place at the right time for his side again in the second half as he diverted Israel Folaus offload away from danger.It was little surprise when the 22-year-old was named man of the match. Its obviously unbelievable and a great feeling, he said of his debut.I thought that personally I had a fairly good game, but its a team game at the end of the day.Jones might not have enjoyed finishing on the losing side but his performance will have given the Murrayfield faithful reason to dream.His link-up play with fly-half Finn Russell for Scotlands first try, darting onto the playmakers chip ahead just before Wallabies fullback Folau could snuff out the danger, was particularly impressive.Watching at full speed it was easy to dismiss the move as an opportunistic kick-and-chase, but according to Jones that would be doing Scotland a disservice.We had that plan, he explained. Weve done that a couple of times this week [[in training] and it worked every time.ddddddddddddhether it would do so again having been shown to the world is another matter, but it is encouraging for Scottish rugby that the players are coming up with these moves in the first place.During his reign as Scotland coach, Cotter has not been afraid to let the likes of Russell and Hogg trust their instincts. It was a feature of their performance against Australia too, as the Wallabies appeared shocked by how willing their hosts were to run the ball at them.Cotter is not short of midfield options, highlighted by the fact that Mark Bennett, Matt Scott and Duncan Taylor were not in Saturdays match day 23.Instead Jones lined up alongside Alex Dunbar, and with the help of the 17-cap Glasgow player he proved he belongs in such company. Its nice to have senior guys around you, guys who have played a few Tests, he said.They definitely do help you trough the game. Quite tough to hear them on the field at times, when the crowd starts roaring but they definitely help.Cotter said after the game that he believed Jones fed off the energy of his teammates, and it is also true that he would not have been able to showcase his talent without the platform set for him and his back line colleagues by Scotlands forwards.Wallabies captain Stephen Moore admitted his side had been given a bit of grief at the breakdown, an assertion borne out by their high number of turnovers conceded.Ryan Wilsons early injury forced Cotters hand, but the back row of John Barclay, Hamish Watson and John Hardie worked tirelessly.Barclay in particular appeared to be a one-man wrecking ball, with one steal leading to a complaint from Michael Hooper to referee John Lacey.The inference was that foul play must have played a part, but Lacey let Hooper know that Barclay had done nothing the Wallabies own No. 6 David Pocock hadnt been doing. High praise indeed.In the end it wasnt enough to stop a record crowd for this fixture trudging back into Edinburgh in disappointment. But they had been given reason to hope that an even better performance might ignite against the Pumas next Saturday.Its obviously another big one, Jones said of Argentina. Theyre a physical team, a good team, so more of the same. We need to be better. ' ' '
