July 11, 2013

University of South Carolina juniors A.J. Cann and Kelcy Quarles have been named to the 2013 Outland Trophy Watch List, announced today by the Football Writers Association of America.

Cann, a 6-4 314-pounder from Bamberg, S.C., has started 25 games over the past two seasons at his left guard position. A leader in the weight room during the offseason, Cann is a candidate for All-SEC honors this year.

Quarles, a 6-4, 298-pound defensive tackle from Hodges, S.C., is a postseason honors candidate as well. He has logged 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons for the Garnet & Black while making 17 career starts.

The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.

The list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Nov. 20. Five days later three Outland Trophy finalists will be named by the FWAA. The winner of the 68th Outland Trophy, named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the 20th century, will be announced on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12 from Disney’s Boardwalk in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 9, 2014 in Omaha, Neb. This year, North Carolina State center Jim Ritcher, the 1979 Outland Trophy winner, will be honored and presented an Outland Trophy, which was not given in the era in which he won the award.