University of North Carolina Athletics
PEPPERS WINS LOMBARDI AWARD
December 5, 2001 | Football
Dec. 5, 2001
HOUSTON ---- University of North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers was named the winner of the 2001 Rotary Lombardi Award at a gala dinner at the JW Marriott Hotel in Houston on Wednesday evening. He is the first Tar Heel ever to win a major award in football.
Peppers was selected over fellow finalists Alex Brown (DE) of Florida, Rocky Calmus (LB) of Oklahoma, Dwight Freeney (DE) of Syracuse in a final round of voting by a national panel, consisting of all current Division I head football coaches, writers, sportscasters and the former winners of the award.
"I think it's well deserved for a young man that has worked so hard to improve his skills," said head coach John Bunting. "He's obviously very, very skilled, but he's worked so hard to improve those skills that he deserves this kind of recognition.
"He's very coachable and very much into the game of football. He wants to be the best and that's what's helped him earn this type of thing."
Peppers, who piled up 15 sacks as a sophomore, ran his career total to 30 1/2 this season to rank second only to 1997 Lombardi finalist Greg Ellis in school history. Peppers intercepted three passes this season, the most by a lineman in school history and returned one for a touchdown.
After starting the season with losses to Oklahoma, Maryland and Texas (who finished this year a combined 30-5), Peppers and his team rebounded against Florida State. He had a season-high 10 tackles, including four for losses and intercepted a pass as Carolina whipped the Seminoles 41-9 and began a march to a 7-5 season and a berth in the Peach Bowl
Peppers' victory gives the ACC back-to-back Rotary Lombardi winners, joining Jamal Reynolds of Florida State and it is the conference's fourth winner overall, joining Reynolds, Marvin Jones of Florida State (1992) and Randy White of Maryland (1974).
The Rotary Lombardi Award is presented annually in Houston and has raised more than $2.6 million for the American Cancer Society's programs of cancer research since its inception in 1970. The winner is presented to the college lineman - on offense or defense - who, in addition to outstanding performance on the field, best exemplifies the characteristics and discipline of Vince Lombardi.