This is a pretty cool watchlist to be on:
If you’re not familiar with the IMPACT Trophy, here’s some insight from the LIT website:
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is the only major college football award that considers character. Named after former NFL Hall of Fame star Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy annually goes to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, a player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, all characteristics exhibited by Lott during his illustrious playing career.
In case you’re wondering about the individual profiles for both Dawgs, here’s details:
Junior safety Malaki Starks earned consensus All-American honors last season, following up a spectacular freshman campaign. After being a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award as he started 14 of 15 games for Georgia in 2022, Starks stepped things up a notch and was on the field first for the Bulldogs in every outing, finishing with 52 tackles (fourth on the team) and three interceptions during his sophomore season. Starks was a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe awards. He was also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Trophy.
Georgia’s other candidate is junior linebacker Jalon Walker. While he’s had a little bit lesser of a role than Starks, Walker has certainly contributed to the success of Georgia over his career. He led UGA in sacks this past season with five on the year including a career-high two in the SEC Championship Game, also hurrying the quarterback five times in the loss to Alabama. He forced a pair of fumbles – one of which came on a sack against Florida – and totaled 20 tackles. While the stats aren’t gaudy, his impact certainly has been bigger than just numbers. Off the field, Walker was recently selected as a student-athlete representative on the University of Georgia Athletics Association Board of Directors and has been a part of leadership teams, not just at UGA but the SEC as a whole.
Nicely done, gentlemen. I’d say they’re quite deserving of the consideration, and, in case you’re wondering if any Dawgs have ever been awarded the trophy, know the first ever LIT went to a Georgia legend in 2004:
Go Dawgs!
Understanding the trophy namesake is the standard, #47 might in fact, exceed the trophy requirements…GO DAWGS!!
I don’t know that I could name another player who’s “motor” was set higher than Pollack’s. He was the epitome of 100% effort. Maybe his work ethic was too challenging for the other ESPN analysts?
Both are beasts….on and off the field!
Congrats to both Dawgs! We’ll deserved.
And don’t they have a typo? Shouldn’t it be Walker, and not Wlaker?
Seeing David Pollack again just makes me madder at the way ESPN did him. That wresting commentator they replaced him with couldn’t carry his jock strap. Oh yea and screw Saban too.
wish I could like this 1M times
One door closes, another door opens, #47 has and will always have opportunities in life that will reach out to him, that time spent with the WWL has made him a stronger/wiser person, some of his life experiences (that we know of) shows his faith is his strength…GO DAWGS!!
Several thoughts.
First, I am always happy to see Dawgs in the running for national awards, and both are deserving of consideration. Hope one of them wins.
Second, two big thumbs up for all the David Pollack kudos. My own story is that over 20 years ago when I was swimming at Ramsey I went there on December 23 and had the the whole building almost to myself. When I left with only about an hour or so to go before the building would close until after January 2, here comes David waving a towel while walking up to get in one last workout. He just has a motor most of us don’t have.
Third, “The Lott IMPACT Trophy is the only major college football award that considers character.” Is a pretty big boast because I think they all claim something like that even if they don’t actually follow it <*cough* Heisman> when making the award.