Sun Devil Football’s West And Lole On Outland Trophy Watch List

Press release from Sun Devil Athletics:

July 28, 2021

The preseason honors continue to roll in for Sun Devil Football with today's announcement of Dohnovan West and Jermayne Lole to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list for the nation's top lineman and Tyler Johnson's selection to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list for the national defensive player of the year.

It's another in a long line of preseason accolades for West, who has already been named a to the Rimington Award watch list for the nation's top center, in addition to being a 2021 PFF Preseason All-America pick by Pro Football Focus, an Athlon Sports Preseason All-Pac-12 First Team Selection and being ranked as the No. 5 Lindy's Preseason Center.

West was the seventh-highest graded guard in the Power Five last season, according to PFF (76.7) and tops among Pac-12 guards. West was credited with just two QB pressures allowed, tied for third among P5 guards nationally and did not allow a sack on the season. He paved the way for a rushing offense that was seventh nationally in 264.2 yards per game - 30 more than any other team in the Pac-12 and the most at ASU since 1981.

Jermayne Lole is a Pro Football Focus Preseason All American (First Team Defensive Line), Athlon Sports Preseason All-Pac-12 pick and was named to PFF' College 50 entering 2021 as the No. 24 player in the nation.

Lole was the highest graded defensive interior player in the Pac-12 last season with a score of 85.9 - 3.3 points more than any other conference player and good for 13th among all FBS interior linemen. He was the third-highest graded defensive lineman when playing three-technique on the year.

Lole was second in the league with 18 defensive "stops" despite playing only four games. He had the highest run defense score in the league at 82.1 and only scored a negative grade on 9.2 percent of his run defense snaps, the second-lowest in the league and among the top-30 lowest in all of the FBS. Lole led league interior linemen in tackles for loss or rushes for no gain on run plays with seven.

He was just as disruptive in the pass rush as he was third among defensive interior players in the Pac-12 with 18 quarterback pressures. He "won" his matchup in pass rushing 14.2 percent of the time, fourth in the league.

Tyler Johnson is ASU's active leader in tackles for loss (21) and sacks (11.5). Last year, he led the team with 5.0 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, good for fourth in the Pac-12, respectively

He was the ninth-highest graded edge defender in the Pac-12 last season as a pass rusher (70.3).

His 19 quarterback hurries were fourth in the league among edge defenders. He generated pressure on 21.3 percent of his pass snaps, second most in the league and sixth-most nationally.

For complete release and home base for all preseason recognition, click here.

This press release was produced by Sun Devil Athletics. The views expressed here are the author's own.