Sorry, I thought I posted this earlier, but anyway….via UCLA:

UCLA junior linebacker Akeem Ayers was named to the preliminary watch list for the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award on Thursday. Ayers started all 13 games last season at strongside linebacker and tied a school record with two interception returns for touchdowns. He scored a third touchdown, a year ago, on a fumble return. Ayers was second on the team in both sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (14.5).

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. The candidates earned a place on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors or by being named to their respective all-conference first team as selected by the coaches.

The Rotary Lombardi committee is comprised of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division 1-A head coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Last year’s winner was Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska.

The 41st Rotary Lombardi Award presentation will be held on December 7-8, 2010 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. For more information on the award visit the website at www.rotarylombardiaward.org.

Ayers and the Bruins return to action this season on Sept. 4 at Kansas State.