:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49639045/usa-today-9027014.0.jpg)
Jack Cichy, the star of the 2016 Holiday Bowl, has officially been singled out as a player to watch in the 2016 regular season with his appearance on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Here's what the announcement had to say about Cichy:
60 tackles last season, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks in Holiday Bowl win over USC; Volunteered with Amnesty International and as a camp counselor with local football and basketball youth; Participated in food preparation at a local homeless shelter and volunteered at Ronald McDonald House.
The sophomore linebacker will look to help replace some of the production that leaves Bucky with the departure of Joe Schobert to the NFL. In the 2015 regular season, Cichy racked up 51 total tackles, including 10 against Maryland and 11 against Northwestern. He also registered 2 sacks against the Terps, which were his only sacks of the season until his game-saving, triple sack attack against the USC Trojans in the Holiday Bowl.
Cichy will try to become the second Badger to win the award, after J.J. Watt won it in 2010.
Other Big Ten athletes named to the watch list include Riley Bullough (Michigan State), Jason Cabinda (Penn State), Joshua Kalu (Nebraska), Desmond King (Iowa), Jourdan Lewis (Michigan), Will Likely (Maryland), Raekwon McMillan (Ohio State), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan) and Anthony Walker (Northwestern).
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is designed to honor "College Football's Defensive Best in Character Performance." From the website:
The IMPACT award is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics and recognizes college football’s Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies the IMPACT acronym: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.