Roman Fry Named to Outland Trophy Watch List

Clemson senior offensive lineman Roman Fry is one of 54 offensive and defensive linemen from around the nation listed on the 2006 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List. The Football Writers Association of America announced the list of candidates on Monday.

Fry was a second-team All-ACC offensive guard last year when he led the Tiger team in knockdown blocks with 98.5. He came on strong the second half of the season and led the team in knockdown blocks in each of the last seven games of the year. Clemson won six of those seven games.

The native of Ironton, OH had 85 knockdown blocks during those seven games, including a career high 18 in the win over 16th ranked Florida State. That was the high knockdown block total by a Clemson offensive lineman in the last four years, and it came against a Florida State defense that had three NFL first-round draft choices. Clemson won the contest 35-14. Fry has already been listed as a preseason first-team All-ACC selection by The Sporting News and Lindy's Magazine. He is ranked as the eighth best offensive guard in the nation by Lindy's.

He is one of five ACC players on the Outland Trophy's Watch List for 2006. In addition to Fry, the others are Josh Beekman, an offensive guard from Boston College, Conrad Bolston, a defensive tackle from Maryland, Jared Gaither, an offensive tackle from Maryland, and Steve Vallos, an offensive tackle from Wake Forest.

The Outland Trophy has been awarded to the best offensive or defensive linemen in college football every year since 1946. The winner is selected by the Football Writers Association All-America committee, which selects the association's 25-man All-America team.

Three finalists will be selected from among the linemen on the 25-man team.

The 2006 Outland Trophy announcement will be made December 7 in Orlando, FL on ESPN in conjunction with the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The Outland Trophy presentation banquet sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee and First Data Corporation, is set for January 11, 2007 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Minnesota Center Greg Eslinger won the 2005 Outland Trophy. The Outland Trophy was first presented to Notre Dame All-American George Connor in 1946. It is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century.