Joseph Ossai Named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Texas Football junior JACK Joseph Ossai was named to the preseason watch list for the 17th annual Lott IMPACT Trophy on Thursday. Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member Ronnie Lott, the Lott IMPACT Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Ossai, a native of Conroe, Texas, started all 13 games in 2019 and led the Longhorns with 90 total tackles (62 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and five sacks. He also logged two interceptions, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. Ossai registered at least eight tackles on eight occasions in 2019, the second-most by a Longhorn over the last 20 seasons (9 - Emmanuel Acho, 2011).
His best performance came in the Valero Alamo Bowl against No. 11 Utah, where he earned Defensive MVP honors after registering nine tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. His three sacks were the most by a Longhorn in a bowl game since Alex Okafor set the school record (4.5) during the 2012 Alamo Bowl. Ossai is the only FBS player over the last 20 seasons to record at least six tackles for loss and three sacks in a bowl game. It also marked his second-straight bowl game with at least eight tackles (8 vs. No. 5 Georgia, 2018 Sugar Bowl), making him one of only four Longhorns to do so in consecutive bowl games since 2000. In addition to earning Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP honors, Ossai was recognized by the Associated Press, ESPN and Sports Illustrated as an All-Bowl performer last season.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics that its namesake did during his distinguished career. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and a distinguished group of former college football head coaches.
Ossai is also starting to draw attention from NFL scouts, but amid the hype, the will-be junior is focused 100 percent on winning a national title.
"I want to win the national championship," Ossai said. "I've never won a championship. Coming out, we didn't win district in seventh eighth grade, high school, we didn't win a state championship. So I want to win the national championship."
Ossai got a look first hand at what a national championship team looks like. He not only played against the eventual title winner LSU, but had a star performance with three tackles, a sack and an interception.
"I understand that what comes with a national championship, obviously, is a great performance throughout the whole defense and often so if our focus can be on winning a national championship, all those other things would take care of themselves," he said. Look at LSU and their, their roster and what they what they achieved in what they accomplished and how many guys they had drafted. So if we can achieve the same, we can go to the national championship, we can be dominant. We will have no no no doubt in my mind that I in multiple people in our team, being a senior engineer We'll get you started. So not worried about that just worried about winning the national championship."
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