April 23, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern defensive tackle John Gill (Los Altos Hills, Calif./Bellarmine Prep) is one of 70 players from the across the country to be named to the 2008 Outland Trophy Watch List.

The Outland Trophy has been awarded to the best interior lineman in college football since 1946. With input from the entire Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) membership, the winner is selected by the FWAA's All-America Committee, which selects the association's 25-man All-America team and picks the three Outland Trophy finalists and winner.

Gill, a senior this fall, led all NU defensive linemen in 2007 with 50 tackles, which included a career-high 10 stops against Michigan. He notched four pass sacks, which ranked second among all Wildcats. Gill also added three pass deflections and a fumble recovery.

He received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from both the league's coaches and media in 2007. Gill is one of four returning starters on NU's defensive line.

The 2008 Outland Trophy announcement will be on Dec. 11 in Orlando, Fla., on the ESPNU Home Depot College Football Awards Show.

The Outland Trophy is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century.