UCLA's Laiatu Latu was announced on Friday morning by The Pacific Club IMPACT® Foundation as one of nine semifinalists for The Lott IMPACT® Trophy. The Lott IMPACT® Trophy is awarded annually to the student-athlete who best exhibits the characteristics of Ronnie Lott by making an IMPACT® on and off the field. IMPACT® is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. This year's presentation of the Lott IMPACT® Trophy will be the 20th in the award's history.
Latu leads a Bruin defense which ranks 13th in the nation allowing 294.3 yards per game. He ranks third in the nation in both sacks per game (1.22) and tackles for loss per game (1.8) this season. Latu's tackles for loss mark leads the Pac-12 while he is second in the league in sacks per game average. He has been credited with 11.0 sacks on the season which is tied for ninth-most in school history. His total of 16.0 tackles for loss rates 15th on that single-season school listing.
After compiling 10.5 sacks last season, Latu has become the first Bruin player since Anthony Barr, who logged 10.0 in 2013 and 13.5 in 2012, to total 20.0 sacks over a two-season period. He has at least a half a sack in seven of the nine games this season after recording at least a half sack in eight of the 13 2022 contests. His overall total of 21.5 career sacks as a Bruin ranks ninth on the all-time school list which is headed by Dave Ball, 2000-03, who registered 30.5. The UCLA team ranks second in the country in rushing defense, with a 70.4 yards per game mark, and is second nationally in team sacks average at 3.78 a game.
Four finalists will be determined in December and be invited to attend the annual Lott IMPACT® Trophy award show, December 10, 2023, in Newport Beach, California. Joel Klatt from Fox Sports will emcee the event. The university of the winner will receive $25,000 for its general scholarship fund while the other finalists will receive $5,000 for each of their schools.
The 2023 Lott IMPACT® Trophy semifinalists include four defensive linemen, two linebackers and three defensive backs from the ACC, Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 conferences.
The 2023 Lott IMPACT® Trophy Semifinalists:
Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA
Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa|
Jonah Elliss, DL, Utah
Travis Hunter, DB, Colorado
Kool-Aid McKinstry, DB, Alabama
Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Previous Winners of the Lott IMPACT® Trophy
2004 – David Pollack, Georgia
2005 – DeMeco Ryans, Alabama
2006 – Dante Hughes, Cal
2007 – Glenn Dorsey, LSU
2008 – James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
2009 – Jerry Hughes, TCU
2010 – J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
2011 – Luke Kuechly, Boston College
2012 – Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
2013 – Anthony Barr, UCLA
2014 – Eric Kendricks, UCLA
2015 – Carl Nassib, Penn State
2016 – Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
2017 – Josey Jewell, Iowa
2018 – Josh Allen, Kentucky
2019 – Derek Brown, Auburn
2020 – Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
2021 – Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
2022 – Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
Latu leads a Bruin defense which ranks 13th in the nation allowing 294.3 yards per game. He ranks third in the nation in both sacks per game (1.22) and tackles for loss per game (1.8) this season. Latu's tackles for loss mark leads the Pac-12 while he is second in the league in sacks per game average. He has been credited with 11.0 sacks on the season which is tied for ninth-most in school history. His total of 16.0 tackles for loss rates 15th on that single-season school listing.
After compiling 10.5 sacks last season, Latu has become the first Bruin player since Anthony Barr, who logged 10.0 in 2013 and 13.5 in 2012, to total 20.0 sacks over a two-season period. He has at least a half a sack in seven of the nine games this season after recording at least a half sack in eight of the 13 2022 contests. His overall total of 21.5 career sacks as a Bruin ranks ninth on the all-time school list which is headed by Dave Ball, 2000-03, who registered 30.5. The UCLA team ranks second in the country in rushing defense, with a 70.4 yards per game mark, and is second nationally in team sacks average at 3.78 a game.
Four finalists will be determined in December and be invited to attend the annual Lott IMPACT® Trophy award show, December 10, 2023, in Newport Beach, California. Joel Klatt from Fox Sports will emcee the event. The university of the winner will receive $25,000 for its general scholarship fund while the other finalists will receive $5,000 for each of their schools.
The 2023 Lott IMPACT® Trophy semifinalists include four defensive linemen, two linebackers and three defensive backs from the ACC, Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 conferences.
The 2023 Lott IMPACT® Trophy Semifinalists:
Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA
Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa|
Jonah Elliss, DL, Utah
Travis Hunter, DB, Colorado
Kool-Aid McKinstry, DB, Alabama
Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Previous Winners of the Lott IMPACT® Trophy
2004 – David Pollack, Georgia
2005 – DeMeco Ryans, Alabama
2006 – Dante Hughes, Cal
2007 – Glenn Dorsey, LSU
2008 – James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
2009 – Jerry Hughes, TCU
2010 – J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
2011 – Luke Kuechly, Boston College
2012 – Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
2013 – Anthony Barr, UCLA
2014 – Eric Kendricks, UCLA
2015 – Carl Nassib, Penn State
2016 – Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
2017 – Josey Jewell, Iowa
2018 – Josh Allen, Kentucky
2019 – Derek Brown, Auburn
2020 – Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
2021 – Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
2022 – Will Anderson Jr., Alabama