The Thorpe Award, now in its 21st year, is given annually to the top defensive back in college football. Thorpe Award winners are selected for performance on the field, athletic ability and character.
Steltz, a senior from New Orleans, leads LSU in tackles with 63, five of which have gone for losses. Steltz is also tied for team-high honors with four interceptions to go with six pass breakups. He’s also recorded one sack, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble.
Steltz currently ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in interceptions and he’s eighth in the league in passes defended with a total of 10.
As a unit, LSU’s defense is ranked among the top 10 in the nation in five categories, including a No. 2 rating in total defense (234.7 yards per game), No. 4 in rushing defense (168.8 yards per game) and No. 6 in pass defense (168.8 yards per game.)
The list of 12 semifinalists will be narrowed to three finalists on Nov. 19. The three finalists will be invited to the ESPN’s college football awards show on Dec. 6 in Orlando, Fla., where a winner will be announced.
The 2007 Thorpe Award semifinalists:
Trey Brown, Sr., UCLA
Antoine Cason, Sr., Arizona
Vontae Davis, Soph., Illinois
Malcolm Jenkins, Jr., Ohio State
Mike Jenkins, Jr., South Florida
Kenny Phillips, Jr., Miami
James Silva, Sr., Boston College
Reggie Smith, Jr., Oklahoma
Craig Steltz, Sr., LSU
Julius Stinson, Sr., Wyoming
Aqib Talib, Sr., Kansas
Tom Zbikowski, Sr., Notre Dame
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