Joel Lanning listed as Lombardi Award finalist

Iowa+State+senior+Joel+Lanning+runs+the+ball+during+the+second+half+of+the+AutoZone+Liberty+Bowl+against+Memphis.

Iowa State senior Joel Lanning runs the ball during the second half of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Memphis.

Jack Macdonald

Joel Lanning, Iowa State’s ironman, has been selected as a finalist for the Lombardi Award. 

The Lombardi Foundation announced today that Lanning is one of 21 finalists for the award that is given to one college football player each season that demonstrates good character, resiliency and leadership. Overall performance also factors into the selection process. 

Lanning can mark all four of those off, especially the performance requirement.

The redshirt senior switched from quarterback to linebacker this season and dominated. The Ankeny native finished the season with six sacks, 11 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, an interception, two rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown. 

Simply put, Lanning did it all. 

The list of 21 will be trimmed to seven on Jan. 22.