Award honors balance

NEWPORT BEACH — When the Ronnie Lott Trophy was created six years ago, the directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation wanted a college football award influenced by and representative of the West Coast.

Six years later, Sunday night to be exact, the Lott Trophy ceremony has plenty of ties to California and certainly a heap of local flavor featured at this now-much-anticipated event.

Terry Donahue, a Balboa Island resident and former UCLA coach, as well as sports agent Leigh Steinberg, who works in Newport Beach, were at the ceremony, which was emceed by Bill Macdonald, a Corona del Mar High alumnus.

Peter Ueberroth, well-known for his work in the 1984 Olympics and a former Major League Baseball Commissioner who was instrumental in developing Sage Hill School, was the featured speaker.

Lott, the Hall of Fame defensive back, was all smiles for sure at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach.

In addition to the award having a strong connection to the West Coast, the NFL great is proud of what the trophy is all about and the springboard it has become to help local charities.

The award is for defensive players and their on-field performance as well as their personal character.

“It’s not necessarily about the award being named after me,” Lott said before the ceremony began. “It’s about what the award is trying to accomplish and what it represents. When you think of this award it encompasses all the things that we all strive to be and that is to be as good as we can be. What we are trying to do is tell kids, ‘Hey look, there’s another way. You can be a great athlete, but you can also do some other things in your life. You can be productive and you can be a catalyst in your community.’ ”

Jerry Hughes, the Texas Christian University defensive end who won the award, is known as a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year who led the undefeated Horned Frogs in sacks (11.5) and tackles for losses (15). Off the field, he has been a mentor at the Fortress Youth Development Center in Fort Worth and he also speaks to children while volunteering at youth football clinics.

The finalists were also involved in their community. They included: Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh, Alabama’s Rolando McClain and Tennessee’s Eric Berry. Suh was the only of the finalists who did not attend, as the Heisman finalist had been tired with such a busy schedule.

Even though Suh was not in attendance, Pacific Club president John Hamilton, a Newport Beach resident, was more than pleased with the event. It was another successful night in his eyes. And he has seen all the great nights that have included speakers such as former NFL star Frank Gifford and the great college football broadcaster Keith Jackson. The event even had a special appearance by comedian Will Ferrell in the trophy’s third year, when the funny man acted as Lott’s high school junior varsity coach.

Lott’s friends, Willie McGinest and Marcus Allen, easily stood out. Like Lott, they both starred at USC and in the NFL.

Allen said the USC football team was having its awards banquet in Los Angeles also on Sunday night. Allen chose to be in Newport Beach.

“I’m here to support my best friend, one of the most dynamic people I know,” Allen said. “I really don’t know if [the finalists] know like I know what this award means and the person behind it. Hopefully, one day, as they get to know Ronnie, the winner and the candidates can understand what kind of honor this is.”