Winfield a Finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/24/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
November 24, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State senior cornerback Antoine Winfield was named today a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award which is awarded annually to the nation’s outstanding defensive back. He is joined as a finalist by Champ Bailey of Georgia and Chris McAlister of Arizona.
%^$The Jim Thorpe Association will announce the winner of the 1998 Jim Thorpe Award on December 10, on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show from Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The award is based on athletic ability, performance during the season and character.
%^$Already named a 1998 Football News Defensive Player of the Year finalist, Winfield capped his Ohio Stadium career by recording nine punishing tackles and one pass break-up in the Buckeyes’ convincing win over Michigan. That effort left Winfield, who West Virginia’s Don Nehlen called “the best football player I have ever seen on Mountaineer Field,” first on the team in solo tackles (58) and third overall with 72. He also has two quarterback sacks and 13 pass break-ups.
%^$Winfield, a 1997 Football Coaches Association and a Football Writers first-team All-American, has recorded 221 solo tackles in his career. He is the fifth Buckeye to reach 200 solo stops and the first defensive back. The previous four were linebackers.
