Indiana LB Tegray Scales Named to Lott Impact Trophy Watch List
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Tegray Scales (8) earned All-American honors in 2016. Now he is on the Lott Impact Trophy Watch List Image: IU Athletics
Indiana Athletics Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana senior linebacker Tegray Scales is one of 17 linebackers and 42 student-athletes overall on the 2017 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy honors the top defensive player in college football who makes the biggest impact for his team, both on and off the field. The award is given to a distinguished young man who represents the qualities embodied by Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott – Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Scales earned second team All-America honors from SI.com in 2016 and became the first Hoosiers linebacker recognized on an All-America team since Van Waiters (3rd team) in 1987.
The 2016 Foster Farms Defensive Player of the Game led the nation with 93 solo stops and 23.5 tackles for loss, and he finished first in the Big Ten with 126 tackles (10th nationally). Scales owns the second spot on the program's single-season TFLs list, shares ninth in total tackles and is ninth with 33.5 career stops for loss.
His nine double-figure tackle games in 2016 led the league and ranked third nationally. Scales added seven sacks, a pick-6 and one forced fumble.
The Cincinnati native put together a streak of six straight 10-tackle games during the regular season. It was the longest streak nationally, the longest streak in the Big Ten since 2012 and the longest streak at IU since at least 1990.
In addition to 17 linebackers, the list includes 14 defensive linemen and 11 defensive backs. The winner of the 14th annual Lott IMPACT Trophy will be announced at a banquet Dec. 10 at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Calif.
To date, the Lott IMPACT Trophy has donated more than $1.3 million for various charities throughout the country, including more than $500,000 to universities.