Troy’s Antonio Garcia named to Outland Trophy Watch List
TROY, Ala. (troytrojans.com) – Troy senior offensive tackle Antonio Garcia has been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America announced Friday morning. Garcia is one of two players from the Sun Belt Conference on the watch list.
The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the top interior lineman in the country on either side of the football. The list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Thurs., Nov. 17. Five days later, three Outland Trophy finalists will be named by the FWAA. The winner of the 71st Outland Trophy – named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the 20th century – will be announced on live on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thurs., Dec. 8. For the second straight year, the show will air from the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Garcia, a native of Atlanta, enters the 2016 season with 30 career starts, including 24 straight over the past two seasons. The All-Sun Belt left tackle has allowed just 5.5 sacks the past two seasons in over 1,400 snaps played. Garcia has recorded 68 knockdown blocks over that span and led an offensive line that ranked second in the Sun Belt last season in fewest sacks allowed.
Additionally, the 2015 offensive line blocked for Brandon Burks, who became just the eighth 1,000-yard rusher in Troy history. In 2014, Garcia paced an offensive line that blocked for record-setting quarterback Brandon Silvers as he set the NCAA mark for completion percentage by a freshman.
Troy opens the 2016 season on Sept. 3 when it plays host to Austin Peay in the first of six home games in Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Season tickets are on sale now and can by purchased by contacting the Troy Ticket Office online at TroyTrojans.com, by phone at 877-878-WINS or in person at the Tine Davis Fieldhouse.
