The 2025 Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List was released Tuesday, Aug. 12. Two Penn State football players were named to the 54-man list of distinguished linebackers and linemen across the country.
The award, in honor of coach Vince Lombardi, "is presented to outstanding linemen who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance, and discipline on and off the field. Furthermore, the watchlist includes players who are consistently showing the values of strength, agility, and football acumen in their respective positions."
Vega Ioane and Zane Durant named to the 2025 Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List
Offensive tackle Vega Ioane and defensive tackle Zane Durant were two of 12 Big Ten players on the watch list. Iowa leads the conference with three selectees, Aaron Graves, Gennings Dunker, and Logan Jones.
Both Nittany Lions were named to the Outland Trophy Watch List as well, recognized as standout interior linemen returning for the 2025 season. Durant also earned a spot on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List as one of 60 defensive standouts across the country. They were also selected to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America teams with Durant making First Team Defense and Ioane taking a spot on Second Team Offense.
The Lombardi Award Watch List features 11 offensive tackles, including Ioane. Penn State's returning offensive linemen and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein have an end goal in mind for the upcoming season, and that's the Joe Moore Award.
Ioane, specifically, ties this group together. The redshirt junior started all 16 games at left guard in 2024 and emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the Big Ten. He allowed one quarterback hit and no sacks last season, and was recognized by ESPN as one of the key players that will make the Nittany Lions' run game a big problem for opponents in 2025.
Durant is one of seven defensive tackles on the watch list. His breakout performance in 2024 as a junior with 42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks made him one of the most anticipated defensemen in 2025 across the league. It will be his third season starting for Penn State coming off a season where he made significant strides in his game from his sophomore campaign.
"When your defensive tackles make tackles, right, instead of using up blocks," Knowles said of Durant after an open training camp practice. ". . . when they're actually productive it changes the whole way that you plan defense and [Durant's] that guy. He's that guy who can do that immediately, who has done it."
Penn State's 2025 season kicks off at home against Nevada at 3:30 p.m. The game can be watched on CBS or Paramount+.