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Another Ute made another watch list today, and this one is a bit unique. The Lott IMPACT Trophy goes to the best defensive player in the country, that also excels off the field. Impact stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity — per the Lott Trophy website. The guy that is on the list for the Utes is safety turned linebacker Chase Hansen.
Hansen is about as impactful of a player as you can get on the field. He has a knack for making big plays, big hits and is a leader for the Utes out there. He is sliding down to linebacker full time this season, where it probably is a bit more of a natural fit for him. That also helps, considering the depth the Utes have in the secondary, his moves adds to the depth at linebacker.
This would be a cool trophy to win, because it takes into account off the field accomplishments too. If Chase stays healthy, he’ll have a big season on the field, and he’s an all around good dude, so I have no doubt the off the field stuff will work out.