Jones, Milliner Are Awards Finalists

Two Alabama football stars have been announced as finalists for prestigious individual national honors, and one of them already knows how good it can be to win.

Alabama senior center Barrett Jones was announced as a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which he won last year as the nation's outstanding lineman. Crimson Tide cornerback Dee Milliner is a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.

Jones, a native of Germantown, Tenn., is looking to join Dave Rimington (1981 and 1982) as the only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy. Jones claimed the 2011 trophy as a junior left tackle for the Crimson Tide. He made the move inside to center this year..

Jones has graded out at an average of 89.7 per cent in the Tide’s 11 games, including having eight games in which he graded over 90 per cent. He has only six missed assignments on 606 plays this season while anchoring one of the nation’s top offensive lines in 47 starts over the last four years.

Milliner, from Millbrook, is the Tide’s second Thorpe Award finalist in the past two years (Mark Barron, 2011). He is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, which goes to the National Defensive Player of the Year. Milliner leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally with 1.6 passed defended per game.

Milliner has 45 tackles from his cornerback position in 2012. He has started 10 games and accounted for 14 pass breakups and two interceptions while making four tackles for loss (19 yards) and 1.5 sacks (11 yards). His 30 career pass breakups are tied for third in school history and third in the NCAA among active players.

Alabama has won the Outland Trophy three times with Chris Samuels (1999), Andre Smith (2008) and Jones (2011) all honored. Antonio Langahm is the Tide’s only Thorpe Award winner, claiming the 1993 trophy as the nation's best defensive back.

This year’s Outland Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award winners will be revealed on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing live from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk at the Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, Dec. 6, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (CST).

Alabama is 10-1 and ranked second in the nation. Bama will close out regular season play at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday hosting Auburn. Kickoff will be at 2:30 p.m. CST with television coverage by CBS.