year period and heres a guy, McGregor, who has ab

Overland Park, Kan. - Ten NCAA? Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected today as finalists for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award? in collegiate football, including a national-leading four from the SEC. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.The finalists from the SEC include: Evan Engram, Ole Miss ; O.J. Howard, Alabama; Chad Kelly, Ole Miss; TreDavious White, LSU. The complete list of finalists follows this release.In the classroom, Howard has already earned his undergraduate degree as of this past May and is currently pursuing a masters degree in the Sport Business Management program at Alabama. He earned Deans List honors in his final semester of undergraduate studies and maintains a 3.0 grade point average. One of the Crimson Tides vocal leaders, Howard also leads by the example he displays both on and off the field. He is a member of the football teams leadership council and has earned himself a spot as a game captain on numerous occasions. A recognizable face across the state, Howard makes an effort to be available to the media and fans - win or lose - always displaying a positive attitude. The senior tight end goes out of his way on a consistent basis to accommodate team members, football staff and media members, despite his loaded schedule with athletics and class in his graduate year. On the field, Howard has been one of the Tides most consistent players and one of the top tight ends in the nation. Heading into the 2016 season, he was chosen to the Mackey, Maxwell, Wuerffel and Lombardi Award preseason watch lists. In eight games this year, the senior tight end has caught 22 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he was named MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game thanks to his record-setting performance against Clemson that saw him haul in five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished his junior season as the teams leader in yards per catch, averaging 15.8 yards per reception.For the last two seasons, White has donned the iconic No. 18 jersey which is given to an LSU player before the start of the season that exemplifies success both on and off the field. White is only the third player since the tradition started in 2003 to wear it multiple seasons, as he has been named All-SEC, All-SEC Freshman Team and to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. White has been a lock in the LSU defense since his career began in 2013, starting 42 of 44 games since that season. White has six interceptions and three punt return touchdowns in his career, as he earned SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for moving into a tie for second place in the category, while becoming the first non-offensive player to score touchdowns in the first two games of the season in LSU history.Engram is an integrated marketing communications major with plans to go into broadcast journalism or marketing after his playing career. He is a standout in the Oxford community, showing a special heart for physically and mentally handicapped individuals as a supporter and volunteer with the Scott Center, Northeast Mississippi Regional Center and Special Olympics Mississippi. He was on the 2015 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team and is a two-time nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Engram tops all tight ends in the nation with 6.1 catches per game and an SEC-best 87.5 receiving yards per outing. He ranks second among tight ends nationally with six touchdown catches. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native has broken the Ole Miss career records in catches (146), yards (2,094) and TDs (13) by a tight end and has already broken his own single-season school record by a tight end with 700 receiving yards and still four regular-season games left.In the classroom, Kelly maintains a 3.01 grade point average as a general studies major with minors in sociology, education and recreation administration. He was a member of the 2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Kelly has participated in two spring break mission trips to Haiti where he and other Rebels have helped the Camp Marie community gain access to clean water and sustainable farming. He regularly makes himself available to fans for autographs and photos, while also speaking with children about the values of a good work ethic and pursuing their dreams. Kelly has broken all kinds of school records since taking over as the Rebels starting quarterback at the beginning of last season. Following last years campaign in which he was Sugar Bowl MVP and broke or tied 14 school records, he once again leads the SEC and ranks top 10 nationally in passing (316.5 yards per game) and total offense (355.1 yards per game). The Buffalo, New York, native has broken Eli Mannings school record by throwing a touchdown pass in 21 straight games and has also established a school record with 12 career 300-yard outings.An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School?, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through December 12. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January.For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.Football 2016 FinalistsZach Banner, Offensive Tackle, University of Southern CaliforniaJake Butt, Tight End, University of MichiganJake Elliott, Place Kicker, MemphisEvan Engram, Tight End, Ole MissJordan Evans, Linebacker, University of OklahomaO.J. Howard, Tight End, The University of AlabamaZay Jones, Wide Receiver, East Carolina UniversityChad Kelly, Quarterback, Ole MissTyler Orlosky, Center, West Virginia UniversityTreDavious White, Defensive Back, LSU Rockies Jerseys China . 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The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. As I usually do a couple of times a year, I spent the day at the ESPN offices in Bristol, Connecticut, on Wednesday. Throughout the day I ran into old friends, chatted with a variety of folks at the company, had some meetings.Pretty much wherever I went they had one question for the boxing guy and it wasnt about Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin or who I thought won the Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward fight (for the record, Kovalev, 115-112).What they all asked me was some form of this question: So is that Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight ever going to happen?Oy. As I have said since the notion of that fight was first raised: No chance. Zero. For a million reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Mayweather, when he fights, is the best boxer on the planet and McGregor would essentially be making his professional boxing debut and, frankly, I have serious doubts a commission even would approve such a dangerous mismatch. The same would be said if Mayweather was seeking to fight in MMA (which he would never even remotely consider).After a long day of traveling back and forth to Connecticut, I returned home to northern Virginia and instead of going to bed, I made the mistake of checking my email. I was greeted with several from the office about the story that colleague and MMA writer Brett Okamoto had written while I was flying home -- the one about how McGregor had gotten a boxing license in California.Naturally, that once again raised wild speculation about a possible fight with Mayweather, who has been retired for a little more than a year. My initial reaction to McGregors gambit: whoopty doo.His getting a boxing license means nothing as it relates to a (im)possible fight with Mayweather. You know what you need to do to get a license for combat sports in California? Pay $60, fill out a rather simple four-page application and pass a medical exam.Whoopty doo.My thought on McGregors play is that he is just looking for more attention. Hes great at generating that, as is Mayweather. And guess what? Hes got it.But I wanted to know what Team Mayweather thought of the turn of events so I called on one Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, who knows Floyd as well as anyone.Ellerbe is usually reserved in his commentary but when I informed him of McGregors licensure, he was animated.Its all a game. Its all a calculated effort to gain more fans, Ellerbe said. He got a boxing license. Congratulations to him. Conor McGregor can say anything he wants to but he has a boss and his name is [UFC president] Dana White. He is under contract to the UFC and if he wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match he cant because his bosses wouldnt allow that to happen. The brass [from WME-IMG] who recently purchased the UFC [for $4 billion earlier this year] are very smart people and they would never -- and put this in bold caps -- let him step into a boxing ring with Floyd Mayweather because everyone knows what the outcome would be. He would get his ass beat from pillar to post.Ellerbe also invoked race, saying the only reason people are interested and talking about the prospect of the fantasy match is because of color. McGregor is a white Irishman. Mayweather is African-American.Call it was it is -- its a black-and-white issue, Ellerbe said. The reason why it generates so much aattention is because its a black-and-white issue.dddddddddddd. If were talking about Floyd against Anderson Silva, when he was No. 1, we wouldnt be having this kind of conversation.Ellerbe also said McGregors boxing license is meaningless because of his contract with UFC.At the end of the day, hes under contract with the UFC, Ellerbe said. Hes told what to do. Hes an employee. Hes done a masterful con job to try to trick people that he could actually pull this off. Its another creative way to create more interest. Nobody is mad but its a con job trying to make people think this is real and even mentioning him and TBE [The Best Ever, Mayweathers nickname] in the same breath is disrespectful, completely disrespectful. Isnt this the same guy who tapped out three fights ago?Indeed, McGregor, moving up in weight, tapped out against Nate Diaz at UFC 196 in March. Since then he has won two in a row, including a rematch with Diaz at UFC 202 followed by a win over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 on Nov. 12 to win the UFC lightweight title, thus becoming the first fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions simultaneously as he was also the promotions featherweight champion.Hes a very good MMA fighter, give credit where its due, Ellerbe said. Its kind of played out now. Just stop it. The con game is over. Go out there and worry about dominating the UFC because three fights ago he lost, he was quitting. You couldnt even mention the word quit with Floyd Mayweather. And, like I said, [McGregor] cant do anything without the UFCs approval. Theres no way [WME-IMG] spent all that money so they can get their biggest star killed. It would never happen. If they want to get him killed put him in there in a boxing match.Ellerbe also said that Mayweather (49-0 as a boxer) has zero interest in fighting McGregor (21-3 in MMA).Think about this, Ellerbe said. Floyd is a guy who spent his entire life developing his craft and becoming the best to do this. And he beat a number of great fighters and is undefeated and built his legacy on hard work and dedication. He beat world champions over a 20-year period and heres a guy, McGregor, who has about 20 fights and lost three of them, and three fights ago he was seen on the mat quitting. What are we talking about? And I have a great deal of respect for what he does for a living. Floyd and I have nothing against UFC or any of their fighters. I respect all fighters who step in a ring or the Octagon, but Floyd is in the Bahamas enjoying life. Hes not thinking about Conor McGregor or anyone else.What McGregor is attempting to do is take a page out of Floyds book from the marketing and promotional side by using his name. The quickest way to become famous is to align yourself with another famous person, and hes done a good job of that.Ellerbe lauded McGregors stand-up game and referred to him as a good puncher compared to the typical UFC fighter but that he would have no prayer with Mayweather.He has a good little hand game, a superior hand game compared to the UFC fighters he is competing with but fighting Floyd Mayweather is a whole other story, Ellerbe said. That bulls--- youre throwing over there in UFC would get you killed against Floyd. ' ' '