NOTRE DAME - Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te'o won the Rotary Lombardi Award on Wednesday as college football's best lineman or linebacker. It's the third major award captured by Te'o this off-season to go along with All-American honors, and there could be more as he prepares to leave for New York and the Heisman Trophy presentation.
Te'o also is a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Bednarik Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Lott Trophy.
The Maxwell, Bednarik and Walter Camp will be announced Thursday.
Te'o is only the second player in college football history to capture the Butkus, Nagurski and Lombardi awards in the same season.
Te'o is the fifth Notre Dame player to capture the Lombardi - joining defensive end Walt Patulski (1971), defensive end Ross Browner (1977), nose guard Chris Zorich (1990) and offensive tackle Aaron Taylor (1993).
Te'o leads the Irish with 103 tackles. He is the second Notre Dame player to ever collect at least 100 tackles in three consecutive seasons (Bob Crable, 1979-81). Te'o is the third player in Irish history to record 400 career tackles and currently ranks third in school history with 427 stops.
Te'o has recorded seven interceptions in 2012, which is tied for second in the FBS. He has set a Notre Dame single-season record for most interceptions by a linebacker. Te'o has generated nine total turnovers (seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries), which is tied for the most of any FBS player.
