Willis III Selected as Outland Trophy Player of the Month

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami redshirt senior defensive lineman Gerald Willis III has been selected as the Outland Trophy Defensive Player of the Month, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Friday.

Willis III, who has started all five games for the Hurricanes through the first month of the season, is tied for third in the nation and ranks first in the ACC with an average of 2.1 tackles for loss per game.
 
“It’s an honor. I just know, in the back of mind, I still have a lot of work to go. I still have a lot of stuff to do and a lot of things to achieve,” Willis said. “It’s an honor to get the award. I’m going to keep pushing.”

After missing all of 2017, Willis III returned to the field for Miami’s season opener on Sept. 2 and delivered an overpowering performance in the trenches vs. LSU. Willis III posted a career-high four tackles for loss – the most in a single game by a Hurricane since 2008 – and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance.

He has had at least three tackles for loss in three of five games this season, posting three against both Toledo (Sept. 15) and FIU (Sept. 22). The New Orleans native has totaled 23 tackles, a team-best 10.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and one pass breakup.