Michigan senior defensive tackle Mike Martin and center David Molk are among the linemen on the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award.

What exactly is the Rotary Lombardi? Glad you asked, because it’s as simple as this:

• Be a down lineman, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, setting up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball at the time of snap.
• Be a linebacker on defense, setting up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.
• May not come out of the offensive backfield and set up on the line of scrimmage as a blocker or receiver, or be listed as a back or receiver.
• Shows leadership, courage, desire, respect for authority and discipline.

That’s a mouthful.

Martin, a former Detroit Catholic Central star, was a second-team All-Big Ten selection last season by the coaches, and an honorable mention by the media. He had 37 tackles, six for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

He was Michigan’s best defensive player on a unit that ranked No. 110 in the nation and set records for the most points and yards allowed in program history.

Martin, though, was a beacon of excellence, fighting through near-constant double-teams in the 3-4 and 3-3-5 defenses of former head coach Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Greg Robinson to earn national recognition.

He applied to the NFL advisory committee in the offseason to assess his draft status, eventually receiving a report he was projected to go in the middle rounds.

He elected to return, and now is faced with the challenge of adjusting to a new defense. First-year Michigan coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison are scrapping the old scheme in favor of a 4-3.

Hoke has said he plans to move Martin around on the defensive line -- even dropping him back off the line — to try to catch opponents off-guard.

“On defense, you have to put guys who can make plays in position to make plays,” Hoke said in April. “There (are) some things Mike does as well as anybody that we want to do a good job with, and see exactly what he can do.”

The 6-foot-2, 299-pound Martin also is a candidate for the Outland Trophy (interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player).

Molk was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and second-team selection by the media last season. He was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy (best center).

The senior from Lemont, Ill. started every game after being beset by injury in 2009.

The Big Ten placed 16 players on the Rotary Lombardi watch list:

• Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
• Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois
• Mike Brewster, C, Ohio State
• Vince Browne, DE, Northwestern
• Ben Burkett, C, Northwestern
• Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska
• Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska
• Joel Foreman, G, Michigan State
• Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
• Mike Martin, DT, Michigan
• Cameron Meredith, DE, Nebraska
• David Molk, C, Michigan
• Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
• Andrew Sweat, LB, Ohio State
• Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
• Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin

Detroit Lions first-round draft pick Nick Fairley won the Rotary Lombardi last season at Auburn.

Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.