Football Awards

The Gansz Trophy is named after Frank Gansz, a former Navy player who passed away after complications with knee surgery.

The award was created in order to honor Gansz as well as to be presented to the winner whenever Navy and SMU face eachother.

Heisman Trophy Winner Bradford Returns to Oklahoma Next Season
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) — University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford wants to emulate Jason White, who led the Sooners to a second national championship game appearance the year after he won the 2003 Heisman Trophy.

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, said yesterday he’ll return for his junior year. White’s feat was repeated the following year by Matt Leinart, who led the University of Southern California to the Bowl Championship Series title game in 2005, the year after he won the trophy.

Tight end Jermaine Gresham, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and offensive tackle Trent Williams will join Bradford in their quest for a second BCS championship title after the 2009 season.

“They understand the value of gaining another year of experience and improving their position in the draft along with the value of either finishing their degree or being within a few hours of completing it,” said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

Bradford, 21, an Oklahoma City native, led college football’s top division with 50 passing touchdowns last season, directing an offense that scored more than 60 points in five straight games.

“If I’d gone one way or the other it would’ve been the right decision,” Bradford said yesterday at a televised press conference. “But I do feel like I’ve made the right decision by coming back.”

He was last year’s most efficient passer in Football Bowl Subdivision play and broke the National Collegiate Athletic Association record for touchdown passes during his freshman and sophomore seasons with 86.

Bradford’s 4,720 yards passing last year ranked him third in the country behind Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell and Houston’s Case Keenum.

Bradford and University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner, are the only sophomores to win the award, which goes to the top college football player.

Tebow, who finished third in the Heisman voting in 2008, announced Jan. 11 during a ceremony celebrating the Gators’ 24- 14 win over the Sooners in the Bowl Championship Series title game that he’ll return for his senior season.

Bradford completed 26 of 41 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the title-game defeat.

Originally posted by Mason Levinson.

Bradford beat out fellow quarterbacks Colt McCoy of Texas and 2008 Heisman winner Tim Tebow of Florida for the bronze statue. He garnered 1,726 points for the win, with McCoy placing second at 1,604 points and Tebow third with 1,575 points.

“Wow, I really don’t think I can put it into words. It’s kind of a surreal experience,” Bradford said moments after winning.

But as usual, he was quick to give credit to family and coaches.

“I would like to thank my parents. From a young age they pushed me for greatness. They instilled a hard work ethic in me,” Bradford said. “I’ve got to thank my coaches. Coach (Bob) Stoops probably puts in more hours than any coach in the country. I’ve got to give a special thanks to coach (Josh) Heupel. He was one of my heroes growing up. I dreamed about playing for Oklahoma and watching him play. Now to call him my coach and learn from him everyday and everything he does for me, I can’t thank him enough.”

He also thanked his teammates, who helped him post the gaudy statistics to win the award.

“I was surrounded by such a strong supporting cast. I feel like I’m up here representing them,” Bradford said. “This is an individual award, but I feel like I’m receiving it on behalf of them.”

With his teammates’ help, Bradford has put together a record-breaking season. He has attempted 442 passes, completing 302 for a 68.3 completion percentage. He has thrown for 4,464 yards and 48 touchdowns and is the triggerman for an offense that has scored a NCAA-record 702 points. The team has also scored 60 or more points in five straight games.

Bradford is the second sophomore in NCAA history to win the award – following Tebow – and the second Sooner in five years to win the Heisman. Former Sooners quarterback Jason White won it in 2003.
He also is the first Native American to win the greatest individual trophy in college football. And though he didn’t grow up identifying with his Cherokee heritage, he wants to use his status to inspire other Cherokees and Native Americans.

“I feel like that’s another blessing God’s given me. He’s given me a great platform, especially within the Cherokee Nation. For me to be an example for those kids, I really look at it as a great opportunity for me,” he said.

Principal Chief Chad Smith said he agrees that Bradford along with Sequoyah High School graduates Nathan Stanley (a freshman quarterback at the University of Mississippi) and Angel Goodrich (a freshman point guard at Kansas University) serve as role models for younger Cherokees.

“People like Sam and some of our other young kids, they encourage and inspire kids to think, ‘If they can do it, we can do it,’” Smith said. “That’s the valuable purpose of a role model.”

Bradford is believed to be the first Native American to quarterback a major college program since Sonny Sixkiller led the Washington Huskies in the early 1970s.

Sixkiller, who was born in Tahlequah, is now a 57-year-old senior associate general manager at ISP, the University of Washington’s sports licensing properties division. He said he regrets not meeting Bradford when OU beat Washington 55-14 on Sept. 13 in Seattle and that he might have given Bradford the advice to embrace the Cherokee culture.

“I think they can look with pride on one with heritage and one that kids can relate to,” Sixkiller said. “It’s just huge. Every little bit that’s positive helps, and that’s what he’s doing.”

But despite the hero status and the Heisman glitz, Bradford said his focus is still on the goals the team set before the season – winning the Big 12 and Bowl Championship Series titles.

The Sooners won the Big 12 championship Dec. 6 in Kansas City, Kan., with a 62-21 victory over the Missouri Tigers. Bradford played the game with torn ligaments in his non-throwing left hand, an injury he suffered a week earlier against Oklahoma State.

The injury isn’t expected to keep him from missing the BCS national title game Jan. 8 when the Sooners play Tebow’s Florida Gators.

“We’re ready to meet that challenge. We’re ready to get back to work and get ready for the eighth. When we started the season, winning the national championship was the first goal we put down as a team. I’ve thought about the game everyday since we won the Big 12,” Bradford said.

Because of his outstanding play the past two seasons, the speculation about whether he will leave early for the NFL has started. NFL scouts and experts have said if Bradford declares for the NFL draft, he would certainly be a top five pick. Some NFL draft analysts have Bradford rated as the top player available in the draft.

However, Bradford said he isn’t looking that far ahead.

“We have a huge game in front of us, so I’m not going to think about that decision. After the game, I’ll gather all the information that’s necessary to make the correct decision,” he said.

Bradford has also collected other hardware besides the Heisman. The Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio awarded Bradford with the Sammy Baugh Trophy, as the nation’s top passer, and the Chic Harley Award as its player of the year. It’s the first time in the club’s 54-year history one player has won both awards.

On Dec. 11, he won the Davey O’Brien Trophy for being the nation’s top quarterback. He also was named to the Associated Press’ All-Big 12 first team at quarterback.

Originally posted By Wesley Mahan at Cherokeephoenix.org.

The Morris Trophy is a unique award given to the outstanding offensive and defensive linemen in the Pacific-10 Conference. What makes the award unique is the selection procedure, which has the starting offensive linemen in the Conference voting for the defensive winner and vice versa. It is truly a players’ award.

Mack, a 6-foot-5, 316-pound senior from Santa Barbara, Calif., was named a first-team All-Pac-10 performer for the third straight year in voting by the Pac-10 head coaches and also has been selected the second-team All-America center by the Walter Camp Foundation. In addition, Mack became the first Pac-10 player to be awarded the prestigious Draddy Trophy by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame to the nation’s top scholar-athlete. He has started all 37 games at center for the Golden Bears the last three seasons. In addition to his prowess on the field, Mack was named a first-team Pac-10 All-Academic selection by virtue of a 3.60 grade-point average in Graduate Studies.
Reed, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound senior from Trabuco Canyon, Calif., has been selected first-team All-Pac-10 by the Conference head coaches for the last two years and is a first-team All-America selection by the Walter Camp Foundation this year. Reed had a spectacular senior season as he led the Pac-10 in quarterback sacks with 13 and in tackles for loss with 19.5. With Reed as the leader, Oregon led the Pac-10 in sacks with 38. Like Mack, Reed is a first-team Pac-10 All-Academic selection boasting a 3.44 grade-point average in History. He also served as a Duck captain this season.

Mack and Reed will be presented their awards at a luncheon at the prestigious Washington Athletic Club in Seattle in January, 2009. The Morris Trophy is sponsored by the Morris Family of Woodway, Wash., and the Washington Athletic Club.

Previous Morris Trophy Winners

Year Offense Defense
1980 Roy Foster, USC Vince Goldsmith, Oregon
1981 Roy Foster, USC Fletcher Jenkins, Washington
1982 Bruce Matthews, USC George Achica, USC
1983 Gary Zimmerman, Oregon Keith Millard, Washington State
1984 Dan Lynch, Washington State Ron Holmes, Washington
1985 Jeff Bregel, USC Erik Howard, Washington State
1986 Danny Villa, Arizona State Reggie Rogers, Washington
1987 Randall McDaniel, Arizona State Dana Wells, Arizona
1988 Joe Tofflemire, Arizona Dana Wells, Arizona
1989 Bern Brostek, Washington Esera Tuaolo, Oregon State
1990 Pat Harlow, USC Steve Emtman, Washington
1991 Lincoln Kennedy, Washington Steve Emtman, Washington
1992 Lincoln Kennedy, Washington Rob Waldrop, Arizona
1993 Todd Steussie, California D’Marco Farr, Washington
1994 Tony Boselli, USC Chad Eaton, Washington State
1995 Jonathan Ogden, UCLA Tedy Bruschi, Arizona
1996 Bob Sapp, Washington Darrell Russell, USC
1997 Olin Kreutz, Washington Jeremy Staat, Arizona State
1998 Yusuf Scott, Arizona Inoke Breckterfield, Oregon State
1999 Travis Claridge, USC Willie Howard, Stanford
2000 Chad Ward, Washington Andre Carter, California
2001 Levi Jones, Arizona State Kenyon Coleman, UCLA
2002 Kwame Harris, Stanford Terrell Suggs, Arizona State
2003 Jacob Rogers, USC Dave Ball, UCLA
2004 Adam Snyder, Oregon Bill Swancutt, Oregon State
2005 Ryan O’Callaghan, California Haloti Ngata, Oregon
2006 Ryan Kalil, USC Sedrick Ellis, USC
2007 Alex Mack, California Sedrick Ellis, USC
2008 Alex Mack, California Nick Reed, Oregon
Originally posted in Pac-10.org.

“There goes that theory,” Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo joked Sunday after winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation’s top defender.

Orakpo flew to Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, a day after participating in graduation at UT.

This fall, the son of Nigerian immigrants finished up the final three hours he needed to earn a degree in youth and community studies.

Next on Orakpo’s itinerary is Wednesday’s Lombardi Trophy ceremony, which honors the nation’s top lineman.

After a quick trip back to Austin for Friday’s Longhorn football banquet, Orakpo will leave for Newport Beach, Calif., for a black-tie dinner Sunday to honor finalists for the Lott Trophy . That award goes to a defensive player for work on and off the field.
Orakpo already is the consensus defensive player of the year in the Big 12.

He said he was shocked when he heard his name called Sunday.

“When you’re up for these awards, you never think you’re going to win them,” he said.

Orakpo’s statistics swayed the voters, as he joined linebacker Derrick Johnson as the only Longhorns to win the Nagurski. Despite missing 2 1/2 games with a knee sprain, Orakpo registered 10 1/2 quarterback sacks, sixth-best in the nation. He also forced four fumbles, which ranked third in the country. His 18 tackles for losses were 11th best in the nation.

The other finalists were Texas Christian defensive end Jerry Hughes, Southern California linebacker Rey Maualuga, Wake Forest defensive back Alphonso Smith and Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes. Members of the Football Writers Association of America select the winner.

The award is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

During Sunday’s banquet, Orakpo gave tips to Spikes on how best to stop the Sooners and quarterback Sam Bradford. Orakpo’s signature game came in a 45-35 win over OU, when he had two sacks, four tackles for losses and a forced fumble.

Orakpo said he told Spikes: “If you put our film on there, you see how much pressure we got and that’s why we were successful in the game. You can’t let him sit back there all day.”
Originally posted by Suzanne Halliburton.

County’s sides continue bid for FA Trophy glory

WITH all but two of the county’s non-league sides already out of the FA Cup, the FA Trophy represents the last chance for Kent’s clubs to embark on the road to Wembley.

An appearance in the final is still a distant hope for the eight sides in first round qualifying action this afternoon, but three wins would put them in the draw alongside well-known Conference sides such as Oxford, Torquay and Wrexham.

The competition is already special for Whitstable Town, who won the FA’s ‘Team of the Round’ trophy a fortnight ago. The Oystermen shook off dreadful early season form to win away to two-time trophy winners Kingstonian in the preliminary round.

It was only the club’s second ever win in the competition and manager Marc Seager is relishing his side’s game against Northamptonshire’s Brackley Town at the Belmont.

He said: “You could say it’s the biggest game in the club’s history. We are playing against a side from a higher level so it’s a huge game and we are looking forward to it. Hopefully the town can get behind us and create a good atmosphere.”

Dover Athletic visit Staines Town in one of the round’s most eye-catching ties. Both sides are in excellent form following promotion last season and make up two of the Ryman Premier’s top four.

The Berkshire side have a cup trophy pedigree and beat Stockport County in last season’s FA Cup trophy en route to the second round.

The competition has taken on greater significance for the Whites, whose FA Cup trophy hopes were ended by AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night.

Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler said: “The FA Trophy is a big competition and it’s a chance to play at Wembley. I was fortunate enough to be there this year when Ebbsfleet won it so I know it’s a fantastic tournament and one we will take seriously. I haven’t had back-to-back defeats since I have been here and I certainly don’t want it against Staines.”

Originated from Mumbai, INDIA

Could Florida's Tim Tebow join former Ohio State great Archie Griffin as the only players to win multiple Heisman Trophies? The Gators’ dual-threat quarterback is the betting favorite on betED.com’s odds for the 2008 Heisman.

Here is a look at betED.com’s favorites and a breakdown of their chances of hoisting college football’s most prestigious award.

Tim Tebow, Florida QB – 250: In 2007, he was a one-man wrecking crew for the Gators, passing for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushing for 895 yards and 25 more scores. Tebow’s top three receivers return, including star Percy Harvin. So every 2008 Heisman Trophy Prediction list must start with the reigning winner. But Tebow wore down a bit last year, and Urban Meyer has said he doesn’t want his bruising lefty to run the ball as much this year and thus save him from punishment. So with Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and even Harvin getting plenty of carries, there’s no way Tebow’s 2008 numbers will match last season’s, even though the Gators are likely a better team. Make or break game: 10/11 vs. LSU.

Chase Daniel, Missouri QB – 400: Daniel finished fourth in last year’s voting, and four other players who have finished fourth in Heisman voting have won it the next year, with the last being USC’s Charles White in 1978. The reigning Big 12 offensive player of the year could get a major campaign boost if he somehow leads the Tigers to a BCS title game. He will need to get people to forget last season’s Big 12 title game performance against Oklahoma. Make or break game: 10/18 at Texas.

Chris Wells, Ohio State RB – 400: Could a Buckeye win the Heisman Trophy for the second time in three years? Wells could certainly surpass 2,000 yards on the ground this season as the loaded Buckeyes beat up on the weak Big Ten. However, Ohio State’s bowl failures recently could sway voters against “Beanie.” If Wells goes off on USC in that mega-matchup on Sept. 13, then watch out. But if the Buckeyes lay another big-game egg, it will be hard for Wells to recover. Make or break game: 9/13 at USC.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia RB – 500: Moreno was brilliant as a freshman, but will Heisman voters award this trophy to a sophomore for the second straight year after having never done it previously? In addition, Moreno will have to compete for votes on his own team with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Surprisingly, no SEC running back has won the Heisman since a certain Bo in 1985. These odds are too high. Make or break game: 10/25 at LSU.

Matthew Stafford, Georgia QB – 800: Georgia is a running team, and Stafford’s not even the most hyped, or best, player on his own offense (see above). Hard to believe no Bulldog has won the Heisman since Herschel Walker. One won’t this year either. Make or break game: 9/20 at Arizona State.

LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh RB – 800: You could argue McCoy was better than Georgia’s Moreno in their freshman seasons last year. But Pitt is way off the national radar, and while it may be improved this year the Heisman voters won’t give the award to a player on a middling team not named Notre Dame. Make or break game: 10/2 at South Florida.

Percy Harvin, Florida WR – 800: It would seem Florida would have too many weapons for Harvin to get enough touches to put up monster numbers. This is a decent price for a sleeper who is as electrifying as any player in the country. But Harvin can’t stay healthy for a full season, and he is coming heel surgery in the offseason. If he can stay healthy, this is a good value bet. Make or break game: 9/20 at Tennessee.

Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB – 800: This guy will put up better numbers than any quarterback in the country, but that’s part of the problem: Most think Harrell is just a product of Mike Leach’s system. In addition, Michael Crabtree could steal Harrell’s thunder. Make or break game: 11/1 vs. Texas.

Pat White, West Virginia QB – 800: Of the 2008 Heisman Trophy Predictions, I left the best price on betED.com’s board for last. White is the best running quarterback in the country, and he won’t have to share the spotlight with Steve Slaton any longer. Noel Devine is another story. If the Mountaineers can run the table they become the story of the year in the wake of Rich Rodriguez bolting the program for Michigan. And no one would benefit more from that publicity than White. In addition, the Mountaineers say they will throw downfield a bit more this season, so that will help White’s typically average passing stats. Make or break game: 10/23 vs. Auburn.

Originally Written by Matt Severance, www.oddsandnews.com

Ten Doeschate extends Essex deal – Ten Doeschate hit 30 not out in the FP Trophy final

Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate has signed a one-year extension to his contract which will keep him with the county until the end of 2011.

The 28-year-old was instrumental in Essex’s successful 2008 season which saw them win the Friends Provident Trophy and Pro40 Division Two title.

The South African-born Netherlands international was named Associate Player of the Year at the ICC awards.

Ten Doeschate is due to return to Essex from Cape Town in February.

Originated from The BBC

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy not only retained the No. 1 position this week in the HeismanPundit/Orlando Sentinel Heisman Trophy poll, he was the unanimous choice of all 10 voters.

The top three in the poll were Big 12 quarterbacks, McCoy was joined by No. 2 Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and No. 3 Graham Harrell of Texas Tech.

Florida’s Tom Tebow, who won the Heisman Trophy last year, is ranked No. 5. But even he says he’s using the vote he gets as a former winner to pick McCoy if the Texas junior continues to dominate.

USC’s Mark Sanchez, who was as high as No. 2 one week, is again out of the top 12, despite the Trojans’ 69-0 victory Saturday over Washington State.

Originally written by Randy Harvey

Bart Bergfeld celebrates a TD catch versus Robert Morris. The University of Dayton senior, a 2005 St. John’s graduate, has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s Draddy Trophy, as well as a candidate for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award.The Delphos Herald

DAYTON — University of Dayton senior tight end Bart Bergfeld has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s Draddy Trophy.
In addition, the Delphos native is a candidate for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award.
The Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, has been referred to as “the academic Heisman.” One of college football’s most sought-after and competitive awards, the Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
Bergfeld, a 2005 Delphos St. John’s High School graduate, carries a 3.95 GPA while majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Religious Studies.
He is one of 164 semifinalists from all levels of college football. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Draddy Trophy winner will be announced at the NFF’s Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4 at the prestigious Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. A total distribution of more than $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening.
Past Draddy winners include two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a Heisman Trophy winner.

Originated from The Delphos Herald