Colorado University Athletics
Awuzie, Liufau Garner Football MVP Honors
November 27, 2016 | Football
Several Buffs Honored Sunday At CU's Senior Banquet
                BOULDER — Seniors Chidobe Awuzie and Sefo Liufau were named the University of Colorado football team's 2016 Most Valuable Players, highlighting the team's annual senior banquet Sunday morning in the Touchdown Club Room inside the Dal Ward Athletic Center at Folsom Field.
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              It's the ninth time since the inception of the award in 1959 that it has been shared by two players, but the first time since the 2000 season.
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                Awuzie is one of the most versatile players in the program's recent history, having played all three secondary positions – cornerback, safety and nickel back – along with some spot play at outside linebacker in certain schemes. One of the top players in the country at his natural position, cornerback, he is likely a first- or second-rounder in next April's National Football League Draft. This season, he has racked up 54 tackles (44 solo), 17 third down stops, 10 passes broken up, four quarterback sacks and an interception. Career-wise, he is CU's all-time leader by a defensive back with nine quarterback sacks and 44 third down stops, in addition to ranking 23rd all-time on the school's tackle list with 267 (eighth in solo stops with 22).Â
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                Liufau has already set 87 school records (a handful are shared), and could finish up with over 90. He owns all the major passing and total offensive marks, and has also started more games at quarterback – 38 – than any other player in school history. He has passed for 2,150 yards this fall, his third straight year over 2,000 yards, with a 64.6 completion percentage with 11 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He has also rushed for 483 yards and seven scores, and against Washington State, he had the second 300-yard/100-yard passing-rushing performance in school history. The Buffs are 8-0 this in games that he either finished or came out of the game with the score in hand.
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              The John Mack Award for the most outstanding player on offense was presented to junior tailback Phillip Lindsay.  He is CU's first 1,000-yard runner in six seasons (1,136), and he has caught 44 passes for another 371 yards; he has a combined 16 touchdowns scored. He is one shy of the mark for the most reception in a season by a running back, and earlier this season set the single-game mark by a back with 11. He is averaging just under 130 all-purpose yards per game and is nearing 4,000 for his career, third-most at Colorado.
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               The Dave Jones Award for the outstanding defensive player was presented to senior strong safety Tedric Thompson, who has enjoyed a stellar season. He has seven interceptions this year, tying the school record for the most in a single-season at Colorado (which was last done in 1972); he is currently fourth in the NCAA in picks.  He is second on the team in tackles with 72, and also had 17 passes broken up and 15 third down stops.
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              The Bill McCartney Award for special teams achievement was shared between sophomore Isaiah Oliver and freshman Beau Bisharat. Oliver had already been a force on coverage teams with 10 tackles (eight solo), with 21 total special team points but also assumed punt return duties when Jay MacIntyre suffered a concussion. He responded with a 12.4 average, including a 68-yard return for a touchdown against UCLA, CU's first punt return for a score in 11 seasons. Bisherat played on almost all of CU's special team units and recorded seven tackles and four knockdown blocks to free return men.
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              CU's inspirational honors went to junior tight end George Frazier (the Eddie Crowder Award for outstanding team leadership), and to junior linebacker Addison Gillam (the Tyronee "Tiger" Bussey Award for inspiration in the face of physical adversity).   Â
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              Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Isaac Miller claimed the Dean Jacob Van Ek Award for academic achievement. Majoring in one of the toughest subjects on campus, he owns a 3.86 grade point average in Integrative Physiology.  He was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete as a senior at Longmont's Silver Creek High School. He has not yet played this season due to a knee injury.
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              The Scout Team Awards were presented to three players, two being hard working walk-on performers in quarterback Casey Marksberry (offense) and defensive back Lucas Cooper (defense); defensive end Sam Bennion shared the honor on that side of the ball, as he returned to action this past spring after serving his two-year mission as a member of the Mormon Church. The coaches selected the players who contributed the most to the weekly preparation on their respective scout teams over the course of the entire season.
              The Lee Willard Award for the most outstanding freshman went to freshmen redshirts Tim Lynott, Jr., and Steven Montez. Lynott started all 12 games at right offensive guard, the first freshman to start every game on the offensive line since Blake Behrens in 2008 and just the fifth-ever to do so (all were redshirts). Montez took the college football world by storm in his first career start at Oregon, as in leading the Buffaloes to a 41-38 win, he became the first player in CU history to throw for 300 yards and run for 100 in the same game. He earned a host of national player of the week honors for his effort, as he subbed for an injured Liufau in making three starts on the season.
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              Lindsay also won the Derek Singleton Award for the second straight year, as he epitomized the qualities of the Buffalo who died on New Year's Day 1982 – those being spirit, dedication and enthusiasm. He's the fifth multiple winner of the honor. He also captured the "Best Interview" honor from CU's beat media, for his entertaining yet thoughtful answers. Liufau was a close second after winning the honor last year, with Jeromy Irwin and Alex Kelley also receiving votes.
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              In all, a record 82 players earned letters this season (one more than last year), including 27 seniors and 23 cited as first-year lettermen, with 15 of those players freshmen (11 redshirt, four true). The lettermen broke down into 42 offensive and 35 defensive players along with five specialists.
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              "The thing that is most exciting about this season is that we have a few games left," head coach Mike MacIntyre said to close the banquet. It's all 118 players, but it's this group of seniors and fourth-year juniors that have truly resurrected the Colorado football program. What you have done against all odds, and against people that have talked all kinds of (bad) stuff. Remember, you chase your dreams, you set your goals and you keep moving forward. I can't express in words how proud I am of this group of young men."
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The complete list of CU award winners announced Sunday; all awards were selected by the coaching staff unless otherwise noted:
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Zack Jordan Award (most valuable player): CB Chidobe Awuzie and QB Sefo Liufau
John Mack Award (outstanding offensive players): TB Phillip Lindsay
Dave Jones Award (outstanding defensive players): SS Tedric Thompson
Bill McCartney Award (special teams achievement): TB Beau Bisharat and CB Isaiah Oliver
Lee Willard Award (outstanding freshmen): OG Tim Lynott, Jr., and QB Steven Montez
Dean Jacob Van Ek Award (academic excellence): OL Isaac Miller
Offensive Scout Player of the Year: QB Casey Marksberry
Defensive Scout Players of the Year: DE Sam Bennion and DB Lucas Cooper
Derek Singleton Award (spirit, dedication and enthusiasm): TB Phillip Lindsay
Tyronee "Tiger" Bussey Award (inspiration in the face of physical adversity): ILB Addison Gillam
Tom McMahon Award (great dedication and work ethic): ILB Kenneth Olugbode
Eddie Crowder Award (outstanding team leadership): TE George Frazier
Offensive Trench Award: OT Jeromy Irwin
Defensive Trench Award: OLB Jimmie Gilbert and DT Josh Tupou
Hammer Award (hardest legal hit of the year): TE Sean Irwin
Best Interview (selected by team beat media): TB Phillip Lindsay
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Previously announced:
Buffalo Heart Award (selected by "the fans behind the bench"): QB Sefo Liufau
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              It's the ninth time since the inception of the award in 1959 that it has been shared by two players, but the first time since the 2000 season.
Â
                Awuzie is one of the most versatile players in the program's recent history, having played all three secondary positions – cornerback, safety and nickel back – along with some spot play at outside linebacker in certain schemes. One of the top players in the country at his natural position, cornerback, he is likely a first- or second-rounder in next April's National Football League Draft. This season, he has racked up 54 tackles (44 solo), 17 third down stops, 10 passes broken up, four quarterback sacks and an interception. Career-wise, he is CU's all-time leader by a defensive back with nine quarterback sacks and 44 third down stops, in addition to ranking 23rd all-time on the school's tackle list with 267 (eighth in solo stops with 22).Â
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                Liufau has already set 87 school records (a handful are shared), and could finish up with over 90. He owns all the major passing and total offensive marks, and has also started more games at quarterback – 38 – than any other player in school history. He has passed for 2,150 yards this fall, his third straight year over 2,000 yards, with a 64.6 completion percentage with 11 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He has also rushed for 483 yards and seven scores, and against Washington State, he had the second 300-yard/100-yard passing-rushing performance in school history. The Buffs are 8-0 this in games that he either finished or came out of the game with the score in hand.
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              The John Mack Award for the most outstanding player on offense was presented to junior tailback Phillip Lindsay.  He is CU's first 1,000-yard runner in six seasons (1,136), and he has caught 44 passes for another 371 yards; he has a combined 16 touchdowns scored. He is one shy of the mark for the most reception in a season by a running back, and earlier this season set the single-game mark by a back with 11. He is averaging just under 130 all-purpose yards per game and is nearing 4,000 for his career, third-most at Colorado.
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               The Dave Jones Award for the outstanding defensive player was presented to senior strong safety Tedric Thompson, who has enjoyed a stellar season. He has seven interceptions this year, tying the school record for the most in a single-season at Colorado (which was last done in 1972); he is currently fourth in the NCAA in picks.  He is second on the team in tackles with 72, and also had 17 passes broken up and 15 third down stops.
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              The Bill McCartney Award for special teams achievement was shared between sophomore Isaiah Oliver and freshman Beau Bisharat. Oliver had already been a force on coverage teams with 10 tackles (eight solo), with 21 total special team points but also assumed punt return duties when Jay MacIntyre suffered a concussion. He responded with a 12.4 average, including a 68-yard return for a touchdown against UCLA, CU's first punt return for a score in 11 seasons. Bisherat played on almost all of CU's special team units and recorded seven tackles and four knockdown blocks to free return men.
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              CU's inspirational honors went to junior tight end George Frazier (the Eddie Crowder Award for outstanding team leadership), and to junior linebacker Addison Gillam (the Tyronee "Tiger" Bussey Award for inspiration in the face of physical adversity).   Â
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              Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Isaac Miller claimed the Dean Jacob Van Ek Award for academic achievement. Majoring in one of the toughest subjects on campus, he owns a 3.86 grade point average in Integrative Physiology.  He was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete as a senior at Longmont's Silver Creek High School. He has not yet played this season due to a knee injury.
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              The Scout Team Awards were presented to three players, two being hard working walk-on performers in quarterback Casey Marksberry (offense) and defensive back Lucas Cooper (defense); defensive end Sam Bennion shared the honor on that side of the ball, as he returned to action this past spring after serving his two-year mission as a member of the Mormon Church. The coaches selected the players who contributed the most to the weekly preparation on their respective scout teams over the course of the entire season.
              The Lee Willard Award for the most outstanding freshman went to freshmen redshirts Tim Lynott, Jr., and Steven Montez. Lynott started all 12 games at right offensive guard, the first freshman to start every game on the offensive line since Blake Behrens in 2008 and just the fifth-ever to do so (all were redshirts). Montez took the college football world by storm in his first career start at Oregon, as in leading the Buffaloes to a 41-38 win, he became the first player in CU history to throw for 300 yards and run for 100 in the same game. He earned a host of national player of the week honors for his effort, as he subbed for an injured Liufau in making three starts on the season.
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              Lindsay also won the Derek Singleton Award for the second straight year, as he epitomized the qualities of the Buffalo who died on New Year's Day 1982 – those being spirit, dedication and enthusiasm. He's the fifth multiple winner of the honor. He also captured the "Best Interview" honor from CU's beat media, for his entertaining yet thoughtful answers. Liufau was a close second after winning the honor last year, with Jeromy Irwin and Alex Kelley also receiving votes.
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              In all, a record 82 players earned letters this season (one more than last year), including 27 seniors and 23 cited as first-year lettermen, with 15 of those players freshmen (11 redshirt, four true). The lettermen broke down into 42 offensive and 35 defensive players along with five specialists.
Â
              "The thing that is most exciting about this season is that we have a few games left," head coach Mike MacIntyre said to close the banquet. It's all 118 players, but it's this group of seniors and fourth-year juniors that have truly resurrected the Colorado football program. What you have done against all odds, and against people that have talked all kinds of (bad) stuff. Remember, you chase your dreams, you set your goals and you keep moving forward. I can't express in words how proud I am of this group of young men."
Â
The complete list of CU award winners announced Sunday; all awards were selected by the coaching staff unless otherwise noted:
 Â
Zack Jordan Award (most valuable player): CB Chidobe Awuzie and QB Sefo Liufau
John Mack Award (outstanding offensive players): TB Phillip Lindsay
Dave Jones Award (outstanding defensive players): SS Tedric Thompson
Bill McCartney Award (special teams achievement): TB Beau Bisharat and CB Isaiah Oliver
Lee Willard Award (outstanding freshmen): OG Tim Lynott, Jr., and QB Steven Montez
Dean Jacob Van Ek Award (academic excellence): OL Isaac Miller
Offensive Scout Player of the Year: QB Casey Marksberry
Defensive Scout Players of the Year: DE Sam Bennion and DB Lucas Cooper
Derek Singleton Award (spirit, dedication and enthusiasm): TB Phillip Lindsay
Tyronee "Tiger" Bussey Award (inspiration in the face of physical adversity): ILB Addison Gillam
Tom McMahon Award (great dedication and work ethic): ILB Kenneth Olugbode
Eddie Crowder Award (outstanding team leadership): TE George Frazier
Offensive Trench Award: OT Jeromy Irwin
Defensive Trench Award: OLB Jimmie Gilbert and DT Josh Tupou
Hammer Award (hardest legal hit of the year): TE Sean Irwin
Best Interview (selected by team beat media): TB Phillip Lindsay
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Previously announced:
Buffalo Heart Award (selected by "the fans behind the bench"): QB Sefo Liufau
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Players Mentioned
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