Jayhawks Recognized At Kansas Football Awards Ceremony
March 6, 2010
LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the third straight year quarterback Todd Reesing was named Kansas’ John Hadl Award winner, recognizing the team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player at the annual Kansas Football Awards Ceremony Saturday.
The football team held its ceremony to honor the senior class and hand out 15 individual team honors in the Kansas Ballroom of the Kansas Union on campus. Seniors Reesing, Kerry Meier and Darrell Stuckey, each took home two awards on the night.
Reesing, not only excelled on the field, throwing for 3,616 yards and 22 touchdowns in the final season of his storied, record-breaking career, but achieved in the classroom. The National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete earned the team’s Senior Academic Scholar honor.
It marked the first time that a Jayhawk won both the top scholar honor and an on the field MVP honor since the awards were started in 2003.
Meier earned the Nolan Cromwell leadership award and the Don Fambrough unselfishness honor to bring his career total team honors to seven. Meier had previously won the courage and improved player honors in 2008, the unselfish and weight room accolades in 2007 and the offensive scout team honor in 2005.
Stuckey claimed the Willie Pless Award given annually to the team’s tackle leader since 1985. Stuckey recorded 93 tackles while becoming the first non-linebacker to lead KU in tackles since 2000. He was also selected for the Galen Fiss Award for service in the campus and community.
The senior class for KU produced a 31-18 four-year record for the second-most wins by a four-year senior class in school history. The group was part of consecutive bowl seasons and victories for the first time in school history.
Other highlights for the senior class included appearances in the polls for the first time since 1996 as the Jayhawks were ranked in 27 of 33 polls in a stretch from 2007-09, the top four season attendance averages in school history, and having all 12 games in 2009 on television.
KU’s 2009 senior class included Kayl Anderson, Caleb Blakesley, Kerry Meier, Maxwell Onyegbule, Raimond Pendleton, Todd Reesing, Jose Rodriguez, Jake Schermer, Jake Sharp, Dustin Spears, Darrell Stuckey, Justin Thornton, Jeff Wheeler and Arist Wright.
2009 Kansas Football Awards
Senior Academic Scholar – Todd Reesing
Otto Schnellbacher (Offensive Scout Player of the Year) – Deshaun Sands
George Mrkonic (Defensive Scout Player of the Year) – Kevin Young
Offensive Lineman of the Year – Brad Thorson
Iron Hawk (Weight Room) – Jake Sharp
Nolan Cromwell (Leadership) – Kerry Meier
Don Fambrough (Unselfish) – Kerry Meier and Chris Harris
Gale Sayers (Most Courageous) – Sal Capra
Bruce Kallmeyer (Special Teams) – Kayl Anderson
John Hadl (Offensive MVP) – Todd Reesing
Ray Evans (Defensive MVP) – Jake Laptad
Most Improved Offensive Player – Tanner Hawkinson
Most Improved Defensive Player – Drew Dudley
Galen Fiss (Campus and Community Service) – Darrell Stuckey
Willie Pless (Most Tackles) – Darrell Stuckey
