Crimson Tide Holds Annual Football Awards Banquet (courtesy of UA Media Relations)
BIRMINGHAM – The 2009 Southeastern Conference Champion University of Alabama football team held its annual awards banquet Sunday night at The Cahaba Grand Conference Center in Birmingham, Ala.

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban addressed an audience that included members of the team, coaching staff, administration and support staff following the awards session. Saban recapped the Tide’s 2009 SEC Championship season and outlined his team’s goals for the upcoming BCS National Championship Game with the Texas Longhorns.

Alabama also named its permanent team captains for the 2009 season. The Tide elected senior cornerback/return specialist Javier Arenas, senior left guard Mike Johnson and junior linebacker Rolando McClain. The captains will have their hand and foot prints cemented at Denny Chimes prior to annual A-Day Game next spring.

Junior linebacker Rolando McClain and sophomore running back Mark Ingram were named the 2009 Most Valuable Players. McClain leads the Tide with 101 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss this season. He is a finalist for the Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Award this season. Ingram set the Alabama single-season rushing record with 1,542 rushing yards. He is a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, the Walter Camp Trophy and the Maxwell Award.

Ingram and Johnson were also named the Crimson Tide’s Offensive Player’s of the Year. Johnson led a rebuilt offensive line that helped clear a path for 215.9 rushing yards per game and 413.77 yards of total offense while surrendering just 1.15 sacks per game to rank 19th nationally.

McClain and senior nose guard Terrence Cody were named the Tide’s Defensive Player’s of the Year. Cody had 25 tackles and six tackle for loss and played a key role in the Tide’s run defense this season. He also tied an Alabama record with two blocked kicks in the win over Tennessee.

Seniors Arenas, P.J. Fitzgerald and Leigh Tiffin were named Special Teams Player’s of the Year. Arenas is the SEC’s al-time leader with 1,733 career punt return yards and needs just 29 yards to break Wes Welker’s NCAA record of 1,761 yards. Fitzgerald averaged 42.1 yards on 51 punts this season. He had eight punts of 50 or more yards and landed 16 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Tiffin is the school’s career leader in scoring and field goals. He also holds the UA single-season record with29 field goals this season.

Seniors Brian Selman and Colin Peek were awarded the Outstanding Senior Scholar Award, while Johnson, McClain, Arenas, sophomore receiver Julio Jones, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Barrett Jones and junior quarterback Greg McElroy were presented with the Commitment to Academic Excellence Award.

University of Alabama President Dr. Robert E. Witt presented Kareem Jackson, Marquis Maze, Ali Sharrief and William Vlachos with the annual President’s Award. Former Alabama All-American John Croyle was given the Jefferson County Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Senior offensive lineman Drew Davis and linebacker Cory Reamer were named the recipients of the 2009 Pat Trammell Award.

The complete list of award winners is as follows:
Iron Man Award:
Marcell Dareus, William Vlachos, Trent Richardson, Barrett Jones, Roy Upchurch

Commitment to Academic Excellence Award:
Mike Johnson, Julio Jones, Rolando McClain, Javier Arenas, Barrett Jones, and Greg McElroy

Outstanding Senior Scholar:
Brian Selman and Colin Peek

Unsung Hero Award:
Darius Hanks, Robby Green, Marquis Johnson, Preston Dial, Courtney Upshaw, and Justin Woodall

Outstanding Defensive Performer Award:
Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas

Up-Front Award:
Brandon Deaderick and Lorenzo Washington; and from the offense James Carpenter and Mike Johnson

Most Inspiring Player:
Rolando McClain

Defensive Achievement Award:
Marcell Dareus, Mark Barron and Eryk Anders

Offensive Achievement Award:
Greg McElroy, Julio Jones and Colin Peek

President’s Award:
Kareem Jackson, Marquis Maze, Ali Sharrief and William Vlachos

Special Teams Award:
Javier Arenas, P. J. Fitzgerald and Leigh Tiffin

Defensive Player of the Year:
Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody

Offensive Player of the Year:
Mark Ingram and Mike Johnson

Pat Trammell Award:
Drew Davis and Cory Reamer

Jefferson County Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award:
John Croyle

Most Valuable Player:
Mark Ingram and Rolando McClain

Captain Awards:
Javier Arenas, Mike Johnson and Rolando McClain

One thought on “Alabama hands out awards”

  1. I have been thinking about Tim Tebow coming back to Florida to work on his pro game. I really don’t know if he he intended to go pro in the first place but their were a few rumors, I wonder if Meyer talked him into coming back another year. I know that coach Meyer was worried about loosing players and how the team would perform. During the first part of the season he took a few snaps under center. The Gators struggled and he fell back into the shot gun. I haven’t seen a lot of checking off and changing the play at the line of scrimmage. At the line of scrimmage he might change a play but it will be to the same ole stuff. Are you wondering if Meyer has prepared Tebow to play at the next level, because his tech,. hasn’t changed at all and it’s not very good. I wonder how soon Tebow will realized that he hasn’t been prepared to play at the next level,,,,basically he’s screwed,,,,and it’s by his head coach….

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