Tebow Takes Home Maxwell & Disney Spirit Awards
Friday, December 12, 2008 | Football
Junior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) enjoyed a tremendous night at The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Thursday on ESPN, from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney's Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort. The 2008 Heisman Trophy finalist captured his second-straight Maxwell Award for the best all-around player and received the Disney Spirit Award (most inspirational story). Tebow joined Notre Dame's John Lattner (1952-53) as the only repeat Maxwell winner since it began being presented in 1937. In addition, Gator junior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) was named to the Walter Camp All-America Team that was announced during the show.
The 2008 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, in addition to the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Tebow leads the SEC in completion percentage (64.9), touchdowns (28) and passing efficiency (176.7), while also owning the lowest interception percentage in the league (0.7). He is the only player in NCAA history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in a season, with 32 passing and 23 rushing scores in 2007, and ranks first in Florida's record book for the most career rushing touchdowns. Tebow has thrown for 6,159 yards and 65 touchdowns in three seasons, while also gaining 1,928 yards on the ground with 43 rushing touchdowns, both school records by a Gator quarterback.
On Tuesday, he was named the winner of the 2008 Wuerffel Trophy by the All Sports Association of Fort Walton Beach. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy Quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the award is presented to the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Tebow joined past winners Rudy Niswanger (LSU, 2005), Joel Penton (Ohio State, 2006) and Paul Smith (Tulsa, 2007) as the fourth winner of the prestigious award.
A few weeks ago, Tebow headlined the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Football Team by being named the Academic All-America of the Year winner for the second-straight time. He joined UF basketball standout Matt Bonner (2002, 2003) and fellow Heisman Trophy recipient Wuerffel (1995, 1996) as the only individuals in school history to capture his sport's Academic All-America of the Year award twice. In addition, he collected the 100th Academic All-America honor for the school, as a total of 75 Florida student-athletes have combined to hit the century mark.
Tebow is majoring in Family, Youth and Community Services and has a 3.70 grade point average. He became just the fourth UF football player to achieve Academic All-America recognition in consecutive seasons (Carlos Alvarez, 1969-71; Michael Gilmore, 1993-94; Wuerffel, 1995-96). Thanks to his efforts last year, UF became one of only three schools to have a Heisman winner receive Academic All-American honors in the same year.
Spikes is an integral member of the SEC Champion Gators' defense and leads the team with 87 tackles, to go with four interceptions and 8.0 tackles for loss, including two sacks. All four of his interceptions have come against top-25 opponents, a figure which ties for first among all players nationally and is the most by any linebacker in the country. The Bronco Nagurski Trophy finalist is one of five linebackers in the nation to have two interceptions returned for touchdowns this season. He has led the Gators in tackles in 10 of the last 17 games he has played in, recording 10-or-more tackles in five of his last 14 outings.
Oklahoma sophomore Sam Bradford received the Davey O'Brien Award for best quarterback. Other winners included: Rey Maualuga, USC, Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player); Michael Crabtree, Biletnikoff Award (best receiver); Graham Gano, Florida State, Lou Groza Award (best kicker); Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State, Ray Guy Award (best punter); Andre Smith, Alabama, Outland Trophy (best interior lineman); Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Shonn Greene, Iowa, Doak Walker Award (best running back); Nick Saban, Alabama, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award; and Bobby Bowden, Florida State head coach, NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award.
The Walter Camp All-America Team, which honors the nation's best college football players, was also announced on the show. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was recognized as the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The following five award winners were also acknowledged: Brian Orakpo, Texas, Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman); Chase Coffman, Missouri, John Mackey Award (best tight end); Brian Orakpo, Texas, Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player); A.Q. Shipley, Penn State, Rimington Trophy (outstanding center); and Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma, Frank Broyles Award (top assistant coach).
THE HOME DEPOT ESPNU COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS WINNERS – (listed alphabetically)
| Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) James Laurinaitis, Ohio StateRey Maualuga, USC -– AWARD RECIPIENT Aaron Maybin, Penn State | Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State *Michael Crabtree,Texas Tech-–AWARD RECIPIENT Jeremy Maclin, Missouri |
|
|
|
| Lou Groza Award (best kicker) Josh Arauco, Arkansas State Graham Gano, Florida State -– AWARD RECIPIENT Louie Sakoda, Utah | Ray Guy Award (best punter)Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State- – AWARD RECIPIENT Pat McAfee, West Virginia Louie Sakoda, Utah |
|
| |
| Maxwell Award (best all-around player) Graham Harrell, Texas Tech Colt McCoy, Texas *Tim Tebow, Florida -– AWARD RECIPIENT | Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback) Sam Bradford, Oklahoma -– AWARD RECIPIENT Graham Harrell, Texas Tech Colt McCoy, Texas |
|
| |
| Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) Michael Oher, Ole Miss Duke Robinson, Oklahoma Andre Smith, Alabama -– AWARD RECIPIENT | Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back) Eric Berry, Tennessee Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State – AWARD RECIPIENT Taylor Mays, USC |
|
| |
| Doak Walker Award (best running back) Shonn Greene, Iowa -– AWARD RECIPIENT Knowshon Moreno, Georgia Javon Ringer, Michigan State | |
|
| |
*2007 award winner
The Walter Camp All-America Team
Walter Camp Player of the Year: Colt McCoy, Texas
| Quarterback | Colt McCoy | Texas |
| Wide Receiver | Michael Crabtree | Texas Tech |
| Wide Receiver | Dez Bryant | Oklahoma State |
| Tight End | Chase Coffman | Missouri |
| Offensive Lineman | Michael Oher | Mississippi |
| Offensive Lineman | Andre Smith | Alabama |
| Offensive Lineman | Duke Robinson | Oklahoma |
| Offensive Lineman | Rylan Reed | Texas Tech |
| Center | A.Q. Shipley | Penn State |
| Running Back | Shonn Greene | Iowa |
| Running Back | Javon Ringer | Michigan State |
| Place-kicker | Louie Sakoda | Utah |
| Defensive Lineman | Brian Orakpo | Texas |
| Defensive Lineman | Aaron Maybin | Penn State |
| Defensive Lineman | Jerry Hughes | TCU |
| Defensive Lineman | Nick Reed | Oregon |
| Linebacker | Rey Maualuga | USC |
| Linebacker | James Laurinaitis | Ohio State |
| Linebacker | Brandon Spikes | FLORIDA |
| Defensive Back | Malcolm Jenkins | Ohio State |
| Defensive Back | Alphonso Smith | Wake Forest |
| Defensive Back | Eric Berry | Tennessee |
| Defensive Back | Taylor Mays | USC |
| Punter | T.J. Conley | Idaho |
| Punt Return | Jeremy Maclin | Missouri |
The following list of award recipients also received recognition during the program:
| Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman) Brian Orakpo, Texas | John Mackey Award (best tight end) Chase Coffman, Missouri |
|
|
|
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player) Brian Orakpo, Texas | Rimington Trophy (outstanding center) A.Q. Shipley, Penn State |
|
|
|
| Frank Broyles Award (top assistant coach) Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma |
|
-UF-
![Images from the Florida Gators August 2024 Graduation event on Friday, August 9, 2024 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL. [Photo: Matt Pendleton Photography for Florida Gators Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fgatorzone.com%2Fimages%2F2025%2F4%2F30%2FCap_commencement_detail_240809_1400_Matt_Pendleton_Photography_for_Florida_Gators_Athletics__1_.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
