Gator Jermaine Cunningham Named a Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Pre-Season Candidate
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 | Football
UF junior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham (Stone Mountain, Ga.) was named a pre-season candidate for the 2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award by the Ted Hendricks Foundation Tuesday.
The Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award is named in honor of college football's first three-time first team All-American. As a defensive end at the University of Miami, Ted used his agility, height and reach to block passes and kicks, force interceptions and pressure quarterbacks and running backs. He roamed the front line, read plays and blitzed on impulse, completely transforming the way the defensive end position was played. His professional career spanned 15 years and 215 consecutive games and included four Super Bowl victories, eight Pro Bowl selections and inductions into the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It is in the spirit of Ted Hendricks' aggressive style of play, winning attitude and determination that the Defensive End of the Year Award for college football's premier defensive end is presented.
Cunningham has tallied a total of 66 tackles, 36 solo and 30 assisted, in his first two seasons as a defensive end with the Gators. Cunningham has additionally recorded 12 tackles for loss and six-and-a-half sacks, while owning three pass deflections and one interception as a vital contributor to the University of Florida defense. Cunningham recorded a team season-high 17 tackles against the No. 1 LSU Tigers in 2007, the most tackles by any SEC defensive lineman during the 2007 season. His 17 tackles were also the most tackles in a single game by a Gator since the 2004 season.
Members of the national media, head coaches, professional scouts and former winners are included in the Award's voting committee. The voting committee takes in to consideration on-field performance, exceptional winning attitude, leadership abilities, contributions to school and community and academic preparedness as some of the criteria used to determine the Award's winner. Candidates may represent any class (freshman through senior) as well as any four-year NCAA accredited school. The candidate's primary position must be Defensive End.
The list is subject to change until the Final Mid-Season Watch List is issued in November. Players may be added or deleted, depending on performance, injury, etc. The 2008 winner will be announced on December 10.
2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Pre-Season Candidates:
DIYRAL BRIGGS BOWLING GREEN
EVERETTE BROWN FLORIDA STATE
VICTOR BUTLER OREGON STATE
IAN CAMPBELL KANSAS STATE
ANTONIO COLEMAN AUBURN
JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM FLORIDA
WILL DAVIS ILLINOIS
DEXTER DAVIS ARIZONA STATE
LARRY ENGLISH NORTHERN ILLINOIS
AUSTON ENGLISH OKLAHOMA
MAURICE EVANS PENN STATE
BRANDON GRAHAM MICHIGAN
GREG HARDY MISSISSIPPI
PHILLIP HUNT HOUSTON
TYSON JACKSON LSU
TIM JAMISON MICHIGAN
JEREMY JARMON KENTUCKY
MICHAEL JOHNSON GEORGIA TECH
GREEN JAN JORGENSEN BYU
ALBERT McCLELLAN MARSHALL
GREG MIDDLETON INDIANA
ERIC MONCUR MIAMI
KYLE MOORE USC
ERIC NORWOOD SOUTH CAROLINA
BRIAN ORAKPO TEXAS
KIRSTON PITTMAN LSU
ZACH POTTER NEBRASKA
NICK REED OREGON
ANTWAIN ROBINSON ARKANSAS
RICKY SAPP CLEMSON
JEFF SCHWEIGER SAN JOSE STATE
GEORGE SELVIE SOUTH FLORIDA
MATT SHAUGHNESSY WISCONSIN
STRYKER SULAK MISSOURI
JAMAAL WESTERMAN RUTGERS
WILLIE YOUNG N.C. STATE
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