Pouncey, Hernandez Honored At The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards
Friday, December 11, 2009 | Football
Maurkice Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) was awarded the 2009 Rimington Trophy and Aaron Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) was honored with the 2009 John Mackey Award on Thursday night at The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards in Orlando. The juniors are the first Gators to take home their respective awards in program history.
Pouncey, who is only the second Gator to be named a finalist for the award, was up against John Estes (Hawaii), Chris Hall (Texas), Jake Kirkpatrick (TCU), Matthew Tennant (Boston College) and J.D. Walton (Baylor) for the award which honors the top center in college football. Hernandez edged out Dorin Dickerson of the University of Pittsburgh and BYU's Dennis Pitta to take home the Mackey Award, which recognizes to the best collegiate tight end.
Pouncey has been a mainstay on Florida's offensive line over the past three years and has started 29 consecutive games for the Orange and Blue. He was chosen as the SEC's Offensive Lineman of the Week after the Gators' 23-13 victory over Tennessee in September. Pouncey's efforts helped UF register league bests in total yardage (5,751), total offense (442.4 yards per game), rushing yards (2,928) and rushing yards per carry (5.6).
Not only did Hernandez lead the Gators in receptions (59), he ranked first among tight ends in the SEC in receptions, receiving yards (739), average yards per game (56.8), and ranked third in average yards per catch (12.5). He had a career-high eight catches for 85 yards in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama, becoming the first UF tight end since 1990 to record eight catches in a game. Hernandez is now one of two Gator tight ends with eight catches in a single game and at least seven catches in three games.
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