Gators Celebrate 2011 Season at Annual Banquet
Sunday, December 11, 2011 | Football
The University of Florida football team gathered this evening at the Grand Ballroom in the Reitz Union to celebrate the 2011 season with its annual awards banquet.
At the banquet, the Gators looked back on the 2011 season and gave out several awards as voted on by the coaching staff and student-athletes, including the Fergie Furguson Award, the James W. Kynes Award and the Ray Graves Award.
The Fergie Furguson Award, which has been given annually since 1954 to the player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage, was shared between redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley (Ocala, Fla.) and redshirt junior linebacker Lerentee McCray (Ocala, Fla.).
Brantley also took home the James W. Kynes Award, which is presented annually to the Gator who best exemplified the mental and physical toughness and “iron-man” determination that Kynes exhibited as a Gator athlete. The award, which has been handed out since 1986, traditionally goes to an offensive lineman but the Gator team voted Brantley as this year's recipient based off of how he handed adversity both on and off the field.
The Ray Graves award, given since 1990 to the team's Most Valuable Player as selected by a vote of the entire squad, went to redshirt senior running back Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.). Rainey had a stellar senior season in the Orange and Blue where he led the Gators in rushing (790), receiving (350) and punt return (75) yards.
Photos from the banquet can be found here and a complete list of award winners can be found below.
2011 Banquet Award Winners
Coaches' Choice Awards
President's Academic Award: Caleb Sturgis
Gene Elleson Community Service Award: Jesse Schmitt
Iron Gator Strength and Conditioning Award: Will Green
Chris Patrick Courage Award: John Brantley
Most Valuable Offensive Scout Team Award: Tim Clark
Most Valuable Defensive Scout Team Award: Mike McNeely
Most Valuable Special Team Scout Team Award: Hygens Succes and Solomon Schoonover
Players' Choice Awards
Rex Farrior Most Team Spirited Offense: Jeff Demps
Rex Farrior Most Team Spirited Defense: Dominique Easley
Greg See Tenacity Award Offense: Matt Patchan
Greg See Tenacity Award Defense: Dominique Easley
Most Valuable Special Teams Player: Caleb Sturgis
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Chris Rainey
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Jon Bostic and Matt Elam
James W. Kynes Award (Best Mental/Physical Toughness): John Brantley
Ray Graves Award (Team MVP): Chris Rainey
Fergie Ferguson Leadership Award: Lerentte McCray and John Brantley
Team Captains (5): John Brantley, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Will Green and Jaye Howard
