Football Columns

Football Columns

Senior CLASS Award turns lucky 13

by Laurie Bollig August 29, 2013 in Football,

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (August 29, 2013) – Soccer and volleyball candidates were announced earlier this week marking the 13th year the Senior CLASS Award – a Premier property since 2001 – has been recognizing outstanding senior student-athletes.

The Senior CLASS Award, chosen by a nationwide vote of NCAA® Division I head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in 10 Division I sports. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete… Continue Reading

Award’s 12th year wraps up with winners who make a difference

by Sam Kovzan July 12, 2013 in Football,

With the completion of the 2012-13 academic year, the Senior CLASS Award® wraps up its 12th year recognizing the most outstanding senior student-athletes in 10 NCAA Division I sports. These individuals, chosen by a nationwide vote of coaches, national media and fans, exemplified excellence in four areas—classroom, community, character and competition—and used their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders their communities.

Brown defender Ryan McDuff, who helped the… Continue Reading

Perseverance and faith help write Te’o’s story

by Laurie Bollig January 10, 2013 in Football,

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o was everywhere you looked – on every television channel up and down the dial, in every newspaper’s sports section, being interviewed on the radio, chatted about endlessly on social media and the subject of just about every water-cooler conversation.

There was a stretch of time in early December – when he was on the awards circuit – that he wasn’t exactly sure what city he was in when he woke up each morning.

It’s all good though. That’s… Continue Reading

Klein’s heart for helping others fits in perfectly at Kansas State

by Randy Rosetta October 26, 2012 in Football,

If he had his druthers, Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein would be just a small part of the mosaic of a great team. Just another piece of the beautiful machinery that makes a talented team click and purr.

Well, the Colorado native and already-graduated senior has gotten part of his wish.

With the 2012 season set to hit its November stretch run, the Wildcats are flying as high as ever, ranked No. 4 in the country and squarely in the hunt for a spot in the BCS National Championship… Continue Reading

Michigan State’s Cousins sets standard for integrity

by Brett McMurphy January 06, 2012 in Football,

The speech started like most speeches begin at these luncheons. Those in attendance gulped down their food, carried on small talk at their tables while feigning attention to the speaker.

That was exactly the situation this summer during the Big Ten’s Kickoff Luncheon when Michigan State senior quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped to the podium. The crowd of 1,800 soon discovered, however, that the speech delivered by Cousins, one of about two dozen speakers that day, would be different.

… Continue Reading

Interns, leaders, academic standouts - Football candidates are prepared for graduation

by Laurie Bollig October 12, 2011 in Football,

Candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in football have made names for themselves not only on the gridiron but also in the classroom and the community. Here are just a few of the ways they are standing out as senior leaders:

> Northern Illinois’s Chandler Harnish has served an internship in the Huskies’ athletics marketing office.

> Washington State’s Jared Karstetter served a microbiology lab internship and was a traumatic brain injury research assistant.… Continue Reading

Dobbs believes in always “giving it back”

by Steve Richardson January 10, 2011 in Football,

Navy’s senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs is one of the most prolific rushing quarterbacks in college football history.  But mastering Navy’s option offense is just a footnote to Dobbs’ off-the-field contributions to school and community.

In winning the 2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Dobbs, who started 25 games for Navy during his career, performed admirably in the community and classroom and displayed excellent character. As an acronym for Celebrating… Continue Reading

Lots of smarts and a tough work ethic fuel these successful centers

by Ron Higgins November 08, 2010 in Football,

Auburn’s Ryan Pugh and Georgia Tech’s Sean Bedford have never met on a football field, or otherwise, but perhaps they should.

The conversation between the two Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalists would start with their love of playing center, the intelligence it takes to recognize defenses and make the blocking calls for the rest of the offensive line.

Pugh, who’s from Hoover, Ala., could tell Bedford, who’s from Gainesville, Fla., that as the son of a 25-year high school… Continue Reading

Ponder represents the past, present and future of Florida State football

by Dennis Dodd October 11, 2010 in Football,

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder has a different definition of a comeback. In 2009’s ninth game, he threw his fourth interception of the game to Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel. Frustrated, Ponder chased down McDaniel, met him at the sideline, lowered his shoulder and, well, that was the end of his season. Ponder separated said shoulder.

After his own comeback—surgery and months of rehab—Ponder became the 2010 poster boy for Florida State’s comeback.  He’s… Continue Reading

Dobbs continues to bring a smile to the faces of fans and coaches alike

by Brett McMurphy September 13, 2010 in Football,

A day after probably the worst football game of his life, Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs still managed a smile on his face.

Come to think of it, Dobbs is always smiling.

“It is hard today,” Dobbs said the day after Navy’s 17-14 season opening loss to Maryland. “But I keep it on and try not to let stuff get me down. I’ve been practicing that since high school. Even when I have bad days, then I still try to keep a smile on my face.

“Me smiling all… Continue Reading