Dan Morgan Receives Chuck Bednarik Trophy
Dec. 7, 2000
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami linebacker Dan Morgan was selected the recipient of the 2000 Chuck Bednarik Trophy Thursday night, awarded annually by the Maxwell Football Club. The Trophy recognizes the College Defensive Player of the Year, named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Morgan a 6-3, 245-pound senior from Coral Springs, was given the Trophy at the Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show at Disney’s Atlantic Dance Hall in Orlando. Morgan joins Warren Sapp (1994) as the only two Hurricanes to win Chuck Bednarik Trophy. Morgan, the 2000 Bronko Nagurski Trophy recipient, was recently named a first-team All-American by the FWAA, as well as Football News, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was also a unanimous selection for 2000 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as making his third straight appearance on the All-BIG EAST team.
Morgan also is a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award recognizing college football’s finest linebacker. That award is to be presented Friday night in Orlando. If Morgan wins the Butkus Award, he will become the first player ever to sweep the Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus Awards in the same season.
Morgan established a BIG EAST career record for tackles, finishing with 532 (309 solo) during his four seasons with the Hurricanes. He led the conference with 138 stops in 2000, including 92 solo. He averaged 12.5 tackles per game and has been rated among the national leaders all season. Morgan also contributed 15 tackles for loss and five sacks. Additionally, he is the first Miami player to record 100 tackles or more in four consecutive seasons.
The 2000 BIG EAST Champion Miami Hurricanes finished the regular season with a 10-1 mark and an undefeated 7-0 record in conference play. Miami finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls for the final five weeks. The Hurricanes will play state-rival and SEC Champion Florida in the 2001 Nokia Sugar Bowl on Tuesday, January 2 at the Louisiana Superdome.
For ticket information for the 2001 Nokia Sugar Bowl, check out the University of Miami athletic website at www.hurricanesports.com or call 1-800 GO CANES.
