Football Holds End-of-Season Banquet
MIAMI – The University of Miami Hurricanes Football program held its annual end-of-season banquet Sunday afternoon inside the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island.
Hurricanes football radio color analyst Don Bailey Jr. served as the program’s emcee. The luncheon began with a season highlight video, followed by a countdown of the season’s nine most memorable plays:
- Denzel Perryman‘s 41-yard INT return at Boston College
- Phillip Dorsett‘s 65-yard TD to open the game at Georgia Tech
- Brandon McGee‘s stripped fumble and recovery vs. NC State
- Kendal Thompkins‘ sensational catch vs. USF
- Jimmy Gaines‘ acrobatic INT vs. USF
- Davon Johnson‘s catch-and-run at Georgia Tech
- Duke Johnson‘s 95-yard KR for a TD at Virginia
- Mike James‘ game-winning TD run in overtime at Georgia Tech
- Stephen Morris‘ game-winning TD pass vs. NC State
At the halfway mark of the banquet, the Hurricanes coaching staff handed out the 20 annual player awards. Freshman S Deon Bush was named the team’s Newcomer of the Year; redshirt junior DL Shayon Green, who was named the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award co-winner, was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player. Junior QB Stephen Morris was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player and ACC Rookie of the Year Duke Johnson was named Special Teams Most Valuable Player.
Mike James, a member of the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, was the recipient of the 2012 Jack Harding Team Most Valuable Player Award.
Before concluding the event with his closing comments, head coach Al Golden then presented all 18 seniors with their framed jersey – Dalton Botts, Ramon Buchanan, Cameron Dean, Chris Dunckel, Mike James, Davon Johnson, Ben Jones, Paul Kelly, Jeremy Lewis, Eduardo Lopez, Brandon McGee, Shawn O’Dare, Darius Smith, Andrew Swasey, Vaughn Telemaque, Kendal Thompkins, Cory White and Jake Wieclaw.
For the latest information on Miami Hurricanes Football, follow @HurricaneSports on Twitter and the official blog for Hurricanes Football, www.theufootball.com.
| 2012 MIAMI HURRICANES FOOTBALL BANQUET AWARD WINNERS | |
| AWARD | PLAYER(S) |
| Hard Hitter Award | Jon Feliciano |
| Mariutto Family Scholar-Athlete Award | Chris Dunckel |
| Community Service Man of the Year Award | Mike James |
| Strength Training Athlete of the Year | Andrew Swasey |
| Albert Bentley Most Valuable Walk-On Award | Nantambu Fentress Paul Kelly |
| Nick Chickillo Most Improved Player Award | Davon Johnson |
| Walt Kichefski Hurricane Award | Jake Wieclaw |
| University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame Unsung Hero Award | Maurice Hagens |
| Training Room Comeback Player of the Year | Ben Jones |
| Hurricane Media “Good Guy” Award | Dalton Botts |
| Captain’s Award | Shayon Green Mike James Brandon McGee Stephen Morris |
| Plumer Award for Leadership, Motivation & Spirit | Brandon McGee |
| Melching Leadership Award | Mike James |
| U Respect Award | Jeremy Lewis |
| Scout Team Player of the Year | Akil Craig Eduardo Lopez |
| Newcomer of the Year Award | Deon Bush |
| Defensive Most Valuable Player | Shayon Green |
| Offensive Most Valuable Player | Stephen Morris |
| Special Teams Most Valuable Player | Duke Johnson |
| Jack Harding Award (Team Most Valuable Player Award) | Mike James |
