Knighton Named Brian Piccolo Award Recipient
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) — Miami offensive lineman Hunter Knighton has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2015 Brian Piccolo Award, ACC Commissioner John Swofford announced Thursday.
The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1970 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the “most courageous” football player in the ACC. Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was stricken with cancer. His courageous fight against that disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.
The 2015 Piccolo Award will be presented at the ACC’s Night of Legends event, which will be held Friday (5:30 p.m.) at the Charlotte Convention Center as part of the festivities held around the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game.
Knighton returned to the playing field for Miami this season less than 19 months after he suffered a heat stroke in spring practice and spent 12 days in a coma after his body temperature rose to 109 degrees. He underwent surgery to repair his paralyzed vocal chords, and the prognosis for his return to the football field initially appeared all but hopeless.
But through hard work and perseverance, Knighton battled his way back to good health and received medical clearance to return to the field this fall. Back at his normal playing weight after dropping 55 pounds during his illness, he has appeared in every game for the bowl-bound Hurricanes. The Pottstown, Pennsylvania, native has been a major contributor on special teams, and has also seen action on the offensive line.
“Hunter Knighton is truly deserving of this prestigious award,” said Miami interim head coach Larry Scott. “No one has worked harder than Hunter to get back on the field and play the game he truly loves. His sacrifice and determination over the past year is truly inspiring. He has defied the odds to return to the field and play a major role on our team. We could not be happier for Hunter and his family.”
Knighton becomes the fifth Miami student-athlete to receive the Brian Piccolo Award and the third in four seasons. Running back Duke Johnson was honored last season, and defensive end Shayon Green earned the award in 2012.
ACC Brian Piccolo Award Winners
1970 – Paul Miller, QB, North Carolina1971 – Jim Webster, LB, North Carolina1972 – Mark Johnson, QB, Duke1973 – Al Neville, QB, Maryland1974 – David Visaggio, DG, Maryland1975 – Scott Gardner, QB, Virginia1976 – Jeff Green, DE, Duke1977 – Ralph Stringer, DB, NC State1978 – Rex Varn, DB, Clemson1979 – not available1980 – Jack Cain, DB,Clemson1981 – Aaron Stewart, DB, Duke1982 – Kenny Duckett, WR, Wake Forest1983 – John Piedmonte, OLB,Wake Forest1984 – J.D. Maarleveld, T, Maryland1985 – Danny Burmeister, DB, N. Carolina1986 – Ray Williams, WR, Clemson1987 – no recipient1988 – Jerry Mays, TB, Georgia Tech1989 – Michael Anderson, RB, Maryland1990 – Marc Mays, WR, Duke1991 – Scott Adell, T, NC State1992 – Dan Footman, DE, Florida State and Randy Cuthbert, TB, Duke1993 – Scott Youmans, DL, Duke1994 – Chris Harrison, T, Virginia1995 – Warren Forney, DT, Clemson1996 – John Lewis, RB, Wake Forest1997 – Sam Cowart, LB, Florida State1998 – Anthony Poindexter, DB, Virginia and Corey Simon, DT, Florida State1999 – Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State2000 – Ed Wilder, FB, Georgia Tech2001 – Matt Crawford, T, Maryland2002 – Anquan Boldin, WR, Florida State2003 – Kevin Bailey, OL, Virginia2004 – Frank Gore, RB, Miami2005 – Ryan Best, S, Virginia2006 – Glenn Sharpe, Miami2007 – Matt Robinson, DE, Wake Forest2008 – Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina2009 – Toney Baker, RB, NC State2010 – Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College and Nate Irving, LB, NC State2011 – Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina2012 – Shayon Green, DE, Miami and Chris Thompson, RB, Florida State2013 – Robert Godhigh, RB, Georgia Tech2014 – Duke Johnson, RB, Miami2015 – Hunter Knigthon, OL, Miami
