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Home , Alex Karras, Antrel Rolle, Bill Stanfill, Bobby Bell, Bob Gain, Brad Shearer

It’s award season for FWAA, time to meet at December 2004 Vol. 42, No. 5 Presenting awards is what the Foot- 6-15. The winner will be announced dur- ball Writers Association of America does ing the broadcast of the on best in December and January, including Jan. 1 and honored at an event on his Inside this issue: during the annual meeting at the FedEx campus next fall. Orange Bowl on Jan. 3-5. The FWAA’s annual meeting will be The FWAA awards season kicked off Jan. 3-5 at the Marriott Marina Hotel in President’ Dick Weiss’ 2 on Dec. 6 when senior Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in conjunction with column became the first Long- the 1-2 horn to win the Trophy, game. which the FWAA awards to the best de- The FWAA Board meeting will be the Six named finalists for fensive player in . afternoon of Jan. 3. And the awards Eddie Robinson Coach 3 Johnson received the trophy at a gala breakfast and meeting the next morning of the Year Award banquet at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, at the media hotel. Big 12 Commissioner N.C., where a sellout crowd of 850 at- Kevin Weiberg, chairman of the BCS, will tended and Oklahoma coach be in attendance and answer media gave the keynote address. questions at the breakfast. Next up was the presentation of the The FWAA will continue to sponsor FWAA’s on the ESPN The Courage Award, along with ESPN College Football Awards Show on Dec. 9 The Magazine. The winner for 2004 will from Disney World. Oklahoma’s senior be honored at the awards breakfast offensive became along with the Scripts FWAA Freshman the fifth Sooner to win the award, which All-America team. is given to the best lineman in college The FWAA will also recognize win- football on either side of the ball. ners of the Best Writing Contest and re- For the first time in 15 years, the 25- veal the name of the Volney Meece man FWAA All-America Team (Pages 4- Scholarship winner during the breakfast. FWAA All-America 5) was announced on television, during a The presentation of the Grantland 4-5 one-hour ABC special on Dec. 11. The Rice Super 16 Trophy is tentatively Team team was introduced to the public the scheduled for the morning of Jan. 5 at previous evening at a banquet, which the media hotel. The winner will be the Oklahoma’s Jammal was sponsored by Florida Citrus Sports FWAA’s national champion as selected Brown wins Outland 6 at Disney/MGM Sound Stage. by 16 FWAA members who vote in the Trophy Six finalists for the FWAA/Eddie Rob- weekly poll. inson Coach of the Year Award were an- On Jan. 13, the Outland Trophy will Texas’ Derrick Johnson nounced on Dec. 6. They appear on be presented during a banquet spon- 7 Page 3. On-line voting by the entire sored by the Omaha Sports Committee wins Nagurski Trophy FWAA membership took place from Dec. and First Data Corporation in Omaha. Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN

President Dick Weiss New York Daily News

First Vice President President’s column Alan Schmadtke It’s post season supply their driver’s license number. Orlando Sentinel awards time, and we While this may seem like a privacy issue

Second Vice President see the folks over at to some (including le- Dennis Dodd the gal, which is balking at the idea), it was- CBS SportsLine Award, who give out n’t the Orange Bowl’s idea, but rather the the trophy for the strong recommendation of Homeland Executive Director nation’s best run- Security. That organization had a repre- Steve Richardson Dallas Morning News ning back, can’t sentative meet with officials of the game seem to stay out of last month. This is no different than the 2004 Directors controversy. Re- , which wants to make sure it Mark Anderson member, this is the hasn’t credentialed anyone who has Las Vegas Review & Journal same group that background issues. Jack Bogaczyk DICK presented the Doak Besides, wouldn’t you rather be safe Charleston Daily Mail to Byron Hanspard than sorry? WEISS Charles Durrenberger of Texas Tech in ● Arizona Daily Star 1996, only to find As I approach the final days of my out later he hadn’t gone to class that se- FWAA presidency, there are still some Rob Daniels mester. disturbing issues I hope my successors Greensboro News & Record A month ago, the board of directors Alan Schmadtke from the Orlando Senti- Chad Hartley of the SMU Athletic Forum decided to nel and Dennis Dodd of CBS SportsLine Reno Gazette Journal change the rules in mid-season when it will pursue in the future. First, is the is-

Steve Henson voted to break with tradition and allow sue of access, which is always a con- Times freshmen to compete, even though this cern. Steve Richardson, our executive had been an award given to an upper- director and Vahe Gregorian, a good Todd Jones friend from the St. Louis Post- Dispatch, Columbus Dispatch classman. The idea, of course, was to include helped us gather information on the ac- Rich Kaipust Oklahoma’s sensational freshman tail- cess the media receives from the Omaha World-Herald back , who has been schools in the six BCS conferences. It

Steve Kiggins among the leading candidates for the wasn’t as bad as I thought, although Casper Star-Tribune , on the Doak Walker there were still some schools that limited Award semifinalist list. We’re betting they access to just one day a week. That will Malcolm Moran USA Today never counted on a backlash from the always be unacceptable for us. University of Texas, which had a worthy There is another disturbing issue that Joseph Person candidate in senior Cedric is creeping onto the horizon -- the idea The State (S.C.) Benson; or the Dallas media, who felt the that three schools in the Big Ten Michael Pointer group had deliberately excluded North (Michigan, Michigan State and Minne- Indianapolis Star Texas freshman running back Jamario sota) are charging the media to park for

George Schroeder Thomas. He actually had better regular- home games. What’s next? Admission to Daily Oklahoman season numbers than Peterson. the press box? In an era where there is Benson eventually won the award. growing competition between the pros Chip Scoggins But he was excluded from consideration and colleges for space in the papers, we Minneapolis Star-Tribune when he was a freshman, when he may wonder how schools would feel if news- Jeff Shain well have won it in 2001. In his column, papers charged the going ad rate for Miami Herald Kevin Blackistone of The Dallas Morning stories about their non-revenue sports.

Bob Thomas News criticized the group’s knee jerk ● Florida Times-Union reaction when it added Peterson and left A few thank yous are probably in or- out Thomas. And several key Doak der at this point. A huge thanks to Steve Keith Whitmire Walker Award voters from the FWAA are Richardson, who has done a lot to pro- Dallas Morning News talking about resigning. Count me among mote and market this ever-growing or- Ex-officio them. ganization and has made us financially Bob Burda ● solvent though the sponsorship deals he Big 12/BCS liaison Hopefully, no one is freaking out too has brokered for the Outland Trophy and Jon Jackson much about the Orange Bowl’s decision the Nagurski Trophy and the FWAA All- Duke/CoSIDA to make applicants for media credentials (Continued on page 8) THE FIFTH DOWN Page 3 Eddie Robinson award down to six finalists

DALLAS — The FWAA All-America Committee has arrived at a list of six finalists for the association’s Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. The six coaches — UTEP’s , Utah’s Ur- ban Meyer, USC’s , Auburn’s Tommy Tuber- ville, Cal’s Jeff Tedford and Iowa’s — are on the ballot that went out to all FWAA members via e- mail in early December. FWAA members’ final vote will be revealed on Janu- ary 1 during the television broadcast of the Fiesta Bowl. The FWAA has honored a major-college coach with its Coach of the Year Award since 1957. Among the six finalists, there is only one previous winner — Mike Price, Urban Tommy Kirk who won in 1997 when he was at Washing- Meyer Tuberville Ferentz ton State. The FWAA Coaching Award is named after Robin- Utah Auburn Iowa son, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 years. He has more Division I victories (408) than any other coach. The winner of the FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award will be honored at his campus before a football game next fall. Here’s a capsule look at the FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year finalists: ►Price, in his first season in El Paso, led the Miners to 8-3 record and a second-place finish in the Athletic Conference behind Boise State. The Miners, 2- 11 in 2003, are headed to the Bowl after one of the great turnarounds in college football this season. ►Carroll has led USC to another Pac-10 champion- ship. The unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Trojans will meet Pete Mike Jeff No. 2 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4 for the Carroll Price Tedford national championship. Carroll was a coach of the year finalist last season when the Trojans won the FWAA’s USC UTEP California Grantland Rice Trophy for the national title. ►Tuberville’s job status was shaky a year ago when the Tigers suffered through a five-loss season. But third- ►Meyer’s Utes will meet in the Fiesta ranked Auburn, one of five unbeaten teams during the Bowl after winning the title 2004 regular season, has rebounded with a dazzling 12- and finishing with an 11-0 record. Meyer made Utah a 0 record and will play in the . national power in two seasons and will head to Florida to ►Ferentz’ Hawkeyes (9-2) grabbed a piece of the coach the Gators after the Fiesta Bowl. Big 10 title on the last weekend of Big Ten season when ►Tedford’s Golden Bears (10-1) lost only to top- they beat . Ferentz is a past Eddie Robinson ranked USC this season and have their most conference finalist. The Hawkeyes are headed to the Capital One wins since 1949. They will play Texas Tech in the Holi- Bowl in Orlando on New Year’s Day to play LSU. day Bowl in after nearly making the BCS. Page 4 The Fifth Down

FWAA ALL-AMERICA

Pos. Player School Ht. Wt. Class QB Utah 6-4 205 Jr. RB Adrian Peterson Oklahoma 6-2 210 Fr. RB J.J. Arrington California 5-11 210 Sr. TE Virginia 6-5 254 Jr. OL Jammal Brown Oklahoma 6-6 313 Sr. OL Alex Barron Florida State 6-6 308 Sr. OL Minnesota 6-3 280 Jr. OL Michigan 6-5 323 Sr. OL Chris Kemoeatu Utah 6-4 334 Sr. WR Michigan 6-3 206 Sr. WR Purdue 6-1 172 Sr.

Smith Peterson Arrington Miller Brown Utah Oklahoma California Virginia Oklahoma

Barron Eslinger Baas Kemoeatu Edwards Stubblefield Florida St. Minnesota Michigan Utah Michigan Purdue The Fifth Down Page 5

ALL-AMERICA , SPECIALISTS

Pos. Player School Ht. Wt. Class B Carlos Rogers Auburn 6-1 194 Sr. B Michigan 6-1 199 Sr. B Michigan 6-4 226 Jr. B Miami 6-1 200 Sr. LB Southern Miss 6-3 218 Sr. LB Derrick Johnson Texas 6-4 235 Sr. DL Wisconsin 6-4 263 Sr.

DL Jonathan Goddard Marshall 6-0 246 Sr. DL Georgia 6-3 276 Sr. Johnson Pollack DL Oklahoma 6-5 270 Sr. Texas Georgia DL USC 6-4 295 Sr. P Michigan St. 6-6 233 So. K Ohio State 5-10 170 Sr. KR USC 6-0 195 So.

Rogers Jackson Shazor Rolle Boley James Auburn Michigan Michigan Miami Southern Miss Wisconsin

Goddard Dan Cody Shaun Cody Fields Nugent Bush Marshall Oklahoma USC Michigan St. Ohio St. USC Page 6 THE FIFTH DOWN Brown wins OU’s fifth Outland ORLANDO, Fla. — Oklahoma’s Jammal Brown be- came the fifth Sooner to win the Outland Trophy on Dec. 9 during the ESPN College Football Awards Show. The Outland Trophy, which goes to the best interior lineman in the country on offense or defense, has been awarded annually by the Football Writers Association of America since 1946. The other two 2004 Outland finalists were Florida State offensive tackle Alex Barron and Michigan offen- sive guard-center David Baas. Brown, a 6-6, 312-pound senior offensive tackle, has had the duties this season of protecting or opening holes for two outstanding players, senior Jason White and freshman running back Adrian Peterson. “I play a physical game,” Brown said. “It is all a part of it. I want defensive linemen and to know I am going to be nasty.” Brown basically has been flawless in execution, al- lowing no sacks, no hurries and no quarterback hits. He leads the Sooners with more than 124 knockdowns. Brown is the second player from Lawton, Okla., to win the Outland Trophy. Nebraska’s (1992) was the first player from that town to win the prestigious lineman’s award. “Jammal is as deserving of the Outland Trophy as any player we’ve had nominated for any award,” Okla- homa coach Bob Stoops said. “His performance has been dominating. … We sit in the film room and are amazed at what he does.” Oklahoma has had four other Outland Trophy win- ners. The most recent one was Greg Roberts in 1978. Other OU Outland Trophy winners are (1975), J.D. Roberts (1953) and (1951). The only school with more Outland winners is Ne- Oklahoma’s Jammal Brown will officially re- braska. Seven Cornhuskers have won the Outland a ceive his Outland Trophy on Jan. 13 in total of eight times. Among them is center Dave Riming- Omaha at a banquet sponsored by the Omaha ton, the only double winner (1981 and 1982). Sports Committee and First Data Corp.

PAST OUTLAND WINNERS

1946 George Connor, Notre Dame 1961 , Utah State 1976 , Notre Dame 1991 , 1947 , Army 1962 , Minnesota 1977 , Texas 1992 Will Shields, Nebraska 1948 Bill Fischer, Notre Dame 1963 , Texas 1978 Greg Roberts, Oklahoma 1993 , Arizona 1949 , Michigan State 1964 Steve Delong, Tennessee 1979 , N.C. State 1994 , Nebraska 1950 , Kentucky 1965 , Texas 1980 , Pittsburgh 1995 , UCLA 1951 Jim Weatherall, Oklahoma 1966 , Arkansas 1981 , Nebraska 1996 , Ohio State 1952 , Maryland 1967 , USC 1982 Dave Rimington, Nebraska 1997 Aaron Taylor, Nebraska 1953 J.D. Roberts, Oklahoma 1968 , Georgia 1983 , Nebraska 1998 , UCLA 1954 Bill Brooks, Arkansas 1969 Mike Reid, Penn State 1984 , Virginia Tech 1999 , Alabama 1955 Calvin Jones, Iowa 1970 , Ohio State 1985 , Boston College 2000 John Henderson, Tennessee 1956 Jim Parker, Ohio State 1971 , Nebraska 1986 , BYU 2001 Bryant McKinnie, Miami 1957 , Iowa 1972 , Nebraska 1987 , Air Force 2002 , Washington State 1958 , Auburn 1973 John Hicks, Ohio State 1988 , Auburn 2003 , Iowa 1959 Mike McGee, Duke 1974 Randy White, Maryland 1989 , BYU 1960 , Minnesota 1975 Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma 1990 , Miami (Fla.) Page 7 THE FIFTH DOWN UT’s Johnson wins Nagurski CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Texas senior linebacker Der- And Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was the keynote rick Johnson has collected the 2004 Bronko Nagurski speaker at this banquet. But Johnson was superb in that Trophy, which annually goes to the best defensive player game, which was Oklahoma’s lowest scoring output of in college football. the regular season. Johnson, a 6-4, 230-pound senior, is the third Big 12 Against the Sooners, Johnson collected 16 tackles Conference player in four seasons to win the honor. But (seven unassisted), made one tackle for a three-yard he is the first Texas Longhorn to win the award, which is loss and intercepted a pass and returned it 18 yards. voted upon by the FWAA All-America Committee and “Winning the Nagurski Trophy is a great honor,” said sponsored by the Charlotte Club. Johnson. “It is something I have dreamed about. I Last year, Oklahoma defensive back , wanted to be the best linebacker. But I also wanted to be now with the , claimed the Nagurski Tro- the best defensive player. The guys in front of me did a phy. And another Oklahoma defensive back Roy Wil- lot of the blue collar work.” liams, now with the , won the award in Auburn defensive back Carlos Rogers and defensive 2001. ends Jonathan Goddard of Marshall, Erasmus James of Johnson was named the winner during a banquet Wisconsin and David Pollack of Georgia were the other attended by 850 people on Dec. 6. 2004 finalists. Johnson, who was Defensive The award is given in memory of the legendary Na- Player of the Year, has 128 tackles in 11 games this gurski, a former All-American lineman at Minnesota season. He had 19 tackles for loss, tied an NCAA record (1927-29) and star for professional football’s by causing eight and intercepted one pass. He Bears in the 1930s. had three quarterback hurries. Johnson credited his coaches with helping him the “He’s a special guy, real special,” said Texas’ first- award. year Greg Robinson. “We will “Coach (Mack) Brown is a father-figure type coach, miss him. and he made it like home for us,” Johnson said. “My line- “I have had nine or 10 All-Pro linebackers, and they backer coach Carl Reese for three years got me better can’t handle him,” added Robinson, who spent 14 years every day. Coach Robinson came in from the NFL and in the as an assistant coach. put the icing on the cake. He has been so positive. He Oklahoma handed UT its only loss of the 2004 regu- has been a big influence on my senior year.” lar season, 12-0 at the in early October.

PAST NAGURSKI WINNERS Year Player School

1993 Rob Waldrop Arizona

1994 Miami (Fla.)

1995 Northwestern

1996 Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern

1997 Michigan

1998 Georgia

1999 Virginia Tech

2000 Miami

2001 Oklahoma

Texas’ Derrick Johnson tied an NCAA record by causing 2002 Arizona State eight fumbles this season. 2003 Derrick Strait Oklahoma Page 8 THE FIFTH DOWN President’s column (continued)

(Continued from page 2) this year who really went out of the way for us both be- fore and after the game; good friends Mark Blaudschun American team, which now appears on ABC. As you of the Boston Globe, Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles may have heard, Steve will receive the Bert McGrane Times, Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Constitution, Dennis Award for contributions to college football next summer. I Dodd of CBS SportsLine, Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com, can’t think of a better choice. Alan, you’re getting a great John Junker and Shawn Schoeffler of the Fiesta Bowl, one. Tom Mickle of the Capital One Bowl Malcolm Moran of I’d also like to thank the 16 members of our FWAA USA Today, Kelly Whiteside and Tiger for making all All-American board – nobody’s ever done it better – and those road trips and people like John Henderson of the George Schroeder of The Daily Oklahoman and Charlie Post, Stewart Mandel of .com, Fiss of the Cotton Bowl for their incredibly hard work in Wendell Barnhouse of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, obtaining Marriot VIP Athletic Rate cards for our mem- Lenn Robbins of the New York Post, Pete Thamel of the bers. Times, Chuck Culpepper of Newsday and Joe Hornstein, Others to laud … Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News- our liaison with the Orange Bowl, for their advice, help Sentinel for all his hard work on the FWAA/Scripps and support; and, finally, my wife Joannie, who puts up Freshman All-American team; Ted Gangi and Cody with me and is definitely the smart one in our household. Monk, for helping Steve with the directory and doing an Thanks again, guys. excellent job on the website, fwaa.com: Ken Stephens, Here’s hoping everyone in the FWAA has a won- who handled our writing contest and has produced The derful holiday. See you all in Lauderdale. Fifth Down ; Kelly Whiteside of USA Today, whose grace and dignity when she was president two years ago have Dick Weiss helped upgrade the reception this organization receives everywhere we go; all the SIDs I’ve personally dealt with

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