The University of Akron Athletics
Football Celebrates 2015 Season with Awards Banquet
December 13 | Football
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AKRON, Ohio— The University of Akron football program celebrated the 2015 season with its annual awards banquet on Sunday afternoon at Quaker Station in downtown Akron.
For the third consecutive season, senior LB Jatavis Brown (Belle Glade, Fla.) was named the outstanding defensive performer.
Senior RB Conor Hundley (Hamilton, Ohio) was named the outstanding offensive performer, while senior P Zach Paul (Broadview Heights, Ohio) was tabbed the special teams player of the year.
Brown, the 2015 MAC Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time first-team All-MAC selection, started all 12 games this year and led the Zips to the team's first year of bowl eligibility since 2005 with a 7-5 overall record. Brown leads Akron with 108 tackles, a team-best 17.5 tackles for loss, and a season record 10.5 sacks. Brown also has three forced fumbles, two break-ups, and an interception.
Hundley had a breakout season as a senior. He leads the Zips with 883 yards and 10 touchdowns on 188 carries. He is second on the team in scoring with 60 points. Hundley has four 100-yard rushing performances in his career, including three this season, and stands No. 11 on the Zips' career chart with 2,127 yards.
Paul, a 2015 Ray Guy Award nominee, has punted 71 times for 2,922 yards (41.2 average), including 12 longer than 50 yards, 23 inside the 20, and 16 fair catches in 12 games. His career long punt of 73 yards came at No. 19 Oklahoma this fall. Paul was named the MAC Specialist of the Week following In the 20-0 shutout of Kent State where he punted just three times for 117 yards (averaging 39.0), including a long of 45 yards. Two of those punts landed inside the 20. His final punt in the fourth quarter was downed at the one-yard line to start Kent's final drive of the game. The shutout was Akron's first over Kent State in 30 years.
Brown, Hundley, and senior NT Cody Grice (Akron, Ohio), who were selected as team captains for the 2015 season by their teammates, earned the coaches' captain's award.
A complete list of honorees follows.
The season highlight video, produced by the football video department (@ZipsFBVideo), kicked off the event.
The Zips (7-5 overall, 5-3 MAC), under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Terry Bowden, will face Utah State (6-6 overall, 5-3 MWC) on Tuesday, Dec. 22, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise.
Kickoff time is set for 1:30 p.m. MT (3:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN.
2015 Akron Football Team Awards
Fred S. Sefton Award
Presented for outstanding offensive and defensive performances, this award is named for
former UA football head coach (1915-23) and head of the physical education department.
Offensive MVP: Conor Hundley
Defensive MVP: Jatavis Brown
Harry "Doc" Smith Award
Presented to the outstanding player in each class on offense and defense, this award is given
in remembrance of a man who gave himself to the University through his activity in the field
of health and physical education.
Outstanding Senior (Offense): Imani Davis
Outstanding Senior (Defense): Dylan Evans & Cody Grice
Outstanding Junior (Offense): Jerome Lane
Outstanding Junior (Defense): DeAndre Scott
Outstanding Sophomore (Offense): Thomas Woodson
Outstanding Sophomore (Defense): Zach Guiser
Outstanding Freshman (Offense): Kyle Ritz
Outstanding Freshman (Defense): Jordan George
Howard "Red" Blair Award
Presented to the player who scores the most points in a season, this award is given in honor
of the former UA head coach for football (1927-35) and basketball (1928-36).
John W. Heisman Award
Presented to the player who is the team's unsung hero for the intangibles he provides during
practice and for inspiring his teammates, this award is given in memory of UA's first athletics
director and football head coach (1893-94).
Offense: The offensive line starters—Andrew Bohan, Tommy Brown, Dylan Brumbaugh, Quaison Osborne, and Isaiah Williams
Defense: Darryl Monroe
Captain's Award
Jatavis Brown
Cody Grice
Conor Hundley
Special Teams Player of the Year
Zach Paul
Iron ZIP Award
Conor Hundley
Rise & Shine Award
Matt Hoyer
Scout Team Player of the Year
Offense: John Lako and Josh Ward
Defense: Ryan Kortokrax
Academic Award
Senior: Kyle Pohl
Junior: Zach Guiser
Sophomore: Michael Buddenberg
Freshman: Kyle Ritz
