The Sproles/Sauerbrun Award was founded to recognize excellence in special teams. It gets its name from Kansas State return man Darren Sproles and legendary West Virginia punter Todd Sauerbrun. The award can be given to a kicker, a punter, a return man, or even a player that displays a special ability to run down and make hits on kick coverage.
This award has the longest list of finalists due to its all-inclusive criteria, but all eight of the following candidates warrant being considered finalists.
J.Pike's Finalists
JOE BURNETT
(Senior KR/PR, Central Florida)
Key StatsKR: 26 returns for 745 yards;
28.7 avg, 2 td (long 91);
PR: 26 returns for 378 yards;
14.5 avg, long of 36;
1,123 total return yards, 2 touchdowns
MARDY GILYARD
(Junior KR, Cincinnati)
Key StatsKR: 32 returns for 897 yards;
28.0 avg, 2 td (long 100);
Huge game against Oklahoma - 5 returns for 246 yards, 1 td
BRANDON JAMES
(Junior PR/KR, Florida)
Key StatsPR: 36 returns for 509 yards;
14.1 avg, 2 td (long 78);
KR: 29 returns for 687 yards;
23.7 avg, long of 52;
1,196 total return yards, 2 touchdowns
A.J. JEFFERSON
(Junior KR, Fresno State)
Key StatsKR: 31 returns for 908 yards;
29.3 avg, 1 td (long 92);
One of Fresno's main scoring threats
JEREMY MACLIN
(Sophomore KR/PR, Missouri)
Key StatsKR: 41 returns for 987 yards;
24.1 avg, 1 td (long 99);
PR: 19 returns for 188 yards;
9.9 avg, long of 46;
Excellent speed - a threat to score every time he touches the ball;
1,175 total return yards, 1 touchdown
JACOB RICHARDSON
(Senior P, Miami-OH)
Key Stats52 punts, 45.4 avg (4th nationally);
17 punts of 50+ yards, long of 74;
18 punts inside 20 yard line;
6 fair catches, only 7 touchbacks
LOUIE SAKODA
(Senior K/P, Utah)
Key Stats115 total points (7th nationally);
21/23 FGs, 52/53 XPTs;
8/10 FGs over 40 yards, long of 53;
Hit game winning field goal on last play against Oregon State;
50 punts, 41.7 avg, long of 81;
21 punts inside 20 yard line;
16 fair catches, only 9 touchbacks
DERRICK WILLIAMS
(Senior KR/PR, Penn State)
Key StatsKR: 18 returns for 486 yards;
27.0 avg, 2 td (long 94);
PR: 18 returns for 169 yards;
9.4 avg, 1 td (long 63);
655 total return yards, 3 touchdowns;
Averaged one touchdown every 12 returns
J.Pike's Honorable Mention
BRANDON TATE
(Senior PR/KR, North Carolina)
Key Stats
PR: 7 returns for 158 yards;
22.6 avg, 1 td (long 82);
KR: 11 returns for 305 yards;
27.7 avg, long of 56
Tate was well on his way to a fantastic senior season when he tore up his knee in the sixth game of the season. Although he isn't technically considered a finalist for the Sproles/Sauerbrun Award, his play through six games warrants at least a mention here because he was one of the favorites to win the award at the time of his injury.
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