It should come as no surprise that linebacker Mike Mauti was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2012 football team at its annual banquet Sunday.
To recap:
1. Publicly lashed out at NCAA at Big Ten Media Days in late July, calling governing body of collegiate athletics a joke for thinking it was doing Penn State a favor by allowing any football player the freedom to transfer to any school without having to sit out a year, creating a maelstrom of shady recruiting tactics highlighted by Illinois sending nearly the entire coaching staff to State College to stake out players with the hope of swaying them to Champaign.
2. Helped save the program by calling teammates on the fence about transferring and convincing many to stick it out. Frank Bodani, of the York Daily Record, penned the narrative for Town and Gown.
3. Rehabbed from a second major knee injury and became the Big Ten’s Linebacker of the Year, recording 95 tackles, four tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and three interceptions. He played in 11 games before a third major knee injury robbed him of a 12th.
Mauti wasn’t the only player honored Sunday, and three new awards were handed out for the first time.
Linebacker Gerald Hodges and cornerback Stephon Morris were co-winners for the Coaches’ Award, given to the senior that exhibits pride, dedication, commitment and exemplary leadership in addition to outstanding performance. Remember when Hodges wore Mauti’s No. 42 jersey for the season finale against Wisconsin? Remember when Morris recapped his journey to Penn State?
Long snapper Emery Etter was the recipient of the Football Letterman’s Club Joe and Sue Paterno Post-Graduate Scholarship, which awards $5,000 to a senior to provide financial assistance for graduate school. Etter majored in aerospace engineering and is interested in a career as an astronaut or a NASA engineer, according to his bio info on GoPSUSports.com.
Defensive tackle Jordan Hill and defensive end Sean Stanley were given the Reid-Robinson Award, awarded to the most outstanding defensive lineman.
Other awards handed out at the banquet, per a Penn State release:
– John Bruno, Jr. Memorial Award (outstanding member of special teams) – senior running back Derek Day and linebacker Michael Yancich.
– Ridge Riley Award (senior for ‘sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership and friendship’) – senior defensive end Pete Massaro and senior quarterback Matt McGloin.
– Richard Maginnis Memorial Award (outstanding offensive lineman) – senior tackle Mike Farrell and senior Matt Stankiewitch.
– Robert B. Mitinger, Jr. Award (senior who exhibits courage, character and social responsibility) – senior running back Michael Zordich.
– Outstanding Run-on Award (Run-on player who exemplifies total commitment, loyalty, hard work and courage) – senior long snapper Michael Fuhrman and senior tight end J.R. Refice.
– The Nittany Lion Club Academic Achievement Award (senior with highest GPA) was presented to quarterback Shane McGregor, who has a 3.85 grade point average.
– Quarterback Club Special Awards – Mark Arcidiacono, Joe Baker, P.J. Byers, Cody Castor, Andree Dupree, Jacob Fagnano, Patrick Flanagan, Frank Figueroa, Brian Irvin, Christian Kuntz, Evan Lewis, James Terry, Jamie Van Fleet, Garrett Venuto and Mike Wallace.
