Bucknell University Athletics
Daris Wilson Named Bucknell Football MVP
12/6/2004 7:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 6, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior quarterback Daris Wilson (Kenner, La./Archbishop Rummel) walked off with team Most Valuable Player honors, and more than a dozen of his teammates also received awards at the 43rd Annual Lewisburg Touchdown Club-Bison Club Awards Banquet, held Sunday afternoon in the Terrace Room on campus.
Wilson, who just wrapped up a record-setting season as the director of Bucknell's spread option offense, earned the Lewisburg Touchdown Club Award as the team's MVP, as voted on by the Bison players. Wilson, a First Team All-Patriot League selection in 2004, won the award for the first time. In fact, he is the first offensive player to earn the honor since running back Rich Lemon in 1994.
Wilson rushed for 1,149 yards and 17 touchdowns this season and was the nation's leading rusher among quarterbacks. He graduates as the Bucknell and Patriot League record-holder for rushing yards in a game (252), season (1,149) and career (2,046) by a quarterback.
In leading the Bison to four straight wins to close out a 7-4 season, Wilson authored perhaps the greatest four-game stretch by any back in school history. Over the final four contests he ran for 737 yards and 14 touchdowns, including five-touchdown performances in league victories over Holy Cross and Colgate. His 252 yards against Holy Cross was the second-highest rushing total in Bison annals.
Wilson also broke Bucknell season (.660) and career (.631) records for completion percentage. He passed for 852 yards and six touchdowns in 2004.
Wilson and senior linebacker Kevin Ransome (Bear, Del./Christiana) shared the 2004 Captains Award. The twosome was elected co-captains prior to the start of the season. Ransome was named to the All-Patriot League Second Team for the second year in a row after finishing fourth on the team in tackles with 68. He had six tackles for loss and tied for second in the Patriot League in fumble recoveries with three.
Ransome was also the recipient of the ROTC Leadership Award, and he shared the C. Dale Wolfe Award as the team's most inspirational player with senior wide receiver Nisan Trotter (Silverhill, Ala./Robertsdale). Trotter, who also won the Big Blue Award as the team's most outstanding back or wide receiver, was Bucknell's leading receiver in 2004, with 25 receptions for 461 yards and three touchdowns. He finished eighth in the Patriot League in receiving yards and 10th in total catches. His 18.4 yards per catch average was tops in the league.
Senior free safety Virgil Rush (Bear, Del./Christiana), a high school teammate of Ransome, won the Clarke Hinkle Award, given to Bucknell's most outstanding linebacker or defensive back. Rush enjoyed a terrific 2004 campaign and was named to the All-Patriot League First Team. He led the squad and ranked sixth in the Patriot League in tackles with a career-high 97. He had eight tackles for loss, including a sack, intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles. Rush's 10 career interceptions is tied for sixth on Bucknell's all-time list.
The George Rieu Award for the most outstanding defensive lineman was shared by senior tackle Corey Mayo (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) and junior end Sean Conover (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson), both of whom had terrific 2004 seasons. Converted from tight end to defensive end prior to his sophomore season, Conover developed into a dominant player as the season progressed and was rewarded with Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors. He tied for the league lead with 10.5 sacks, led the conference with five forced fumbles and tied for second with Mayo with 18 tackles for loss.
 Nisan Trotter earned the Big Blue Award as Bucknell's top back or receiver, as well as the C. Dale Wolfe Award as most inspiratonal.  |
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Like Conover, Mayo finished with 55 tackles and 18 TFLs from his defensive tackle spot. Mayo had two sacks and also forced and recovered a fumble. Mayo was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection.
Senior offensive guard Aaron DeGraffenreidt (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) earned the John Campana Award and Bucknell's most outstanding offensive lineman. DeGraffenreidt was a Second Team All-Patriot League pick at season's end after starting all 11 games for the Bison on the offensive line. A three-year starter, DeGraffenreidt helped Bucknell to a No. 8 national ranking in rushing offense at 251.8 yards per game.
The one award that is selected solely by the Bucknell coaching staff is the Tom Gadd Coaches' Award. This year's recipients were senior offensive tackle Jon Scharf (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) and cornerback Jerome Acy (Orange, Ohio/Orange), who played this season as a graduate student.
Acy had his best season in Orange and Blue and was named to the All-Patriot League First Team. He was third on the team with 87 tackles, including a team-high 67 solo hits, and led the conference with 17 pass breakups. Acy missed all of the 2002 season with a back injury, but came back strong and started the final 22 games of his career.
Scharf's ascent to Second Team All-Patriot League status proved to be one of the top stories of the season. His career in jeopardy after a serious knee injury wiped out his sophomore campaign, Scharf made his varsity debut late in the 2003 season, earned a starting job at left tackle in the offseason and made himself into Bucknell's most consistent offensive lineman.
Junior cornerback Dante Ross (Groton, Conn./Robert E. Fitch) was named Bucknell's Special Teams Player of the Year. Ross was the league's most feared kickoff and punt returner, and was named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year as well. He led the league in both punt return (9.5) and kickoff return (29.1) average, and he ranked fifth nationally in kick returns and 34th in punt returns.
Ross became the first player in school and league history to record two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same game when he ran back kicks of 97 and 85 yards in Bucknell's Oct. 2 win at Georgetown. The 97-yard return was third-longest in school history, trailing only a pair of 99-yarders. In one afternoon he tied the Bucknell and Patriot League career records for KO return touchdowns, and he was named The Sports Network's I-AA Special Teams Player of the Week. As a starting cornerback, Ross led the team in interceptions with four, with three of those coming against Duquesne in last week's season-ending victory. He had 43 tackles (28 solo) and eight pass breakups.
The Stuart M. Smith Award, presented to the team's most outstanding newcomer, went to freshman fullback Josh DeStefano (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle). A powerful runner and good pass receiver out of the backfield, DeStefano emerged as Bucknell's starting fullback late in the season, after an injury sidelined starter Blamah Sarnor after only three weeks. DeStefano was a two-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week, the latter after rushing for 100 yards in Bucknell's exciting 21-20 victory over Fordham. Despite appearing in only six of the team's 11 games, in part due to a broken thumb suffered early in the year, DeStefano finished as Bucknell's fifth-leading rusher with 243 yards. He also caught eight passes for 118 yards.
The Bobby Pangburn Memorial Award, which recognizes commitment, dedication and unqualified friendship to the program, was presented to senior offensive lineman Steven Utke (Sewell, N.J./Bishop Eustace Prep). Utke made the roster as a walk-on in the spring of 2002, and although he saw only very limited varsity action, was a terrific role model in the locker room. A perennial Dean's List student with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.93, Utke was praised by the coaching staff for his work ethic in practice, in the weight room and in the film sessions.
Each year one player from both the offense and defense are selected as the Scout Team Players of the Year. This year's honorees were freshmen running back Corin Erby (Long Island City, N.Y./Salisbury School) and freshman linebacker Peter Salvatore (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich). Neither player saw varsity action in 2004, but both are expected to be key contributors, possibly as soon as next season. Salvatore led the junior varsity team with 34 tackles in three games, including four stops for loss and a sack. Erby was injured early in the season but played in two jayvee contests. He averaged 9.4 yards per carry from the slotback position, with 75 yards on eight attempts.
Two of the awards handed out on Sunday went to the top players from specific games. The George McGaughey Award for the most outstanding player in the Lafayette game went to Frank Lazio, who had 106 rushing yards in a 14-13 loss to the Leopards. The Keating-Rieu Award for the most outstanding player in the Colgate game went to Wilson, who had 236 rushing yards and five touchdowns in helping eliminate defending I-AA national finalist Colgate from the postseason race this season.
Bucknell football equipment manager Ken Hare instituted the Moxie Award in 1992. Named after his gradfather, Jacob "Moxie" Mahlon, the award is presented for special contributions to the program. This year's recipient was senior Devin Fitzsimmons (Folsom, La./Covington). Felled by a career-ending knee injury in spring practice, Fitzsimmons remained with the program throughout his senior season as a student assistant. One of the team's most popular and fun-loving players, Fitzsimmons, a former quarterback and wide receiver, was awarded a varsity letter despite not playing a down in 2004.
In addition to the special award winners, a total of 57 players were awarded varsity letters. Nineteen student-athletes received a letter for the first time, while five players joined an elite list of four-year lettermen. The following are Bucknell's 2004 varsity lettermen:
Fourth-Year Lettermen:
Graduate student DB Jerome Acy (Orange, Ohio/Orange), senior DL Corey Mayo (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area), senior LB Kevin Ransome (Bear, Del./Christiana), senior LB David Ulmer (Farmington, N.Y./Victor), senior QB Daris Wilson (Kenner, La./Archbishop Rummel).
Third-Year Lettermen:
Junior DL Brandon Bailey (Newark, Del./Glasgow), senior K Ryan Bower (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville Area), senior QB Cole Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa./Williams Valley), junior DL Sean Conover (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson), senior OL Aaron DeGraffenreidt (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield), senior OL Justin Gibson (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem), senior DB Joe Glenn (New Haven, Conn./East Haven), senior QB John Henry Jackson (Orange, Calif./Orange), senior RB Frank Lazio (Massapequa, N.Y./St. Anthony's), junior WR Matt Miller (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius), senior LB Jeffrey Montagna (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area), senior TE/WR Ian Nutt (Warren, Ohio/Howland), junior DL Jeff Orazi (Irwin, Pa./Norwin Senior), junior DL Chris Praylo (New Orleans, La./Jesuit), junior DB Dante Ross (Groton, Conn./Robert E. Fitch), senior DB Virgil Rush (Bear, Del./Christiana), junior RB Blamah Sarnor (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area), senior OL Jon Scharf (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central), senior LB Mike Shover (Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill), senior WR Nisan Trotter (Silverhill, Ala./Robertsdale).
Second-Year Lettermen:
Junior OL Eric Becker (West Monroe, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy), senior P Ryan Berry (Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley), junior DL Jacob Burney (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day), junior WR Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area), junior DL Andrew Decker (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area), senior WR Devin Fitzsimmons (Folsom, La./Covington), sophomore DB David Frisbey (Newark, Del./Charter School), senior RB Rapheal Hammond (Senatobia, Miss./Senatobia), sophomore K Ryan Korn (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd), junior LB James Lachman (Bryn Mawr, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep), senior FB Anthony Lovelace (Akron, Ohio/Buchtel), sophomore LB Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J./Rahway), junior OL Stephen Watts (LaGrange, Ga./Troup).
First-Year Lettermen:
Sophomore OL Michael Boccella (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore), freshman DB Stephen Collage (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth Forward), sophomore RB Kenny Davis (Fremont, Calif./Washington/St. Mary's College), freshman RB Josh DeStefano (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle), freshman OL Chad Glasser (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), sophomore DL Mike Hardman (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), sophomore OL Joel Hoffer (Schaeffertown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County), sophomore RB Peter Kaufman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), freshman LB Doug Mackenzie (Stone Ridge, N.Y./Rondout Valley), senior LB Jay Martell (McLean, Va./Langley), sophomore LB Stephen Matzura (Kulpmont, Pa./Mount Carmel), sophomore OL Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep), sophomore Matt Palermo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), sophomore WR Richard Simpson (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace), freshman LB Ryan Slater (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia), junior OL Craig Swanson (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage), freshman DB John Thompson (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips), senior OL Steven Utke (Sewell, Pa./Bishop Eustace Prep), freshman DL Ryan Walsh (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township).
