Football Hands Out Awards at Banquet Following Eight-Win Season

12/8/2014 4:54:00 PM | Football

By: TBD

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The 2014 edition of the Bucknell football team gathered one last time as a group on Sunday evening to celebrate a strong campaign that featured eight wins and a second-place finish in the Patriot League. The 53rd annual Bison Gridiron Club Awards Banquet took place in the Terrace Room inside the Langone Center and 18 different players were presented awards.

Senior QB Trey Lauletta took home the Bison Gridiron Club Award as the team MVP after admirably transitioning from his reserve role to the starting spot after R.J. Nitti went down with an injury late in the season.

Lauletta played in six of Bucknell's 11 games and started four of them, including the final three contests. He completed 65 of 114 passes for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns and combined with Nitti to become the first pair of Bison to throw for 1,000 yards in the same season in program history.

One of the highlights of the season for Lauletta was his performance in a mid-October win at Lehigh when he threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bison to a 45-24 victory. Lauletta became the first Bucknell quarterback in 20 years to post a 300-yard game and he became just the ninth player in program history to throw four touchdowns in a game.

Linebackers Evan Byers and Lee Marvel as well as K/P Derek Maurer were the three winners of multiple awards on Sunday. Byers, the 2014 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, earned the Sledge Hammer Award, Tom Gadd Coaches' Award and the Keating-Rieu Award, while Marvel earned the Bucknell Football Leadership Award and shared the Captains Award with fellow team captain Matthew Steinbeck. Maurer shared the Sledge Hammer Award with Byers and was named Special Teams MVP.

Bucknell's all-time leading tackler with 382 career stops, Byers put together a third consecutive 100-tackle campaign as he led the Bison with 119 stops this fall. He also recorded 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks as he earned his third consecutive All-Patriot League honor. He was the team MVP each of the last two years.

Byers earned the Keating-Rieu Award as the outstanding player in the Colgate game. The senior recorded a game-high 13 tackles in that contest, giving him 17 career double-figure tackle outings.

Marvel served as a team captain this year and the leadership on the squad was a key component in the Bison reaching eight wins in a season for just the fifth time in program history. Marvel was second to Byers in tackles with a career-high 75 as he earned First Team All-Patriot League honors for the first time in his career.

Steinbeck shared the Captains Award with Marvel. The two-time All-Patriot League selection had an unfortunate end to his Bison career as he was limited to just two games this season due to injuries. He finished his four-year tenure with 137 tackles and his 11 interceptions placed him seventh in program history.

The Bison present the Sledge Hammer Award to the players that earn the most game MVP honors during the season and Special Team MVP Maurer was honored along with Byers. The senior handled all kicking duties for the Bison and connected on 11 of 14 field goals and 30 of 35 extra points for a team-high 63 points. Maurer also punted 49 times for an average of 35.6 yards and kicked off 54 times, averaging more than 60 yards. He will graduate with 111 career points, all of which were accumulated over his final two campaigns.

Senior tight end Patrick Kelly was the offensive recipient of the Tom Gadd Coaches' Award. The veteran of 44 career games, Kelly had a career-high 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns this season. He started all 11 games this year and 30 in his career.

Junior Robert Naylor, who left the Lafayette game with a severe injury, was given the C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award as the most inspirational player. The defensive lineman was not in attendance as he continues his rehabilitation, but his parents were on hand to receive the award in his absence. Naylor posted a career-high 15 tackles this fall.

First Team All-Patriot League WR Will Carter earned the Big Blue Award as the team's top back or receiver after one of the best seasons in Bison history by a receiver. The sophomore had 53 catches for 959 yards and nine touchdowns as he just missed becoming the third player in program annals to record a 1,000-yard campaign. Carter's best game came at Lehigh when he had three touchdown receptions of at least 69 yards and his 246 yards overall placed him second in the Bucknell single-game record book.

Junior S Clayton Ewell put together a second consecutive outstanding season as he was named the Clarke Hinkle Award winner for the second straight year. The hard-hitting Ewell finished the year fifth on the team with 53 tackles and accumulated seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions and two pass breakups. Ewell has started 22 consecutive games.

Senior Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood was presented the George Rieu Award as the top defensive lineman on the team. The veteran of 41 career games, Baldwin-Youngblood will graduate ranked sixth in program history in sacks (19). He posted a career-high 11 sacks this year to rank third in the Patriot League, while his 15 tackles for loss also placed him third in the conference.

Bucknell had one of its biggest and best offensive lines in recent memory and two members of the starting unit picked up awards on Sunday as center Brandon Noblett was given the Moxie Award, which is presented for special contribution to the Bucknell football program, and right tackle Ramy Kased earned the John Campana Award as the outstanding offensive lineman.

Continuing a long line of Bison rookies contributing, freshman DL Abdullah Anderson earned the Stuart M. Smith Memorial Award as the outstanding newcomer. A starter in all 11 games, Anderson finished his first season with 28 tackles, three tackles for loss and two pass breakups.

Senior TE Jake Hartman went home with the George L. McGaughey Memorial Award, which is presented to the outstanding player in the Lafayette game. Hartman had a career day in the overtime win over the Leopards with seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns equaled the program record for a single game. Hartman ended up second on the team in receptions (28) and receiving yards (468) after entering the campaign with just one reception.

Senior DE Josh Butler missed his final year with an injury, but was still a vital part of the team and was presented the Bobby Pangburn Memorial Award for commitment, dedication and unqualified friendship. He played in all 11 games as a junior.

Three players were honored with Scout Team Player of the Year plaques for the work they do in preparing the starters for each week's game. Sophomore RB Anthony DelRusso (offense), junior CB Anthony Marcozzi (defense) and senior FB Dillon Rupp (special teams) were the scout team honorees.

The two-and-one-half-hour program also featured Bucknell's nine All-Patriot League selections receiving their certificates, Byers being presented his Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year trophy and fifth-year head coach Joe Susan being handed his Patriot League Coach of the Year trophy by director of athletics and recreation John Hardt.

Additionally, Bucknell's 55 letterwinners were recognized and a terrific highlight video of the 2014 campaign was shown. The night wrapped up with some closing words from Susan.

Bucknell in 2014 posted its second straight above-.500 record and had its most successful season since 1997.

2014 Bucknell Football Award Winners
Parents' Award: Mary Lou Hagman
Scout Team Player of the Year (Offense): Anthony DelRusso
Scout Team Player of the Year (Defense): Anthony Marcozzi
Scout Team Player of the Year (Special Teams): Dillon Rupp
Moxie Award: Brandon Noblett
     - Presented for special contribution to the Bucknell football program
Bucknell Football Leadership Award: Lee Marvel
Bobby Pangburn Memorial Award: Josh Butler
     - presented for commitment, dedication and unqualified friendship
George L. McGaughey Memorial Award: Jake Hartman
     - Outstanding player in the Lafayette game
Keating-Rieu Memorial Award: Evan Byers
     - Outstanding player in the Colgate game
Stuart M. Smith Memorial Award: Abdullah Anderson
     - Outstanding newcomer
John Campana Award: Ramey Kased
     - Outstanding offensive lineman
George Rieu Award: Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood
     - Outstanding defensive lineman
Clarke Hinkle Award: Clayton Ewell
     - Outstanding defensive back or linebacker
Big Blue Award: Will Carter
     - Outstanding back or receiver
Special Teams MVP: Derek Maurer
C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award: Robert Naylor
     - Most inspirational player
Tom Gadd Coaches' Award (Offense): Patrick Kelly
Tom Gadd Coaches' Award (Defense): Evan Byers
Captains Award: Lee Marvel, Matthew Steinbeck
Sledge Hammer Award: Evan Byers, Derek Maurer
Bison Gridiron Club Award: Trey Lauletta
     - Team MVP