1999 Michigan State Football Bust
11/23/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 23, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior strong safety Aric Morris, who led Michigan State with 122 tackles in 1999, was named Most Valuable Player by his teammates at the annual MSU Football Bust Tuesday night at the Holiday Inn South in Lansing. Morris became the third-straight defensive player to earn the Governor's Award as team MVP, following in the footsteps of Ike Reese (1997) and Sorie Kanu ('98).
Morris, the Big Ten's third-leading tackler, reached double figures in tackles seven times in 11 games this season. He produced a career-high 19 tackles each vs. Wisconsin and Oregon. A three-year starter, Morris currently ranks sixth on MSU's all-time tackles chart with 340 career stops. Morris took home two other pieces of hardware, including the Captain's Award and the Biggie Munn Award as the team's most inspirational player.
A trio of seniors - linebacker Mike Austin, defensive tackle Desmond Thomas and linebacker Shawn Wright - shared the Jim Adams Award as the team's unsung heroes.
Junior defensive tackle Jace Sayler and sophomore linebacker Josh Thornhill were co-recipients of the Iron Man Award for their dedication to the team's strength and conditioning program.
Junior offensive guard Shaun Mason, who sports a 3.03 grade-point average in kinesiology, won the Potsy Ross Award as the team's top scholar-athlete.
Sophomore defensive end Nick Myers, junior free safety Richard Newsome, junior offensive tackle Siitupe Peko, senior offensive tackle Greg Robinson-Randall and sophomore defensive end Hubert Thompson shared the Tommy Love Award as the team's most improved players. Myers started the first eight games at left end before being slowed by a shoulder stinger and finished the regular-season with 30 tackles. Newsome took over for Kanu, a four-year starter at free safety, and ranked second on the team in tackles with 84. Peko, a transfer from Cerritos College, started all but one game at left tackle, while Robinson-Randall started all 11 games at right tackle and earned mid-season All-America honors from CNNSI.com. Thompson moved into the starting lineup for the last three games at left end and stood third on the team in sacks with seven (44 yards).
Sophomore tight end Chris Baker, junior linebacker T.J. Turner and sophomore defensive tackle Josh Shaw divided the Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award. Baker caught 36 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns. Turner recorded 65 tackles and led the Spartans with five interceptions while Shaw contributed 59 stops.
Junior wide receiver Plaxico Burress, freshman tailback T.J. Duckett and junior cornerback Renaldo Hill shared the Outstanding Underclass Back Award. Burress led the team with 53 receptions for 957 yards, including a Spartan single-season record nine TD catches. Duckett rushed for 529 yards and 10 TDs in his rookie season while Hill registered 51 tackles and 12 pass break-ups.
Senior center Casey Jensen was presented the Up Front Award as the team's outstanding interior offensive lineman. Jensen produced his top grades vs. Iowa (career-high 89 percent), Purdue (87) and Notre Dame (87).
Linebacker Julian Peterson, who set a Spartan single-season record with 25 tackles for losses (108 yards) including 12 sacks (74), won the Downtown Coaches Club Award as the outstanding senior on defense. With three stops behind the line vs. Penn State in the regular-season finale, he tied Larry Bethea (1975-77) for MSU's career record with 43 tackles for losses. Earlier Tuesday, Peterson was named one of five finalists for National Defensive Player of the Year by the Football News.
Tailback Lloyd Clemons and wide receiver Gari Scott received the Downtown Coaches Club Award as the outstanding seniors on offense. A former walk-on, Clemons led the team and stood seventh in the Big Ten in rushing with 854 yards. Scott ranked as the team's third-leading receiver with 29 catches for 473 yards and six scores.
Placekicker Paul Edinger, who led the Spartans in scoring with 92 points, picked up the Downtown Coaches Club Award as the outstanding senior on special teams. Edinger, who connected on 18-of-22 field-goal attempts this season, ranked among the NCAA leaders in field goals at 1.64 made per game (No. 8).
Red-shirt freshman fullback Dawan Moss received the Danziger Award as the outstanding Detroit-area player. Moss gained 91 yards rushing on 16 carries and scored twice.
Sophomore offensive tackle Ulish Booker won the Doug Weaver Oil Can Award as the team's top humorist.
Defensive end Robaire Smith was presented the President's Award as the outstanding senior lineman. Smith ranked second on the team in tackles for losses (14 for 81 yards) and sacks (eight for 71).
Quarterback Bill Burke and cornerback Amp Campbell shared the President's Award as the outstanding senior backs. Burke threw for 1,957 yards and 17 TDs in '99 while Campbell completed a courageous comeback from spinal-fusion surgery by starting all 11 games at left corner. Campbell intercepted two passes and was credited with a Spartan single-season record 24 pass break-ups.
Former All-America and All-Big Ten offensive guard Ron Saul (1967-69) and his identical twin brother Rich (1967-69) received the Duffy Daugherty Award, named in honor of MSU's legendary head coach and presented annually since 1975 to a Spartan football alumnus who has distinguished himself both on and off the field following his graduation.
Ron spent 12 years in the National Football League, playing for both the Houston Oilers and Washington Redskins. Rich, who won first-team All-Big Ten honors as a defensive end and linebacker in 1969, played for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams for 12 seasons. The brothers also earned recognition for their work in the classroom by being named Academic All-Americans.
Here's a complete list of awards presented at the annual MSU Football Bust:
Cowing Award (Senior Manager): Matt Harper
Jim Adams Award (Unsung Hero): LB Mike Austin, DT Desmond Thomas, LB Shawn Wright
Iron Man Award (Strength & Conditioning): DT Jace Sayler, LB Josh Thornhill
Potsy Ross Award (Scholar-Athlete): OG Shaun Mason
Tommy Love Award (Most Improved Player): DE Nick Myers, FS Richard Newsome, OT Siitupe Peko, OT Greg Robinson-Randall, DE Hubert Thompson
Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award: TE Chris Baker, DT Josh Shaw, LB T.J. Turner
Outstanding Underclass Back Award: WR Plaxico Burress, TB T.J. Duckett, CB Renaldo Hill
Up Front Award (Outstanding Interior Offensive Lineman): C Casey Jensen
Downtown Coaches Club Award (Outstanding Senior Defense): LB Julian Peterson
Downtown Coaches Club Award (Outstanding Senior Offense): TB Lloyd Clemons, WR Gari Scott
Downtown Coaches Club Award (Outstanding Senior Special Teams): PK Paul Edinger
Danziger Award (Outstanding Detroit-Area Player): FB Dawan Moss
Doug Weaver Oil Can Award (Team Humorist): OT Ulish Booker
Captain's Award: SS Aric Morris, WR Gari Scott
Biggie Munn Award (Most Inspirational Player): SS Aric Morris
President's Award - Outstanding Senior Lineman: DE Robaire Smith
President's Award - Outstanding Senior Back: QB Bill Burke, CB Amp Campbell
Duffy Daugherty Award (Distinguished Alumnus): Ron Saul, Rich Saul
Governor's Award (Most Valuable Player): SS Aric Morris
