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Reese Named Michigan State MVP at Annual Football Bust
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior outside linebacker Ike Reese, who led the Spartans with 127 tackles in 1997, was named Michigan State's Most Valuable Player at the annual MSU Football Bust held Sunday night at the Holiday Inn South in Lansing. Reese became the first defensive player to win the Governor's Award as team MVP since linebacker Chuck Bullough shared the honor with wide receiver Courtney Hawkins in 1991.
Reese reached double figures in tackles nine times during the regular season, including a career-high 17 stops vs. Michigan. A four-year starter, he has recorded 410 career stops to rank third on MSU's all-time tackles chart. Reese took home three other pieces of hardware, including the Downtown Coaches Club Award (outstanding senior defense), Captain's Award and Biggie Munn Award (most inspirational player).
Senior wide receivers Octavis Long and Damien Hiram shared the Jim Adams Award as the team's unsung heroes. Long finished the regular season fourth on the team in receptions with 25 for 317 yards and four touchdowns while Hiram caught four passes for 28 yards and contributed nine tackles on special teams.
Junior defensive end Dimitrius Underwood and junior free safety Sorie Kanu were co-recipients of the Iron Man Award for their dedication to the team's strength and conditioning program.
Senior offensive tackle Dave Mudge, who graduated last May with a 3.27 grade-point average in physical education/exercise science, picked up the Potsy Ross Award as the team's top senior scholar-athlete.
Junior defensive tackle Desmond Thomas and sophomore wide receiver Gari Scott shared the Tommy Love Award as the most improved players. Thomas recorded 37 tackles this season, including five for losses (31 yards) and three sacks (27), while Scott averaged a team-best 15.7 yards per catch (36 for 566 and 5 TDs).
Sophomore defensive end Robaire Smith and junior outside linebacker Courtney Ledyard were co-recipients of the Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award. Smith led the Spartans in tackles for losses (15 for 65) and sacks (11 for 57) during the regular season while Ledyard produced 56 tackles, including nine behind the line of scrimmage (17 yards).
A couple of second-team All-Big Ten selections, junior cornerback Amp Campbell and sophomore tailback Sedrick Irvin, shard the Outstanding Underclass Back Award. Campbell led the Spartans with five interceptions and 14 pass break-ups. Irvin finished the regular season with 1,211 yards rushing, the seventh-best single-season total in school history.
Senior offensive guard Scott Shaw received the Up Front Award as the team's outstanding interior lineman. Shaw graded out better than 80 percent eight times in 1997 and consistently earned the team's top grade for pass protection, allowing only one sack. Like Reese, Shaw also earned the Captain's Award after being elected by his peers in August.
Reese and cornerback Ray Hill were co-recipients of the Downtown Coaches Club Award as outstanding seniors on defense. Hill, a second-team Media All-Big Ten pick, had four interceptions and 14 pass break-ups in '97.
Tight end Josh Keur and quarterback Todd Schultz shared the Downtown Coaches Club Award as the outstanding seniors on offense. Keur, a second-team All-Big Ten choice by both the coaches and media, ranked third on the team in receptions with 34 for 355 yards and two TDs. Schultz finished the regular season ranked among MSU's career passing leaders in attempts (fifth at 569), completions (fourth at 346), completion percentage (third at .608), yards (fifth at 4,053) and touchdowns (third at 25).
Senior fullback Travis Reece won the Danziger Award as the outstanding Detroit-area player on the '97 roster. Reece also received the Doug Weaver Oil Can Award as the team's top humorist.
All-America offensive tackle Flozell Adams earned the President's Award as the outstanding senior lineman while tailback Marc Renaud received the President's Award as the outstanding senior back. Adams, who was voted the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year by the league's head coaches, graded out better than 80 percent seven times and produced 34 pancake blocks in '97. Renaud ranked second on the team and 10th in the Big Ten in rushing with 740 yards (67.3 per game).
Former All-American and NFL All-Pro Charles "Bubba" Smith was the recipient of 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.
Here's a complete list of awards presented at the annual MSU Football Bust:
Cowing Award (Outgoing Head Manager): Kirk Baldwin, Nick PettitJim Adams Award (Unsung Hero): WR Octavis Long, WR Damien Hiram
Iron Man Award (Strength & Conditioning): DE Dimitrius Underwood, FS Sorie Kanu
Potsy Ross Award (Senior Scholar-Athlete): OT Dave Mudge
Tommy Love Award (Most Improved Player): DT Desmond Thomas, WR Gari Scott
Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award: DE Robaire Smith, OLB Courtney Ledyard
Outstanding Underclass Back Award: CB Amp Campbell, TB Sedrick Irvin
Up Front Award (Outstanding Interior Offensive Lineman): OG Scott Shaw
Downtown Coaches Club Award (Outstanding Senior Defense): CB Ray Hill, OLB Ike Reese
Downtown Coaches Club Award (Outstanding Senior Offense): TE Josh Keur, QB Todd Schultz
Danziger Award (Outstanding Detroit Area Player): FB Travis Reece
Doug Weaver Oil Can Award (Team Humorist): FB Travis Reece
Captain's Award: OLB Ike Reese, OG Scott Shaw
Biggie Munn Award (Most Inspirational Player): OLB Ike Reese
President's Award - Outstanding Senior Lineman: OT Flozell Adams
President's Award - Outstanding Senior Back: TB Marc Renaud
Duffy Daugherty Award (Distinguished Alumnus): Bubba Smith
Governor's Award (Most Valuable Player): OLB Ike Reese