CMU Football Hands Out Postseason Awards

February 2, 2008

MOUNT PLEASANT – Several members of the 2007 Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan University football team were recognized at the program’s postseason banquet at the Comfort Inn Conference Center Saturday night.

Sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour and senior linebacker Red Keith were selected as the team’s offensive player of the year and defensive player of the year, respectively.

LeFevour became just the second player in Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) history to pass for at least 3,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards in the same season in 2007. He twice broke the school’s single game record for total offense, posting 506 total yards in a 58-38 win at Ball State (Oct. 6) and 514 total yards in a 35-32 win at Akron (Nov. 23). LeFevour broke 11 CMU single-game, single-season and career records in 2007.

Keith recorded a career-high 148 tackles in 2007, the fourth consecutive year he led the Chippewas in tackles. He became just the second player in school history to lead the team in tackles four straight seasons. A two-time All-MAC first team selection, Keith made at least 10 tackles in 10 of CMU’s 14 games and finished second in school history with 474 career tackles.

Captains’ Awards were presented to Ike Brown, Red Keith, Tony Mikulec and Eric Tunney. CMU selected captains on a game-by-game basis in 2007, with Brown, Keith and Tunney each filling the role 12 times and Mikulec serving as a game captain four times.

Ike Brown was selected the 2007 recipient of the Kurt Dobronski Award. Voted on by the seniors, the Dobronski Award is annually presented to the CMU senior who demonstrates great effort, intensity and appreciation for the CMU football program. The award is named for two-time All-MAC linebacker Kurt Dobronski who died in the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987.

Other awards presented Saturday night included:

Gridiron Gladiator Award – Eric Tunney
Hold the Rope Award – Larry Knight
Academic Excellence Award – Mike Decker
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year – Joe McMahon
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year – Josh Allison
Most Valuable Offensive Back – Dan LeFevour
Most Valuable Offensive Lineman – Eric Tunney
Most Valuable Receiver – Bryan Anderson
Most Valuable Defensive Lineman – Steven Friend
Most Valuable Linebacker – Red Keith
Most Valuable Defensive Back – Josh Gordy
Offensive Team Contribution Awards – Andrew Hartline, Jeff Maddux, Michael Raffaeli, Greg Wojt, Colin Miller, Jean Pitts, Joe Bockheim, Justin Gardner, Brian Brunner
Defensive Team Contribution Awards – Ronnie Ekdahl, Frank Zombo, Casey Droscha, Matt Berning, Victor Doman, Eric Fraser, Chris Starkey