The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Ross named Jim Thorpe Award winner
12.07.2006 | Football
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Texas CB Aaron Ross was named the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award winner, honoring the nation's top defensive back, at the Home Depot College Football Awards in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Thursday night. Ross became the second Longhorn in as many years to win the award after former UT standout and current Oakland Raider Michael Huff was honored last season. Ross beat out Florida's Reggie Nelson and Michigan's Leon Hall for the award.
"I just feel unbelievably blessed to have won the Thorpe Award," said Ross. "I'm overwhelmed. It's such a great honor that is named after the greatest athlete of all time and has been won by so many great players. I can't begin to say how humbling it is to join such a prestigious group."
"Aaron Ross has made game-changing and game-winning plays for us all season," said UT defensive coordinator and secondary coach Duane Akina. "I believe the voters are truly honoring the nation's best defensive back."
Ross' 2006 season totals of 73 tackles, 18 PBU, 23 passes defended and 10 takeaways (five INTs, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries) were tops among the group of finalists. He also has posted three TFL, a sack and has scored two TDs. Ross has been involved in nine takeaways in the past eight games, and Texas has scored 38 points off of those (five TDs/one FG), including a fumble that he returned for a TD. For his career, Ross has played in 49 games and posted 196 tackles, nine INTs, 32 PBU, five TFL, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
"It is a real tribute to Aaron, because of what he had to overcome to get to this point," added Akina. "I always knew he was a great athlete, but he put in the necessary work to become a great football player and it showed on the field."
This season against Oklahoma, Ross played a key role in halting any hopes of an Oklahoma fourth-quarter comeback attempt in UT's 28-10 victory. His three takeaways (two interceptions/one fumble recovery) in the fourth quarter were the most ever in a quarter by a UT player. For his performance, Ross earned the Master Coaches Survey Game Ball for defense and the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week award. Ross was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.
Later in the season, against Nebraska, Ross forced a fumble with Texas trailing 20-19 and only 2:17 left on the clock. The Longhorns recovered the fumble and drove for the game-winning field goal with 23 seconds to play.
In addition to winning the Thorpe Award, both Ross and Texas OL Justin Blalock were named first-team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. DE Tim Crowder and S Michael Griffin earned second-team All-America honors from the WCFF. Blalock also was recognized as a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which is presented to the nation's best interior lineman, at the College Football Awards. Earlier this week, Blalock was honored as a finalist for the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman).
Blalock set a new UT record with his 50th consecutive start and helped UT score 36.8 points per game (fifth NCAA) and total 392.6 yards per game (24th NCAA) this season. He was already named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association and has earned first-team All-Big 12 honors for the third consecutive season (2004-06).
Crowder, who is a finalist for the Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end) and was a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year), has recorded 57 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 19 TFL, 17 pressures, three PBD and four forced fumbles, one of which he recovered in the end zone for his first career TD, in 2006. He has played in 50 career games with 46 consecutive starts (No. 3 on the UT consecutive starts list) and posted 189 tackles, 41 TFL, 19 sacks, 73 pressures, 14 PBD, eight forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two INTs.
Griffin, who was a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year), leads Texas with 116 tackles to go along with four TFL, nine PBU, four INTs, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked punts. For his career, he has 354 tackles (No. 8 on UT's all-time list), four sacks, 15 TFL, eight INTs, 22 PBU, nine forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and eight blocked punts (No. 2 all-time NCAA/No. 1 on UT's career list) in 49 career games (27 starts).
