The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Ross honored as 2006 Thorpe Award winner
02.12.2007 | Football
The coronation of Aaron Ross as Texas' second straight Thorpe Award winner (nation's top defensive back) on Monday night at the Jim Thorpe Association's annual banquet turned into a night of surprises as Oklahoma City and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum took on a burnt orange glow.
Longhorns head coach Mack Brown, co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina, and UT's 2005 Thorpe Award winner Michael Huff were on hand along with Ross and his family as the Jim Thorpe Association officially honored the 2006 winner. Ross was announced as the winner in December in Orlando, Fla., at the Home Depot College Football Awards show, which was broadcast live on ESPN.
For Ross, it was his acceptance speech that provided an emotional and unexpected twist. An aspiring poet, Ross penned a poem with gratitude, love and humor and shared it with those on hand at the black-tie affair.
"Writing poetry is something I really enjoy doing, and it's a great way that I've found to express myself," Ross said. "Winning the Thorpe Award means so much and there were a lot people that I wanted to thank, so I thought a poem would be a nice little touch. Everyone seemed to enjoy it."
Brown came away impressed and based on the rousing applause, so did all of those in attendance.
"I couldn't be prouder of Aaron and everything he's accomplished this year." Brown said. "He's such a classy young man and has represented our program so well. What a wonderful gesture for him to take the time and put so much thought into his acceptance speech. I've never seen anyone read a poem to say thank you for an honor, so it was a very creative thing to do."
A first-team All-American in 2006, Ross earned 2006 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors from multiple publications and was a unanimous first-team All- Big 12 performer. He played in 51 career games with 205 tackles, 33 PBU, 10 INTs, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He also has been Texas' top punt returner for the past three seasons, returning 76 career punts (No. 5 on UT's all-time list) for 893 yards (No. 5 on UT's all-time list) and three TDs (T-No. 1 on UT's all-time list).
He started all 13 games in 2006 and finished third on the team in tackles with 80, to go along with six INTs, 19 PBU, three TFL, a sack, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He also returned 23 punts for 240 yards and a TD.
Earlier in the evening, it was Huff who turned in the first surprise. So grateful to the coach that helped him become the nation's premier defensive back a year ago and the seventh overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in last year's NFL Draft, Huff made special arrangements with the Jim Thorpe Association to purchase an additional copy of his trophy. He then presented that trophy to Akina, who has coached three Thorpe Award winners (Huff/Ross/Darryl Lewis, Arizona, 1990) and five finalists (Huff/Ross/Lewis/Quentin Jammer, Texas, 2001/Chris McAlister, Arizona, 1998), at Monday night's banquet.
"I owe everything I've accomplished as a football player to Coach Akina," Huff said in presenting the honor. "He's the best defensive backs coach in the country and a man that inspired me to get better every day. I definitely wouldn't have a Thorpe Award without him. I thought long and hard about how I could thank him, and since this trophy means so much to him, I figured the best thing I could give the man that gave me so much was his own Thorpe trophy."
"For Michael to care so much to get a trophy for Duane says a lot about what a terrific coach he is, but even more so, what a wonderful young man Michael is," Brown added. "That's an honor and moment that Duane will cherish forever."
In addition to becoming UT's first Thorpe Award winner, Huff was named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association, The Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He played in 51 career games and started 50, including 13 starts in 2005. For his career, he recorded 318 tackles, 26 TFL, 44 PBU, seven INTs, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Four of his seven INTs were returned for touchdowns, giving him the UT record for INT returns for a TD. He also had one fumble recovery for a TD, giving him the UT record for defensive scores with five. While on special teams, he blocked three kicks (one punt/one PAT/one FG).
In 2005, he recorded 109 tackles, 10 TFL, 14 PBU, one INT, two sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one of which went for a TD, and a blocked FG.
