The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2011 Football Banquet
12.09.2011 | Football
Dec. 9, 2011
The Texas Longhorns football program commemorated the 2011 season with its annual awards banquet at the Frank Erwin Center on Friday.
Two of UT's outstanding leaders; senior S Blake Gideon and senior RB Fozzy Whittaker, were named the 2011 official captains in a vote conducted by the team.
"[The banquet is] special because you want to go back and look down memory lane for your seniors," said head coach Mack Brown. "What they've accomplished. Who they are. How much they have grown. I went into all these schools and homes and recruited these young guys. This has been a special class because they've helped us get back on track this year. At the same time, just about all of them are graduating, which is very unique. So this will be a special night for them.
"I'm really proud of the seniors. They said in the spring that, 'We're going to do everything that we can do to get it fixed. We're going to be leaders. We're not going to be disgruntled if things aren't going well, if we have a tough weekend.' I think they've probably learned more about themselves, and they've probably done as much to help Texas football get back on track as anybody that has ever been here."
In addition to the team captains, the Longhorns squad voted on nine other awards.
Senior RB Cody Johnson was tabbed the D.X. Bible Most Team Spirited award winner for the offense, while senior LB Emmanuel Acho and senior S Blake Gideon were named the Clyde Littlefield Most Team Spirited award winners for the defense.
Senior LB Keenan Robinson and junior S Kenny Vaccaro were voted the Joseph W. Moore Tenacity Award winners for defense, while senior RB Cody Johnson, senior OG David Snow and sophomore OG Mason Walters were tabbed the D. Harold Byrd Tenacity Award winners for offense.
Acho and Robinson were tabbed as co-winners of the Mike Campbell Most Valuable Defensive Player award, while Whittaker was selected as the Darrell K Royal Most Valuable Offensive Player.
Senior FB Jamison Berryhill and senior PK/P Justin Tucker were honored as co-recipients of the Frank Denius Most Valuable Special Teams Player.
Finally, Whittaker took home the George "Hook" McCullough MVP award and Whittaker and Gideon were named the Roy Williams-Joe Jamail Leadership Award winners.
In addition to the players' choice awards, Acho won the Lan Hewlett Academic Award, and Whittaker took home the Coca-Cola "Solid Citizen" Service Award.
Senior TE Blaine Irby received the Frank Medina Rehabilitation Award, and Acho, Gideon, senior DT Kheeston Randall and Robinson were honored with the Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Strength & Conditioning Award.
2011 AWARDS

Lan Hewlett Academic Award: Emmanuel Acho
Coca-Cola "Solid Citizen" Service Award: Fozzy Whittaker
Frank Medina Rehabilitation Award: Blaine Irby
Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Strength & Conditioning Award: Emmanuel Acho, Blake Gideon, Kheeston Randall, Keenan Robinson
PLAYERS' CHOICE AWARDS

D.X. Bible Most Team Spirited (Offense): Cody Johnson
Clyde Littlefield Most Team Spirited (Defense): Emmanuel Acho, Blake Gideon

Joseph W. Moore Tenacity Award for Defense: Keenan Robinson, Kenny Vaccaro

D. Harold Byrd Tenacity Award for Offense: Cody Johnson, David Snow, Mason Walters
Frank Denius Most Valuable Special Teams Player: Jamison Berryhill, Justin Tucker
Mike Campbell Most Valuable Defensive Player: Emmanuel Acho, Keenan Robinson
Darrell K Royal Most Valuable Offensive Player: Fozzy Whittaker

George "Hook" McCullough MVP: Fozzy Whittaker
Roy Williams-Joe Jamail Leadership Award: Blake Gideon, Fozzy Whittaker

Team Captains Award: Blake Gideon, Fozzy Whittaker
