Dec. 10, 2006
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Nashville, Tenn. – A pair of Vanderbilt redshirt seniors, Steven Bright and Funtaine Hunter, and redshirt sophomore Reshard Langford walked away from the Commodore football postseason banquet Sunday with the team’s top awards.
Bright, a versatile player from Greer, S.C., who saw action as a quarterback, fullback and tight end during his Commodore career, received the Vanderbilt Dedication Award from Head Coach Bobby Johnson. The dedication award is one of the top honors announced at the banquet, and the lone honor voted on by Johnson’s coaching staff.
Langford, a two-year starting safety from Tanner, Ala., was voted by teammates with the postseason Captain’s Award. Hunter, a reserve linebacker from Valdosta, Ga., received the players’ other top honor, earning the Commodore Hustle Award. Hunter also notched the team’s top award for special teams contributors.
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During the banquet, Coach Johnson paid tribute to the 16-member 2006 senior class headed by starters Bright, Ray Brown, Chris Booker, Kevin Joyce, Ben Koger, Mac Pyle, Brian Stamper and Marlon White, and reserves Sean Dixon, Hunter, Patrick Johnson, Kyle Keown, Darnell Martemus, Adrian Reif, Bill Robertson, and Leon Solimani.
Johnson also saluted the team’s leadership council comprised of Bright, Brown, Hunter, Stamper, Chris Williams, Marlon White, Kevin Joyce, and junior Jonathan Goff.
Other individual awards went to sophomore Chris Nickson, Most Valuable Offensive Back; junior tackle Chris Williams, Most Valuable Offensive Lineman; sophomore Earl Bennett, Most Valuable Receiver; junior Curtis Gatewood and junior Theo Horrocks, co-recipients of Most Valuable Defensive Lineman; sophomore Reshard Langford, Most Valuable Defense Back; junior Jonathan Goff, Most Valuable Linebacker; and senior Funtaine Hunter, Most Valuable Special Teams Player. Lifter of the Year honors went to junior defensive tackle Gabe Hall.
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Following is a complete list of Vanderbilt football award winners:
– Dedication Award: Steven Bright, redshirt senior fullback/tight end;
– Commodore Hustle Award*: Funtaine Hunter, redshirt senior linebacker and special teams player;
– Captain’s Award*: Reshard Langford, redshirt sophomore safety;
– Offensive Back Award*: Chris Nickson, redshirt sophomore quarterback;
– Receiver Award*: Earl Bennett, sophomore wide receiver;
– Offensive Lineman Award*: Chris Williams, redshirt junior offensive tackle;
– Defensive Lineman Award*: Theo Horrocks, junior defensive tackle, and Curtis Gatewood, redshirt junior defensive end;
– Linebacker Award*: Jonathan Goff, redshirt junior linebacker;
– Defensive Secondary Award*: Reshard Langford, redshirt sophomore safety;
– Specialist of the Year Award*: Funtaine Hunter, redshirt senior;
– Strength & Conditioning Award: Gabe Hall, junior defensive tackle;
– Offensive Scout MVP: Joey Bailey, freshman offensive tackle;
– Defensive Scout MVP: Adam Smotherman, freshman defensive tackle
