|
Jovan Haye Named Preseason Candidate For Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award 5/25/2004
Jovan Haye Named Preseason Candidate For Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Commodore junior Jovan Haye, the Southeastern Conference’s top returning sack specialist, has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2004 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award. The award, founded three years ago by the Hendricks Foundation, is presented to college football’s top defensive end. David Pollack of Georgia won the award last year after Terrell Suggs of Arizona State captured the inaugural honor. Haye is one of 37 players across the country included on the Hendricks Award watch list. He is the first Vanderbilt player ever named as a candidate for the award. Haye is one of seven defensive ends from SEC schools included on the list. “I hope this is the first of several preseason lists for Jovan,” Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson said. “He is a very deserving candidate for this award and others. Every time Jovan takes the field, he works extremely hard to get better. He is a talented football player and great teammate.” The Hendricks Award recognizes on-field performance, leadership abilities and contributions by the student-athlete to the school and local community, among other criteria. Haye had a breakthrough season as a sophomore captain in 2003. He was named to the Coaches’ All-SEC Second Team and was the Commodores’ Defensive Line Most Valuable Player after sharing the SEC regular season lead with 8.5 sacks, the most by a Commodore since 1994. Haye also was among the league leaders with 12.5 tackles for loss. Haye topped the Commodore defensive line in nearly every category, including solo tackles (45), total tackles (75), forced fumbles (3) and quarterback hurries (11). He also posted multiple sacks in three games, including a three-sack, one-interception effort at TCU. When the Commodores open play this September, Haye will serve as co-captain for the second consecutive year. He has started in 23 of 24 career games. The Commodores, in the third year under Johnson, will open the 2004 season Sept. 4 in Vanderbilt Stadium against SEC East Division foe South Carolina. Season tickets are available for the Commodores’ six-game home schedule, which also includes SEC games versus Mississippi State, Florida and Tennessee. More information is available on the web at www.commodoregameday.com, or by calling (615) 322-GOLD. |
