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Published Dec 10, 2006
Vanderbilt football holds postseason banquet
Vanderbilt Media Relations
Publisher
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.
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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.
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.
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