West Virginia's Austin To Receive "The Jet" Award April 4
Heisman Trophy Winner Billy Cannon Named Legacy Award Winner
OMAHA, Neb., March 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tavon Austin, West Virginia's all-purpose running back and kick returner, will receive the 2012 Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award http://thejetaward.com/ of sports writers and broadcasters.
In addition to the award for Austin, Billy Cannon, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, will receive the Return Specialist Legacy Award.
Cannon played three seasons at Louisiana State University and helped lead the team to their first football national championship in 1958. His number 20 jersey was the first jersey to be retired in LSU's football program.
Keynote speaker for the event will be John M. Heisman, the closest living relative of college football icon John W. Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named.
The Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers Over the Top Award will be presented to the two outstanding offensive football players in Nebraska. Isaac Aakre of Millard North, from eastern Nebraska, and Luke McNitt of Kearney, from the western side of the state, were chosen by a panel led by Omaha World-Herald Columnist Stu Pospisil.
The award event benefits the Johnny Rodgers Youth Foundation's charitable programs and funds the Johnny Rodgers Career and Technical Education Scholarship at Metropolitan Community College. The scholarships will fund technical training for low-income students.
"The Jet" Award is named for Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers, the 38th Heisman Award winner and the first Heisman winner from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. According to College Football News, Rodgers is "the greatest kick returner in college football history."
"The Jet" award trophy depicts Rodgers' escape from the University of Oklahoma's Greg Pruitt in the 1971 NU/OU "Game of the Century".
The "Jet Award" ceremony and banquet is 6 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at the Omaha Hilton located at 1001 Cass Street, Omaha, Neb. Individual tickets are $100 and tables start at $1,500. The presenting sponsors for the event are RFD-TV and TD Ameritrade. Travel and Transport is providing travel arrangements.
More information about the event and award winners is available by contacting Deborah Trivitt, [email protected], or 402.598.7804.
Media Contact: Deborah Trivitt, APR
402.598.7804
SOURCE Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers
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