Football Ends Season With Annual Awards Banquet
January 12, 2010 | Football
Jan. 12, 2010
Banquet Photo Gallery 
GREENVILLE, N.C. - After claiming back-to-back Conference USA Championships and subsequent AutoZone Liberty Bowl appearances, the East Carolina football program closed the 2009 season Saturday, Jan. 9, as the team, parents, coaches, athletic staff and Pirate Club members gathered for the annual awards banquet held at the Greenville Convention Center.
The ceremony had numerous honors to hand out as the team completed another record-breaking season. The Pirates recorded their fourth-straight bowl trip for the first time in school history. By defeating Houston Dec. 5th, East Carolina also became the first team in C-USA history to claim back-to-back title contest wins. En route to the championship game, the Pirates recorded a program-best seven league victories. At the end of the season, ECU ranked among the nation's Top 10 in five statistical categories.
In all, 67 players earned a varsity letter during the Pirates' fourth consecutive winning season, a first for the program since the 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 campaigns. Leading the way were four-year letterwinners Sean Allen, Jamar Bryant, Jeremy Chambliss, Van Eskridge, Stephen Heis, Dominique Lindsay, Nick Johnson, Scotty Robinson, Jay Ross and C.J. Wilson. Those 10, along with 18 other seniors, through their work ethic, commitment, vision and leadership, helped fuel the Pirates' rise to not only a place among the all-time championship elite in C-USA, but to respect in the competitive national arena as well.
Individually, for the third consecutive year, Eskridge took home the Blackbeard Award for great plays on the defensive side of the ball. Eskridge lead this year's team in tackles with 102 and interceptions with six. He finished his career ranked ninth in program history in tackles with 363.
Junior Dwayne Harris (offense) and senior Matt Dodge (special teams) also received the Blackbeard Award. Harris led the team in receptions (83), receiving yards (978) and total touchdowns (15) as his performance placed him second in ECU history in single-season catches and yards. Dodge ended the 2009 season ranked second nationally in punting, averaging 45.8 yards per boot.
Head Coach Skip Holtz also recognized players who made a number of big hits throughout the year with a Crunch Award. Senior Terence Campbell and junior Kevin Gidrey took home the offensive honors while Johnson was the defensive recipient for the second-straight year. Freshman Jacobi Jenkins earned the nod from the special teams.
Harris received the offense's Effort Award after also picking up the honor in 2008. Eskridge and junior lineman Josh Smith earned the distinction for their roles on defense. Junior Dekota Marshall was named the special teams' recipient.
The Rick Bankston Memorial Award, given to outstanding scout team players, went to senior Joe Sloan on offense, freshman Matt Milner on defense and freshman Jeremy Davis on special teams.
Harris tallied yet another honor as he received the Janet Overton Decal Award as the offensive player who collected the most helmet decals throughout the course of the season with 81. Campbell received the decal award for offensive linemen, totaling 46. On the defensive side, Johnson (55 decals) along with linemen Robinson (43 decals), Wilson (43 decals) and junior Linval Joseph (43 decals) recorded the most in 2009. Senior kicker Ben Hartman led the special teams with 28.
Contributions to the program off the field were also recognized as Campbell earned the Heart of the Pirate Award, given out by the strength and conditioning staff for dedication and hard work in the weight room. Sloan, Marshall and senior quarterback Patrick Pinkney all received the Jerry T. Brooks Award for academic achievement. It was Sloan's third year in a row earning the honor.
Rounding out the awards were the Pirates who earned inclusion into the Victors Club. To get into the exclusive club, players had to meet position-specific grades and tasks each week. For the offense, Allen, Campbell, junior Cory Dowless, Gidrey, Harris, Lindsay, Pinkney, junior D.J. Scott, junior Willie Smith, senior Alex Taylor and senior Reyn Willis all received Victors Club awards. Defensively, Chambliss, sophomore Emanuel Davis, Eskridge, Johnson, Joseph, Mattocks, senior Levin Neal, Robinson, Ross, junior Travis Simmons, Smith and Wilson were all honored. Rounding out the Victors Club honorees were special teams members Dodge, Hartman, Heis, junior Dustin Lineback, freshman Rahkeem Morgan, junior Wes Pittman, Sloan and sophomore William Smith.
East Carolina University 2009 Football Awards
Blackbeard Award (Great Plays)
Dwayne Harris, Offense
Van Eskridge, Defense
Matt Dodge, Special Teams
Rick Bankston Memorial Award (Outstanding Scout Team Players)
Joe Sloan, Offense
Matt Milner, Defense
Jeremy Davis, Special Teams
Jerry T. Brooks Award (Academic Achievement)
Dekota Marshall
Patrick Pinkney
Joe Sloan
Crunch Award (Big Hit)
Terence Campbell, Offense
Kevin Gidrey, Offense
Nick Johnson, Defense
Jacobi Jenkins, Special Teams
Heart Of The Pirate Award (Strength and Conditioning)
Terence Campbell
Effort Award
Dwayne Harris, Offense
Van Eskridge, Defense
Josh Smith, Defense
Dekota Marshall, Special Teams
Janet Overton Decal Awards
Dwayne Harris, Offense
Terence Campbell, Offensive Line
Nick Johnson, Defense
Linval Joseph, Defensive Line
Scotty Robinson, Defensive Line
C.J. Wilson, Defensive Line
Ben Hartman, Special Teams
Victors Club
Sean Allen, Offense
Terence Campbell, Offense
Cory Dowless, Offense
Kevin Gidrey, Offense
Dwayne Harris, Offense
Dominique Lindsay, Offense
Patrick Pinkney, Offense
D.J. Scott, Offense
Willie Smith, Offense
Alex Taylor, Offense
Reyn Willis, Offense
Jeremy Chambliss, Defense
Emanuel Davis, Defense
Van Eskridge, Defense
Nick Johnson, Defense
Linval Joseph, Defense
Chris Mattocks, Defense
Levin Neal, Defense
Scotty Robinson, Defense
Jay Ross, Defense
Travis Simmons, Defense
Josh Smith, Defense
C.J. Wilson, Defense
Matt Dodge, Special Teams
Ben Hartman, Special Teams
Stephen Heis, Special Teams
Dustin Lineback, Special Teams
Rahkeem Morgan, Special Teams
Wes Pittman, Special Teams
Joe Sloan, Special Teams
William Smith, Special Teams
Team Captains
Van Eskridge, Defense
Patrick Pinkney, Offense
