MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Hosted by the Highland Hundred, the Memphis Tiger Football Banquet celebrated the Tigers’ American Athletic Conference championship and individual accolades Sunday night at the University of Memphis Holiday inn.
Sophomore quarterback Paxton Lynch received the DeAngelo Williams Most Valuable Player Award while senior linebacker Charles Harris was named the True Tiger to highlight the individual awards presented.
With a bowl game left to play, Lynch has completed 235-of-367 passes this season for 2,725 yards and 18 touchdowns. Earlier this year he became just the third Memphis quarterback to pass for 2,000 yards in multiple seasons and in Saturday’s win over UConn moved into the No. 5 position in season passing yards at Memphis.
With four touchdown passes against UConn to conclude the regular season, Lynch has now been responsible for a school-record 28 touchdowns this season.
Harris, a fourth-year player who has been a member of head coach Justin Fuente’s Leadership Council the last three years, received the True Tiger honor which the program defensives as “Representing what we represent.”
Harris, a team captain was named to the Capital One Academic All-District 3 NCAA Division I Football Team earlier this fall. As a district honoree, he is currently on the ballot for Academic All-America recognition.
The Memphis native was also a semifinalist for the National Football Federation’s Scholar-Athlete Awards and a nominee for the Senior CLASS Awards. Harris has registered 231 total tackles during his career including 45 this year as a senior.
Memphis seniors Brandon Hayes and Tank Jakes, along with sophomore Jake Elliott also received awards on Sunday.
Hayes was named the Isaac Bruce Offensive Player of the Year, Jakes was named the John Bramlett Defensive Player of the Year and Ellliott was named the Joey Allison Special Teams Player of the Year.
Hayes became the eighth player in Memphis history to run for over 2,000 yards. With 2,336 career rushing yards, he currently ranks sixth all-time in rushing. This year Hayes has carried the ball 174 times for 900 yards and five touchdowns. He has also caugh 12 passes for 84 yards and three scores.
Jakes leads Memphis with 83 total tackles while his 15.5 tackles for loss ranks among the top-10 TFL performances in program history. Jakes also leads the team with six quarterback sacks and four forced fumbles. He has one pass interception and three pass breakups for the year.
Elliott has currently scored 107 points, marking just the seventh time in school history a player has scored 100 points in a season.He has set a single-season record with 49 PATs and has made 19-of-29 field goals this season.
Elliott is one of only two FBS players to kick multiple 50+ yard field goals in the same game this season and the last two years has kicked the longest field goal in the American Athletic Conference (56 yards in 2013, 53 yards in 2014).
Rounding out individual honors presented Sunday night were the Glenn Jones Defensive and Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year awards.
Redshirted defensive back Ty Northern, who played last year at Pearl River Community College, received the defensive scout team award. Omar Williams, a transfer running back from Austin Peay, who played his senior year at St. George’s Independent School, received the offensive scout team award.
The Highland Hundred also announced its annual awards at the banquet.
Harold Alexander and Mario Bertagna received the Bobby Wharton Labor of Love Award. Chris Kelly and Ed Henderson were recognized as the first recipients of the Highland Hundred’s Outstanding Member Award.
Memphis, 9-3 on the year and conference champion with a 7-1 American mark, is expected to find out its bowl destination next weekend.
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