FOOTBALL HANDS OUT TEAM AWARDS AT END OF THE YEAR RECEPTION
11/21/2010
Chase Deadder was named the team MVP in a vote of team members.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Junior wide receiver Chase Deadder was named the Most Valuable Player for the 2010 Sacramento State football team, it was announced Sunday afternoon at the team's annual awards reception at the Alumni Center.
Along with MVP, 12 other awards were presented including the Bob Mattos Offensive MVP to quarterback Jeff Fleming and the defensive MVP to defensive end Zack Nash.
Sacramento State finished the year 6-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Sky Conference play. The overall record is tied for the second-best in the school's Div. I-AA/FCS era while the conference mark is tied for the best by a Hornet team in the Big Sky and tied the team for third place.
Deadder and Zach Schrader claimed the two awards that were voted on by the players. Deadder was the team's leading receiver with 37 catches for 788 yards and a career high six touchdowns. The junior's average of 21.29 yards per reception set the Sacramento State single-season record while his 71.64 yards per game places him third in school history.
Schrader earned the Bobby Martinez Most Inspirational Award after concluding the season with 82 total tackles. A two-year starter after transferring from Western Washington, Schrader leaves Sacramento State ranked 17th in career tackles with 185 stops. This year, he was also a pivotal member on special teams, blocking two punts and converting a first down with a catch on a fake punt.
Fleming set the Sacramento State single-season record with 23 passing touchdowns in his first season with the team. He ended the year with an efficiency rating of 147.42 which ranks second in Hornet history and places 10th in the FCS this year. Fleming also had success on the ground and concluded the year with 2,443 yards of total offense which is the fifth most by a Hornet.
Nash led the Big Sky in both sacks and tackles-for-loss. The junior tallied 13.0 sacks on the year and 16.5 tackles-for-loss. His sack total also broke the school single-season record. Against Idaho State, Nash was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week after recording a conference and school record 5.0 sacks
Junior John Taylor was presented with the John Gesek Outstanding Offensive Lineman award. Taylor, who has started 34 consecutive games, made the move from center to tackle prior to the start of the season and did not miss a beat. The Stockton, Calif., native played a major part in a group which helped the Hornets rush for 170.4 yards per game.
The Coach Plumbtree Outstanding Defensive Lineman award went to Christian Clark. The senior finishes his Hornet career ranked sixth in school history with 31 career tackles-for-loss. He is also tied for third with 19.5 career sacks.
Bryan Hilliard was the team's Outstanding Back. Hilliard rushed for 883 yards and moved into third place in school history with 2,791 career rushing yards. The junior led Sacramento State with 12 rushing touchdowns and scored at least two TDs in five games. During the year, he had a stretch of six consecutive 100-yard games before a toe injury slowed him for the final four contests.
In his first year on defense, Evander Wilkins was named the team's Outstanding Defensive Back. Wilkins, who made the move to nickelback from running back, tallied 34 tackles. He also tied for the team lead with a pair of interceptions and recorded 4.5 tackles-for-loss and forced a fumble.
Kicker Chris Diniz was the recipient of the Lloyd Snelson Special Teams MVP award. Diniz made 25 of his 28 career field goal attempts to set the Sacramento State career record with a 89.3 conversion rate. His 79 points in 2010 are the eighth most in school history while his 145 career points places him ninth in the Hornet record book despite playing just two seasons.
The Ray Clemons Award was presented to Peter Buck. The senior linebacker led the team with 96 tackles while starting 10 games. During the year, he had at least five tackles in every game and had at least 10 stops in four contests. Buck concluded his career with 274 total tackles to rank fifth in school history.
David Coleman was named the team's Most Improved Player. Coleman, who began his Hornet career as a quarterback before moving to the defensive side of the ball as a freshman, shifted from linebacker to defensive end during the spring. The junior set the school single-season record by recovering five fumbles during the year. He also had 26 total tackles, including six for loss with two sacks.
The final two awards went to the best players on the scout teams. Quarterback Tommy Edwards took the honor for the offense while safety Dexter Alcala received the defensive award.
