DR. JUDY GENSHAFT / CHARLIE WARD / KEVIN CARTER / BRIAN FORD
December 2013
$4.99
VOL 4/ISSUE 2
Welcome To Tampa
Greetings: It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 4th Annual Premier Players of College Football Charitable Awards Dinner to be held at the Hilton Tampa Downtown Hotel on December 10, 2013. Special thanks to the organizers for allowing us, the fans, to recognize those we feel are the best players in NCAA college football. My congratulations and best wishes to those who have been chosen as the five finalists, as well as the Premier Coach of college football - you have each made an indelible mark on both college sports and your fans. I also take this opportunity to thank all those in attendance for your support of the Premier Players Sports Foundation, a 501c(3) community based nonprofit company whose mission is to help orphaned, foster and special needs children participate in sports and provide a mentorship network for those who go on to college. It is well known that sports are a great way to promote and inspire the value of academic achievement, discipline and sportsmanship—all skills that are so important in helping our youth develop their full potential.
For those of you who are visiting for the first time, I hope you will have the opportunity to experience the many cultural and historical attractions Tampa, Florida has to offer. Whether you visit one of our landmark attractions, ride the streetcar from Channelside to Ybor City, enjoy a meal at one of our fine restaurants or visit our many first-class shopping areas, we are sure you will find your stay to be an unforgettable experience. As an area fast becoming known for its many championship sports teams such as the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning, World Champion Tampa Bay Storm, and the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays just across the bay, we know you will soon learn what many others have already discovered, Tampa is vibrant, full of energy and one of the greatest cities in Florida. Once again, welcome and thank you. My best wishes to each of you for an enjoyable and successful event.
Bob Buckhorn, Mayor
The 2013 Premier Players of College Football Charitable Awards Dinner 5:30 pm, Tuesday, December 10th, 2013, At The Hilton Hotel Tampa Downtown
5:30 pm
VIP Reception for finalists, sponsors & community leaders
6:00 pm
General Reception
6:30 pm
Blessings of The Show & Dinner Asif Shaikh, Chaplain serving for Team USA/Olympics
In Honor of Lee Roy Selmon NFL & Collegiate Hall of Fame 1954-2011 First Advisory Board Member
Drumline Performance Tampa Bay Tech High School Marching Titans
Presentation of the Colors MacDill Air Force Base Honor Guard
ADVISORY BOARD
The National Anthem Tampa Bay Tech Marching Titans
Lee Roy Selmon Jr. Stryker Orthopaedics
Welcoming Remarks Dr. Judy Genshaft, President, University of South Florida
Pam Iorio Former Mayor, City of Tampa Sean Farrell Merrill Lynch Tampa Complex Director Dave Wirth 10 News Sports Anchor Richard Ballou Columbia Management Div. VP Rod Carter News Channel 8 Morning Anchor Tyrone Keys All Sports Community Service Joe Tomaino USF Bulls Club, Director
Freddie Solomon Community Legacy Chad Chronister, Captain, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
The Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award Lanness Robinson, Hillsborough County Athletic Director
Presentation of the 2013 Freddie Solomon Spirit Award Announced & presented by Delilah Solomon & Lanness Robinson Recipient Interviewed by 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
Lee Roy Selmon Community Legacy Brian Ford, COO, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Lee Roy Selmon Community Spirit Award Lee Roy Selmon Jr.
Presentation of The Lee Roy Selmon Community Spirit Award Announced & presented by Claybra Selmon & Lee Roy Selmon Jr. Recipient Interviewed by10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
HALF TIME . . . Enjoy the food, Silent Auction & more of The Marching Titans BOARD of DIRECTORS Lee Yost, CRPC, CSNA Merrill Lynch, Financial Advisor Georgia Rice Bank of America Wealth Mgmt Banker Radenko Dobras Morgan Stanley, Financial Advisor Ken Stanley BB&T, Investment Officer Sam Satin Verizon Communications, Sr. Consultant Carnell Moore, CFP, CRPC, CFM Merrill Lynch Wealth Mgmt. Advisor Premier Players CEO & Founder
My Adoption Story Charlie Ward, 1993 Heisman Trophy Winner
How Helping People Changed My Life Kevin Carter, ESPN U Analyst
A Word About The Finalists For The Premier Coach Award 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
Presentation of The Premier Coach of College Football Award Announced & Presented by Lee Yost, Board member, Premier Players Recipient Interview by 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
A Word About The Finalists For The Premier Player Trophy 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
Presentation of The Premier Player of College Football Trophy Making of the Trophy Announced & Presented by Carnell Moore, Founder, Premier Players Recipient Interviewed by 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
Closing Remarks
(813) 833-3495
Sean Farrell, 2X Collegiate All American & NFL Veteran Managing Director, Merrill Lynch Tampa Complex
The Premier Player of College Football Trophy
LETS THE FANS DECIDE! College football, or any sport, would not bring excitement to millions of people each year if it wasn't for the fans. Yet, when it came to determining the best college football player in the nation, the fans were mostly left out of the selection process - until now. The Premier Player of College Football trophy is an award presented to the athlete the fans voted as the best player in NCAA college football. A poll is released at the beginning of the college football season with 20 of the best players for fans to follow. In mid October, up to five more great performing players may be added to the poll. Fans then have until the last conference championship game to cast their votes for deciding The Premier Player of College Football. The five athletes with the most votes are announced in early December and invited to the Premier Players of College Football charitable awards dinner where the recipient of the Premier Player Trophy is revealed to fans. "Fans are such a big part of the games, so we wanted to come up with an award that they can be a big part of too," said Carnell Moore, founder of Premier Players, Inc. and The Premier Players Sports Foundation. "All the athletes on the list are Premier Players, but we let the fans decide who gets the trophy.” The Premier Players Trophy is crafted by MTM Recognition, a leader in the design and manufacturing of jewelry, medals, and awards for world class events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series and NCAA Championships. Weighing in at 19 lbs., the trophy stands at 18” tall and 13” wide. The late NFL & Collegiate Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon, our first advisory board member, viewed the Premier Player award as a great voice for college football fans, and saw The Premier Players of College Football charitable awards dinner as a signature event that can showcase Tampa, provide fun for fans, recognize premier athletes, and help many children. Today, his son Lee Roy Selmon Jr. continues that vision of helping kids through The Premier Players Sports Foundation.
The Premier Players Sports Foundation is a 501c (3) nonprofit company based in Tampa, FL. The foundation recognizes sports can be a game-changer in a child's life because it teaches team work, physical fitness, leadership, relationship building and self confidence. That's why its mission is to provide orphanages around the world with sports balls, apparel and league sponsorships to help their kids get into the games. The foundation also financially assists other nonprofits by using its charitable awards dinners as community fundraisers for organizations that focuses on the well-being of children in orphanages, foster care or with disabilities and diseases. Be a team player and help make a difference in the lives of millions of children. You can make a taxdeductible donation online or mail to: Premier Players Sports Foundation P.O. Box 341064 Tampa, FL 33694-1064 For more information, call 813-833-3495 or visit www.premierplayers.com.
The late Lee Roy Selmon and Carnell Moore introducing the first Premier Player Trophy at a press conference in 2010. PREMIER PLAYERS 7
2012 Award Recipient Asa Watson RS Junior, Tight End North Carolina State Wolfpack
2013 Award Finalists
Presented To Freddie Solomon Tampa Wide Receiver, University of
Matt Floyd Sophomore, Quarterback South Florida Bulls Mark Herndon Sophomore, Running Back Florida Gators
Freddie Solomon Freddie Solomon played his college football at the University of Tampa and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins for three seasons before joining the San Francisco 49ers where he helped win two Super Bowl championships. His career in the National Football League as a wide receiver came to a close after 11 years. Then the Sumter, SC, native known as “Fabulous Freddie”, came back to Hillsborough County to make a more lasting impact. Solomon devoted the next 21 years of his life to the youths of PREMIER PLAYERS 8
Tampa Bay, working with the Sheriff’s department to teach kids life lessons through football. His efforts impacted more than two decades of youths and his lessons are still carried on in the community. The Freddie Solomon Spirit Award continues Solomon’s efforts to help make the world a better place by honoring a collegiate football player from the states of Florida or South Carolina, each year, who has impacted the lives of others through giving and community service.
Lee Roy Selmon Community Spirit Award Lee Roy Selmon, the first advisory board member for The Premier Players Sports Foundation, was a Collegiate and NFL Hall of Fame inductee who played his entire career for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Along with his older brothers, he helped the Oklahoma Sooners win two national titles before becoming the first player drafted by the expansion Buccaneers as well as the overall #1 pick of the 1976 NFL Draft. Even though the six-time NFL Pro Bowler had a great impact on the Buccaneers, Tampa loved Selmon even more for his impact on the community. The unselfish and very humble Selmon led multiple charities and even founded his own chain of sports restaurants to add his own culinary mark to Tampa. In addition, he helped usher in the University of South Florida football team, which is Tampa’s only Football Bowl Subdivision team. Due to both Selmon’s prowess on and off the field, the Premier Players Sports Foundation found it fitting to name an award after him. The Lee Roy Selmon Spirit Award recognizes athletes who go above the call of a student, amateur or professional athlete by demonstrating a deep care for others and their community. After all, while it is the teams that play the game, it is the community that supports them. That’s why Lee Roy Selmon never let the game of football define who he was, he lived by faith and touched many people in special ways. Starting today, the Lee Roy Selmon Community Spirit Award will honor athletes who show a love for others and a connection to the moral growth of their community.
Presented To Lee Roy Selmon oma D Lineman, University of Oklah
2012 Award Recipient Akeem Davis, Senior, Linebacker University of Memphis Tigers
2013 Award Finalists Antonio Andrews, Senior, Running Back Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Gabe Ikard, Senior, Offensive Lineman Oklahoma Sooners Jake Smith, Senior, Kicker Arizona Wildcats
PREMIER PLAYERS 10
About The Coaches
The Premier Coach Award is presented to the Head Coach fans voted as the best in his or her sport via online polls. Candidates are announced about a month prior to the end of the regular sports season. Fans then vote not just for the Head Coach with the best regular season team record, but for the coach they felt led his team beyond expectations on the field or court during the regular season.
Gus Malzahn Head Coach, Auburn Tigers
Jimbo Fisher Head Coach Florida State Seminoles Jimbo Fisher has been primed for his moment in the spotlight for a while now. After completing a successful college career at Samford University, where as a quarterback he was named NCAA Division III National Player of the Year, Fisher had a spell at LSU before jumping to the ACC and Florida State in 2007. This soon became a head coach in waiting position as Fisher continued his coaching tutelage under the legendary Bobby Bowden. Being a head coach in waiting can sometimes be a position with no end reward, but after Bowden retired on January 1st 2010, it was time for Fisher to take the reins. It is never easy following a legend, but Fisher has blossomed and taken the Seminole program to the next level. In his first year as head coach he took Bowden's players to a 10-4 record and a Chick-Fil-A Bowl victory. Fisher has proven to be a master of getting his players prepared for the unique bowl game atmosphere and is 3-0 in such contests at this point. Noted as a stellar recruiter, Fisher has put together classes which have gone on to win 12 games in each of the last two years, and with Heisman hopeful Jameis Winston running the show there is no reason to expect a drop off in Tallahassee any time soon.
Gus Malzahn is a spread innovator making waves at the very top level of college football. After creating one of the most dynamic prep attacks in the country in the late '90s, Malzahn continued his success by competing in two state title games in his last four years as a high school coach in Arkansas. This was enough to get him noticed by the big boys in the SEC and he moved up to the college level joining Houston Nutt at Arkansas. Initially, this was seen as little more than a ploy to keep much of the talent Malzahn had developed at Springdale High School in state, but critics were silenced when he was named National Offensive Coordinator of the Year by Rivals in 2006. Malzahn had proven himself to be one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and as his lore grew the offers came piling in. He first moved to Tulsa to work alongside good friend Todd Graham. There his squad became the first to have a 5,000 yd passer, a 1,000 yd rusher, and three 1,000 yd receivers in a single season. National title success followed at Auburn before a year at Arkansas State where the Red Wolves won a conference title of their own. Now at Auburn, Malzahn just engineered the greatest single season turnaround in SEC history and as a result of recent game finishes, he has the Tigers name on the lips of every potential recruit in the nation.
Urban Meyer Head Coach The Ohio State Buckeyes Urban Meyer is a true student of the game who has turned his in-depth knowledge of the x's and o's into a near unparalleled level of success as a major college coach. When he got his coaching start at Bowling Green, Meyer took time to visit a number of coaches who were pioneering versions of the new and exciting spread offense. Learning from the likes of John L. Smith at Louisville and Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia, Meyer put in a run first offense which confused teams with its scheming and tempo. He took a team that had finished 2-9, turning them into a MAC powerhouse that would go 17-6 before he moved on to Utah. There, he further developed his spread, making the Utes the first BCS buster from a non-power conference. He also paved the way for Utah QB Alex Smith to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Two national titles followed at Florida, where he used Chris Leak and Tim Tebow to full effect, making the latter one of the best college players of all time. As an encore all he has down with Ohio State is take over the Big Ten, coaching back to back undefeated PREMIER PLAYERS 11
PREMIER PLAYERS 12
An Overview of Each Player’s Accomplishments This Season
The Final Five
Jadeveon Clowney 6'-6" / 274 Junior Defensive End South Carolina Gamecocks
Derek Carr 6'-3" / 218 Senior Quarterback Fresno State Bulldogs Every little brother knows that it is hard to follow in the footsteps of an older sibling, no matter their path in life. Now, imagine that the older brother you are following has his jersey retired at the college you are about to attend and that he was once the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Also, it just so happens that you play the same position, quarterback. That is a very brief summary of what Derek Carr faced when he arrived at Fresno State, yet rather than wilt under the extreme pressure presented in that scenario, the younger Carr has flourished, leading an almighty passing attack out on the west coast. The senior has thrown for 45 touchdowns with only five interceptions at a completion rate of over 70%. His last two games in particular have been otherworldly as he threw for 13 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards in just eight quarters of play. The easy thing to do here is to call those video game numbers, but that would not be true as you would struggle to get close to that kind of production on any video game. Carr has reduced his interception and sack numbers every year he has been on campus and at this point it seems safe to assume that one day his #4 jersey will be hanging in the rafters alongside the #8 of his brother.
When the day comes that Jadeveon Clowney confirms the inevitable and declares for the 2014 NFL Draft you will hear a collective sigh of relief from offensive coordinators throughout the SEC. Clowney swung into the SEC like a wrecking ball for his first two seasons at South Carolina, and his monster hit on Michigan running back Vincent Smith will be played on sports highlight shows for as long as people have TVs. The way that Clowney can play the defensive end position, with his unique blend of speed, size, and pure explosion, completely changed the way that offenses prepared for the Gamecocks this fall. Clowney was routinely doubled, and often tripled, in an effort to slow down the single most dominant defensive line weapon in the entire country. Even when it worked, and Clowney won more than his fair share of battles against seemingly impossible odds, the attention that Clowney was shown on each and every down opened up space for his teammates to make plays. With exceptional first-step quickness and a smooth set of pass rush moves, Clowney was able to battle through injuries in 2013 to make every defensive snap a must see for Gamecock fans.
AJ McCarron 6'-4" / 214 Senior Quarterback Alabama Crimson Tide
Jameis Winston 6'-4" / 228 RS Freshman Quarterback Florida State Seminoles As a highly touted football and baseball recruit, Jameis Winston had his pick of colleges. After leading the Seminoles to an undefeated ACC regular season and the cusp of the national title game, the fans in Tallahassee are ecstatic he chose Florida State. He had one of the most sensational debuts in the history of college football when he completed 25 of 27 passes with four passing TDs, plus another rushing, against Pittsburgh. He built on this with a performance of sheer domination in the 'Noles season defining road win at Clemson as he silenced Death Valley with 444 yards while accounting for four more TDs. In a season of amazing stats, the most amazing is probably Winston's ridiculous 69% completion percentage, a number unheard of from a redshirt freshman in a power conference. He had 35 TD passes in the regular season and did so despite being pulled at, or just after, halftime in a number of games which Florida State was dominating. The best compliment you can pay Winston is that he is as NFL ready as any QB in college football, a scary thought for the ACC as he returns to school next year stronger, faster, and smarter.
When you give birth to a nickname that sounds like it could have come from the '40s you are probably onto something special. Just ask the folks at Alabama how special Johnny Football can be. Johnny Manziel started the season way off of the radar. With his Aggies moving to the daunting SEC there was a feeling that the freshman would be overawed and that an adjustment period would be needed. There was no doubt about the talent, Manziel scored an utterly ridiculous 157 touchdowns in high school, but no one quite knew what he would be able to deliver as a freshman being thrust into the spotlight. It wasn't just how he played, it was that he picked the brightest times for his biggest moments. In leading his Aggies over the heavily favored Crimson Tide on national TV Johnny Football accounted for 345 of his teams 418 yards of offense and had the best defenders in the country grasping at air. The scary thing for everyone else is that this is just the start of the legacy that Manziel will leave. Opposing defenses will need to find some way to contain perhaps the most dynamic playmaker in the country because he may be around for three more years.
Braxton Miller 6'-2" / 215 Junior Quarterback The Ohio State Buckeyes Braxton Miller's season has been one of perseverance. Starting the season battling a persistent knee sprain, he missed all but part of three games as he battled to get into his playmaking shape of seasons past. Those days seem long ago as the now knee braceless Miller is back making plays with his arm and legs while rewriting Ohio State record books. The Buckeyes are averaging over 48 ppg, which is good for third in the nation, while Miller is letting his dynamic dual threat ability take games over. After rushing for 184 yards against Illinois and 144 yards against Indiana, Miller played more than his part in the greatest episode of the 110 yard rivalry with Michigan. He accounted for five TDs, which ties a career high, and Michigan could never seem to contain him on the ground where he averaged almost 10 yards per carry. It must be a nightmare to play against a healthy Miller, with his sub 4.4 second 40-yard dash time, and one can only wonder about the video game numbers he could have put up with a full season's worth of play. PREMIER PLAYERS 13
Autographs