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2010 TDC NEWS RELEASES January 23, 2011
TOUCHDOWN CLUB TO RECOGNIZE PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR 2011 Each “Player To Watch” will receive an Award of Distinction during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011.
January 19, 2011 NEBRASKA KICKER ALEX HENERY TO RECEIVE INAUGURAL “VLADE” AWARD Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Most Accurate Kicker
The Touchdown Club of Columbus will award their inaugural Vlade Award to Nebraska kicker Alex Henery. Named for legendary Ohio State placekicker Vlade Janakievski–who was one of the most accurate kickers in Buckeye history–the award will be presented annually to college football’s most accurate kicker. When it comes to accuracy, there has never been any kicker as precise as Huskers kicker Alex Henery. In his senior season, Alex missed but one field goal and was perfect on 54 extra point attempts. For his career he only missed eight field goals in four years (90% accuracy), and one extra point in 194 attempts. In 2010, he became Nebraska’s all-time scoring leader with 397 career points, and he even handled the punting duties for the Huskers for the past two seasons.
Vlade Janakievski will be on-hand to present the first Vlade Award to Alex Henery during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus.
 January 17, 2011 NIU QUARTERBACK CHANDLER HARNISH NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Northern Illinois junior quarterback Chandler Harnish has been named the Touchdown Club of Columbus 2010 MAC Player of the Year. In leading the Huskies to their second MAC Championship game, Chandler passed for more than 2200 yards and rushed for another 875 yards. He was responsible for 25 touchdowns. Harnish is the second Husky to win the award, succeeding Garrett Wolfe who was honored in 2006.
Chandler will be in attendance to accept the award during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Banquet scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in downtown Columbus.
 January 12, 2011 ANDREW LUCK WINS ARCHIE GRIFFIN AWARD Stanford Quarterback Named Touchdown Club of Columbus Most Valuable Player
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has been named the winner of the 2010 Touchdown Club of Columbus Archie Griffin Award. The award, named for the Ohio State football legend and only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, is the only national award presented at the conclusion of all bowl games and represents college football’s Most Valuable Player for the entire season. Andrew’s record-setting sophomore season led the Cardinal to a 12-1 record and a top five finish in the ratings. Luck completed more than 70% of his passes in 2010 for 3,338 yards, and threw 32 touchdown passes. He was named the MVP of the Orange Bowl, and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Luck becomes the second straight Stanford athlete to collect the award, succeeding Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart. The 2010 Archie Griffin Award will be presented during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Sports Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011.
January 10, 2011 TDC SALUTES TRIPLE-A CHAMPION COLUMBUS CLIPPERS Minor League Manager of the Year Mike Sarbaugh Honored Despite a late season slump that forced them into a wild card slot for the International League playoffs, the Columbus Clippers rebounded in time to hoist their first Governor’s Cup in 14 years. The next stop was Oklahoma City, where the Clippers won the Triple-A National Championship with a convincing win over the Tacoma Raniers. First-year manager Mike Sarbaugh collected some personal hardware when he was named Minor League Baseball Manager of the Year.
The Touchdown Club of Columbus will salute the Columbus Clippers and Mike Sarbaugh during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Sports Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011. Clippers General Manager Ken Schnacke will be on hand to represent the Triple-A National Champions, and Sarbaugh will be in attendance to accept the Club’s Award of Distinction.
January 9, 2011 TOUCHDOWN CLUB TO RECOGNIZE PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR 2011 Each “Player To Watch” will receive an Award of Distinction during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011.
JANUARY 8, 2011 TOUCHDOWN CLUB TO HONOR OSU SOPHOMORE SHOOTER Olympic Hopeful Amanda Furrer Receives Award of Distinction
Athletes come in all shapes, sizes, and genders, but Ohio State’s Amanda Furrer is literally a shooting star considered to be one of the world’s best in the sport of rifle. The sophomore sensation from Spokane, Washington has traversed the globe over the past year claiming gold medals at the World Shooting Championships and the National Junior Olympic Championships. She has also excelled at the inter-collegiate level as a member of Ohio State’s rifle team, earning first-team All-America honors in her freshman year. Amanda is currently on target to represent the United States as a member of the 2012 Olympic Team (she was an alternate in 2008). Her collegiate coach–Ohio State’s Pat Cherry–confirms that Amanda will be an obvious choice for the 2012 Olympic rifle team.
Amanda Furrer will receive the prestigious Award of Distinction presented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus during their 56th Sports Awards Banquet scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus.
 DECEMBER 19, 2010 TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF COLUMBUS HONORS COLIN KAEPERNICK Wolf Pack QB To Receive Award of Distinction For Record Breaking Career While football fans and the media have spent the last four years in awe of marquee quarterbacks Tim Tebow and Cam Newton, Nevada Wolf Pack QB Colin Kaepernick has been posting statistics no other player in the history of college football has ever approached. As his collegiate career comes to a close, Kaepernick will be the first quarterback to ever pass for 10,000 yards and rush for 4000. He is the first player to ever rush for 1000 and pass for 2000 yards in three straight seasons, and in 2010 joined both Tebow and Newton as the only trio to ever run for 20 touchdowns and pass for 20 TDs in one season. Colin made his initial start as a red-shirt freshman in 2007 against the powerful Boise State, posting more than 400 yards of total offense in a classic four overtime loss. And in 2010, he led the Wolf Pack to their most memorable win in school history as Nevada upset the mighty Boise State in overtime, 34-31. During his four years at Nevada, the Wolf Pack have risen to the forefront of football prominence highlighted by a 12-1 finale in Colin’s senior campaign. The Touchdown Club of Columbus will honor Colin Kaepernick’s brilliant college football career when they present their prestigious Award of Distinction during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus on Saturday, February 5, 2011.
 DECEMBER 13, 2010 NEVADA COACH CHRIS AULT TO RECEIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Presented By The Touchdown Club of Columbus The Nevada Wolf Pack burst into the national spotlight in 2010 winning a share of the WAC title with an impressive 12-1 record, and earning a trip to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on January 9th. But they’ve always been on the prowl thanks to their innovative head coach Chris Ault. Alabama won a National Championship last year using the famed “pistol offense” credited to Coach Ault. And every Saturday on college football fields around the country, teams employ the “jailbreak screen,” another innovation of Coach Ault. He is admired by many collegiate coaches as an offensive wizard. As one of only two college coaches still on the sidelines but also in the College Football Hall of Fame, Chris Ault has won 218 games over 26 seasons at Nevada. Since joining the WAC in 2004, Nevada has appeared in five bowl games with a sixth coming up. Chris Ault has progressed from Wolf Pack quarterback in the 1960s to head coach in the ’70s and even athletic director in the 1990s. He has devoted nearly 40 years of his career to enriching the college experience shared by students, and greatly influenced the lives of scores of student athletes. As a result, the Touchdown Club of Columbus is honored to present the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award to Coach Chris Ault. Previous winners of the award read like a who’s who of American sports, including the late Lamar Hunt, Archie Griffin, Sparky Anderson, and the great Jim Brown. Coach Ault and his wife Kathy will be in Columbus to accept this prestigious award on Saturday, February 5, 2011 during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Banquet hosted at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus.
  DECEMBER 12, 2010 STANFORD COACH JIM HARBAUGH WINS THE WOODY HAYES AWARD 11-1 Season Leads To Coach of the Year Honors Stanford head football coach Jim Harbaugh has been named the winner of the 2010 Woody Hayes Award presented by The Touchdown Club of Columbus. Named for immortal Ohio State coaching legend Woody Hayes, the award is presented annually to the college football Coach of the Year. Coach Harbaugh led the Cardinal to an 11-1 record in 2010 which included a Top Five finish and a BCS Bowl appearance in the Orange Bowl. Oddly enough, this is not the first time the Michigan alum has received a national award named for an Ohio State legend. He won the Chic Harley Award–symbolic of the nation’s top college football player–in 1986. Coach Harbaugh will be in attendance to accept the Woody Hayes Award during the 56th Annual Touchdown Club of Columbus Sports Awards banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
DECEMBER 11, 2010 TDC ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2010 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR Two of the nation’s most exciting and highly recruited high school football players have been named finalists for the prestigious Sam B. Nicola Award presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. The award, named for the Club’s founder, the late Sam B. Nicola, is presented to the National High School Football Player of the Year. Past winners include Emmitt Smith, Chris Spielman, Joe Mauer, and last year’s winner Lamarcus Joyner (currently attending Florida State). The 2010 National High School Offensive Player of the Year is running back Malcolm Brown from Cibolo Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas. Malcolm rushed for nearly 2000 yards in his senior season, and more than 2100 in his junior year. He is defined by recruiting experts as “the complete back,” and was selected to play in the Army All-American Bowl. On the defensive side of the ball, the Touchdown Club has selected linebacker Tony Steward as the National High School Defensive Player of the Year. Tony is a near perfect specimen of an athlete combining strength, size, and speed. He hails from Pedro Menendez High School in St. Augustine, and will also be showcased at the Army All-American Bowl. The winner of the Sam B. Nicola Award will be announced during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus, Ohio.   DECEMBER 10, 2010 TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF COLUMBUS ANNOUNCES 2010 FOOTBALL AWARDS
The Touchdown Club of Columbus has announced their annual football awards for the 2010 college football season. The offensive backfield is led by Boise State junior quarterback Kellen Moore, and Oregon sophomore running back LaMichael James. Oklahoma State’s sophomore receiver Justin Blackmon, and Missouri junior tight end Michael Egnew round out the receiving corps. Wisconsin senior Gabe Carimi completes the offense as the nation’s top offensive lineman. On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Von Miller of Texas A&M and Purdue’s senior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan lead the front line, with LSU corner Patrick Peterson locking down the secondary. South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is the 2010 Freshman of the Year. Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh is the TDC’s pick for Coach of the Year, and Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is the 2010 winner of the Chic Harley Award, which symbolizes the Touchdown Club of Columbus College Football Player of the Year. Each player will be honored during the 56th Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus
DECEMBER 9, 2010
SOONERS QB LANDRY JONES WINS SAMMY BAUGH AWARD
Oklahoma sophomore quarterback Landry Jones–who led the Sooners to the Big 12 Championship while passing for nearly 4300 yards and connecting on 35 touchdown passes–is the winner of the prestigious Sammy Baugh Award presented to college football’s top passer by The Touchdown Club of Columbus. The award was first presented in 1959 and has been held by legendary passers including Steve Young, John Elway, Bob Griese, and fellow Sooner QB Sam Bradford (2008). The Sammy Baugh Award will be presented during the Touchdown Club of Columbus 56th Annual Sports Banquet scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Downtown Columbus.  DECEMBER 8,2010 The Touchdown Club of Columbus has announced their selections for the 2010 Buckeye Bluechips, honoring the best high school football talent from the State of Ohio. The team consists of 20 seniors and 10 underclassmen who will be introduced during the Touchdown Club’s 56th Sports Awards Banquet on February 5, 2011. You can visit the Buckeye Bluechips page here Or by clicking the Buechips link on the menu to the left. November 28, 2010 STANFORD SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OWEN MARECIC NAMED TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF COLUMBUS “MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR”
There are moments when an athlete’s value to his team simply cannot be measured by statistics. Stanford fullback Owen Marecic averages a mere two yards per carry, significantly less than his grade point average of 3.47. But the 6’1″, 245 pound senior also plays linebacker, and has established himself as a true throwback player. Against Notre Dame, Owen scored on a 1-yard plunge, then intercepted a pass and returned it for another touchdown just 13 seconds later.
When he’s not playing nearly every down on football Saturdays, the human biology major is an Academic All-American. All things considered–an accomplished scholar-athlete in the classroom, a “sixty-minute man” on the field, and a humble personality who admits to simply enjoying what he does each day–provides all of the ingredients necessary for the Touchdown Club of Columbus to name Stanford’s Owen Marecic their choice for 2010 Male Athlete of the Year. Owen Marecic will be presented the 2010 Male Athlete of the Year award during the TDC’s 56th Sports Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. Previous winners of the award include Rhodes Scholar student-athlete Myron Rolle of Florida State, and Gulf War veteran/defensive end Jake Coffman of Northern Illinois. November 18, 2010 ATLANTIC ROWER KATIE SPOTZ IS TDC “FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR”
The Touchdown Club of Columbus has named Katie Spotz their 2010 Female Athlete of the Year. The 23-year old Mentor, Ohio native spent the first three months of 2010 alone on a 19-foot vessel, rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean from Senegal to Guyana. The 3,038 mile adventure raised more than $100,000 for the Blue Planet Run Network, which provides assistance to the global safe drinking water crisis. The Atlantic crossing also established Katie as the youngest person to ever accomplish the feat, and the first American to row solo from Africa to South America.   |
