FB: Jenkins Wins Thorpe Award – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/9/2025 11:00:00 AM | Football
Buckeye senior voted best defensive back in the nation
Buckeyes' Jenkins takes home Jim Thorpe Award
Orlando, FL (Sports Network) – Ohio State defensive back Malcolm Jenkins was selected as the recipient of the 2008 Jim Thorpe Award, given each year to the nation's top defensive back.
Antoine Winfield was the only other Buckeyes defensive back to take home the award in 1998.
Jenkins cemented his status in Buckeyes lore with his third straight selection to the All-Big Ten team after a season that saw him collect three interceptions. Ohio State (10-2) will square off against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl as part of the Bowl Championship Series.
The other finalists were USC's Taylor Mays and Tennessee's Eric Berry. Berry was named the 2008 SEC defensive player of the year after a seven-interception campaign, while Mays ended with a team-best eight passes defended and registered 49 total tackles for the Pac-10 champion Trojans (11-1), who will face Big Ten title holder Penn State in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2009.
THE HOME DEPOT ESPNU COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Dec. 11, 2008) Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow were among the award recipients who were honored at The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Thursday night on ESPN, from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney's Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Bradford, a sophomore from Oklahoma City, Okla., received the Davey O'Brien Award for best quarterback. Tebow, a junior from Jacksonville, Fla., captured his second Maxwell Award for the best all-around player, and the Disney Spirit Award (most inspirational story).
Other winners included: Rey Maualuga, USC, Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player); Michael Crabtree, Biletnikoff Award (best receiver); Graham Gano, Florida State, Lou Groza Award (best kicker); Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State, Ray Guy Award (best punter); Andre Smith, Alabama, Outland Trophy (best interior lineman); Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Shonn Greene, Iowa, Doak Walker Award (best running back); Nick Saban, Alabama, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award; and Bobby Bowden, Florida State head coach, NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award.
Comments from Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins, who was announced tonight as the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award:
"Well, when they announced the award winner, first I was surprised and then a sigh of relief. It's really nerve-wracking to sit there through the whole show because our award was one of the last ones announced. And those were not just two fantastic players who were the other finalists, but really nice guys as well.
"It's just an incredible honor, because of guys like Antoine Winfield who have won this award in the past, and also because of Jim Thorpe, who was one of a kind and a pioneer in history. I work every day to improve as a player and when I came back for my senior season, the chance to be a part of an award like this was one of the dreams I had. Thanks to my coaches and teammates, I have been blessed to get that opportunity. I take pride in my work as a football player and this is truly an honor.
"This whole award trip has been an excellent experience, to visit with so many of the other great players and to be able to share this with my parents and my high school coach who came down to be with me. And thanks to everybody who is trying to congratulate me I got so many texts on my phone during the show that I had to start deleting pictures and stuff so I would have room for the texts."
Jenkins on Big Ten Network earlier this week …
The Walter Camp All-America Team, which honors the nation's best college football players, was also announced on the show. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was recognized as the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The following five award winners were also acknowledged: Brian Orakpo, Texas, Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman); Chase Coffman, Missouri, John Mackey Award (best tight end); Brian Orakpo, Texas, Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player); A.Q. Shipley, Penn State, Rimington Trophy (outstanding center); and Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma, Frank Broyles Award (top assistant coach).
THE HOME DEPOT ESPNU COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS WINNERS (listed alphabetically)
Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player)
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Rey Maualuga, USC – AWARD RECIPIENT
Aaron Maybin, Penn State
Biletnikoff Award (best receiver)
Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
*Michael Crabtree,Texas Tech-AWARD RECIPIENT
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
Lou Groza Award (best kicker)
Josh Arauco, Arkansas State
Graham Gano, Florida State – AWARD RECIPIENT
Louie Sakoda, Utah
Ray Guy Award (best punter)
Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State- AWARD RECIPIENT
Pat McAfee, West Virginia
Louie Sakoda, Utah
Maxwell Award (best all-around player)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
Colt McCoy, Texas
*Tim Tebow, Florida – AWARD RECIPIENT
Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback)
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma – AWARD RECIPIENT
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
Colt McCoy, Texas
Outland Trophy (best interior lineman)
Michael Oher, Ole Miss
Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
Andre Smith, Alabama – AWARD RECIPIENT
Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back)
Eric Berry, Tennessee
Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State AWARD RECIPIENT
Taylor Mays, USC
Doak Walker Award (best running back)
Shonn Greene, Iowa – AWARD RECIPIENT
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Javon Ringer, Michigan State
*2007 award winner
The Walter Camp All-America Team
Walter Camp Player of the Year: Colt McCoy, Texas
(Offensive Team)
Quarterback
Colt McCoy
Texas
Wide Receiver
Michael Crabtree
Texas Tech
Wide Receiver
Dez Bryant
Oklahoma State
Tight End
Chase Coffman
Missouri
Offensive Lineman
Michael Oher
Mississippi
Offensive Lineman
Andre Smith
Alabama
Offensive Lineman
Duke Robinson
Oklahoma
Offensive Lineman
Rylan Reed
Texas Tech
Center
A.Q. Shipley
Penn State
Running Back
Shonn Greene
Iowa
Running Back
Javon Ringer
Michigan State
Place-kicker
Louie Sakoda
Utah
(Defensive Team)
Defensive Lineman
Brian Orakpo
Texas
Defensive Lineman
Aaron Maybin
Penn State
Defensive Lineman
Jerry Hughes
TCU
Defensive Lineman
Nick Reed
Oregon
Linebacker
Rey Maualuga
USC
Linebacker
James Laurinaitis
Ohio State
Linebacker
Brandon Spikes
Florida
Defensive Back
Malcolm Jenkins
Ohio State
Defensive Back
Alphonso Smith
Wake Forest
Defensive Back
Eric Berry
Tennessee
Defensive Back
Taylor Mays
USC
Punter
T.J. Conley
Idaho
Punt Return
Jeremy Maclin
Missouri
The following list of award recipients also received recognition during the program:
Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman)
Brian Orakpo, Texas
John Mackey Award (best tight end)
Chase Coffman, Missouri
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player)
Brian Orakpo, Texas
Rimington Trophy (outstanding center)
A.Q. Shipley, Penn State
Frank Broyles Award (top assistant coach)
Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma
National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)
The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official Web site, at http://www.ncfaa.org/.
