Football Team Holds Annual Appreciation Banquet – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 21, 2000
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tailback Derek Combs has been selected by his teammates as Ohio State’s Most Valuable Player for the 2000 football season. Combs, a senior from Urbancrest, O., received the award at the team’s annual appreciation banquet, held Monday night at the Aladdin Temple.%^$
%^$Combs, in his first year as a starter, rushed for 863 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry on 167 touches. All of those numbers might have been higher had it not been for a sprained ankle at Wisconsin that forced him to miss the Minnesota game the following week and greatly reduced his effectiveness the rest of the year.%^$
%^$Combs’ top effort was 153 yards against Michigan State on a career-high 31 carries. The fleet-footed speedster, who totaled 344 yards on 99 carries in his first three years as a Buckeye, also was recognized as the team’s top running back, as well as the Offensive Player of the Year.%^$
%^$Senior defensive end Rodney Bailey also went home with three awards. Bailey, from Cleveland, O., was voted by the coaching staff as Defensive Player of the Year, and he and linebacker Joe Cooper shared the Bo Rein Award as the Most Inspirational Players on the Team. The latter award, like the MVP, is voted on by the players. Bailey and fellow defensive end Brent Johnson shared honors as the top defensive linemen on the team.%^$
%^$In the academic area, flanker Chad Cacchio, a senior from Upper Arlington, O., and cornerback David Mitchell, a senior from Westerville, O., received the John W. Galbreath Award for academic excellence. Cacchio, who averaged a team leading 19.5 yards per catch this past season, is a finance major who plans to attend dental school. Mitchell, who led the team in interceptions with five and scored two touchdowns in the season opener against Fresno State, is a physical therapy major.%^$
%^$A complete list of all award winners follows:%^$
%^$Most Valuable Player — Derek Combs
%^$Bo Rein Award (Most Inspirational Player) — Rodney Bailey and Joe Cooper
%^$John W. Galbreath Award (Top Scholar-Athlete) — Chad Cacchio and David Mitchell
%^$
%^$Archie Griffin Award (Most Valuable Offensive Player) — Derek Combs
%^$Rex Kern Award (Most Outstanding Offensive Back) — Derek Combs
%^$Paul Warfield Award (Most Outstanding Receiver) — Ken-Yon Rambo
%^$Jim Parker Award (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman) — LeCharles Bentley and Darnell Sanders
%^$Buckeye Boosters’ Outstanding First-Year Offensive Player Award — Adrien Clarke
%^$
%^$Bill Willis Award (Most Valuable Defensive Player ) — Rodney Bailey
%^$Jack Stephenson Award (Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman) — Rodney Bailey and Brent Johnson
%^$Arnie Chonko Award (Most Outstanding Defensive Back) — Nate Clements
%^$Randy Gradishar Award (Most Outstanding Linebacker) — Joe Cooper
%^$Buckeye Boosters’ Outstanding First-Year Defensive Player Award — Will Smith
%^$
%^$SAE Trophy (Most Valuable Player Homecoming Game) — Ken-Yon Rambo
