By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In the history of the Robert Hill Johnson Award, Tennessee Tech football's highest honor, only a third have been defensive players. Fourteen of those have been linebackers – which isn't a surprise considering the Golden Eagles have had some great ones over the years.
From John Tanner in 1970 to Jim Youngblood in the historic 1972 campaign, Dana Winningham in 1973, Mark Shrum in 1977, Jeff Daughtry in 1984 and future astronaut and NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award winner Barry Wilmore the next year, Mike Thornton in 1988, Fred Edgington in 1989, Marrio Thomas and Maurice Draine in 1992 and 1993, Sammy Sanders in 1997, Chad Evitts in 2000, Daniel Wentzel in 2002 and Tommy Harrison in 2004, there have been incredible ones to win the award. Among these players are Tech Sports Hall of Famers, Golden Eagles who have shaped the program over the years and setting the stage for the team now.
Add junior Seth Carlisle to that list as the Golden Eagle football team announced its team honors on Wednesday.
"The postseason awards at Tennessee Tech are very special for several reasons," said Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander. "First, many of them are named after special individuals associated with Tennessee Tech and are permanently on proud display in the TTU football offices. Second, the top awards have been traditionally voted on by the players and continue to be. Third, many of these awards have been given out on an annual basis for over 40 years."
The Red Boiling Springs native was everywhere this season for the Tech defense. In the shortened seven-game campaign, Carlisle recorded a team-high 50 tackles – 23 solo and 27 assisted with 1.5 for-loss. He also intercepted a pass for 14 yards at Jacksonville State, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles.
An Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week selection as he helped the Golden Eagles to a No. 23-ranking in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 early in the season, Carlisle was also selected to represent the conference on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee.
Along with the Sonny Allen Leadership Award and the team captains, the Robert Hill Johnson Award is voted on by the players.
The award is named for Robert Hill Johnson, a native of Sparta, Tenn., who was a student and assistant football coach at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute when he was killed in an auto accident in 1952 at the age of 22.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Johnson, he attended White County High School and was a standout in football for one season. He then transferred to the Baylor School in Chattanooga, where he earned three letters.
He enrolled at the University of Alabama, but a shoulder injury ended his playing career. In the fall of 1951, Johnson became a student at TPI, where he also coached offensive and defensive ends.
After just one season in Cookeville, Johnson was killed instantly when his car crashed into a concrete bridge railing at Cripple Creek, about seven miles east of Murfreesboro on U.S. Highway 70.
The Sonny Allen Leadership Award, named after Tech Hall of Famer Leonard "Sonny" Allen, a Golden Eagle safety/halfback from 1951 to 1954, saw a just as deserving recipient this year as senior offensive lineman Mike Rhoades was selected by his peers.
Rhoades was a major leader on the Tech offensive front, helping protect quarterback Willie Miller and allowing the Golden Eagles to establish its offense. Rhoades made his second consecutive appearance on the All-OVC second team and was also named to the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame's Hampshire Honor Society.
The team also selected Rhoades and senior defensive end Chris Tucker as its team captains.
Tucker, a first-team all-OVC pick for the second straight year, had 34 tackles, including a team-best seven tackles for-loss for 31 yards and 3.5 sacks for 18 yards with two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
Five awards were selected by the coaches with sophomore defensive back Cameron Hudson winning the Tony Stone Bumble Bee Defensive Back Award, senior defensive lineman Jale'n Gladney picking up the Unsung Hero Award, senior running back D.J. Worthy taking home the Bill Dupes Sportsmanship Award, senior defensive back Marcus McMeans earning the Tech Pride Award and junior defensive back Jamaal Thompson claiming the Football Academic Award.
The Stone Award is named after the former Tech offensive lineman and linebacker who lettered in 1957 and 1958, who returned as the secondary coach in 1967. His players earned the nickname "Bumble Bees" for their aggressive and hard-hitting style of play. His 1972 unit led the country in interceptions with 30.
The Dupes Award is named after the former Tech three-year starter who earned all-OVC honors and an Associated Press Little All-American honorable mention selection, before starting a 44-year coaching career that included an OVC Coach of the Year honor at Austin Peay.
Hudson ended the season with 23 total tackles, including 2.5 for-loss for six yards. He also broke up six passes. Gladney had 21 tackles, including four for-loss and two QB hurries. Worthy saw action in two games, collecting 68 all-purpose yards – 16 rushing and 52 receiving – as he caught a pass for a touchdown at Eastern Illinois. McMeans was second on the team in tackles with 48, including five for-loss, with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Thompson had 28 tackles with two for-loss, while recovering two fumbles and forcing another.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
