LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) (Dec. 9) – Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton was been recognized as the nation’s top quarterback Thursday night.
“This has been one of the best weeks of my life,” Hamilton said. “It was a great feeling to be grouped with guys like Drew and Pennington. I just tried to be consistent and produce all year. It’s paid off and I’m thankful for it.”
| Georgia Tech’s Joe Hamilton holds up his award for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback trophy after the Home Depot 1999 College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Audette) |
Hamilton became the first Georgia Tech player ever to claim a national award, taking home the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the nation’s top quarterback. Hamilton beat out Purdue’s Drew Brees and Marshall’s Chad Pennington.
Ron Dayne, Wisconsin’s record-setting tailback and the Heisman Trophy favorite, won the Maxwell and Doak Walker.
Dayne, college football’s career rushing leader, received the Maxwell Award as the best all-around player and the Doak Walker Award as the outstanding running back during the College Football Awards at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
Dayne edged quarterbacks Brees and Hamilton for the Maxwell Award.
“It’s really a great honor, which I’m very grateful to have received,” Dayne said. “I don’t really know how to react right now. They were great finalists.”
He topped Alabama’s Shaun Alexander and Virginia’s Thomas Jones for the Doak Walker Award.
Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington received the Chuck Bednarik Trophy as the defensive player of the year, and Alabama offensive tackle Chris Samuels was awarded the Outland Trophy as the outstanding interior lineman.
Stanford’s Troy Walters won the Biletnikof Award as the outstanding wide receiver, Minnesota’s Tyrone Carter won the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back, and Florida State’s Sebastian Janikowski received the Lou Groza Award as the outstanding kicker.
In other awards, Hofstra quarterback Giovanni Carmazzi was honored as the Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year, and former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne received the Home Depot Coach of the Decade Award.
Winners of the Davey O’Brien Trophy for the nation’s bestquarterback, presented by the College Football Writers Associationof America:
Memorial Trophy
1977-Earl Campbell, Texas RB 1978-Billy Sims, Oklahoma, RB 1979-Mike Singletary, LB 1980-Mike Singletary, LB
National Quarterback Award
1981-Jim McMahon, Brigham Young 1982-Todd Blackledge, Penn State 1983-Steve Young, Brigham Young 1984-Doug Flutie, Boston College 1985-Chuck Long, Iowa 1986-Vinny Testaverde, Miami 1987-Don McPherson, Syracuse 1988-Troy Aikman, UCLA 1989-Andre Ware, Houston 1990-Ty Detmer, Brigham Young 1991-Ty Detmer, Brigham Young 1992-Gino Torretta, Miami 1993-Charlie Ward, Florida State 1994-Kerry Collins, Penn State 1995-Danny Wuerffel, Florida 1996-Danny Wuerffel, Florida 1997-Peyton Manning, Tennessee 1998-Michael Bishop, Kansas State 1999-Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech
