February 02, 1998
Brad Crowley, a senior defensive end from Corpus Christi Calallen High School, was named the Aggie Heart Award winner, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player. The award was presented by Texas A&M Head Coach R.C. Slocum at the annual Texas A&M football banquet Saturday evening at the College Station Hilton.
The Heart Award is presented to a senior who has completed his eligibility and the criteria includes intangibles such as effort, desire, determination, competitiveness, leadership and courage.
Crowley was also named the defensive team captain. He started the final 16 games of his career and was the leading tackler on the defensive line with 67 stops and 15 of those came behind the line of scrimmage.
Junior linebacker Dat Nguyen, from Rockport-Fulton High School, was named the "Wrecking Crew" MVP as he led the team in tackles for the third straight season. In 1997, Nguyen had 130 tackles, caused three fumbles, recovered four, broke up three passes and had one interception returned 32 yards for a touchdown. He also scored another touchdown on a fumble return.
Nguyen, a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, was also presented the 1998 Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Most Outstanding Defensive Player trophy by Mike Baggett, Chairman of the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Committee. Nguyen recorded a Cotton Bowl record 20 tackles with 15 solo tackles and five assists. He had one sack for a loss of six yards and picked off a pass and then pitched it back to Brandon Jennings to complete an 83-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Senior offensive lineman Steve McKinney, a consensus All-Big 12 selection, was named the offensive captain. McKinney, from Clear Lake High School, started the final 34 games of his career at left guard and was a key reason for the outstanding Aggie rushing attack.
Junior quarterback Branndon Stewart, from Stephenville High School, was named the offensive MVP. Stewart led the Aggies to a thrilling 28-25 overtime win over Oklahoma State and propelled the Aggies to the Big 12 South Division Championship. Stewart completed 56.6 percent of his passes and had 10 touchdowns and only four interceptions on the season.
Kyle Bryant, a senior from A&M Consolidated High School, was named the special teams MVP. Bryant leaves A&M as the all-time record holder in field goals made (60), extra points made and attempted (145-152), scoring (325 points) and field goal accuracy (.706). He also holds four other school field goal records.
Toya Jones, a junior from Refugio High School, was named the special teams captain. Jones, a standout track performer as well, was usually the first man down the field on kick coverage.
The 12th Man MVP was sophomore Chad Frantzen, from Diana High School, who ended the season with seven tackles on kickoffs.
The 12th Man captain was senior Spencer Earl, from West Orange Stark High School.
Zerick Rollins, a senior from Houston Kashmere High School, was presented the senior Academic Achievement Award.