CAMPBELL NAMED AGGIE HEART AWARD WINNER AT 1999 TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL BANQUET
Jan 30, 1999 | Football
January 30, 1999
Dan Campbell, a senior tight end from Glen Rose, Texas, was named the Aggie Heart Award winner, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player. The award was presented by Aggie Head Coach R.C. Slocum at the annual Texas A&M football banquet Saturday at the College Station Hilton. All of the awards are voted upon by the Aggie football players.
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.
"Dan Campbell is very deserving of the Aggie Heart Award," Coach Slocum said. "He was an outstanding leader on our team and played with great determination. Dan worked hard to become a good football player. In the off-season, he was always one of our hardest workers and during the season he gave great effort in practice and in the games. I can see why his teammates selected him for this prestigious award."
Campbell was also named the offensive team captain. He started the final 14 games of his career and was a player who displayed leadership both vocally and by example.
Senior linebacker Dat Nguyen, who won the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player, was named the "Wrecking Crew" MVP for the second consective year. Nguyen, who played at Rockport Fulton High School, leaves Texas A&M with his degree in agricultural development and as the all-time leading tackler in school history with 517 tackles (this total does not include bowl statistics). Nguyen led the team with 147 tackles this season, marking the fourth straight year to lead the Aggie defensive unit. In addition to the defensive MVP honors, Nguyen was also voted the defensive team captain. Nguyen started every game in his Aggie career. In those 51 games, the Aggies compiled a 35-16 record.
The offensive MVP for 1998 was junior running back Dante Hall, from Houston Nimitz High School. Hall led the team in rushing with 1,024 yards and scored eight touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 92 yards, returned eight kickoffs for an average of 21.5 yards and also returned seven punts.
The special teams MVP and special teams captain was senior Toya Jones from Refugio, Texas. Jones was usually the first man down on the coverage teams and recorded 18 tackles overall this season. He recovered a fumbled punt against Missouri which set up the game-winning field goal.
The 12th Man MVP was junior Chad Frantzen from Diana, Texas. Frantzen, who attended New Diana High School, was the 12th Man MVP last year as well. He is a walkon who excels on kickoff coverage and has also worked his way up to second-team inside linebacker. He compiled 28 tackles this season including one quarterback sack.
The 12th Man captain was junior Drew Bridges from Odessa Permian High School. Bridges made three tackles on kickoff coverage this year.
Defensive safety Rich Coady, from Pearce High School in Dallas, was presented the senior Academic Achievement Award. Coady, who started the final 39 games of his career, was a steady player throughout his A&M career and helped solidify the defensive backfield.
The banquet is held each season in honor of the senior class. This past season, 17 Aggie seniors displayed great desire and determination, along with a never quit attitude.
"The outstanding season we had is a direct reflection on the outstanding leadership of our seniors," Slocum said. "They were totally committed to team goals and set a great example for our younger players."
Two players who best exemplified that commitment were quarterback Branndon Stewart and running back Sirr Parker. Both seniors were key components in the 36-33 double-overtime Aggie victory in the Big 12 Championship Game against Kansas State.
The members of the Aggie Senior Class of '98:
Darren Brinkley Belton, Texas
Marc Broyles Tyler, Texas (John Tyler)
Dan Campbell Glen Rose, Texas
Rich Coady Dallas, Texas (Pearce)
Warrick Holdman Alief, Texas (Elsik)
Shun Horn Jasper, Texas
Eric Jennings Pomona, California (Genesha/Mt. San Antonio JC)
Toya Jones Refugio, Texas
Kyle Lednicky Houston, Texas (Stratford)
Dat Nguyen Rockport, Texas (Fulton)
Aaron Oliver Arlington, Texas (Lamar)
Sirr Parker Los Angeles, California (Locke)
Will Simpson San Jose, California (Oak Grove)
Cameron Spikes Bryan, Texas
Derrick Spiller LaMarque, Texas
Branndon Stewart Stephenville, Texas
Rex Tucker Midland, Texas (Lee)
