Mickey Jones Named Aggie Heart Award Winner at 2001 Texas A&M Football Banquet
Dec 08, 2001 | Football
December 08, 2001
Mickey Jones, a senior wide receiver from John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas, 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 held Saturday evening in The Zone Club at Kyle Field to honor the 2001 Aggie senior class.
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. All of awards, including the Heart Award, are voted upon by the players of the football team.
"Mickey Jones is a young man who has come into our program and given everything he has each day," Aggie Head Coach R.C. Slocum said. "He's demonstrated great enthusiasm for the game of football, not only on game day, but each and every practice. He is an inspiration to those around him and he likes to have fun playing football. He's had to play through some injuries in his career, but he has persevered."
Jones came to Texas A&M as a sophomore after a season at Trinity Valley Community College. He missed the first game of this season with an injury, but has bounced back with 14 receptions in 10 games for 143 yards. Jones is a senior who keeps the tempo at practice at a high level and is known for his competitive spirit.
The senior academic achievement award was presented to Evan Perroni, a defensive lineman from Clear Lake High School in Houston. Perroni, a Verizon CoSIDA Academic All-America Region VI selection, will earn both his bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting in May. Perroni has also registered 38 tackles in nine games.
The offensive MVP just so happens to be the offensive captain as well as the offensive most valuable lineman, senior Seth McKinney from Austin Westlake High School. The consensus first-team All-Big 12 selection is a finalist for the Rimington Trophy awared to the nation's top center. McKinney has started every game possible in his Aggie career. The bowl game will mark McKinney's 50th consecutive start at center. Only four other centers in the history of Division I college football have started all four seasons. McKinney has already graduated and will complete work on a master's degree in May. He was also named to the Verizon CoSIDA Academic All-America Region VI squad. McKinney was voted the team's most valuable lineman for the second straight season.
The defensive MVP is another consensus All-Big 12 selection, junior cornerback Sammy Davis from Humble High School. When it came to the passing game, Davis shut down his side of the field. The "Candy Man" led the team with five interceptions and had 10 passes broken up. He also provided excellent run support by making 74 tackles on the year including two for losses.
The defensive most valuable lineman was senior Rocky Bernard from Baytown Sterling High School. Bernard was also voted the defensive captain by his teammates. Bernard, a consensus second-team All-Big 12 selection, bounced back after missing the 2000 season with a knee injury. Through his hard work and determination, he started every game this season and the bowl game will mark his 34th career start. Bernard recorded 69 stops including 15 behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 50 yards. He also recorded five quarterback sacks for losses of 30 yards. His leadership helped the Wrecking Crew continue to rank among the nation's elite defensive units.
The special teams MVP and captain was sophomore placekicker and punter, Cody Scates from Lee High School in Tyler, Texas. Scates averaged 40.7 yards per punt this season and killed 15 punts inside the 20-yard line. Scates handled the punting and kickoff duties as a true freshman, but this season he added placekicking duties as well. He connected on 8-of-16 field goals with a long field goal of 48 yards.
The 12th Man MVP for the second year in a row was Bobby Jordan, a senior from Brenham, Texas. Jordan recorded four tackles during the season going down and covering kicks as the 12th Man. Last season, Jordan made three stops as a 12th Man member. Jordan was also named the 12th Man captain for the 2001 season.
The defensive most valuable scout team member was Lawrence Hooper, a 6-3, 256-pound true freshman defensive lineman from Aldine High School. Hooper worked hard to improve each week and game the offensive coaches a good look on the defensive scout team.
The offensive most valuable scout team member was another true freshman, quarterback Jason Carter from Caldwell High School. Carter gave the Wrecking Crew excellent looks at what the defensive unit would see on Saturdays with his athletic and throwing ability.
The annual banquet honors the seniors of the football team. The senior class of 2001 will look back on their careers with a great deal of pride. The overall record for the past four years was 33-16, a winning percentage of .673. They've had the opportunity to play in four consecutive bowl games.
This group put the finishing touches on the most successful decade of any football team in the state of Texas. The Texas A&M football program won 94 games in the 1990s, more than any other team from the state of Texas, from any decade. These seniors are to be thanked for closing out that decade in style, and beginning a new decade with two consecutive bowl trips.
They leave Aggieland with two Big 12 South Championship rings, and an overall Big 12 Championship from the 1998 double-overtime victory over top-ranked Kansas State.
This senior class upheld the Kyle Field winning tradition with a 21-3 home record which is a .875 winning percentage. The class compiled a 21-game home winning streak and along the way defeated six ranked teams at Kyle Field including the #2-ranked team in the country, the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1998.
Combined overall record of 33-16 (.673)
1998: 11-3 (Big 12 South Division Champions/Big 12 Champions, Sugar Bowl)
1999: 8-4 (Alamo Bowl)
2000: 7-5 (Independence Bowl)
2001: 7-4 (Galleryfurniture.com Bowl)
Honorees
Heart Award: Mickey Jones
Senior Academic Achievement Award: Evan Perroni
Offensive MVP: Seth McKinney
Offensive Most Valuable Lineman: Seth McKinney
Offensive Most Valuable Scout Team: Jason Carter
Offensive Captain: Seth McKinney
Defensive MVP: Sammy Davis
Defensive Most Valuable Lineman: Rocky Bernard
Defensive Most Valuable Scout Team: Lawrence Hooper
Defensive Captain: Rocky Bernard
Special Teams MVP: Cody Scates
Special Teams Captain: Cody Scates
12th Man MVP: Bobby Jordan
12th Man Captain: Bobby Jordan
