Jake Matthews Wins FCA's Bobby Bowden Award
Jan 03, 2014 | Football
Pasadena, CA – Jake Matthews of Texas A&M won the Seminole Tribe of Florida Bobby Bowden Award. It was presented by coach Bowden Friday morning at the FCA breakfast in Irvine California at the BCS site. As a junior in 2012, Matthews was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. He also received first team All-American honors by the Football Writers Association of America. During his senior season, Matthews played left tackle after playing right tackle for the previous three seasons. As a senior in 2013, Matthews was again a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. In some NFL draft scenarios Matthews is considered the second overall pick. Matthew's father is Tennessee Titans coach Bruce Matthews.
Matthews won the award over Mississippi punter Tyler Campbell, Arizona linebacker Jake Fischer, Oklahoma offensive lineman Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma State linebacker Shaun Lewis, and Alabama wide receiver Kevin Norwood.
The Bobby Bowden award recognizes the Football Bowl Subdivision player who epitomizes a student-athlete. He must conduct himself as a faith model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community. He must carry a 3.0 GPA. To win, he must also have the backing of his school's Athletic Director and Head Football coach.
The award is named after former Florida State University football head coach Bobby Bowden. It was conceived by Vince Gibson, a former Bowden assistant at South Georgia College who went on to become head coach at Kansas State, Louisville and Tulane long before he passed away in 2012 from Lou Gehrig's disease; and Vernon Brinson, one of Bowden's former players at South Georgia College in the 1950s.
The Award is sponsored by The Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Past winners are:
2003 Jason Wright Northwestern University
2004 Billy Bajema Oklahoma State University
2005 D. J. Shockley University of Georgia
2006 Carl Pendleton University of Oklahoma
2007 Jacob Tamme University of Kentucky
2008 Stephen McGee Texas A&M
2009 Colt McCoy University of Texas
2010 Christian Ponder Florida State University
2011 Case Keenum University of Houston
2012 Ashton Richardson Auburn University
The following is a list of the nominees in alphabetical order.
Ryan Alderman Temple University
Chris Burnette University of Georgia
Tyler Campbell University of Mississippi
Richie Casey Louisiana Tech
Chandler Catanzaro Clemson University
Joseph Fazio Ball State University
Jake Fischer University of Arizona
Cam Gordon University of Michigan
Andrew Green University of Nebraska
Derrick Hopkins Virginia Tech
Lamarcus Joyner Florida State University
Rob Henry Purdue University
Gabe Ikard University of Oklahoma
Jon Koontz Texas Christian
Shaun Lewis Oklahoma State University
Jamie Markosian Utah State University
Jordan McCray University of Central Florida
Kirby Moore Boise State
Conner O'Neil University of Wisconsin
Kevin Norwood University of Alabama
Tanner Price Wake Forest
Brett Van Sloten University of Iowa
Christian Smith University of Toledo
Alex Zordich State University of New York – Buffalo
About FCA:
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is touching millions of lives one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.
