COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Malcome Kennedy, a senior wide receiver from Cayuga, Texas, was the heart and soul of the Texas A&M football team and he was named the Aggie Heart Award winner, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player. The award was presented at the annual Texas A&M football banquet held Friday at the Memorial Student Center to honor the 2014 Aggie football team and especially the senior class.
The Heart Award is presented to a senior who has completed his eligibility and displays the intangibles such as effort, desire, determination, competitiveness, leadership and courage. The Aggie Heart Award winner is the player who extends himself to the fullest every time he dons his football gear, regardless of the situation, be it in practice or a game. All of the awards, including the Heart Award, are voted upon by the players of the football team.
“Malcome was really the heart and soul of our team and a great leader,” Aggie head football coach Kevin Sumlin said. “He came to Texas A&M from the smallest classification of high school in our state and just continued to work hard in everything. Malcome is a great example and very worthy of the Aggie Heart Award.”
Despite missing two games due to injuries, Kennedy was the team's third-leading receiver with 46 catches. He injured his shoulder in the fourth quarter of the Arkansas game in Arlington but bounced back to make the game-winning touchdown grab in overtime. Kennedy will graduate next weekend.
The senior class of 2014 for Aggie football has a chance to win four straight bowl games, something no other Aggie senior class has ever achieved. In addition, nine of the 17-member class has earned an Aggie degree with several others set to graduate this May, 2015.
Seniors from the team include: Donnie Baggs (League City, TX), Justin Bass (Plano, TX), Cam Clear (Memphis, TN), Ben Compton (Friendswood, TX), Deshazor Everett (DeRidder, LA), Alex Freeman (Round Rock, TX), Garrett Gramling (Denton, TX), Jarvis Harrison (Navasota, TX), Clay Honeycutt (Dickinson, TX), Malcome Kennedy (Cayuga, TX), Josh Lambo (Middleton, WI), Howard Matthews (League City, TX), Cedric Ogbuehi (Allen, TX), Floyd Raven (Kenner, LA), Ivan Robinson (Longville, LA), Tommy Sanders (Cordele, GA), and Tyrell Taylor (Houston, TX).
Just before the Aggie Heart Award was presented, head coach Kevin Sumlin presented the Coaches' Choice Award to senior offensive lineman and H-back Ben Compton from Friendswood, Texas. Compton was the backup center and made two starts on the offensive line this past season, while also serving as a fullback or H-back. This award is voted upon by the Aggie coaching staff and is presented to a senior who has completed his eligibility and who represented the foundation and cornerstones on which Texas A&M Football is established—integrity with mental toughness, respect, trust and loyalty. The winner has inspired the coaching staff and his teammates through a career of service, both on and off of the field, and has given more to the Aggie football program than he takes away.
The offensive MVP is a newcomer, sophomore wide receiver Josh Reynolds. Reynolds, originally from San Antonio and by way of Tyler Junior College, enrolled last January and made quite an impression. Reynolds is the second-leading receiver on the team with 47 catches and he has tied the Aggie single-season touchdown record established by Jeff Fuller and Mike Evans with 12 touchdown catches.
The defensive MVP is also a newcomer, true freshman defensive lineman Myles Garrett from Arlington. Garrett has set a new Texas A&M and SEC record for sacks with 11 on the season. The old SEC mark of eight was held by South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney.
The special teams MVP is none other than the 12th Man, junior defensive back Sam Moeller (pronounced Miller) from San Antonio. Moeller walked on to the Aggie football team and this fall earned his third letter playing on special teams. He has worn the 12th Man jersey in 25 straight games and recorded eight tackles in 2014.
A couple of true freshmen earned scout team MVP honors as offensive lineman Koda Martin from Manvel provided great looks for the defense and defensive lineman Tanner Schorp from San Antonio competed well against the starting offensive line.
The permanent team captains for the 2014 squad are senior wide receiver Malcome Kennedy and junior center Mike Matthews from Missouri City on the offensive side of the football while senior defensive back Deshazor Everett from DeRidder, Louisiana, and junior defensive lineman Julien Obioha from New Orleans, Louisiana, represent the defense. Junior punter Drew Kaser from Strongville, Ohio, is the special teams captain.
A pair of redshirt freshmen were honored for their academic excellence and hard work in the classroom as running back James White from Pearland and defensive lineman Justin Manning from Dallas were presented awards by Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services Troy Kema.
Larry Jackson, a four-year Aggie football letterman and the current Director of Sports Performance for Aggie football, presented the weight room off-season MVP award to none other than Malcome Kennedy.
2014 AGGIE FOOTBALL BANQUET HONOREES:
Heart Award: Malcome Kennedy, Sr., WR, Cayuga, TX
Coaches' Choice Award: Ben Compton, Sr., OL/H-back, Friendswood, TX
Offensive MVP: Josh Reynolds, So., WR, San Antonio, TX
Offensive Captains: Malcome Kennedy, Sr., WR, Cayuga, TX
Mike Matthews, Jr., OL, Missouri City, TX
Defensive MVP: Myles Garrett, Fr., DL, Arlington, TX
Defensive Captains: Deshazor Everett, Sr., DB, DeRidder, LA
Julien Obioha, Jr., DL, New Orleans, LA
Special Teams MVP: Sam Moeller, Jr., DB, San Antonio, TX
Special Teams Captain: Drew Kaser, Jr., P, Strongville, OH
Offensive Scout Team MVP: Koda Martin, Fr., OL, Manvel, TX
Defensive Scout Team MVP: Tanner Schorp, Fr., DL, San Antonio, TX
Academic Excellence: James White, Fr., RB, Pearland, TX
Justin Manning, Fr., DL, Dallas, TX
Weight Room MVP: Malcome Kennedy, Sr., WR, Cayuga, TX