Schorp Named Aggie Heart Award Winner at 2017 Texas A&M Football Banquet
Dec 09, 2017 | Football
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Tanner Schorp, a tight end from San Antonio, Texas, was the heart and soul of the Texas A&M football team, earning him the Aggie Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player. The award was presented at the annual Texas A&M football banquet held Saturday evening at the Hall of Champions inside of Kyle Field to honor the 2017 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. The Heart Award is voted upon by the players of the football team.
"Tanner Schorp embodies what it means to be a Texas A&M Aggie," Interim Head Coach Jeff Banks said. "As evidenced by him already receiving his degree from this great school, Tanner does an amazing job representing Texas A&M on and off the field."
At 6-3, 245 pounds, the Reagan High School product played in 39 games in his career including all 12 games this season. The consummate teammate hauled in six receptions in his senior season for 59 yards and helped spearhead a blocking unit that accumulated over 2,200 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground. The son of Greg Schorp, a two-time All-Southwest Conference tight end in the early 1990s at Texas A&M under R.C. Slocum, Tanner shifted positions while in College Station after starting his career on the defensive side of the ball.
Seniors from the team include: Kalvin Cline, Qualen Cunningham, Christian Daimler, David Darley, Keith Ford, Zaycoven Henderson, Jake Hubenak, Jarrett Johnson, Damion Ratley, Tanner Schorp, Shane Tripucka, Armani Watts, Kyle Whitley and Priest Willis.
Just before the Aggie Heart Award was presented Jarrett Johnson received the Coaches' Choice Award. Johnson, a defensive end from Katy, Texas, served primarily as a substitute his first three seasons in Aggieland before emerging as a mainstay in the starting lineup in his final season. 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.
Johnson tallied 7.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks in his last season donning the Maroon & White, the senior registered 66 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in his four seasons in Aggieland.
The offensive MVP award was presented to junior wide receiver Christian Kirk.
Kirk, a junior from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the active FBS career leader in punt return average with 22.8 yards per return. He is the only SEC player to have both a punt return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown in 2017. Kirk holds the Texas A&M school record for career punt returns for a touchdown (six) as well as the most punt returns for touchdowns in a single season (three in 2016). As a wide receiver, Kirk has had at least two receptions in every game he has played for Texas A&M (38 straight entering the 2017 Belk Bowl).
The defensive MVP award was presented to senior safety Armani Watts.
Watts, a senior from Forney North High School who grew up in Oakland, California, was a defensive playmaker and is the only player in the FBS with at least 9.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, two blocked kicks, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Watt's is also the only active FBS player with at least 300 tackles, 10 pickoffs and five forced fumbles on his career tally. From his first game as a true freshman when he started against South Carolina in 2014 picking off a pass and breaking up a couple of others, Watts has made an impact.
The special teams MVP was given to punter Shane Tripucka.
Tripucka, from Allen High School, helped the Aggies lead the SEC in net punting at 43.4 yards per kick. His overall punting average was 46.1 with 30 kicks of 50-plus yards. Tripucka killed 23 of his kicks inside the 20 and forced 33 fair catches. The senior ranks second in the NCAA in net punting, behind only Ray Guy award winner Michael Dickson of Texas. Additionally, Tripucka ranks fifth in the country in gross punting average at 46.1 yards per punt. Tripucka's season average ranks fifth on the all-time Texas A&M list, while his career average of 44.6 yards per punts stands third in the record books.
A sophomore earned scout team MVP honors for the offense as quarterback Bo Schneider from Dallas, Texas was recognized. The scout team defensive MVP was sophomore defensive back Clifford Chattman from New Orleans, Louisiana Both young men provided great looks for the starting units.
The permanent team captains for the 2017 squad were junior defensive back Donovan Wilson from Shreveport, Louisiana; senior safety Armani Watts from Forney; junior wide receiver Christian Kirk from Scottsdale, Arizona; sophomore running back Trayveon Williams from Houston; and junior linebacker and special teams standout Cullen Gillaspia from Katy.
Junior defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, from Richmond, Texas, was honored for his academic excellence and hard work in the classroom. He was presented the award by Director of Football Academics Dan Childs.
Mark Hocke, Director of Sports Performance for Aggie football, presented the weight room off-season MVP award to junior offensive lineman Koda Martin.
2017 AGGIE FOOTBALL BANQUET HONOREES:
Heart Award: Tanner Schorp, Sr., TE, San Antonio, TX
Coaches' Choice Award: Jarrett Johnson, Sr., DL, Katy, TX
Offensive MVP: Christian Kirk, Jr., WR, Scottsdale, AZ
Offensive Captains: Christian Kirk, Jr., WR, Scottsdale, AZ & Trayveon Williams, So., RB, Houston, TX
Defensive MVP: Armani Watts, Sr., DB, Forney, TX
Defensive Captains: Armani Watts, Sr., DB, Forney , TX & Donovan Wilson, Jr., DB, Shreveport, LA
Special Teams MVP: Shane Tripucka, Sr., P, Allen, TX
Special Teams Captain: Cullen Gillaspia, Jr., LB, Katy, TX
Offensive Scout Team MVP: Bo Schneider, So., QB, Dallas, TX
Defensive Scout Team MVP: Clifford Chattman, So., DB, New Orleans, LA
Academic Excellence: Kingsley Keke, Jr., DL, Richmond, TX
Weight Room MVP: Koda Martin, Jr., OL, Manvel, TX
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. The Heart Award is voted upon by the players of the football team.
"Tanner Schorp embodies what it means to be a Texas A&M Aggie," Interim Head Coach Jeff Banks said. "As evidenced by him already receiving his degree from this great school, Tanner does an amazing job representing Texas A&M on and off the field."
At 6-3, 245 pounds, the Reagan High School product played in 39 games in his career including all 12 games this season. The consummate teammate hauled in six receptions in his senior season for 59 yards and helped spearhead a blocking unit that accumulated over 2,200 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground. The son of Greg Schorp, a two-time All-Southwest Conference tight end in the early 1990s at Texas A&M under R.C. Slocum, Tanner shifted positions while in College Station after starting his career on the defensive side of the ball.
Seniors from the team include: Kalvin Cline, Qualen Cunningham, Christian Daimler, David Darley, Keith Ford, Zaycoven Henderson, Jake Hubenak, Jarrett Johnson, Damion Ratley, Tanner Schorp, Shane Tripucka, Armani Watts, Kyle Whitley and Priest Willis.
Just before the Aggie Heart Award was presented Jarrett Johnson received the Coaches' Choice Award. Johnson, a defensive end from Katy, Texas, served primarily as a substitute his first three seasons in Aggieland before emerging as a mainstay in the starting lineup in his final season. 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.
Johnson tallied 7.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks in his last season donning the Maroon & White, the senior registered 66 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in his four seasons in Aggieland.
The offensive MVP award was presented to junior wide receiver Christian Kirk.
Kirk, a junior from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the active FBS career leader in punt return average with 22.8 yards per return. He is the only SEC player to have both a punt return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown in 2017. Kirk holds the Texas A&M school record for career punt returns for a touchdown (six) as well as the most punt returns for touchdowns in a single season (three in 2016). As a wide receiver, Kirk has had at least two receptions in every game he has played for Texas A&M (38 straight entering the 2017 Belk Bowl).
The defensive MVP award was presented to senior safety Armani Watts.
Watts, a senior from Forney North High School who grew up in Oakland, California, was a defensive playmaker and is the only player in the FBS with at least 9.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, two blocked kicks, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Watt's is also the only active FBS player with at least 300 tackles, 10 pickoffs and five forced fumbles on his career tally. From his first game as a true freshman when he started against South Carolina in 2014 picking off a pass and breaking up a couple of others, Watts has made an impact.
The special teams MVP was given to punter Shane Tripucka.
Tripucka, from Allen High School, helped the Aggies lead the SEC in net punting at 43.4 yards per kick. His overall punting average was 46.1 with 30 kicks of 50-plus yards. Tripucka killed 23 of his kicks inside the 20 and forced 33 fair catches. The senior ranks second in the NCAA in net punting, behind only Ray Guy award winner Michael Dickson of Texas. Additionally, Tripucka ranks fifth in the country in gross punting average at 46.1 yards per punt. Tripucka's season average ranks fifth on the all-time Texas A&M list, while his career average of 44.6 yards per punts stands third in the record books.
A sophomore earned scout team MVP honors for the offense as quarterback Bo Schneider from Dallas, Texas was recognized. The scout team defensive MVP was sophomore defensive back Clifford Chattman from New Orleans, Louisiana Both young men provided great looks for the starting units.
The permanent team captains for the 2017 squad were junior defensive back Donovan Wilson from Shreveport, Louisiana; senior safety Armani Watts from Forney; junior wide receiver Christian Kirk from Scottsdale, Arizona; sophomore running back Trayveon Williams from Houston; and junior linebacker and special teams standout Cullen Gillaspia from Katy.
Junior defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, from Richmond, Texas, was honored for his academic excellence and hard work in the classroom. He was presented the award by Director of Football Academics Dan Childs.
Mark Hocke, Director of Sports Performance for Aggie football, presented the weight room off-season MVP award to junior offensive lineman Koda Martin.
2017 AGGIE FOOTBALL BANQUET HONOREES:
Heart Award: Tanner Schorp, Sr., TE, San Antonio, TX
Coaches' Choice Award: Jarrett Johnson, Sr., DL, Katy, TX
Offensive MVP: Christian Kirk, Jr., WR, Scottsdale, AZ
Offensive Captains: Christian Kirk, Jr., WR, Scottsdale, AZ & Trayveon Williams, So., RB, Houston, TX
Defensive MVP: Armani Watts, Sr., DB, Forney, TX
Defensive Captains: Armani Watts, Sr., DB, Forney , TX & Donovan Wilson, Jr., DB, Shreveport, LA
Special Teams MVP: Shane Tripucka, Sr., P, Allen, TX
Special Teams Captain: Cullen Gillaspia, Jr., LB, Katy, TX
Offensive Scout Team MVP: Bo Schneider, So., QB, Dallas, TX
Defensive Scout Team MVP: Clifford Chattman, So., DB, New Orleans, LA
Academic Excellence: Kingsley Keke, Jr., DL, Richmond, TX
Weight Room MVP: Koda Martin, Jr., OL, Manvel, TX
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