University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Is Weekly Nominee For FWAA Award
10/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 29, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - The University of Connecticut football team is the weekly nominee for the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the season. The Huskies are dealing with the tragic death of a teammate Oct. 18.
Jasper "Jazz" Howard, a starting cornerback, passed away on Oct. 18 - just hours after he helped UConn beat Louisville. Last Saturday, the Huskies played an inspired game at West Virginia, losing 28-24 in the final minutes.
The Huskies displayed Howard's jersey and helmet behind their bench, wore "JH" stickers on their helmets, and received a warm ovation from the West Virginia fans. In the visitors' tunnel at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, a sign was posted with the message, "Today We Are All Huskies," and thousands of signatures from students and fans.
On Monday, the Huskies traveled together to attend Howard's funeral in his hometown of Miami. They play Rutgers on Saturday.
For the fourth straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.
The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine's senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also a FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.
Previous winners of the FWAA's Courage Award are Tulsa's Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy's Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson's Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis' Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State's Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo's William Bratton (2002).
The Orange Bowl Committee is a not-for-profit, 330-member, primarily-volunteer organization. It is a self-sustaining, independent organization that supports and produces activities and events that enhance the image, economy and culture of South Florida . The Orange Bowl Festival features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 5, 2010. In 2013, the OBC will again double-host both the FedEx Orange Bowl and the BCS National Championship. Other OBC core events include the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships and Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series. For more information on the 2009-10 Orange Bowl Festival and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program, log on to www.orangebowl.org.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,100 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tigerfwaa@aol.com or 972-713-6198.
2009 FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees Sept. 23: D.J. Williams, Arkansas Sept. 30: Mark Herzlich, Boston College Oct. 7: Darius Nall, UCF Oct. 14: Ricky Rosas, USC Oct. 21: Derrick Coleman, UCLA Oct. 28: Connecticut Huskies
