Earlier this week, four finalists were announced for the inaugural Johnny Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award.
As a surprise to probably no one, and highlighted by one of the most ridiculous punt returns I can remember, Arkansas’ Joe Adams has walked away with the hardware.
Adams led the NCAA with four punt returns for touchdowns in 2011 and finished the year with 356 return yards on 19 attempts. Those numbers were good enough to win Adams the title of the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Year.
“I’m honored to be the first recipient of the Johnny ‘The Jet’ Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award,” Adams said. “First of all, I want to thank my mom* because she helped me get where I am today. Also, I’d like to thank Johnny for choosing me for this award and my coaches at Arkansas for putting me in a position to succeed. This award would not have been possible without the other guys on the punt return unit who made key blocks during my returns. I’m looking forward to going to Omaha to accept this award on behalf of our program.”
(*always a good idea to thank mom first)
The other finalists for the award were North Carolina’s T.J. Thorpe,Dustin Harris from Texas A&M and LSU’sTyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu.
Adams will be presented with the award during a banquet in Omaha, Neb., on April 12.