Marshall University Athletics
Reaves Named Marshall Football MVP for 2015
12/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall's triple-threat senior, Deandre Reaves, was named Thundering Herd football's Most Valuable Player for 2015 at the annual team banquet staged Friday night by the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.
About 350 attended the banquet for the 9-3 Herd -- headed for a Dec. 26 St. Petersburg Bowl date against Connecticut -- at Big Sandy Superstore Arena in downtown Huntington.
The Team MVP and Offensive MVP went to Reaves, a redshirt senior from Sterling, Va., who earlier this week was named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year. Reaves is one of the nation's top kickoff and punt return men -- scoring three touchdowns on returns this season -- and also added 47 receptions for 617 yards and four TDs as the Herd's slot receiver.
Redshirt senior inside linebacker Evan McKelvey was voted as Defensive MVP after winning the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honor earlier in the week. McKelvey, from Moncks Corner, S.C., leads the Herd with 113 tackles, including nine for loss.
Tyler Williams, a senior from Fort Wayne, Ind., who has been the Marshall punter for all four of his seasons, was selected as Special Teams MVP by Herd coaches. Williams, who owns the school single-season record average of 45.2 yards, is averaging 44.3 yards per kick this season and has 27 punts inside the 20 and 21 punts of 50 or more yards.
The players also voted in four team captains for the 2015 season, after Holliday and his staff picked game captains during the 12-game regular-season schedule. The season captains -- they will serve as captains for the St. Petersburg Bowl -- are McKelvey, Reaves, senior safety Taj Letman and junior center Michael Selby.
Other 2015 Herd awards:
Senior Scholar Award (highest GPA/toughest major) -- Long snapper Matt Cincotta, senior (3.60 in biology, pre-med; will graduate magna cum laude Saturday, in 3 1/2 years).
Jim Conard Award (top offensive lineman) -- Left guard Sebastian Johansson, redshirt senior.
Offensive and Defensive Gridiron Gladiators (relentless, gives everything all of the time) -- Selby and outside linebacker D.J. Hunter, redshirt senior.
Tom Stark Award (defensive player on/off field who gives his all) -- Co-winners: Cornerback Corey Tindal, redshirt junior; Nose tackle Jarquez Samuel, redshirt senior.
Chad Pennington Award (offensive player on/off field who gives his all) --Co-winners: wide receiver Davonte Allen, senior; Tight end Ryan Yurachek, sophomore.
Scout Team Players of the Year (players that gave the opposite side of the ball the best "look" in practice) -- Offense: Defensive lineman Aaron Plantt, redshirt sophomore; Defense: Wide receiver Michael Clark, sophomore.
At the St. Petersburg Bowl, Marshall is appearing in a postseason game for a third straight season and will be seeking a fifth consecutive bowl victory -- matching the longest current winning streak. With a victory, Marshall would become the only Group of 5 program with at least 10 wins in each of the past three seasons.
