.png&type=webp)
Rice University Athletics
Bradshaw and Ozougwu Share Martin Award
3/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 13, 2011
Rice senior defensive end Cheta Ozougwu and junior safety Travis Bradshaw became on the second set of teammates to share the George Martin Award as Rice Football's Most Valuable Player on Sunday, as the Owls held their annual football awards banquet at the Grand Hall of the Rice Memorial Center.
The pair joined Jim Vining and David Ferguson (1965) as the only co-winners of the award, which is voted upon by the members of the team and has been presented every year since 1925.
Despite additional focus due to the loss of preseason All-CUSA pick Scott Solomon, Ozougwu earned All C-USA honors of his own, finishing the year with 54 tackles, and ranking among the league leaders with three forced fumbles. He totaled three sacks on the season, but lost two others when fumbles he forced while stripping the ball from the quarterback were recovered without a loss of yardage. He was also credited with 11 quarterback hurries. He was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game and also participated in the NFL Scouting Combine.
A former walk-on, Bradshaw, who also earned second-team Academic All American honors last season, finished second on the team with 76 tackles last year and ranks second nationally among returning players with 214 career unassisted tackles. He ranks ninth on the Owls career list with 286 total tackles.
Bradshaw and Ozougwu were also named team captains for the 2010 season, joining seniors Justin Hill and Pierre Beasley and junior Jake Hicks. Bradshaw also received his second consecutive James Glanville Medal for excellence in both academics and athletics.
Running back Jeremy Eddington, who led the team with 10 touchdowns (all in C-USA action), received the Joe F. Lipscomb Award as the top freshman. Eric Ball received the "Bloody Joe" Davis Award for competitive spirit. Kevin Pool won the Billy Ed Daniels Award as the player possessing the qualities most desired in a teammate.
Hicks, wide receiver Vance McDonald and running back Sam McGuffie received the George R. Brown Award as the top player at their offensive position group, while Phillip Gaines, Hill and Ozougwu were honored with the Jess Neely Defensive Awards. Beasley received the Bill Whitmore Award as the most improved offensive player during 2009 spring drills, while Hill received Joe Davis Award as the most improved defensive players during last year's spring practice.
