TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Football capped the 2017 regular season with its annual banquet Sunday afternoon at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley.
Todd Graham and the Sun Devil football staff recognized the achievements of the ASU football program during the 2017 season, as well as set the stage for the Sun Devil's upcoming bowl appearance, the fifth postseason appearance for the Sun Devils in the last six seasons.
Senior linebacker, DJ Calhoun, claimed both the Ron Pritchard Outstanding Linebacker Award, as well as the Mike Haynes Defensive MVP, following a regular season that saw him record a career-high 94 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Calhoun started the year strong, recording a career-high 13-tackles in the Sun Devils' victory over New Mexico State, before reaching the double-digit tackle plateau just a week later on the road at Texas Tech.
Seniors Tashon Smallwood and AJ Latu each earned the Curley Culp Outstanding Defensive Lineman honors. Smallwood, who started every game during the 2017 season at nose tackle, recorded 33 total tackles during the season, including a career high six in the Sun Devils' upset win over Washington. Latu added a career-high 37 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks in 10 games during a breakout senior campaign. The duo anchored a Sun Devil defense that amassed 38 sacks resulting in a loss of 218 yards.
Chad Adams earned the Darren Woodson Outstanding Secondary Award following a season that saw the senior start all 12 games for the Sun Devils at safety. Adams finished his final season in Tempe with 64 tackles, two interceptions and four pass deflections. With his 64 tackles this season, Adams has now eclipsed the 100-tackle mark, finishing his final season with 110 total tackles.
Following a season that saw him start all 12 games at left guard, Sam Jones was awarded the Randall McDaniel Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award, as well as the Tim Landers Iron Man Award. Jones anchored an offensive line that rushed for 2500 yards and 26 touchdowns on the year.
Anchoring the Sun Devil offense this season, was the 2017 Wilford Whizzer White Outstanding Running Back Award winner, Demario Richard. Richard rushed for 977 yards on the season, including ending the season with over 100 yards in the each of the last four games. With his efforts in the 2017 season, Richard became just the third Sun Devil in school history to surpass the 3000 career rushing yards mark.
Sophomore wide out N'Keal Harry earned the John Jefferson Outstanding Receiver Award following a 73-catch,1000-yard, and seven touchdown season. Harry became just the 14th Sun Devil in school history to eclipse the 1000-yard receiving mark, and capped his sophomore campaign with a two-touchdown effort over Arizona in the final game of the regular season.
Freshman Eno Benjamin was Awarded the Bill Kajikawa Award for his efforts this season. Benjamin saw action as a running back and as a return man on the kickoff unit, showcasing his versatility as a player on the field. The freshman phenom finished his freshman season with 100 yards rushing on 18 carries and a touchdown.
Fellow Freshman Brandon Ruiz claimed the Babe Alex Demon Special Teams MVP honor. Looking to fill the hole left vacant by the 2016 Lou Groza Award winner, Ruiz showed he was up to the task, connecting on 18-of-25 field goals and 45-of-46 on PAT's. The freshman earned respect right off the bat, drilling a 52-yarder that made him the first Sun Devil to have their first career field goal go for 50 or more yards.
Owen Rogers and Darius Slade both earned Glen Hawkins Defensive Scout Team MVP honors. Rogers, a Phoenix, Ariz., native, has been a significant contributor to the scout team each of his three years at Arizona State, emulating the looks of the opposing secondary on a weekly basis to help assist the offense in preparation for their scheme. Slade, a former high school standout will look to add depth along the Sun Devil defensive line in his future seasons with the Sun Devils.
Sophomore Dillion Sterling-Cole collected McBurney Offensive Scout Team MVP honors. Sterling-Cole, a highly rated quarterback prospect with vast potential and elite pocket presence, was a valuable practice squad member which provided looks and schemes to help mimic the opposing team.
Quarterback Brady White earned the Pat Tillman Pat Tillman Outstanding Academic Achievement Award given annually to a player who demonstrated exceptional performance in the classroom.
2017 Football Banquet Award Recipients
CURLEY CULP OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
Tashon Smallwood and AJ Latu
RON PRITCHARD OUTSTANDING LINEBACKER AWARD
DJ Calhoun
DARREN WOODSON OUTSTANDING SECONDARY AWARD
Chad Adams
RANDALL MCDANIEL OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
Sam Jones
WILFORD "WHIZZER" WHITE OUTSTANDING RUNNING BACK AWARD
Demario Richard
JOHN JEFFERSON OUTSTANDING RECEIVER AWARD
N'Keal Harry
BILL KAJIKAWA AWARD Outstanding Freshman Player
Eno Benjamin
GLEN HAWKINS DEFENSIVE SCOUT TEAM MVP
Owen Rogers and Darius Slade
McBURNEY OFFENSIVE SCOUT TEAM MVP
Dillon Sterling-Cole
BABE ALEX DEMON SPECIAL TEAMS MVP
Brandon Ruiz
MIKE HAYNES DEFENSIVE MVP
DJ Calhoun
DANNY WHITE OFFENSIVE MVP
Manny Wilkins and Demario Richard
Pat Tillman Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
Brady White
TIM LANDERS IRON MAN AWARD
Sam Jones
Todd Graham and the Sun Devil football staff recognized the achievements of the ASU football program during the 2017 season, as well as set the stage for the Sun Devil's upcoming bowl appearance, the fifth postseason appearance for the Sun Devils in the last six seasons.
Senior linebacker, DJ Calhoun, claimed both the Ron Pritchard Outstanding Linebacker Award, as well as the Mike Haynes Defensive MVP, following a regular season that saw him record a career-high 94 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Calhoun started the year strong, recording a career-high 13-tackles in the Sun Devils' victory over New Mexico State, before reaching the double-digit tackle plateau just a week later on the road at Texas Tech.
Seniors Tashon Smallwood and AJ Latu each earned the Curley Culp Outstanding Defensive Lineman honors. Smallwood, who started every game during the 2017 season at nose tackle, recorded 33 total tackles during the season, including a career high six in the Sun Devils' upset win over Washington. Latu added a career-high 37 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks in 10 games during a breakout senior campaign. The duo anchored a Sun Devil defense that amassed 38 sacks resulting in a loss of 218 yards.
Chad Adams earned the Darren Woodson Outstanding Secondary Award following a season that saw the senior start all 12 games for the Sun Devils at safety. Adams finished his final season in Tempe with 64 tackles, two interceptions and four pass deflections. With his 64 tackles this season, Adams has now eclipsed the 100-tackle mark, finishing his final season with 110 total tackles.
Following a season that saw him start all 12 games at left guard, Sam Jones was awarded the Randall McDaniel Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award, as well as the Tim Landers Iron Man Award. Jones anchored an offensive line that rushed for 2500 yards and 26 touchdowns on the year.
Anchoring the Sun Devil offense this season, was the 2017 Wilford Whizzer White Outstanding Running Back Award winner, Demario Richard. Richard rushed for 977 yards on the season, including ending the season with over 100 yards in the each of the last four games. With his efforts in the 2017 season, Richard became just the third Sun Devil in school history to surpass the 3000 career rushing yards mark.
Sophomore wide out N'Keal Harry earned the John Jefferson Outstanding Receiver Award following a 73-catch,1000-yard, and seven touchdown season. Harry became just the 14th Sun Devil in school history to eclipse the 1000-yard receiving mark, and capped his sophomore campaign with a two-touchdown effort over Arizona in the final game of the regular season.
Freshman Eno Benjamin was Awarded the Bill Kajikawa Award for his efforts this season. Benjamin saw action as a running back and as a return man on the kickoff unit, showcasing his versatility as a player on the field. The freshman phenom finished his freshman season with 100 yards rushing on 18 carries and a touchdown.
Fellow Freshman Brandon Ruiz claimed the Babe Alex Demon Special Teams MVP honor. Looking to fill the hole left vacant by the 2016 Lou Groza Award winner, Ruiz showed he was up to the task, connecting on 18-of-25 field goals and 45-of-46 on PAT's. The freshman earned respect right off the bat, drilling a 52-yarder that made him the first Sun Devil to have their first career field goal go for 50 or more yards.
Owen Rogers and Darius Slade both earned Glen Hawkins Defensive Scout Team MVP honors. Rogers, a Phoenix, Ariz., native, has been a significant contributor to the scout team each of his three years at Arizona State, emulating the looks of the opposing secondary on a weekly basis to help assist the offense in preparation for their scheme. Slade, a former high school standout will look to add depth along the Sun Devil defensive line in his future seasons with the Sun Devils.
Sophomore Dillion Sterling-Cole collected McBurney Offensive Scout Team MVP honors. Sterling-Cole, a highly rated quarterback prospect with vast potential and elite pocket presence, was a valuable practice squad member which provided looks and schemes to help mimic the opposing team.
Quarterback Brady White earned the Pat Tillman Pat Tillman Outstanding Academic Achievement Award given annually to a player who demonstrated exceptional performance in the classroom.
2017 Football Banquet Award Recipients
CURLEY CULP OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
Tashon Smallwood and AJ Latu
RON PRITCHARD OUTSTANDING LINEBACKER AWARD
DJ Calhoun
DARREN WOODSON OUTSTANDING SECONDARY AWARD
Chad Adams
RANDALL MCDANIEL OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
Sam Jones
WILFORD "WHIZZER" WHITE OUTSTANDING RUNNING BACK AWARD
Demario Richard
JOHN JEFFERSON OUTSTANDING RECEIVER AWARD
N'Keal Harry
BILL KAJIKAWA AWARD Outstanding Freshman Player
Eno Benjamin
GLEN HAWKINS DEFENSIVE SCOUT TEAM MVP
Owen Rogers and Darius Slade
McBURNEY OFFENSIVE SCOUT TEAM MVP
Dillon Sterling-Cole
BABE ALEX DEMON SPECIAL TEAMS MVP
Brandon Ruiz
MIKE HAYNES DEFENSIVE MVP
DJ Calhoun
DANNY WHITE OFFENSIVE MVP
Manny Wilkins and Demario Richard
Pat Tillman Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
Brady White
TIM LANDERS IRON MAN AWARD
Sam Jones