Chippewas Hand Out Awards
12/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Quarterback Cooper Rush received the Herb Deromedi Most Valuable Player Award and there was a much-warranted break from tradition Sunday at the Central Michigan football program's annual banquet.
The Chippewas, who will play Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 28, celebrated the 2015 season during the well-attended event at the Comfort Inn & Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Mount Pleasant.
Among the individual accolades handed out was the Kurt Dobronski Award, which goes annually to a senior who demonstrates great effort, intensity and appreciation for the football program.
Linebacker Tim Hamilton received the award, which is voted on by the seniors on the team. The players also voted coach John Bonamego as a recipient, and he was presented with it by legendary former CMU coach Herb Deromedi.
Bonamego, who underwent successful cancer treatment over the summer, is the first non-player to win the award in its 33-year history. Bonamego played for Deromedi in the mid 1980s at CMU.
The award's namesake, Kurt Dobronski, was a two-time All-MAC linebacker and four-year letterman from 1978-81. He died at age 28 in the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in Detroit in 1987.
Rush, a junior, set a CMU single-season with 3,703 passing yards, completing 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 25 touchdowns. Rush ranks 10th nationally in passing yardage, 11th in yards passing per game (308.6), and 12th in completion percentage.
Rush's 309 pass completions and 460 attempts both rank third in CMU history and his TD pass total ties him for fifth in program history. Twice this season, Rush threw four TD passes in a game, and in nine of the Chippewas' 12 games he threw multiple TD passes.
He was also named CMU's Offensive Player of the Year.
Senior safety Kavon Frazier received the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Frazier led the Chippewas with 103 tackles including a team-best 69 unassisted stops. He made 4.5 tackles-for-a-loss, broke up four passes, made one interception, forced two fumbles, recovered one, and blocked a punt.
Hamilton, despite missing the second half of the season with an injury, finished as CMU's sixth-leading tackler with 44 stops, including 26 unassisted tackles. He made 3.5 tackles-for-a-loss, recovered a fumble, and made one interception.
The Academic Excellence Award went to cornerback Stefon Armstead, a senior sports studies major who carries a 3.02 grade point average. Armstead made 14 tackles, one interception, broke up four passes and recovered a team-best two fumbles.
Senior offensive lineman Ramadan Ahmeti earned the Iron Chippewa Award, given to the player who best exemplifies great toughness and perseverance on the field and in the weight room. Ahmeti overcame injury issues to make nine starts at left tackle, bringing his total career starts to 32.
Senior center Nick Beamish was named the team's Offensive Upfront Player of the Year, while senior defensive end Blake Serpa was named the Defensive Upfront Player of the Year.
Beamish has made 50 consecutive starts and was named to the Rimington Award Watch List prior to the season. It was the second consecutive year that Beamish was named to the watch list, and he earned First Team All-Mid-American Conference honors for the second straight year. The Rimington Award goes to the most outstanding center in college football.
Serpa made 35 tackles and led CMU in both tackles-for-a-loss (9.5) and sacks (3). He was also credited with two forced fumbles, four quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and he recovered one fumble.
Rush, Hamilton and Beamish received the Captains Award.
Other award recipients:Special Teams Player of the Year: Brian Eavey
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Corey Willis
Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Amari Coleman
Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year: Brandon Arduino, Louis Grigoletti
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Carlos Clark
Plas Presnell Team Humorist Award: Shafer Johnson
Derrick Nash Unsung Hero Award: Louis Palmer
