Who will win this year’s Dudley Award?
Times-Dispatch photos
From left: Clint Sintim (Virginia), Victor “Macho” Harris (Virginia Tech), and Rodney Landers (James Madison) are finalists for the Dudley Award which will be presented Thursday.
SLIDESHOW: 2008 Dudley Awards Preview
We've grown accustomed to seeing them in shoulder pads and helmets. Tonight, though, many of the state's best college football players will be wearing coats and ties at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
The occasion? The annual Dudley Award banquet.
The Dudley, named after former University of Virginia great "Bullet" Bill Dudley, is given each year to the top player from the state schools that compete in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision or Football Championship Subdivision.
This year's finalists, in alphabetical order, are Virginia Tech cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris, James Madison University quarterback Rodney Landers and U.Va. linebacker Clint Sintim.
Another award is given annually to the top state player from Division II, Division III or the NAIA. The finalists, in alphabetical order, are U.Va.-Wise quarterback Randy Hippeard, Emory & Henry all-purpose back Caleb Jennings and Christopher Newport tailback Tunde Ogun.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch sponsors the awards. Last year's winners were U.Va. defensive end Chris Long and Hampden-Sydney wide receiver Drew Smith.
Also at tonight's banquet, the Touchdown Club of Richmond will honor eight players: Landers, Harris, U.Va. offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, University of Richmond defensive end Lawrence Sidbury, Hampden-Sydney tailback Josh Simpson, Randolph-Macon offensive lineman Kevin Wagner, Christopher Newport defensive end DeShaun Park and Virginia State linebacker Isaac Mitchell.
The banquet begins with a social at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 and then the awards presentation.
Tickets are $40. The deadline for reserving a spot at the banquet is 1 p.m. today. For information, call (804) 741-1144 or e-mail .
Each state college or university with a football team may nominate one player for the Dudley or Division II/III/NAIA award. A panel of 15 sports writers and broadcasters from across the state votes for three players in each group, with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.
Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or
.
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Reader Reactions
I’ll vote for Rodney Landers too, but Macho will win because he’s a 1-A player. And University of Richmond won’t let JMU score twice in the last minute again in Chatanooga, so Rodney will have to lose his last game at JMU next week-end. Great athlete and a class act, too!
If Rodney Landers does not win this award they should stop giving it. One of 5 FCS (I-AA) players in history to run and throw for more than 3,000 yds in a season. He has done more for his team than any of the others.
IMO, there is a strong bias against the I-AA players who are nominated for this award. If Lang Campbell didn’t win the award in 2004, Rodney will not win it this year either. I am alomst certain it will be Harris, because of the media lovefest for Tech.
There is NO Contest here! Rodney Landers is the BEST!!!!!! He will win the Dudley tonight and the National Championship next Friday in Chattanooga!!!!!
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