JMU quarterback Landers wins Dudley award

For the first time in a decade, the Dudley Award winner is not a Hokie or a'Hoo. He's a Duke, and he's having one of the finest seasons in the history of college football in Virginia.

James Madison University quarterback Rodney Landers last night received the Dudley, which is presented annually to the best player from the state schools that compete in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision or Football Championship Subdivision.

Landers, who's from Virginia Beach, is the first player from JMU to win the Dudley and the first recipient from the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) since the University of Richmond's Marc Megna in 1998.

"I'm just honored and truly blessed to walk away with it this evening," Landers said after the Dudley banquet at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

The Dudley runner-up was Virginia Tech senior cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris, who starred at Highland Springs High. University of Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim finished third in the voting.

Landers narrowly missed becoming the fourth unanimous winner of the Dudley, which was first presented in 1990. He received 14 of 15 first-place votes.

Landers, a 6-1, 220-pound redshirt senior, will play in the FCS semifinals tonight when JMU (12-1) hosts Montana (13-1) in Harrisonburg. Tomorrow he'll graduate with a bachelor's in marketing and sports management.

"So far the weekend has started off nice," Landers said, smiling. "I'm just going to see if I can keep the momentum going."

Christopher Newport University tailback Tunde Ogun wore a big smile, too, after being named the state's top player in the Division II/III/NAIA category. Ogun, a Douglas Freeman High graduate, went from South Carolina State to the University of Cincinnati before landing at CNU.

"Even though I'm right up the road, I don't really get to come home too often," said Ogun, the third-leading rusher in the NCAA's Division III. "It was definitely nice to be able to share this with my family."

The Dudley is named for "Bullet" Bill Dudley, who starred at U.Va. and in the NFL. Dudley, wearing an orange-and-blue striped tie, spoke at last night's banquet, which five of the six finalists attended.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch sponsors the awards.

The Colonial Athletic Association's offensive player of the year, Landers is also one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award. That award goes to the top offensive player in the FCS. Landers has rushed for 1,686 yards and passed for 1,519 this season. He has run for 16 touchdowns and passed for 21.

"Football is an easy game for him," JMU coach Mickey Matthews said. "He'd be the best running back we have. He would be the best linebacker we have, and he'd be the best defensive back we have."

Harris said he has never seen Landers play but added, "I'll be watching [JMU on ESPN2]" tonight.

In the Division II/III/NAIA voting, U.Va.-Wise senior quarterback Randy Hippeard was second and Emory & Henry all-purpose back Caleb Jennings third.

Jennings, a sophomore, has an exam today, so he couldn't make the banquet, but he figures to contend for the award again next season. So does Ogun, a junior who set a CNU single-season record by rushing for 1,794 yards.

"I'd love to be back here again next year," Ogun said.

As in years past, each state college with a football team was asked to nominate one player. A panel of 15 sports writers and broadcasters from across the state then cast votes for three players in each group, with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.

Also at the banquet, Clover Hill High senior Chris Smith received a $4,000 scholarship from the Bill Dudley Scholarship Foundation.

Smith, an all-Central Region wide receiver, was one of 23 nominees for the scholarship. It's given annually to a Richmond-area high school football player who distinguishes himself academically, athletically and in extracurricular and community activities.
Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or .