JMU’s Landers wins Dudley Award

JMU senior quarterback Rodney Landers has passed for 21 touchdowns and rushed for 16 more.

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 greatest seasons in the history of college football in this state.

James Madison University quarterback Rodney Landers last night received the award presented annually to the best player from the nine 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.

The 6-1, 220-pound redshirt senior has passed for 21 touchdowns and rushed for 16 to lead the Dukes to the FCS semifinals. JMU (12-1) hosts Montana (13-1) tonight in Harrisonburg.

Landers, the Colonial Athletic Association offensive player of the year, is also one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award. That award is given annually to the top offensive player in the FCS. Landers has rushed for 1,686 yards and passed for 1,519 this season.

Also last night, Tunde Ogun was named the state's top player in the Division II/III/NAIA category. Ogun, a Douglas Freeman High graduate, is a junior tailback at Christopher Newport University.

The Dudley and Division II/III/NAIA awards were presented during a banquet at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

The Dudley is named for "Bullet" Bill Dudley, who starred at the University of Virginia and in the NFL. Landers narrowly missed becoming the fourth unanimous winner of the award, which was first presented in 1990. He received 14 of 15 first-place votes.

Second in the Dudley voting was Virginia Tech cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris, who starred at Highland Springs High. U.Va. linebacker Clint Sintim finished third. Harris and Sintim are seniors.

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

The Richmond Times-Dispatch sponsors the awards.

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.

Ogun, who yesterday was named South Region Division III offensive player of the year by D3football.com, in the nation's third-leading rusher in the NCAA's Division III. He set a CNU single-season record by rushing for 1,794 yards.
Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or .