SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A dozen Notre Dame players walked away from the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center with hardware. The winners from the 91st football awards ceremony Friday:
Notre Dame Monogram Club Most Valuable Player: Michael Floyd (over Harrison Smith and Tyler Eifert)
Nick Pietrosante Award (courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication, pride): Harrison Smith
Guardian of the Year Award (offensive lineman): Zack Martin
Lineman of the Year Award: Darius Fleming
Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award: Manti Te'o
Next Man In Award: Robby Toma (over Jamoris Slaughter)
Back of the Year Award (new): Robert Blanton
Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award: Jonas Gray (over Chris Watt)
Defensive Newcomer of the Year Award: Dan Fox (over Aaron Lynch)
Special Teams Player of the Year Award: Austin Collinsworth
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Everett Golson (over Matthias Farley)
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Brandon Newman (over Justin Utupo)
Notes: Floyd is the 10th two-time team MVP, which is voted on by the players. The other two-time winners are Brady Quinn, Autry Denson, Derrick Mayes, Tony Rice, Tim Brown, Allen Pinkett, Bob Crable, Greg Collins and Terry Hanratty. In a classy move by the senior, Floyd specifically thanked scout-team players Jalen Brown and Joe Romano in his brief speech. … Tight ends coach Mike Denbrock, who presented the defensive scout team award, also gave Newman a ping-pong ball for his work with "Trick Shot Monday." … Collinsworth's trophy for the special teams award was actually a WWE-style championship belt. … Tricia Bellia, Notre Dame's faculty athletic representative, was honored with a monogram jacket. … All four helmets Notre Dame wore this season sat in front of the podium. Athletic director Jack Swarbrick joked about the number of letters he received this season for the headgear and for Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train."
