Connecticut Huskies Win 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award

Here’s press release from the Football Writer’s Association of America concerning the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. DALLAS (FWAA) – The University of Connecticut football team has been named the winner of the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. The Huskies persevered throughout the 2009 season after the tragic death of starting cornerback Jasper Howard. The award will be presented at Orange Bowl festivities, including the annual coaches’ luncheon Jan. 4 and at the game Jan. 5. “The entire University of Connecticut football family is very honored to receive the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said. “Jasper Howard will always live in our thoughts and memories. I am very proud of my team and the way they responded to the tragedy of Jasper’s death. Their perseverance both on and off the playing field was incredibly strong and a tribute to the type of student-athlete we have here in our football program here at UConn.” Howard, a 20-year-old junior, died in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, just hours after UConn’s homecoming win over Louisville, after he was stabbed after a campus-sponsored dance. The Huskies lost three emotional games following Howard’s death – to West Virginia and Rutgers by identical scores of 28-24, after holding the lead late, and 47-45 at Cincinnati. “It still doesn’t seem real,” senior receiver Marcus Easley said after the loss to West Virginia, six days after Howard’s death. “It’s hard to believe we were suiting up for a game without him.” “I just feel empty,” Edsall said after the West Virginia game. “The kids played their hearts out and did what we asked them to do. They did a great job but came up a little short. I know ‘Jazz’ is proud of their effort.” Two days after the loss to West Virginia, the entire team traveled to attend Howard’s funeral in his hometown of Miami. But the Huskies, whose five losses were by a combined 15 points, finished the year with three straight wins – including a double-overtime win over Notre Dame on Nov. 21 and a 29-27 win over South Florida on Dave Teggart’s field goal on the final play. UConn will play South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Jan. 2. FedEx Orange Bowl Courage AwardFor the fourth straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl announced a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel determined the winner from all of the nominees. The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine’s senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also a FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship. Previous winners of the FWAA’s Courage Award are Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).