Football: Tovell, McGuire, Coutts, Reed top UL award-winners list

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, January 21, 2016

 

UL linebacker Dominique Tovell, shown here celebrating a 2015 play against UL Monroe, was named Ragin’ Cajun Defensive Player of the Year at the team’s annual awards banquet.(Photo: Advertiser file photo)

 

 

Running back Elijah McGuire was named Most Valuable Player on offense, linebacker Dominique Tovell was named Most Valuable Player on defense and punter Steven Coutts was named Most Valuable Player on special teams when the Cajuns held their annual awards banquet last weekend.

Senior running back Effrem Reed won the Orlando Thomas Courage Award, named in honor of the late ex-Cajun and former Minnesota Vikings defensive back.

Other endowed award winners were Evan Tatford (Hardy F. Edmiston Jr. Sportsmanship), Octravian Anderson (Robert E. Trahan Special Achievement), scholarship-player Karmichael Dunbar and walk-on Chris Turner (Academic Excellence 4.0), Zach DeGrange and Donovan Williams (Gridiron Alumni), Trey Granier (Big Hit of the Year) and UL president Joseph Savoie and athletic director Scott Farmer (12th Man).

Team awards went to D’Aquin Withrow (offense newcomer), Mario Osborne (defense newcomer), Torrey Pierce and Greg Siener (offseason training), Dion Ray (Cajun scout team, offense), Shay LaPorte (Cajun scout team, defense) and Terrence Jones (Cajun scout team, special teams).

Position award winners were Jamal Robinson (offensive skill), Mykhael Quave (offensive lineman), Chris Prater (defensive lineman), Otha Peters (linebacker), Savion Brown (defensive back), Granier and Jake Guidry (specialists) and Montrel Carter (special teams tackling).

Captain awards went to Tovell (defense) and Brooks Haack (offense), while Reed and Quave were named permanent captains on offense and Tovell and Prater were named permanent captains on defense.

UL went 4-8 in 2015.