The ballots are in, and it is time to announce the winners of this years Subway Domer Awards. Last years awards were the second annual– so I guess this makes the 3rd annual (Funny how that works). Each trophy has a kind of meaning attached to it. It is explained in the post as to what each award represents. I did not explain this fully in the ballot post. At any rate, it should still be a very accurate listing that you, the fans, have actually created.
My apologies for the delay in posting the results. It was a busy holiday season, and there were priorities.
Also, I would like to thank all of those fans for voting for this years winners of The Subway Domer Awards. A special thanks goes out to the owners and members of Domer Domain, NDNation, and NDLNA.
We begin…
The Darius Walker Trophy.
The Darius Walker Trophy goes to the ND freshman that, like Walker in 2004, contributes greatly to the team at large and goes on to a very productive freshman year.
The winner is…
Tommy Rees QB. Rees took the award fairly easily with 69% of the vote over Prince Shembo (16%) and TJ Jones (16%). Rees is a very interesting winner this year. If we would have voted in this category in the middle of October, Rees wouldn’t even have made the ballot. By the middle of the season, the freshman who have made the most impact thus far, are usually the ones you can point your finger at when the end of the year comes as the best freshman in the class. So, Tommy Rees is just full of surprises. Now we have to wait and see how much of a contributor he will be in 2011, and if he will compete for the next award.
The Jerome Bettis Trophy.
The Jerome Bettis Trophy goes to the ND sophomore that becomes a team leader either statistically or emotionally. In 1991, Bettis led the team with over 900 yards rushing and set a season scoring record with 120 points.
The winner is…
Manti Te’o LB. In a landslide (which a lot of these awards are this year) Manti Te’o took 96% of the vote total over Tyler Eifert (1%), Cierre Wood (1%), and Zack Martin (2%). Obviously, Te’o was one of the best players on defense in 2010- if not THE best player. However, Te’o evolved into a team leader with both his play and his words. There is a great story about Manti before the USC game, just going off in the locker room. According to some reports and stories, some of what Te’o was yelling was some Polynesian voodoo-warchant-prayer-bird calls. In a nutshell, he was pretty intense, and that is exactly what this team needs moving forward.
The Brady Quinn Trophy.
The Brady Quinn Trophy goes to the ND junior that is flat-out dominant, and has pushed himself to the front of the national discussion about who some of the best players in the country truly are. Quinn skyrocketed his status as an elite quarterback in his junior year throwing for over 3,400 yards and 29 touchdowns while only throwing 6 interceptions.
The winner is…
Michael Floyd WR. Michael Floyd wins the award after taking 89% of the total vote over Kapron Lewis-Moore (6%), Ethan Johnson (3%), and Darius Fleming (2%). Floyd is something special, and I say that in all the seriousness and respect that he is due. While talking heads like to put him in a category behind other wide receivers in the country because his 40 time may not be as small as a few others- but Irish fans know better. Floyd is probably the most COMPLETE wide receiver in the country, and he is the best player that Notre Dame has in its junior class, and perhaps the entire team.
The Jeff Burris Trophy
The Jeff Burris Trophy goes to the ND senior that excelled in his senior year. Jeff Burris was a Consensus All-American his senior year and led the Irish in its legendary victory over #1 Florida State. Not only was Burris a brilliant safety, he was also used on the offensive side of the ball inside the 10 yards line as a running back. He was a beast.
The winner is…
David Ruffer K. Ruffer won a close vote with 38% of the tally over Gary Gray (35%), Harrison Smith (18%), and Armando Allen (9%). There aren’t too many times that a kicker would win this type of award, but his play on the field more than warrants the accolades that he would receive. Ruffer was perfect in the regular season while kicking field goals, and won the hearts of the Irish faithful with his story and surprising accuracy.
The Corey Mays Trophy.
The Corey Mays Trophy is awarded to the top 5th year senior of the season. Corey Mays was a virtual unknown until he broke out in his fifth and final year at Notre Dame. I remember him most for his crushing hit against Mike Hart at Michigan (right in front of me) that knocked the running back out of the game and sent me into a cheering frenzy while receiving death threats from the Michigan faithful that surrounded me. It was a fun moment.
The winner is…
Darrin Walls CB. Darrin won the award with 57% of the vote over Chris Stewart (43%). Walls has seen a lot of ups and downs since his freshman year in 2006. After the ’06 season, I think we all expected Darrin to become one of the best defensive backs in the country. Unfortunately, the 2007 season did happen, and really there weren’t many good things in that year. What makes Walls a special kid, is that he faced adversity and had to leave the school for the 2008 season- but returned for 2009. After knocking the rust off in 2009, Walls became a vital part of the 2010 defense as a lockdown corner that came up hard against the run.
The Jeff Faine Trophy.
The Jeff Faine Trophy is awarded to the best offensive lineman in a season for Notre Dame. Faine was a monster at ND while playing center. His nasty demeanor and willingness to keep crushing an opponent- even after the whistle blows, should serve as an inspiration to all current and future Irish offensive lineman.
The winner is…
Chris Stewart, 5th YR. Senior Guard. Stewart won the vote with 34% of voters giving him the nod over Zack Martin (30%), Braxston Cave (17%), Trevor Robinson (15%), and Taylor Dever (5%). Stewart played well in his last year in South Bend as the entire group evolved and became better. Stewart’s story as a student was one of the most impressive headlines this season. Chris was the only player in the FBS that was enrolled in law school while playing as a scholarship football player. 
The Autry Denson Trophy.
The Autry Denson Trophy is awarded to the best running back in a season for ND. Denson is the all-time leading rusher at Notre Dame with 4,318 yards. Denson was never a flashy runner, but quietly he racked up yard after yard for Notre Dame in 4 seasons. He was considered a finesse runner, but he was also a workhorse with over 850 career attempts.
The winner is…
Armando Allen, Junior Tailback. This is the 3rd year in a row that Allen has won this award. Allen received 49% of the vote over Cierre Wood (22%) and Robert Hughes (30%). As it has been the case for the past few years, Allen was Notre Dam’es best option at running back because he does so many things well. Sadly, Allen’s last season under the Golden Dome was cut short due to an injury. It makes me wonder how good Allen could have been if he had been able to stay healthy from his senior year in high school to now.
The Jeff Samardzija Trophy.
The Jeff Samardzija Trophy is awarded to the ND wide receiver that excelled over his peers. Samardzija broke almost every single receiving record while playing for the Irish. His junior campaign of 71 receptions for 1,121 yards (15.8 avg.) and 13 touchdowns is considered one of the finest seasons ever for a Notre Dame wide receiver.
The winner is…
Michael Floyd, Junior Wide Receiver. Michael Floyd dominated this award, as he took 96% of the vote over Theo Riddick (4%). Seriously, this is one of those awards that needed no vote. Floyd now holds the all-time TD reception mark at Notre Dame, and he has all of us holding our collective breaths as we wait to see if he will return for his senior year, or if he will enter the 2011 NFL Draft. 
The Ken MacAfee Trophy
The Ken MacAfee Trophy is awarded to the top tight end for Notre Dame. MacAfee is the icon that all Notre Dame tight ends compare their careers to while playing in South Bend. He was a two time Consensus All-American for the Irish in 1976 and 1977.
The winner is…
Kyle Rudolph, Junior Tight End. Kyle Rudolph took this award easily with 75% of the vote over Tyler Eifert (25%). Regardless of statistics, Kyle Rudolph is probably the best tight end that Notre Dame has ever had on its roster. Straight up. Rudolph was never fully healthy at any point this past season, and it finally took him out of the lineup when he required surgery for a torn hamstring. Unfortunately for Irish fans, Rudolph will pass up his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame and enter the NFL Draft.
The Paul Hornung Trophy
The Paul Hornung Trophy is awarded to the top quarterback. Paul Hornung is a former Heisman Trophy winner, and is the only Heisman recipient in history to have won the award while also having a losing season. He was that good.
The winner is…
Tommy Rees, Freshman Quarterback. Tommy Rees won this award with 56% of the vote over Dayne Crist (44%). After Dayne went down with an injury early in the Tulsa game, Tommy Rees emerged as the signal caller for the Irish. Although the Irish lost to Tulsa after a late INT by Rees in the endzone, he was 4-0 in games that he started. One of those wins was against U$C in Los Angeles and another was against Miami in the Sun Bowl. The freshman became a winner, and in South Bend, that’s all that really matters.
The Chris Zorich Trophy.
The Chris Zorich Trophy is awarded to the top defensive lineman. While at Notre Dame, Zorich became a legend as he played with emotion and violence play after play that has still yet to be seen on a consistent basis. Chris was also a two time Consensus All-American for the Irish in 1989 and 1990.
The winner is…
Ian Williams, Senior Nose Tackle. Ian Williams took the award with 68% of the vote over Kapron Lewis-Moore (18%) and Ethan Johnson (14%). Williams was the anchor of the defensive line both physically, and emotionally. An injury during Navy week ended Ian’s regular season, but he was determined to play in Notre Dame’s bowl game against his hometown school of Miami. This is the second year in a row that Williams has won this award.
The Bob Crable Trophy.
The Bob Crable trophy is awarded to the top linebacker. Crable is the epitome of toughness and was a tackling machine at Notre Dame while becoming a two time Consensus All-American in 1980 and 1981.
The winner is…
Manti Te’o, Sophomore Linebacker. Manti Te’o is the top vote getter for this award, and that is an understatement. Te’o got 97% of the vote over Carlo Calabrese (2%), and Darius Fleming (1%). No matter what kind of offense is thrown at the Irish, they can have confidence in their middle linebacker. Te’o is big, strong and fast. When he hits a guy, that guy goes down. In the begining of the season, Te’o was taking some bad angles, but he has corrected that problem and racked up over 130 tackles in 2010.
The Todd Lyght Trophy.
The Todd Lyght Trophy is awarded to the top defensive back in a season. Todd Lyght was a shutdown corner and a standout on a team littered with All-Americans. He was a two time Consensus All-American in 1989 and 1990.
The winner is…
Gary Gray, Senior Cornerback. Gray won with 63% of the vote over Harrison Smith (20%) and Darrin Walls (17%). Gray turned in a very good performance in 2010. Like Walls, Gray morphed into a more physical corner, and in comparison; Gray took the role of physical corner and ran with it. He blanketed receivers, and he locked down his edge or zone while playing against the run. With one more year of eligibility left (and he will use it) Gray has a chance to become one of the top corners in college football in 2011.
The Urban Meyer Trophy.
The Urban Meyer Trophy is awarded to the top assistant coach. Meyer was an assistant at ND for both Lou Holtz and Bob Davie before moving on to become the head coach at Bowling Green, then Utah, and then Florida where he won two National Titles.
The winner is…
Chuck Martin, Defensive Backs Coach / Recruiting Coordinator. Chuck Martin won this award with 41% of the vote over Bob Diaco (35%) and Tony Alford (24%). It’s not hard to see why our defensive backs have improved so much this season. Yes, a lot of that has to do with the defense itself (Diaco), but Chuck Martin is squeezing all of the potential he can get out of the defensive backs unit. There isn’t any coincidence that both Gray and Walls have got so much better, or the fact that Harrison Smith has resurrected his career from the depths of hell. Martin is the difference, and he has done that in year one. Just think what he might be able to do in say, year 4. (Ya hear me Chuck!).
The Mike Golic Trophy.
The Mike Golic Trophy is awarded to the top Verbal Commit up to this point. With National Signing Day still a month away, anything can happen. Golic was following in his brother Bob’s footsteps and was the first commit for his class. He passed that tradition on to his Sons, as Mike Jr. and Jake were the first commits in their respective classes as well.
The winner is…
Everett Golson, QB Myrtle Beach. Golson took home 40% of the vote to win this award over Stephon Tuit (31%), Matt Hegarty (16%), George Atkinson III (12%), and Davaris Daniels (2%). In many peoples eyes, Golson is the perfect quarterback for the type of offense that Kelly wants to run at Notre Dame. Golson has good mobility, he is accurate, he wins championships, and he has been in a “spread” system. Most experts agree that if Golson was just a little bit taller (like an inch or 2) he would be rated much higher in the recruiting rankings, and would even be up for consideration for a “5th” star. Everett will enroll early at Notre Dame and participate in the QB competition this spring.
Top Moment in 2010.
In many Irish fan’s eyes, there is no bigger win in the regular season than one over the Trojans of Southern Cal. That showed in the voting as the victory over USC took 89% of the vote over The field rush after the Utah win (10%), Becoming bowl eligible in Yankee Stadium (1%), and Brian Kelly’s first run onto the turf inside Notre Dame Stadium (0%). When you look back at what an up and down season that the Irish have had, it should be an easy choice to say the USC game. (Voting was pre-Sun Bowl). With a long list of injuries and on the road with a freshman quarterback, Brian Kelly showed why he was the right man for the job.
Worst Moment in 2010.
Of all of bad moments in 2010, losing to Navy for the 3rd time in 4 years and for the 2nd year in a row, hurt. The Navy game took 63% of the vote over the Tulsa INT (26%), Losing to Michigan State in OT (10%), and Getting Manhandled by Stanford (1%). What made the Navy game so awful, was that the Irish got ran up and down the field. They killed us. Add that to a climbing injury rate, and the fact that the Irish just battled back from a 1-3 record to be 4-3 heading into the game, and it took a lot of wind out of the sail. It sucked, it sucked, it sucked. 
The Tim Brown Offensive MVP Trophy.
The Tim Brown Trophy is awarded to the player on offense that, like Brown, is the keystone that everything revolves around. Tim Brown is the last Heisman Trophy winner for ND when he won it in 1987.
The winner is…
Michael Floyd, Junior Wide Receiver. Floyd took home this coveted trophy with 87% of the vote over Armando Allen (13%). It’s not too often that a team can point to its wide receiver and say that he is THE guy that makes the offense click- but we can. Floyd is a dominant player, and with him in the lineup, it allowed the Irish to do a lot of different things. One of those things, was run the football. Run the football? Yep. Michael Floyd’s commitment to crush defensive players with his blocks became very public early in the season, and he kept throwing these great blocks all season. There aren’t many #1 WR’s that would do the things that he does. I’m putting him on my “All-Life” team.
The Michael Stonebreaker Defensive MVP Trophy.
The Michael Stonebreaker Trophy is awarded to the MVP of the defense. Stonebreaker was a killer at linebacker for the Irish and was a two-time Consensus All-American in 1988 and 1990. He also has what is perhaps the greatest name in linebacker history.
The winner is…
Manti Te’o, Sophomore Linebacker.Another big margin of victory for this award as he takes the trophy with 95% of the vote over Harrison Smith (5%). What more can you say about Te’o? The guy is an absolute player. He brings everything he has, 100% of the time. We as Irish fans, should give prayers of thanks that Manti chose the Irish every time we go to prayer. Every time. There is no doubt that Te’o will be on top of every watch list and All-American list for 2011. Can he keep delivering? can he go beyond what he has already done? That will be a task that Bob Diaco and company will be charged in helping Te’o with in 2011. Start doing the Haka right now.
The Rocket Trophy.
The Rocket Trophy is awarded to the top special teams player. Rocket Ismail was one of the greatest threats in history on special teams returning kicks. Everytime he touched the ball, people held their breath. He is also considered by some to be the greatest player in College Football history to never win a Heisman. I say he was robbed.
The winner is…
David Ruffer, Senior Kicker. Ruffer took this award as easily as he knocks footballs through goalposts with 92% of the vote over Bennett Jackson (5%), Austin Collinsworth (3%), and Ben Turk (1%). David Ruffer was an absolute beast in 2010. This kid never played football in high school, and was found on the intramural field for his dorm at Notre Dame (maybe Dan Hawkins could have learned a lesson from this). For the first time in a very long time, I remember not having any anxiety at all while waiting for him to kick a field goal. You knew he was going to knock them all in- you just knew. It’s a shame that his streak ended in the Sun Bowl, mainly because of a twisted up knee that he got from an earlier kick in the game. What’s better than the fake scene in ‘Rudy’ of the players putting their jersey’s on Devine’s desk? Well, how about having the team chant, “SCHOL-AR-SHIP! SCHOL-AR-SHIP!!” at the Sun Bowl as you receive the Special Teams MVP trophy. Word.
The Moose Krause Team MVP Trophy.
The Moose Krause Team MVP is exactly what it is- the overall team MVP and maybe more. Moose was a living, breathing legend on Notre Dame’s campus for 60 years and his legacy continues. He is Notre Dame forever. He is Mr. Notre Dame and what the winner should try and emulate.
“Moose Krause was, without question, the greatest ambassador of Notre Dame goodwill.” – Ara Parseghian.
“Moose Krause was a perfect example of why Notre Dame has meant what it has to so many people over the years.” – Lou Holtz.
The winner is…
Manti Te’o, Sophomore Linebacker. Te’o took this award with 75% of the vote over Michael Floyd (17%), Harrison Smith (5%), and Armando Allen (4%).I’ve written so much about Te’o that I really can’t write much more. He’s an animal. A Polynesian nightmare that will ruin offenses. Congratulations to him, and I look forward to TWO more years of Te’o under the Golden Dome.
