Omaha, Neb. – March 29, 2012 – Joe Adams, senior wide receiver on the 2011
University of Arkansas Razorback team, has been named the recipient of the
inaugural Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers National College Football
Return Specialist
Award.
Adams led the nation with four punt returns for touchdowns during the season. He
returned 19 punts for 316 yards and ran an average of 17 yards per return. In 2010,
Adams ranked second in the SEC and fifth in the NCAA with an average of 15.56
yards per punt return, the seventh-highest single-season average in school history.
Adams was a consensus All-American and was named SEC Special Teams Player of
the Year. He was a Sporting News All-American (punt returner), Football Writers
Association of America All-American (return specialist), Associated Press AllAmerican (second team all-purpose), Walter Camp All-American (second team kick
returner), Pro Football Weekly All-American (return specialist), SI.com AllAmerican (second team punt returner) and Phil Steele All-American (second team
punt returner). Adams also was recognized as AP All-SEC (first team all-purpose),
Coaches All-SEC (first team all-purpose and return specialist) and Phil Steele All-SEC
(second team punt returner).
Adams was on point to graduate in May with a degree in criminal justice and
sociology before choosing to use his final semester to ready himself for the
upcoming NFL draft.
An awards banquet in honor of Adams is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at
Anthony’s Steakhouse, 7220 F Street, Omaha, Neb. Presenting sponsor for the
inaugural event is TD Ameritrade, Inc.
“The Jet” Award is named for Hall of Famer Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers, the 38th
Heisman Award winner, and the first Heisman winner from the University of
Nebraska Lincoln.
Among those attending the award presentation ceremony will be University of
Nebraska Heisman winners Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch, and University of
Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne, PhD.
For more information, please visit
www.TheJetAward.com. For reservations, call Anthony’s Steakhouse, (402) 331-7575, by April 10.
