National College Football
Return Specialist Award
Event Set for April 12
 
Nebraska High School Offensive Player
of the Year honor also to be awarded
 

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After-party details here

 
Omaha, Neb. – March 27, 2012 – The inaugural Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award ceremony and banquet is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at Anthony’s Steakhouse, 7220 F Street, Omaha, Neb., according to William Reed, award chairman. Presenting sponsor for the inaugural event is TD Ameritrade, Inc.
 
The award event will benefit the Johnny Rodgers Youth Foundation’s charitable programs. Currently through his youth foundation, Rodgers has joined the fight to keep kids in school until graduation.
 
Also to be awarded at this event is the Nebraska High School Offensive Player of the Year. Sportscasters, reporters and editors across the state will select the recipient of this award.
 
The 2011 Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award winner will be announced March 29 by Rodgers, who has been reviewing records and videos of the country’s top punt and kick return specialists in order to select the winner.
 
Finalists for the Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist award are:
 
• Joe Adams, Senior, Arkansas
• Dustin Harris, Junior, Texas A&M
• Tyrann Mathieu, Sophomore, LSU
• T.J. Thorpe, Freshman, North Carolina
 
“The Jet” Award is named for Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers, the 38th Heisman Award winner and the first Heisman winner from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Rodgers was elected to the National College Football Hall of Fame. According to College Football News, Rodgers is “the greatest kick returner in college football history.”
 
“The Jet” award trophy was designed and cast by Omaha artist Joe Putjenter and depicts Rodgers’ escape from OU’s Greg Pruitt in the 1971 NU/OU game.
 
“Every position has been targeted for a post-season award, with the exception of the return specialist,” Rodgers said. “This year we will begin to honor the most exciting and electrifying play in college football, the return, and the daredevils we call return specialists.”
 
Attending the award presentation ceremony, in addition to Rodgers, will be University of Nebraska Heisman winners Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch, and University of Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne, PhD. and others.
 
For more information, please visit www.TheJetAward.com. For reservations, call Anthony’s Steakhouse, (402) 331-7575, by April 10.