Youngstown State sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess was selected as the team's John Delserone Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Offensive Player while senior defensive tackle Andrew Johnson was tabbed the team's Outstanding Defensive Player for the 2011 season.
Hess (Dayton, Ohio) was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection becoming the first quarterback in school history and just the second sophomore in league history to earn the honor. For the season he set the school record for single-season touchdown passes (26), completion percentage (64.5), 200-yard games (eight), touchdown passes in consecutive games (11) and touchdown passes in a game (five vs. Missouri State). Hess had a career-high 187 completions for a career-best 2,468 yards during the campaign.
He is the first Penguin since Brandon Summers in 2008 to earn top offensive player and team MVP in the same season.
Johnson (Detroit, Mich.) was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2011 and was named the team's Outstanding Defensive Player and Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year. led the team with 6.5 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss. It was the most sacks registered in a regular season since Harry Deligianis had seven in 1997. He finished the year with 39 total tackles, including 27 solo stops. It marks the second straight year that a senior defensive tackle (Torrance Nicholson in 2010) has received both honors.
Junior center Mark Pratt (Tooele, Utah) was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2011 and was tabbed the team's Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the Year. Pratt started all 11 games at center in his first year with the program. He was the leader of an offensive line that helped the Guins average a school-record 36.2 points per game and a school-best 458.6 total offensive yards per game.
Sophomore punter Nick Liste (Niles, Ohio) was named the Jeff Wilkins/Paul McFadden Specialist of the Year. Liste averaged 39.8 yards per punt on 53 attempts. Of his 53 attempts, 16 were placed inside the opposition's 20-yard line while eight went for 50 yards or more.
Senior quarterback Marc Kanetsky (Hubbard, Ohio) was named the recipient of the Dr. Pat Spurgeon Torch Bearer Award and the Four Square Academic Award. Kanetsky was a four-year special teams standout as the team's holder on placement kicks. He also served as a reserve quarterback and threw touchdown passes as a sophomore and a senior.
Sophomore Torrian Pace (Chantilly, Va.) was selected to receive the Dr. Neal R. Frost Outreach Man of the Year Award. Pace was a reserve tailback and member on special teams for the Penguins in 2011. He has been active on campus as a member of the YSU SAAC the past three years.
Senior tight end David Rogers (Kent, Ohio) was named the Ron Stoops Most Inspirational Player. A fifth-year senior, Rogers wore No. 13 during the season to honor a friend who was killed in Afghanistan. Rogers also returned to be a key contributor following a severe injury in the 2009 season finale at North Dakota State.
Freshman wide receiver Christian Bryan (Irwin, Pa.) was selected as the program's Newcomer of the Year. Bryan, an honorable-mention All-MVFC pick and member of the conference's all-newcomer team, led all of FCS freshman with 719 receiving yards in 2011. He was one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the nation's top FCS freshman.
Also, for their efforts in the 56-14 Homecoming victory over Western Illinois, the starting offensive line of Andrew Radakovich, Lamar Mady, Pratt, Chris Elkins and Eric Franklin were the recipients of the YSU Football Alumni Group's Difference Maker Award.
John Delserone Most Valuable Player – Kurt Hess
Outstanding Offensive Player - Kurt Hess
Outstanding Defensive Player – Andrew Johnson
Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the Year – Mark Pratt
Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year - Andrew Johnson
McFadden/Wilkins Specialist of the Year – Nick Liste
Dr. Neal R. Frost Outreach Man of the Year Award – Torrian Pace
Dr. Pat Spurgeon Torch Bearer Award – Marc Kanetsky
Ron Stoops Most Inspirational Player – David Rogers
Newcomer of the Year – Christian Bryan
Football Alumni Award Difference Makers (vs. Western Illinois) -- Starting Offensive Line
Four Square Academic Award -- Marc Kanetsky
