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DaQuan Jones Is Your 2013 Senior MVP

The defensive tackle took home the MVP, and John Urschel racked up a hat-trick's worth of honors himself, at the football team's annual senior banquet.

By Tim Aydin
Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

The State College Quarterback Club held its annual banquet this past weekend at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. 17 departing seniors were honored for their commitment and for their role in helping Penn State football navigate through some intense storms over the past two seasons

DaQuan Jones took home the Most Valuable Player Award in addition to the Reid-Robinson Award for outstanding defensive lineman. John Urschel led the awards parade, with three of them, including the inaugural Iron Lion Award, (which is awarded to the senior who demonstrates the most "intensity and consistency" in Craig Fitzgerald's strength and conditioning program), the Richard Maginnis Memorial Award for outstanding offensive lineman (which he shared with Ty Howle), and (to absolutely nobody's surprise), the Nittany Lion Club Academic Achievement Award given to the senior with the highest GPA.

Other award winners included Glenn Carson, Eric Shrive, and Malcolm Willis, who were all nominated for the Robert B. Mitinger, Jr. Award for the senior who "exhibits courage, character, and social responsibility." Matt Lehman took home the Outstanding Run-On Award, while Pat Zerbe won the John Bruno, Jr. Award for outstanding special teams player, and Gary Gilliam and Stephen Obeng-Agyapong both earned the Ridge Riley Award for "sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership, and friendship."

Additionally, Adam Gress received a Quarterback Club Special Award, and Kyle Baublitz was awarded with the Joe and Sue Paterno Post-Graduate Scholarship, which is a $5,000 scholarship designed to provide recognition and financial assistance for graduate school. Baublitz, as you may recall, decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to begin pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a teacher.

In addition to the senior awards, Rich Mauti, a star player himself in the mid-70's, was given the Alumni Athlete Award. This of course, coming a year after his son Michael led one of the most important senior classes in Penn State football history.

Congratulations to the seniors, and best of luck in your future endeavors...We now leave you with a tweet that clearly indicates Bill O'Brien is taking the Minnesota Vikings job.


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