Larry Fitzgerald Honored by Touchdown Club of Columbus
12/5/2003
Fitzgerald earns the Club's Chic Harley Award, previously given to such all-time greats as Tony Dorsett, Archie Griffin, Ricky Williams and Barry Sanders.
University of Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been named the recipient of the Chic Harley Award, presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to college football's Player of the Year. It marks the first time in the Club's 49-year history that a sophomore has claimed the award.
The Harley Trophy was first presented to Ohio State's Howard "Hopalong" Cassady in 1955, and has been won by football legends Eddie George, Ricky Williams, Barry Sanders, Roger Staubach, Archie Griffin, and former Panther Tony Dorsett. For the past two seasons, the award was presented to Miami Hurricanes quarterback Ken Dorsey.
Fitzgerald (Minneapolis, Minn./Academy of the Holy Angels/Valley Forge Military Academy) recently was named a finalist for the Walter Camp Award (outstanding player), Maxwell Award (outstanding player) and Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver). He was named a first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Fitzgerald leads the country in four different categories: receiving yards per game (132.9 avg.), total receiving yards (1,595), receiving TDs (22) and total TDs (22). He ranks third in points per game (11.0 avg.), while ranking seventh in receptions (7.3 avg.).
The prolific wideout has set two NCAA receiving records this season, including consecutive games with a TD catch (18) and TD catches as a freshman and sophomore (34). He has tied the NCAA mark for games catching a TD pass in one season (12?tied with Marshall?s Randy Moss, 1997).
He additionally has set seven Big East receiving records this year: single-season receiving yards (1,595), single-season receptions (87), single-season TD catches (22), career TD catches (34), career 1,000-yard receiving seasons (two), career 100-yard receiving games (14) and single-season 100-yard receiving games (10).
Pittsburgh finished the regular-season with an 8-4 overall record and 5-2 Big East mark. The Panthers will play Virginia (7-5) in the Continental Tire Bowl Dec. 27, their fourth consecutive postseason bid. The four consecutive bowl berths mark the Panthers? best postseason stretch since advancing to nine straight from 1975-83.