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Media Release – February 13, 2017
Tallahassee, FL – The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation (TQC Foundation), Inc., the creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award, will honor Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook as the 2016 winner of the Biletnikoff Award together with 14 Foundation scholarship winners at the 23rd annual Biletnikoff Award Banquet on February 18, at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Biletnikoff Award recognizes the college football season’s outstanding receiver, regardless of position (any player at any position who catches a legal forward pass is eligible).
The TQC Foundation’s charitable mission is the provision of college and vocational scholarships to North Florida high school seniors who have overcome significant barriers to achieve at the highest academic and extra-curricular levels. Participation in sports is not a requirement The Foundation will offer substantial college and vocational school scholarships and other benefits to the fourteen 2017 graduating North Florida seniors. Those fourteen Foundation scholarship recipients, are:
Robert McMillan Ackerman, Lawton Chiles High School
Lucas Sinclair Briggs, Maclay School
Alexis Mercedes Campbell, Campbell Classical Academy
Morgan Taylor Chipman, Leon High School
Jadaicia Mychell Ervin, Lincoln High School
Diamond Kelly, Amos P. Godby High School
Matthew Ryan Lucas, Amos P. Godby High School
Jordan Alexa Oliver, Marianna High School
Reece Vaughn Poppel, North Florida Christian School
Ethan Marland Sander, Port St. Joe Jr/Sr High School
Zoe Quinn Sheldon, Leon High School
Brianna Nicole Surrency, Leon High School
Meagan Noel Wilkins, Maclay School
Logan Bryce Van Wingerden, Wakulla High School
The composition of the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, comprised of over 540 distinguished college football journalists, commentators, former receivers,
past Biletnikoff Award winners, and former coaches and players, appears at http://biletnikoffaward.com/voters.
The Biletnikoff Award Fan Forum is a discussion of fan-created topics, including who should win the Biletnikoff Award, what teams should be in the college playoff, what is the most-overrated college sports team in history, who should win the Heisman Trophy, and many other interesting topics. It is easy to post: simply register and express your opinion.
To access the Biletnikoff Award Forum on, go to: http://www.biletnikoffaward.com/forum
The Biletnikoff Award candidate eligibility and voting criteria, transparently explicit and detailed, are available for review at http://biletnikoffaward.com/criteria.
Note that any player at any position which may receive a legal forward pass (tight end, slot back or receiver, inside receiver, wide receiver, split end, or running back) is eligible for the Biletnikoff Award.
Dede Westbrook as the 2016 Biletnikoff Award winner was announced live by 1991 Heisman Trophy winner, Biletnikoff Award voter, and former receiver Desmond Howard, December 8, 2016, on ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. Desmond Howard is one of only 5 ends or receivers who has won the Heisman Trophy, joining Larry Kelley, Leon Hart, Johnny Rodgers, and Tim Brown.
The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is uncannily predictable. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Antonio Bryant, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, and Larry Fitzgerald. Dede Westbrook will be honored and will receive his trophy, winner of national awards for excellence and beauty, at the Biletnikoff Award banquet, an annual black tie event attended by 550 patrons at the University Center Club, Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday, February 18, 2017. The Biletnikoff Award banquet was hailed by 2013 keynote speaker Larry Csonka and 2014 keynoter Dick Vermeil as “the best banquet in college sports.” Coach Bobby Bowden and Oklahahoma Coach Dennis Simmons will present the Biletnikoff Award trophy to Dede Westbrook.
Consistent with a long line of outstanding keynote speakers (including Bart Starr, Don Shula, Larry Csonka, Mike Ditka, Archie Manning, Steve Largent, and Dick Vermeil), College Football Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Bowden will address the Biletnikoff Award banquet audience and, with all-time great college and pro hall of fame receiver Fred Biletnikoff, present the beautiful Biletnikoff Award trophy to the 2016 award winner. The pair will also recognize the Foundation’s 2017 scholarship recipients, who annually receive college and vocational school scholarships and other benefits.
The TQC Foundation’s charitable mission is the provision of college and vocational scholarships to North Florida high school seniors who have overcome significant barriers to achieve at the highest academic and extra-curricular levels.