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A smaller version of the championship trophy is presented to the individual winner of the C.M. Hendricks Most Valuable Player Award. The trophy is named in honor of the first president of the Sun Bowl Association. The award has been presented every year since 1954. In that time, 20 quarterbacks have won top honors, followed by 19 running backs.
| Date |
Pos. |
Player |
School |
| Jan. 1, 1954 |
QB |
Dick Shinaut |
UTEP |
| Jan. 1, 1955 |
QB |
Jesse Whittenton |
UTEP |
| Jan. 2, 1956 |
HB |
Jim Crawford |
Wyoming |
|
Jan. 1, 1957
|
FB |
Claude Austin |
George Washington |
| Jan. 1, 1958 |
RB |
Ken Porco |
Louisville |
| Dec. 31, 1958 |
G |
Leonard Kucewski |
Wyoming |
| Dec. 31, 1959 |
QB |
Charley Johnson |
New Mexico State |
| Dec. 31, 1960 |
QB |
Charley Johnson |
New Mexico State |
| Dec. 30, 1961 |
FB |
Billy Joe |
Villanova |
| Dec. 31, 1962 |
HB |
Jerry Logan |
West Texas State |
| Dec. 31, 1963 |
QB |
Bob Berry |
Oregon |
| Dec. 26, 1964 |
QB |
Preston Ridlehuber |
Georgia |
| Dec. 31, 1965 |
QB |
Billy Stevens |
UTEP |
| Dec. 24, 1966 |
TB |
Jim Kiick |
Wyoming |
| Dec. 24, 1967 |
QB |
Billy Stevens |
UTEP |
| Dec. 30, 1968 |
DB |
Buddy McClintock |
Auburn |
| Dec. 20, 1969 |
HB |
Paul Rogers |
Nebraska |
| Dec. 19, 1970 |
DT |
Rock Perdoni |
Georgia Tech |
| Dec. 18, 1971 |
QB |
Bert Jones |
LSU |
| Dec. 30, 1972 |
HB |
George Smith |
Texas Tech |
| Dec. 29, 1973 |
FB |
Ray Bybee |
Missouri |
| Dec. 28, 1974 |
FB |
Terry Vitrano |
Mississippi State |
| Dec. 26, 1975 |
QB |
Robert Heygood |
Pittsburgh |
| Jan. 2, 1977 |
K |
Tony Franklin |
Texas A&M |
| Dec. 31, 1977 |
TB |
Charles Alexander |
LSU |
| Dec. 23, 1978 |
LB |
Johnny Jones |
Texas |
| Dec. 22, 1979 |
FL |
Paul Skansi |
Washington |
| Dec. 27, 1980 |
QB |
Jeff Quinn |
Nebraska |
| Dec. 26, 1981 |
QB |
Darrell Shepard |
Oklahoma |
| Dec. 25, 1982 |
TB |
Ethan Horton |
North Carolina |
| Dec. 24, 1983 |
QB |
Walter Lewis |
Alabama |
| Dec. 22, 1984 |
FB |
Rick Badanjek |
Maryland |
| Dec. 28, 1985 |
K |
Max Zendejas |
Arizona |
| Dec. 25, 1986 |
DE |
Cornelius Bennett |
Alabama |
| Dec, 25, 1987 |
RB |
Thurman Thomas |
Oklahoma State |
| Dec. 24, 1988 |
QB |
David Smith |
Alabama |
| Dec. 30, 1989 |
QB |
Alex Van Pelt |
Pittsburgh |
| Dec. 31, 1990 |
WR |
Courtney Hawkins |
Michigan State |
| Dec. 31, 1991 |
LB |
Arnold Ale |
UCLA |
| Dec. 31, 1992 |
WR |
Melvin Bonner |
Baylor |
| Dec. 31, 1993 |
QB |
Cal Gundy |
Oklahoma |
| Dec. 30, 1994 |
RB |
Priest Holmes |
Texas |
| Dec. 29, 1995 |
RB |
Sedrick Shaw |
Iowa |
| Dec. 31, 1996 |
QB |
Chad Hutchinson |
Stanford |
| Dec. 31, 1997 |
TB |
Michael Martin |
Arizona State |
| Dec. 31, 1998 |
TB |
Basil Mitchell |
Texas Christian |
| Dec. 31, 1999 |
QB |
Billy Cockerham |
Minnesota |
| Dec. 29, 2000 |
WR |
Freddie Mitchell |
UCLA |
| Dec. 31, 2001 |
FS |
Lamont Thompson |
Washington State |
| Dec. 31, 2002 |
QB |
Kyle Orton |
Purdue |
| Dec. 31, 2003 |
WR |
Samie Parker |
Oregon |
| Dec. 31, 2004 |
QB |
Sam Keller |
Arizona State |
| Dec. 30, 2005 |
RB |
Chris Markey (Co-MVP) |
UCLA |
| |
RB |
Kahlil Bell (Co-MVP) |
UCLA |
| Dec. 29, 2006 |
QB |
Matt Moore |
Oregon State |
Dec. 31, 2007
|
RB
|
Jonathan Stewart
|
Oregon
|
|