Most Valuable Lineman

Jimmy Rogers, Jr. Most Valuable Lineman Trophy

A smaller edition of the championship trophy is also presented to the most valuable lineman.  It is named in honor of Jimmy Rogers, Jr., who was president of the Sun Bowl Association in 1970-71 and is chairman emeritus of the football committee. Rogers was inducted into the Legends of the Sun Bowl in 1999. The following outstanding players have captured the award since its inception in 1961:

YEAR PLAYER, SCHOOL POS
1961 Richie Ross, Villanova G
1962 Don Hoovler, Ohio G
1963 Don Hughes, SMU G
1964 Jim Wilson, Georgia T
1965 Ronny Nixon, TCU T
1966 Jerry Durling, Wyoming MG
1967 Fred Carr, UTEP LB
1968 David Campbell, Auburn T
1969 Jerry Murtaugh, Nebraska LB
1970 Bill Flowers, Georgia Tech LB
1971 Matt Blair, Iowa State LB
1972 Ecomet Burley, Texas Tech DT
1973 John Kelsey, Missouri TE
1974 Jimmy Webb, Mississippi State DT
1975 Al Romano, Pittsburgh MG
1977 Edgar Fields, Texas A&M DT
1977 Gordon Ceresino, Stanford LB
1978 Dwight Jefferson, Texas DE
1979 Doug Martin, Washington DT
1980 Jimmy Williams, Nebraska DE
1981 Rick Bryan, Oklahoma DT
1982 Ronnie Mullins, Texas DE
1983 Wes Neighbors, Alabama C
1984 Carl Zander, Tennessee LB
1985 Peter Anderson, Georgia C
1986 Steve Alvord, Washington MG
1987 Darren Warren, West Virginia LB
1988 Derrick Thomas, Alabama LB
1989 Anthony Williams, Texas A&M LB
1990 Craig Hartsuyker, USC LB
1991 Mike Ploskey, Illinois DT
1992 Rob Waldrop, Arizona NT
1993 Shawn Jackson, Texas Tech DE
1994 Blake Brockermeyer, Texas OT
1995 Jerod DeVries, Iowa DL
1996 Kailee Wong, Stanford DE
1997 Jeremy Staat, Arizona State DT
1998 London Dunlap, TCU DE
1999 Dyron Russ, Minnesota DT
2000 Oscar Cabrera, UCLA OG
2001 Akin Ayodele, Purdue DE
2002 Shaun Phillips, Purdue DE
2003 Junior Siavaii, Oregon DT
2004 Brandon Villarreal, Purdue DT
2005 Kevin Mimms, Northwestern DE
2006 Xzavie Jackson, Missouri DE
2007 Fenuki Tupou, Oregon OT
2008 Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh DE
2009 Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma DT

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