Senior defensive end Tyson Jackson has been named the most valuable player on this year’s LSU football team, head coach Les Miles announced at the annual senior banquet on Sunday night.Jackson, a second team All-Southeastern Conference selection this year, goes into the Chick-fil-A Bowl with 34 tackles, 8.5 tackles for losses and 4.5 sacks. Jackson was also named the Percy E. Roberts Outstanding Defensive Player of the Tigers in 2008.Charles Scott, the fourth leading rusher in the SEC, was named the recipient of the Percy E. Roberts Outstanding Offensive Player for LSU after rushing for 1,109 yards and 15 TDs during the 2008 season. Scott, a first team All-SEC pick this year, rushed for at least 100 yards six times this year.In a vote of the team, four permanent team captains were named for the 2008 Tigers. Quinn Johnson and Herman Johnson are the permanent team captains for offense, Tyson Jackson for defense and Colt David for special teams.The Dr. Charles Coates Academic Award was given to a pair of senior centers in Brett Helms and Ryan Miller. Helms graduated last spring with a degree in management, while Miller graduated last week with a degree in kinesiology.The Jeff Boss Unsung Hero Award presented in memory of LSU’s late equipment manager and given to the player who has made significant contributions to the success of the team without receiving much recognition was awarded to fullback Quinn Johnson and defensive end Marlon Favorite.Other awards handed out include: Rahim Alem and Kelvin Sheppard as the recipients of the Alvin Roy Award for their commitment to year-round strength training; the Butch Duhe Award for character and commitment to the team went to Scott and Richard Dickson; the George M. Wallace Award for defensive production went Harry Coleman; and the Wild Tiger Special Teams Trophy was given to R.J. Jackson.LSU will play its final game of the 2008 season on Dec. 31 when the Tigers face 14th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.
2008 LSU FOOTBALL SENIOR BANQUET AWARDSMOST VALUABLE PLAYERTyson Jackson
PERCY E. ROBERTS OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYERTyson JacksonPERCY E. ROBERTS OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYERCharles ScottPERMANENT TEAM CAPTAINSQuinn Johnson (offense), Herman Johnson (offense), Tyson Jackson (defense), Colt David (special teams)JEFF BOSS UNSUNG HERO AWARDQuinn Johnson, Marlon FavoriteDR. CHARLES E. COATES ACADEMIC AWARDBrett Helms, Ryan MillerALVIN ROY STRENGTH TRAINING AWARDRahim Alem, Kelvin SheppardBUTCH DUHE CHARACTER AWARDCharles Scott, Richard DicksonGEORGE M. WALLACE DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION AWARDHarry ColemanWILD TIGER SPECIAL TEAMS AWARDR.J. Jackson