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News & Notes players will be ready to go by Jan. 1. Simply having banquet awards most of its defensive Purdue handed out its postplayers available to season awards at its banquet practice could help Monday night, splitting MVP Purdue: Much of the honors among six Boilermakers. second half of the seaRunning back Akeem Shavson saw the bulk of the ers and center Rick Schmeig starters not getting shared offensive MVP; safety full-speed reps in pracLandon Feichter and defensive tice while dealing with tackle Kawann Short did on the nagging injuries. defensive side; and the special "Being healthy is teams MVPs were Danny Andefinitely a big part throp and Sean Robinson. Tom Campbell of everything, not just "I wasn't expecting it," Shavers said. "I'm just trying to soak Akeem Shavers won Purdue's offensive co-MVP award, after a season in which he gained nearly physically but mentally, too," said defensive everything in now. I thought I 800 yards on the ground. end Ryan Russell, who was going to get the captain Boilers in tackles and interceptions. has been nursing ankle injuries. "I know plaque and be done, but this is above "It feels great," Feichter said. "All the and beyond what I was expecting. credit goes to my teammates and my once you feel a little banged up, you're Shavers gained a Purdue-high 778 coaching staff. I did not expect it, but it not sure if you can cut a certain way or go full speed and do certain things. So being yards rushing, with six touchdowns. And feels good. he was better as the season progressed, "It just goes to never being satis- healthy is just a huge deal overall for us." including a three-game stretch to end fied. I can't give credit to anybody but Sally Hope Attends the year in which he gained 289 yards. the coaching staff. They put me in the Banquet "I'm satisfied with how I played, but I right positions and I do need to make the Sally Hope was at the banquet. Danfelt like I could always do better," he said. plays, luckily I've been making the plays ny Hope was not. She was given a stand"Under the circumstances, it's the best I when they come my way." ing ovation when recognized by the could do. So I'm not complaining about night's emcee and also was thanked by it. It works for me. Injury News Short might have been an obvious Ralph Bolden (hamstring) returned Robert Marve in his speech. Marve also choice as a defensive MVP, as the All- to limited practice this week, but Bran- mentioned Danny Hope, saying he apAmerican had 14.5 tackles for loss and six don Taylor (ankle) still was out. Interim preciated everything Hope did for him. — Gold and Black Staff sacks. But Feichter was not. The walk-on coach Patrick Higgins is hopeful all of the — he'll go on scholarship soon — led the ing the homeless population of Dallas. Already the non-for-profit organization has presented a $50,000 check to the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, which is 53 agencies dedicated to helping homeless families and adults. The organization is planning more sporting and entertainment events, with its kickoff being the bowl game. "It's great to see a bowl game that is contributing back to the community," Burke said. R Tickets for the Heart of Dallas Bowl are priced at $75 and can be ordered through the Purdue Athletic Ticket Office any time online or by phone (494-3194 or 800-49-SPORT) or in person from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Armstrong Celebrated In New York Former Boilermaker great Otis Armstrong was one of 17 players enshrined to the College Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Foundation's Awards Dinner Tuesday night. The event, held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, honored some of college football's best players and coaches. In his three-year career at Purdue, Armstrong gained 3,315 rushing yards, the second-most in school history to Mike Alstott, who claimed the record in 1995. His 670 career carries remains tops in Purdue history. As a senior in 1972, Armstrong led the Big Ten with 1,361 yards and was named a consensus All-American and was the Big GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 14 • 17