Short Pump, Va. - For the second straight year, Bryce Perkins is the unanimous choice as the winner of the 2019 Dudley Award, handed out to the best college football player in Virginia.
Perkins was honored Sunday night and becomes the first player in the 30 year history of the award to win unanimously twice. He's the third player overall to win twice, and the second to win back-to-back honors.
"I'm happy to have done it behind the help and support from great coaches and teammates" Perkins said. "My parents, my family, my friends still support me. Without all that, it's hard to keep going especially so far from home.
The Chandler, Arizona native broke his own UVA record for total offense in a season with 3,960 yards from scrimmage this year. That alone would be enough to warrant the Dudley, but add to that the streak-breaking win over Virginia Tech and their first ever appearance in the Orange Bowl later this month and the choice was easy for voters.
"A big part of this season for us has been belief" Perkins explained. "A couple of years ago, we as a team came up with the 'New Standard'. Now, the 'New Standard' is just 'The Standard' because that's what's expected of us now. We believed that we could do it and we knew how to do it. "
Perkins outpointed JMU defensive lineman Ron'Dell Carter and Virginia Tech linebacker Rayshard Ashby, who were the other finalists. All three players have at least one more game on their schedules.
Bridgewater defensive standout Re'Shaun Myers won the Willie Lanier award handed out to the Commonwealth's best player in Division II, III and lower. Myers received 7 of 10 first place votes beating out fellow finalists Tre Frederick of Randolph-Macon and Shenandoah receiver Casey Stewart.
The Touchdown Club of Virginia also handed out their annual honors last night which included honoring UVA's Bronco Mendenhall and Bridgewater's Michael Clark as the state's coaches of the year. Former Virginia Union and Hampton coach Joe Taylor received the Ray Tate award and longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer was honored with the TD Club's Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by one of his former players, Highland Springs head coach Loren Johnson, whose Springers won four straight state championships from 2015-2018.
"I saw him (Johnson) come in and help us move to another level" Beamer said of Johnson who was a Hokies defensive back in the late 90s. "Now, he's taken a program that's been good for a long time. And my wife went to Highland Springs, so I know she's real proud of him!!"
Also honored was Collin O'Donnell of Bluefield College who won the Wells Fargo Humanitarian Award. Before his playing days, O'Donnell served with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and was wounded in battle. Longtime football official Charlie Cloe earned the Gold Flag Award for over 3 decades of service to the game.
