Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Offensive Lineman Danny Pinter Takes Home Ball State Football’s Most Outstanding Player Award
January 19, 2020 | Football
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State football team held its annual Honors Banquet Sunday evening inside Worthen Arena. Senior offensive lineman Danny Pinter took home three awards, highlighted by the team's top honor, the John Magnabosco Most Outstanding Player Award.
Pinter, hailing from South Bend, Indiana, anchored Ball State's offensive line at right tackle the last two years after making the transition from tight end following his sophomore campaign. The senior was one of four Cardinals to earn first team All-Mid-American Conference honors this season and the first BSU offensive lineman to earn first team all-league accolades since 2013. Pinter was one of two Cardinals who competed in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday.
The Magnabosco Award is named in honor of Ball State's head football coach from 1935-52. Magnabosco's 68 victories as the Cardinals' head coach still stand as the program record.
New this year to the banquet were Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Running back Caleb Huntley and quarterback Drew Plitt shared Offensive Player of the Year. Huntley, a second team All-MAC selection, rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of eight conference games. His 1,275 rushing yards ranked fifth on the Ball State single-season chart.
Plitt was the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in 2019. He tied a school record with six touchdown passes in the win over Fordham on Sept. 7. The junior finished the year with 2,918 passing yards which ranked fifth on Ball State's single-season chart. He directed an offense that led the league in scoring (34.8 points per game) and total offense (463.0 yards per game).
The Defensive Player of the Year award went to senior linebacker Jacob White. He ranked fifth in the league and 16th nationally in tackles per game (9.8). White reached double-figure tackles five times in 2019, including posting a career-high 18 stops at NC State on Sept. 21. He finished his Ball State career with 267 tackles, the most among all players on the active roster.
The Willie Snead True Cardinal Award went to senior wide receiver Riley Miller. This award is meant to honor a player who goes above and beyond the call of a collegiate football student-athlete. Snead, who concluded his Cardinals career in 2013, racked up 2,991 receiving yards in his three years on the team, the second most in Ball State history. Undrafted out of college, Snead was let go by two NFL teams before making a name for himself with the New Orleans Saints. He is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
Miller began his career at Ball State as a walk-on player. He went on to earn a scholarship before the start of the 2017 season. The local product out of Yorktown, Indiana, started the final 33 games of his collegiate career. He was a second team All-MAC honoree in both 2018 and 2019. Miller also came away with Academic All-MAC accolades three times (2017, 2018, 2019).
Pinter and White were the co-recipients of the Dave McClain Leadership Award. The McClain Award is given in memory of the deceased Dave McClain, who was Ball State's head football coach from 1971-77 and guided the Cardinals to a 46-25-3 overall record. He oversaw the Cardinals during the transition into the Mid-American Conference and NCAA Division I football. McClain led Ball State to the 1976 MAC championship in only the Cardinals' second season in the conference. His final three Ball State teams posted a combined 26-7 overall mark and a 13-4 MAC record.
The John Hodge Award, which goes to the team's most valuable freshman, went to a pair of players on the defensive side of the ball – linebacker Clayton Coll and cornerback Nic Jones. Coll played in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams. He tallied at least one tackle in eight games. Jones also saw action in every game this fall. He was mainly utilized at the nickel position and finished the year with 18 tackles and four pass break-ups.
Junior cornerback Antonio Phillips came away with the Ray Louthen Award. This award, which honors the memory of the former Ball State head football coach (1962-67) and athletics director (1970-81), is bestowed upon the team's most improved player(s).
Phillips was the first Ball State cornerback to earn first team all-league honors since B.J. Hill in 2008. He registered interceptions in three straight league games in October – Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Ohio. His four total interceptions were the second most in the MAC, sitting only behind his teammate, Amechi Uzodinma.
The Bill Meitzler Scout Team Players of the Year were tight end Isaiah Dunnuck and safety Ben Stewart. The award is given in honor of the former Cardinal Varsity Club board member and longtime fan and supporter of Ball State football.
For the second time in his career, kick returner Malik Dunner took home the Bill Reynolds Special Teams Award. The award is named in memory of Reynolds, who spent 31 years as a volunteer in the Ball State athletics department with an emphasis on the football program prior to his death in the summer of 2000. Dunner's season was highlighted by a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Western Michigan on Nov. 5. He went on to earn second team All-MAC honors.
The Gene Booker Academic Award went to senior tight end Kyle Schrank for a second straight year. The award has been given annually since 1978 and was named in honor of Gene Booker for the first time in 2011. Booker was a member of Ball State's 1949 football team, which is the only unbeaten and untied team in the school's history. Schrank, a four-time Academic All-MAC honoree, earned his Ball State bachelor's degree in December 2018 and is currently working on a master's in business administration (MBA).
Trey Uetrecht was honored with the Mark Hays Inspiration Award, which is given to the person(s) who demonstrates the greatest ability to motivate and inspire his teammates. The award is given in the memory of the late son of Kermit and Mary Ellen Hays, both of whom have also passed away. The Hays family spent their lives as fans and supporters of Ball State's athletics program. Uetrecht suffered a serious single car accident last February that nearly took his life. He returned to campus this fall and stayed close to the team by working in the equipment room.
Pinter picked up his third award of the evening with the Paul Schudel Strength and Conditioning Award, which is given in honor of the former Ball State football coach (1985-94), who led the Cardinals to the 1989 and 1993 MAC championships. Schudel guided Ball State to its first-ever NCAA Division I FBS bowl games with appearances in the 1989 California Raisin Bowl and the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl.
Finally, the 12th Man of the Year Award went to academic coordinators Ben Hatfield and Justin Pugh. The Cardinals led the league with 20 Academic All-MAC selections this fall. Sixty-two players finished the fall semester with a GPA at or above 3.0, 32 players were at the 3.5 GPA level, and six players posted a 4.0 GPA.
Ball State concluded the 2019 season 5-7 overall and 4-4 in the MAC. The Cardinals won the Bronze Stalk Trophy from Northern Illinois for the first time since 2008 and capped the year by knocking off league champion Miami for the Red Bird Rivalry Trophy, 41-27.
Ball State opens the 2020 season on Thursday, Sept. 3 with a home game against Maine.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
2019 Ball State Football Team Awards
John Magnabosco Most Outstanding Player … OL Danny Pinter
Offensive Player of the Year … RB Caleb Huntley, QB Drew Plitt
Defensive Player of the Year … LB Jacob White
Willie Snead True Cardinal Award … WR Riley Miller
Dave McClain Leadership Award … OL Danny Pinter, LB Jacob White
John Hodge Outstanding Freshman Award … LB Clayton Coll, CB Nic Jones
Ray Louthen Most Improved Player … CB Antonio Phillips
Bill Meitzler Scout Team Players of the Year … TE Isaiah Dunnuck, SAF Ben Stewart
Bill Reynolds Special Teams Player of the Year … KR Malik Dunner
Gene Booker Academic Award … TE Kyle Schrank
Mark Hays Inspiration Award … Trey Uetrecht
Paul Schudel Strength & Conditioning Award … OL Danny Pinter
Pinter, hailing from South Bend, Indiana, anchored Ball State's offensive line at right tackle the last two years after making the transition from tight end following his sophomore campaign. The senior was one of four Cardinals to earn first team All-Mid-American Conference honors this season and the first BSU offensive lineman to earn first team all-league accolades since 2013. Pinter was one of two Cardinals who competed in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday.
The Magnabosco Award is named in honor of Ball State's head football coach from 1935-52. Magnabosco's 68 victories as the Cardinals' head coach still stand as the program record.
New this year to the banquet were Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Running back Caleb Huntley and quarterback Drew Plitt shared Offensive Player of the Year. Huntley, a second team All-MAC selection, rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of eight conference games. His 1,275 rushing yards ranked fifth on the Ball State single-season chart.
Plitt was the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in 2019. He tied a school record with six touchdown passes in the win over Fordham on Sept. 7. The junior finished the year with 2,918 passing yards which ranked fifth on Ball State's single-season chart. He directed an offense that led the league in scoring (34.8 points per game) and total offense (463.0 yards per game).
The Defensive Player of the Year award went to senior linebacker Jacob White. He ranked fifth in the league and 16th nationally in tackles per game (9.8). White reached double-figure tackles five times in 2019, including posting a career-high 18 stops at NC State on Sept. 21. He finished his Ball State career with 267 tackles, the most among all players on the active roster.
The Willie Snead True Cardinal Award went to senior wide receiver Riley Miller. This award is meant to honor a player who goes above and beyond the call of a collegiate football student-athlete. Snead, who concluded his Cardinals career in 2013, racked up 2,991 receiving yards in his three years on the team, the second most in Ball State history. Undrafted out of college, Snead was let go by two NFL teams before making a name for himself with the New Orleans Saints. He is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
Miller began his career at Ball State as a walk-on player. He went on to earn a scholarship before the start of the 2017 season. The local product out of Yorktown, Indiana, started the final 33 games of his collegiate career. He was a second team All-MAC honoree in both 2018 and 2019. Miller also came away with Academic All-MAC accolades three times (2017, 2018, 2019).
Pinter and White were the co-recipients of the Dave McClain Leadership Award. The McClain Award is given in memory of the deceased Dave McClain, who was Ball State's head football coach from 1971-77 and guided the Cardinals to a 46-25-3 overall record. He oversaw the Cardinals during the transition into the Mid-American Conference and NCAA Division I football. McClain led Ball State to the 1976 MAC championship in only the Cardinals' second season in the conference. His final three Ball State teams posted a combined 26-7 overall mark and a 13-4 MAC record.
The John Hodge Award, which goes to the team's most valuable freshman, went to a pair of players on the defensive side of the ball – linebacker Clayton Coll and cornerback Nic Jones. Coll played in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams. He tallied at least one tackle in eight games. Jones also saw action in every game this fall. He was mainly utilized at the nickel position and finished the year with 18 tackles and four pass break-ups.
Junior cornerback Antonio Phillips came away with the Ray Louthen Award. This award, which honors the memory of the former Ball State head football coach (1962-67) and athletics director (1970-81), is bestowed upon the team's most improved player(s).
Phillips was the first Ball State cornerback to earn first team all-league honors since B.J. Hill in 2008. He registered interceptions in three straight league games in October – Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Ohio. His four total interceptions were the second most in the MAC, sitting only behind his teammate, Amechi Uzodinma.
The Bill Meitzler Scout Team Players of the Year were tight end Isaiah Dunnuck and safety Ben Stewart. The award is given in honor of the former Cardinal Varsity Club board member and longtime fan and supporter of Ball State football.
For the second time in his career, kick returner Malik Dunner took home the Bill Reynolds Special Teams Award. The award is named in memory of Reynolds, who spent 31 years as a volunteer in the Ball State athletics department with an emphasis on the football program prior to his death in the summer of 2000. Dunner's season was highlighted by a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Western Michigan on Nov. 5. He went on to earn second team All-MAC honors.
The Gene Booker Academic Award went to senior tight end Kyle Schrank for a second straight year. The award has been given annually since 1978 and was named in honor of Gene Booker for the first time in 2011. Booker was a member of Ball State's 1949 football team, which is the only unbeaten and untied team in the school's history. Schrank, a four-time Academic All-MAC honoree, earned his Ball State bachelor's degree in December 2018 and is currently working on a master's in business administration (MBA).
Trey Uetrecht was honored with the Mark Hays Inspiration Award, which is given to the person(s) who demonstrates the greatest ability to motivate and inspire his teammates. The award is given in the memory of the late son of Kermit and Mary Ellen Hays, both of whom have also passed away. The Hays family spent their lives as fans and supporters of Ball State's athletics program. Uetrecht suffered a serious single car accident last February that nearly took his life. He returned to campus this fall and stayed close to the team by working in the equipment room.
Pinter picked up his third award of the evening with the Paul Schudel Strength and Conditioning Award, which is given in honor of the former Ball State football coach (1985-94), who led the Cardinals to the 1989 and 1993 MAC championships. Schudel guided Ball State to its first-ever NCAA Division I FBS bowl games with appearances in the 1989 California Raisin Bowl and the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl.
Finally, the 12th Man of the Year Award went to academic coordinators Ben Hatfield and Justin Pugh. The Cardinals led the league with 20 Academic All-MAC selections this fall. Sixty-two players finished the fall semester with a GPA at or above 3.0, 32 players were at the 3.5 GPA level, and six players posted a 4.0 GPA.
Ball State concluded the 2019 season 5-7 overall and 4-4 in the MAC. The Cardinals won the Bronze Stalk Trophy from Northern Illinois for the first time since 2008 and capped the year by knocking off league champion Miami for the Red Bird Rivalry Trophy, 41-27.
Ball State opens the 2020 season on Thursday, Sept. 3 with a home game against Maine.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
2019 Ball State Football Team Awards
John Magnabosco Most Outstanding Player … OL Danny Pinter
Offensive Player of the Year … RB Caleb Huntley, QB Drew Plitt
Defensive Player of the Year … LB Jacob White
Willie Snead True Cardinal Award … WR Riley Miller
Dave McClain Leadership Award … OL Danny Pinter, LB Jacob White
John Hodge Outstanding Freshman Award … LB Clayton Coll, CB Nic Jones
Ray Louthen Most Improved Player … CB Antonio Phillips
Bill Meitzler Scout Team Players of the Year … TE Isaiah Dunnuck, SAF Ben Stewart
Bill Reynolds Special Teams Player of the Year … KR Malik Dunner
Gene Booker Academic Award … TE Kyle Schrank
Mark Hays Inspiration Award … Trey Uetrecht
Paul Schudel Strength & Conditioning Award … OL Danny Pinter
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