The Bonny Awards: "Best New Kid on Campus"

Introduction

TCU’s victory over Texas last weekend marked not only the end of Texas' baseball season but also the end of another Longhorn athletic year. This is the first article in a series that will look back at some of the best athletes, teams, and moments of the past nine months. Twice a week, there will be a post for a new Bonny Award. With the category, I’ll include a couple candidates to get the ball rolling and then anyone can can post their favorite candidate and an explanation. Once there is a solid group of contenders, a poll will be created. Since we’re in the doldrums of summer, the categories and candidates should be creative and fun. It’s more about looking back on the best parts of the past year than picking MVPs. We’ll start with a simple category that’s fitting for the first award: "Best New Kid on Campus."

Marquise Goodwin

There was talk about Goodwin being an undersized, "track-guy" when he was recruited. When he was quickly thrown in the mix against LMU, it was clear his size wouldn’t be an issue. Goodwin earned the spotlight for the first time when he blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown against Colorado. A week later when Oklahoma’s defense put a cover-4 around Jordan Shipley, Goodwin rose to occasion, catching a quick slant and slipping off his defender for his first touchdown. I can still picture him high stepping into Texas’ corner of the Cotton Bowl. It was Goodwin's fourth quarter heroics--a kickoff returned for touchdown-- that put the game out of reach for the Aggies. In the Spring, he won the NCAA Long Jump Championship as a Freshman with 26’9’’ jump, which was seven inches farther than the first loser. Between two sports, he still found the time to earn a spot on the UT Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Not too shabby.

Strength hurts, Speed kills

Kenny Vaccaro

This guy’s going to be great, I just know it. By the Wyoming game, I was only tracking him on kickoffs. Number sixteen would either would be the first defender in on a tackle or he would be viciously fighting off a double team. Vaccaro is fearless; the type of player who delivers blows, not receives them. With experienced starters Gideon and Thomas locked-in at safety, the heavily tattooed freshman didn’t see the playing time his abilities deserve. In limited action, he recorded nineteen tackles, a forced fumble, and a blocked punt. I’m not a big fan of laying lumber on a teammate but his tackle in the spring game was fundamentally perfect: he lowered his hips, bowed his neck, and exploded into the ball carrier.