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Wisconsin football: Joe Schobert earns team MVP; other Badgers honored at annual banquet

As expected, Joe Schobert earned team MVP honors at Wisconsin's team banquet Friday night.

By Jake Kocorowski
UW Athletic Communications

2015 has been the "Year of the Show," or "Year of the Scho-bert"

The Wisconsin Badgers football held their annual banquet on Friday at Union South and senior outside linebacker Joe Schobert -- who leads the team in a variety of categories for a unit ranked No. 1 in scoring defense -- was named UW's most valuable player during the awards portion of the event.

Schobert, who won the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year award and Walter Camp All-America second-team honors in the past couple of weeks, added to his resume with the Jimmy Demetral Team MVP award. The former walk-on led the team in sacks (9.5), tackles for loss (18.5), quarterback hurries (14) and forced fumbles (5).

Other Badgers won the following awards:

  • Redshirt senior wide receiver Alex Erickson: Offensive Player of the Year (as selected by the UW coaching staff)
  • Redshirt senior safety Michael Caputo: Defensive Player of the Year (as selected by the UW coaching staff)
  • Sophomore cornerback Natrell Jamerson: Special Teams Player of the Year (as selected by the UW coaching staff)
  • Redshirt senior defensive lineman Jake Keefer: Ivan Williamson Scholastic Award (Presented annually to a player who has been exemplary in the areas of scholarship and sportsmanship)
  • Redshirt junior running back Dare Ogunbowale: Most Improved Player (offense)
  • Redshirt sophomore linebacker Jack Cichy: Most Improved Player (defense)
  • Redshirt freshman inside linebacker T.J. Edwards: Most Improved Player (defense)
  • Freshman wide receiver Henry Houden: Scout Team Player of the Year (offense)
  • Freshman cornerback Titus Booker: Scout Team Player of the Year (defense)

In addition, redshirt seniors Tanner McEvoy and Derek Watt were presented with the Wayne Souza Coaches Appreciation award, which is given to the offensive player(s) who contributed to the team's success to the best of his abilities. Per UW, "it is based upon improvement, attitude and willingness to help the program in all areas."

Redshirt senior cornerback Darius Hillary earned the Jay Seiler Coaches Appreciation award, given annually to the defensive player who has contributed to the team's success to the best of his abilities and is "based upon improvement, attitude and willingness to help the program in all areas."

The Tom Wiesner Award, "given to a Wisconsin-born student-athlete whose loyalty, hard work, spirit and dedication are unselfishly directed to the success of the team," was awarded to redshirt senior quarterback Joel Stave.

Another redshirt senior, tight end Austin Traylor, was awarded the Badger Power Award. This is given each year "to the player that consistently performs at a high level in all aspects of the strength and conditioning program. An individual who has a great work ethic coupled with a positive attitude that garners the respect of teammates, is dependable, buys into the program and shows constant improvement."

Wisconsin's four captains were Caputo, Erickson, Schobert and Stave -- the latter three all former walk-ons.

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