Senior tight end Jacob Tamme is the winner of the fifth-annual Bobby Bowden Award given by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The honor recognizes a Division I football player who epitomizes a student-athlete and conducts himself as a faith model in the community, in the classroom, and on the field. Nominees must have at least a 3.0 career grade-point average and be endorsed by the school?s head coach and director of athletics. The award is named after Florida State University coach Bobby Bowden, a long-time supporter of the ministry.
?Jacob has been an amazing leader on the field for our program, and his Christian character has been a great example for our entire department to follow,? said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. ?We have been blessed to have him in our program and he will be difficult to replace.?
?Jacob is as deserving of this honor as anyone I?ve ever known,? Coach Rich Brooks said. ?He?s shown leadership in every phase of his life.?
Tamme?s award was announced Friday, Jan. 4, in New Orleans, La., at the FCA Banquet held in conjunction with the national championship game. The additional finalists were Dionte Johnson of Ohio State and Jeremy Leman of Illinois.
?It?s a tremendous honor to be associated with anything connected with FCA and Coach Bowden,? Tamme said. ?It?s an honor just to be nominated. To win and be recognized with someone as prestigious as Bobby Bowden, a great winner and a great Christian, is an absolute blessing.?
Tamme (Danville, Ky.) coordinates the team?s weekly Bible study and road-trip devotionals. Extremely active in service to others, he has been named to the National Good Works Team for community service by the American Football Coaches Association.
In the classroom, Tamme completed his bachelor?s degree in Integrated Strategic Communications with a 3.82 GPA. He is now in his second year of study for his Master?s in Business Administration and has a 3.83 graduate school GPA. He was named first-team Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America and chosen as the Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the SEC coaches.
On the field, Tamme has been a first-team All-SEC pick each of the last two seasons and is Kentucky?s all-time top pass-catching tight end. He had 56 receptions for 619 yards and six touchdowns in the 2007 season. He was a clutch receiver for the Wildcats, with key TD catches in the wins over Louisville, LSU, and Florida State. He also set up the game-winning touchdown at Vanderbilt with a 34-yard pass reception.
University of Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme (with trophy) was named winner of the Bobby Bowden Award, a national honor for character, service, academics, and football performance, as presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the FCA breakfast held in conjunction with the national championship game. Also present were (from left) Rod West, President and CEO of Entergy New Orleans, who was master of ceremonies; Jim Tressel, Ohio State head coach; Bobby Bowden, Florida State head coach; Les Miles, LSU head coach; and Dr. Benny J. Jones, FCA State Director of Louisiana.
