Pinnix-Odrick Earns Homer Hazel Award
Dec 16 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Fifth-year senior defensive lineman Julian Pinnix-Odrick collected the Homer Hazel Award at the Rutgers football senior banquet held Friday. The honor has been given out each season since 1953 to the most valuable player on the team.
In addition, fellow fifth-year senior defensive lineman Darius Hamilton earned the David Bender Trophy as the top lineman to properly recognize merit, while senior running back Justin Goodwin and fifth-year senior offensive lineman Derrick Nelson both netted the Paul Robeson Award. The Robeson Award goes to the senior whose performance, leadership and dedication on and off the field, during his varsity career, had the greatest impact on Rutgers football.
Pinnix-Odrick, also a recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, was voted a captain in 2016 and led the team with 10 tackles-for-loss and five sacks on the season. Totaling 52 stops in 12 starts at defensive end with three pass break-ups and a forced fumble, he statistically had his best game of the season with 12 tackles with 1.5 sacks in the victory over New Mexico. Pinnix-Odrick also achieved the classroom with recognition on the conference academic team four times, including taking Academic All-Big Ten status in each of the past three years.
Hamilton served as the first three-time captain in program history and appeared in 51 games as a Scarlet Knight. A leader on and off the field, he led the defensive line with 56 tackles on the season, amassing 166 in his career with 27 for a loss. Hamilton reached double-digit stops versus New Mexico and Indiana in 2016, as this marks the second time the lineman collects the Bender Trophy (2013).
Goodwin capped his collegiate career by leading the Scarlet Knights with 1,181 all-purpose yards this past season. He ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 118.9 all-purpose yards per Big Ten game, while adding 22 receptions overall out of the backfield.
Nelson started all 12 games at center in 2016 and served as a team captain. He additionally picked up Academic All-Big Ten honors and was a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team, which highlights commitment to community service.
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