Dec. 9, 1997
Staat Named Morris Trophy Winner
ASU defensive tackle Jeremy Staat has been named the defensive winner of the 18th annual Morris Trophy, given to the Pac-10's best defensive lineman as voted on by his peers. Starting offensive lineman in the Conference vote to decide the winner. Washington's center Olin Kreutz was the offeensive winner.
Staat, a 6-foot-6, 283-pound senior from Bakersfield, Calif., stepped into a starting role at defensive tackle this season and performed well enough to be named a first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America. A second-team All-Pac-10 selection by the coaches, he led ASU in tackles for loss with 19 and quarterback sacks with 9.5, good for third in the Pac-10. He led Sun Devil defensive linemen in tackles with 62 as ASU led the Pac-10 in scoring defense at 18.5 points per game. Staat becomes the first Sun Devil to win the defensive side of the Morris Trophy. Randall McDaniel (1987) and Danny Villa (1986) are ASU's only previous Morris Trophy winners, both on the offensive side of the ball.
Kreutz and Staat will be presented their awards at the prestigious PALO Club Million Dollar Awards Banquet at Santa Clara, Calif., on February 10, 1998.