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| UCLA's Drew awarded MCS Special Teams Player of the Year. |
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 Spotlight: Drew Named Special Teams Player of the Year by the Master Coaches Survey
December 27, 2005
By MCSPOLL.com staff
As Maurice Drew waited to haul in the punt in UCLA's season-opening game against San Diego State, one of his teammates yelled for him to signal for the fair catch. Drew waved off the audible instead.
"I'm not back there to fair catch," said the Bruins tailback, who also doubles as a punt and kickoff returner.
Seventy-two yards later, after spinning and sprinting away from one last defender, Drew was in the end zone for a first-quarter score. This season, the junior also has scored on returns of 66 and 81 yards, and set up scores with returns of 69 and 59 yards.
Drew, who leads the nation in punt-return average (29.07, which would be an NCAA record), has been named the Master Coaches Survey's Special Teams Player of the Year.
"He's an exciting player who can score from anywhere on the field," said former West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen, one of the Master Coaches who voted on the award. "But I believe his mental toughness sets him apart from all the other players."
In 11 games this season, the All-America all-purpose player has embarrassed countless defenders as a runner, receiver and punt returner. He ranks sixth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 10.91 points per game, with 20 touchdowns (13 running, four receiving, three returns, including four of at least 60 yards. He has accounted for 1,767 all-purpose yards and averages 7.72 yards every time he touches the ball.
Entering Friday's Vitalis Sun Bowl match-up with Northwestern, Drew needs just 38 yards to overtake former Bruin Theotis Brown for the UCLA record for all-purpose yards.
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