WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University football team held its Annual Spring Football Weekend, playing the Blue & Gray Spring game on Friday evening before closing the books on the 2018 season with Hoya Football Awards Banquet on Saturday.
 
Friday's spring game, played on Cooper Field, saw the Hoyas run plays in different game-like situations. Georgetown's offense, under second-year Offensive Coordinator Rob Spence, went against the GU's defense led by third-year Defensive Coordinator Kevin Doherty. It was a spirited competition with good moments on both sides of the ball.
 
Saturday's awards banquet was highlighted by the announcement of the 16th recipient of the No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey. Sophomore Wes Bowers (Fort Washington, Md. / Bishop McNamara) will wear No. 35 next season as a junior, becoming just the second junior to ever earn the honor and the first since Michael Ononibaku (B'06) wore it as a junior in 2004. Bowers is the 11th defensive player to don the No. 35 jersey since its inception in 2003, and the fifth linebacker.
 
In 2018, Bowers was a central figure in the Hoya defense, playing and starting all 11 games at middle linebacker. He led the team in tackles with 91, which ranks fourth in the Patriot League, and had a team-high four interceptions. Bowers also ranked third on the squad with 4.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL. Two of his interceptions were among Georgetown's season-high four in the season finale against Holy Cross, including one that he returned 20 yards for the pick six. He also returned a blocked PAT attempt for a defensive extra point against Lehigh. Bowers reached double digits in tackles four times in 2018, including a career-high 18 in the home opener against Campbell, a mark that ranks third in GU history.
 
"It is truly an honor to be selected to wear the No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey," Bowers said. "I relish the opportunity to represent the legacy of Joe Eacobacci and continue the great leadership of the people who wore the jersey before me and leave my mark and raise the bar for the people who will wear it after me. It's a great feeling knowing that people see the hard work and dedication I give to the program on and off the field and gives me more motivation to keep going and pushing harder to fine-tune my leadership abilities.
 
"And to be the second junior ever is major as it shows everyone you don't have to be the oldest on the team to be a leader, a leader lies within everyone and leading by example is a great tool to better yourself and those around you. I am truly humbled and honored to be the recipient of the No. 35 jersey."
 
Al Blozis Most Valuable Player Award – Blaise Brown
Brown, a senior captain in 2018 who started all 11 games at safety, was second on the Hoya defense with 83 total tackles. He also added 4.5 tackles-for-loss (TFL), 1.5 sacks and had two of Georgetown's league-leading 20 interceptions. Both of his interceptions came in the season-opening 39-14 victory at Marist, earning him Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors. Brown had three games in which he recorded at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 15 at nationally-ranked Colgate and 14 tackles against Columbia.
 
George A. Murtaugh Award for Outstanding Lineman – Khristian Tate, Duval Paul
Tate earned his third-straight All-Patriot League selection as he was named first team in 2018 following a first team nod as a sophomore and the second team as a freshman. He played and started in all 11 games as a junior, ranking fourth on the defense in tackles with 54, while leading the way with 16.5 tackles-for-loss (TFL), 10.0 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. He recorded multiple sacks in each of Georgetown's four league wins, including two each against Lafayette, Lehigh and Bucknell. Tate's 10.0 sacks, which led the Patriot League and ranked eighth in all of FCS, are tied for the ninth most in a single season in program history, and he has already cracked the career top 10 with 16.5 career sacks.
 
Paul, an All-Patriot League Second Team selection, played in 11 games, making 10 starts on the defensive line. He ranked seventh on the defense with 41 tackles and was a force in the backfield with 2.5 sacks, 4.5 TFL and five quarterback hurries. Paul also forced two fumbles and recovered two others, including a 9-yard scoop-and-score in the season opener at Marist. He recorded GU's lone blocked kick in 2018, rejecting a PAT attempt against Lehigh, which was returned for a defensive extra point.
 
John L. Hagerty Award for Outstanding Back / Tyrell Williams SISU Award – Jethro Francois
Francois earned an All-Patriot League Second Team selection in 2018, appearing in 10 games, making one start as a senior. He tied for eighth on the defense with 38 tackles while also adding 2.0 TFL, two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. He tied for second on the team with three interceptions, two of which came in the fourth quarter of GU's victory at Fordham to seal the program's first win in Patriot League play since 2015. Two weeks later he added a pick in the second overtime against Lehigh, setting up Georgetown's game-winning touchdown to defeat the Mountain Hawks for the first time since 1925.
 
Special Teams Player of the Year – Ahmad Wilson
Wilson earned a second team nod, his second-consecutive postseason award after being named to the All-Patriot League First Team as a freshman last year, also being selected as the special teams non-specialist. This year, Wilson was a force on both defense and special teams, playing in all 11 games with 10 starts at safety. He finished with 33 tackles, 1.0 TFL and was third on the team with five pass breakups. He had two memorable interceptions in 2018, including a highlight-reel grab at Lafayette and an interception in the season finale against Holy Cross where he lateraled to teammate Ramon Lyons (Orlando, Fla. / Ocoee / West Orange), who ran it in for the defensive score.
 
Robert Paul Dahut Award for the Spring's Most Improved Player – Theron Copper (Offense), Quincy Chinwuko (Defense)
Cooper has battled injuries in each of his first two years on the Hilltop. He has not appeared in a game yet, but will look to break into the mix on the offensive line as a junior in 2019.
 
Chinwuko appeared in seven games in his inaugural season in a Hoya uniform. The defensive end assisted on a tackle at Fordham before breaking through the line for a solo sack against Bucknell.
 
Jeremiah Minihan Coaches' Award – Patrick Pastore, Jowan Watson
Pastore appeared in 10 games over his career. He had 14 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in seven games as a junior in 2017. He appeared in three games in 2018 before his season was cut short due to injury. Pastore was a two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. He was named to the prestigious National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society on April 14.
 
Watson battled injuries during his career and did not see game action until his senior season, appearing in one game in 2018. Highly respected among his teammates and coaches, Watson was also a two-time selection to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
 
John D. Burke Award for Outstanding Courage and Spirit – Carl Thomas, Dominic Scarangella
Thomas, a team captain as a senior in 2018, suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener at Marist as he was diving toward the end zone. The running back appeared in 14 games in his career, rushing for 115 years. He also caught 10 passes for 50 yards, including a touchdown at Columbia in 2017.
 
Scarangella graduated from the College in December. He made 27 starts on the offensive line in his career, including all 11 games in 2018. He earned the distinction of being selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll all five years on the Hilltop. He was named to the prestigious NFF Hampshire Honor Society.
 
Mush Dubofsky Award for Outstanding Student-Athlete – Oliver Hill, John Schuster
Hill, a government major and theology minor, joined the Hoyas during his junior year. He kicked one extra point in 2017 before taking over the placekicking duties for the last couple of games of 2018. He connected on all six PAT attempts and was also true on his only field goal attempt, a 22-yard boot in the season finale against Holy Cross. Hill was a two-time selection to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. He was named to the prestigious NFF Hampshire Honor Society.
 
Schuster, a government major and economics minor, also joined the Hoyas during his junior year. He appeared in one game, seeing action at Colgate this past season. He was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in both of his seasons in a Hoya uniform. He was named to the prestigious NFF Hampshire Honor Society.
 
Iron Hoyas Strength & Conditioning Award – Khristian Tate
Tate enters the 2019 season looking to finish among the career defensive leaders in Georgetown's history. Through his first three seasons on the Hilltop, Tate has amassed 145 total tackles and 34.0 TFL and already ranks ninth in program history 16.5 sacks.
 
The Belt Award - John Schuster
The Belt Award is given to members of the team who earn the respect of his teammates and coaches for his hard work in practice, in the weight room and in film sessions and team meetings. Schuster, who joined the Hoyas prior to his junior year, was a valuable member of GU's scout offense in practice.