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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Patrick Willis Named Chucky Mullins Courage Award Winner
4/7/2006 | Football
April 7, 2006
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis of Bruceton, Tenn., has been selected as the 2006 recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award, which goes to a rising senior defensive player each year.
The award, sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, honors the late Chucky Mullins, who had his Ole Miss career come to an end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle. After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins passed away on May 6, 1991.
The selection of Willis was announced during Friday night's 17th annual Chucky Mullins Courage Award Banquet, which is sponsored each year by Phi Beta Sigma and Phi Kappa Psi fraternities and Pi Beta Phi sorority. Willis will be recognized Saturday afternoon when Ole Miss conducts its annual Red-Blue spring football game, set for 1:00 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field.
"A lot of great players have won this honor and I am thankful for the support I have received from my parents, my teammates and my coaches in getting through some tough times," Willis said following the announcement. "I feel blessed to be able to represent Chucky and will do my best to live up to the characteristics he possessed. I became familiar with his story when I was a freshman. He was a special person."
Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron said it is apparent to him that Willis and Mullins have a lot in common.
"The documentary we saw tonight (Friday) captured the courage of Chucky Mullins and the speakers who knew him pointed out the way he approached life by always being positive, no matter the challenges he faced," Orgeron said. "Just like Chucky, Patrick always has a smile on his face and works hard every day at practice. He is one of the top 10 players in the nation and I expect the highest rated player to ever win the Chucky Mullins Courage Award. He will represent Chucky as well as anybody in the past or in the future."
After earning first team All-America honors in 2005, Willis, a 6-2, 230 pound inside linebacker, will enter his senior season as one of the nation's top defensive players. He has already been named to the Watch Lists of the Lott Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Trophy and was rated No. 10 on SI.com's "Best College Football Players of 2006" list, the highest among six players from the Southeastern Conference.
Willis battled through his junior season with a broken middle finger on his right hand, a sprained left knee, a right mid-foot injury and a partial AC joint separation of his right shoulder. He underwent successful surgery to his right foot last December and was unable to participate in 2006 spring drills. However, he is expected to be at full strength when the Rebels report in August.
Willis finished the 2005 season as the nation's leader in solo tackles (9.00) and ranked No. 6 in the nation in total tackles (12.80). He also led the Southeastern Conference in tackles (12.8). His defensive statistics for the Rebels included 128 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (-42), three QB sacks (-28), two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, three passes defensed, two QB pressures and one pass interception
A former player at Hollow Rock Central High School in Bruceton, Tenn., Willis joins 16 other former Ole Miss Rebels to receive the Chucky Mullins Courage Award. They include Chris Mitchell, Jeff Carter, Trea Southerland, Johnny Dixon, Alundis Brice, Michael Lowery, Derek Jones, Nate Wayne, Gary Thigpen, Ronnie Heard, Anthony Magee, Kevin Thomas, Lanier Goethie, Jamil Northcutt, Eric Oliver and Kelvin Robinson.
