No one was happier on the night of Monday, Jan. 11 than Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.
The 6-foot-6, 242-pound junior exploded for 208 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five receptions against Clemson during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
He averaged 41.6 yards per catch, with both of his touchdowns coming in excess of 50 yards. Howard was named most valuable player on offense in Alabama’s 45-40 win, earning its fourth national title under head coach Nick Saban.
Howard, a native of Prattville, Ala., received a special honor Wednesday afternoon. He was voted United States Sports Academy Male Athlete of the Year for the month of January.
College Football Receiver O.J. Howard and Ski Racer Lindsey Vonn Voted… https://t.co/9Qp6pT04Lk pic.twitter.com/vSAFU9n5tl
— U.S. Sports Academy (@USSportsAcademy) February 16, 2016
His 208 receiving yards and 41.6 average both were bowl game records.
Howard edged out tennis champion Novak Djokovic and golfer Jordan Spieth. World Cup women’s skier Lindsay Vonn took home the honor for the females. She won her 37th Gold Cup gold medal in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, on Jan. 23, 2016.
The United Sports Academy is based in Daphne, Ala.
Its purpose being an independent, non-profit, regionally accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and world with programs in instruction, research, and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports. Each month, the public is invited to participate by nominating and voting for the Male and Female Athletes of the Month on the Academy’s website at www.ussa.edu. Monthly winners become eligible for the prestigious Athlete of the Year honor, which is selected at year end by an online public balloting.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
