NU's Peterman wins world's biggest trophy

If a trophy's worth can be measured in pounds, then Northwestern senior wide receiver Eric Peterman won college football's most prestigious award on Wednesday. Not even the hefty Heisman matches up.

Peterman captured the 2008 National ARA Sportsmanship Award for all of the great things he has done off-the-field during his time at NU. At a news conference in the Wildcats' team room, former BYU coach LaVell Edwards helped Peterman to hoist the 100-plus-pound trophy that accompanies the honor.

(By the way, ARA stands for the Awards and Recognition Association. For some reason, that name makes me smile.)

I'd list everything that Peterman does in his spare time, but it might make Mother Teresa look like a piker. He gets great grades in Industrial Engineering, visits children in hospitals at the drop of a hat, works with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes...you get the idea.

Each Football Bowl Subdivision team submitted a player for this honor. Peterman stood out amongst the 10 finalists. In fact, Edwards suggested Peterman's resume probably beat out the three previous winners of the award.

"There's more to college football than just the football aspect of it," Peterman said. "I'm so thrilled to represent this award because of the things that our program values. It's off-the-field stuff, too. Getting involved with your community. It's about the character on the field and the kind of people that we represent. The morals and the values that our program represents...and that comes straight from our head coach, Pat Fitzgerald.

"And the other leaders of the team: We have quarterback C.J. Bacher and running back Tyrell Sutton (who were in the back of the room), good people like that who come to press conferences and show up for their brothers on the team. They're going to be there for me if we're going to a children's hospital and I need some guys to come, or if we're going to FCA and we need some guys to help with the food drive. That's what's special about the program at Northwestern. That's what's special about college football. It truly is more than football."