DALLAS (FWAA) Tulsa's Wilson Holloway is this week's nominee for the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the season. Holloway, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Oklahoma City, was diagnosed with cancer last spring, underwent chemotherapy treatment throughout the spring and summer, and is playing on special teams and in a reserve role for the Golden Hurricane.
Holloway was considered to have a bright future, but Tulsa coaches were concerned when he had trouble during offseason workouts last winter. He struggled to breathe after sprints.
"I just thought I was out of shape," Holloway told the Tulsa World.
But tests revealed a softball-sized tumor, which was diagnosed as Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Holloway had difficulty breathing because the tumor was pressing against his lungs.
Holloway began undergoing biweekly chemo treatments March 21. Though he initially lost 20 pounds, he's regained that and added 20 more, up to 275.
"He's just so tough and courageous," Tulsa coach Todd Graham told the newspaper. "He's always had a positive mindset and a game plan. He has done a good job of whipping (cancer) so far."
For the third straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.
The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine's senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also a FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.
Previous winners of the FWAA's Courage Award are Navy's Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson's Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis' Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State's Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo's William Bratton (2002).
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Orange Bowl Committee is a not-for-profit, 333-member, primarily-volunteer organization. It is a self-sustaining, independent organization that supports and produces activities and events that enhance the image, economy and culture of South Florida. In addition to the 75th edition of the Orange Bowl Festival, which features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 1, the Orange Bowl Committee will host the 2009 FedEx BCS Championship Game on January 8. For more information on the 2008-09 Orange Bowl Festival and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities, visit orangebowl.org.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,000 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.
For more information in the FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award, contact George Schroeder at 541-953-4080 or gschroeder@aol.com.
2008 Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
Sept. 10: Artrell Woods, Oklahoma State
· Sept. 17: Terence Campbell, East Carolina
· Sept. 24: Johnell Neal, Central Florida
· Oct. 1: Wilson Holloway, Tulsa
· Oct. 8: Inquoris "Inky" Johnson, Tennessee
· Oct. 15: Richard Bowman, North Dakota State
· Oct. 22: Tyson Gentry, Ohio State
· Oct. 29: Chris Ogbonnaya, Texas
· Nov. 12: Robert Quinn, North Carolina
· Nov. 19: Brandon Antwine, Florida