Landin Mitchell, Julius Wilkerson and Drake Reid

Football 4/2/2022 5:15:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Announces 2021 Award Winners

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team held its 2021 awards banquet on Saturday afternoon inside the Doris J. and Donald L. Duchene, Sr. Athletic Facility. Head coach Paul Winters, who enters his 19th season this fall, announced several individual team honors.

Redshirt senior left tackle Landin Mitchell (Goodrich, Mich.) was selected as the 2021 Offensive Most Valuable Player. Mitchell, who was voted to the All-GLIAC First Team for the second time in his Warrior career (first time was in 2019), started all 11 games at left tackle and played every snap in 10 games last fall helping WSU rank third in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game (181.5) and fourth in passing yards per contest (178.1). He was selected WSU's Co-Offensive Player of the Week for the Missouri S&T contest, and the Offensive Player of the Week for the Davenport game. A second-year team captain, Mitchell was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for the third consecutive year.

Redshirt junior linebacker Julius Wilkerson (Mequon, Wis. / Homestead) was voted as WSU's Defensive Most Valuable Player after earning WSU's Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2019. Wilkerson, who started all 11 games at middle linebacker, finished second in the GLIAC with 104 tackles and 9.5 tackles per game. He ranked third in the league with 60 assisted tackles, and fourth with 44 solo tackles. Wilkerson tied-for-fourth in the league with 10 tackles for loss (6 solo, 8 assisted). The second-year team captain, Wilkerson was selected to the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. He was voted to the All-GLIAC First Team and also was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team.

Redshirt sophomore Drake Reid (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) was selected as the squad's Special Teams Most Valuable Player. After redshirting in 2019 as a true freshman, then having the 2020 season canceled due to the pandemic, Reid made his collegiate debut in 2021. He saw action on kickoff coverage and punt coverage in all 11 games, and on punt return in the first 10 contests. Reid led the team with nine special teams tackles (2-3 on KOC and 3-1 on Punt Coverage).

Senior offensive lineman Lane Potter (Hudsonville, Mich.) was the recipient of the Ron Solack Memorial "35" Award. Potter started all 44 games (11 at RT in 2017; 11 at RG in 2018;, 11 at LG in 2019; 6 at LG, 5 at RT in 2021) in his collegiate career, which is tied-for-third in program history. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American (First Team in 2020-21, and Second Team in 2021) and a two-time Second Team All-GLIAC honoree (2019 and 2021), Potter was the recipient of the 2020-21 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship. The first football jersey ever retired at Wayne State University is the number 35 last worn by Ron Solack. Ron died of post-surgery complications in 1968, on the eve of the opening of the new Wayne State University Stadium. Ron wore his Wayne State uniform with unmatched pride and played the game with enthusiasm. He would have been a senior member of the 1969 team. An award was instituted in his name in 1969 and has been presented every year since (except the COVID season of 2020).

Wilkerson was presented the Randy Guzowski Award, which goes to the individual who has demonstrated team leadership and shown exemplary school and community citizenship. Guzowski won three letters as a WSU football player and spent 15 years on the WSU Police Force. Wilkerson, who is nearing completion of his bachelor's degree in Psychology, has played in 21 games over two seasons, making 15 starts. He has totaled 160 tackles (71-89) and was selected to the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® for his community service involvement. Wilkerson is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as co-President during the 2021-22 academic year. He was WSU's GLIAC SAAC Representative during the current academic year. Wilkerson has been involved in the Adopt-A-Family initiative, the #Lunchbag program, the Basic Needs Drive as well as the Second-And-Seven Reading Program, the F.A.R.M. Food Drive and the NSO (Neighborhood Service Organization) Clothing Drive.

The WSU Offensive Rookie of the Year award went to freshman running back Myren Harris (Clinton Township, Mich. / Chippewa Valley). Harris finished second nationally in yards per carry (7.847), which included six carries of at least 45 yards. His 7.847 yards per carry ranks fourth in school history for a single-season (min. 50 rushing attempts). Harris appeared in the first nine games, starting the last three contests played to earn First Team All-GLIAC honors. He ranked 12th nationally in rushing yards per game (114.2), 25th in rushing yards (1,028), 28th in all-purpose yards per game (130.2), 40th in rushing touchdowns (9), and 50th in total touchdowns (11). Harris led the GLIAC in rushing yards per game and yards per carry, was second in all-purpose yards (1,172), all-purpose yards per game and rushing yards, ranked third in rushing attempts (131), rushing touchdowns and points per game (7.3), and was fourth in points (66).

The Defensive Rookie of the Year award recipient was true freshman safety Te'Avion Warren (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Davison). He was one of two true freshman to play during the season. Warren played in all 11 games, starting six times at safety over the final eight contests. He made a career-high and a game-best nine tackles (8-1) vs. Grand Valley State, then notched seven tackles (5-2) at Ferris State, plus a pass break-up. Warren finished fourth on the squad with 46 tackles (27-19), which included significant playing time on special teams - saw action on kickoff return in 10 contests, kickoff coverage in the first nine games, punt return in nine contests, and punt coverage the last three games.

Two awards were created in 2005 by the coaching staff. The Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes the football student-athlete with strong academic credentials, while the Ultimate Warrior is for the football student-athlete who did outstanding work in the weight room.

Graduate student quarterback Jake AmRhein (South Elgin, Ill.) was the recipient of the Scholar-Athlete Award. A five-time GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team selection, he earned a bachelor's degree in Marketing in 2020 and is currently completing requirements for a master's degree in Sports Administration. AmRhein has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all 11 semesters at WSU, including five terms with a perfect 4.0 GPA. On the field, he played in 24 games, making 14 starts. AmRhein concluded his collegiate career eighth in school history in yards per pass attempt (6.7 / min. 145 attempts), ninth in completion percentage (.492 / min. 140 attempts), 11th in passing efficiency rating (112.0 / min. 105 attempts), 12th in both passing yards per game (106.3) and total offense per play (5.54 / min. 180 plays), and tied-for-12th in passing touchdowns (18).

The team's 2021 Serxho Guraleci/Ultimate Warrior award went to offensive lineman Lane Potter for his outstanding work in the weight room.

An award instituted in 2011 is the Courtney "Cortez" Smith Award which recognizes a member of the Wayne State University football program whose contributions include: a positive approach to all aspects of the program both on and off the field; noticeable improvement to academic growth and progress, as well as skill and physical development; and finally, growing spiritually and contributing to the overall vitality of the football program. It was developed in conjunction with the Smith Family.

The 2021 recipient is Drake Reid. He played in all 11 games, starting nine times at cornerback, including the last six contests last fall to earn Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades. A GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honoree, Reid has earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all five semesters at WSU as a Finance major. He led the Warrior secondary and was third on the squad with 53 tackles (38-15), along with posting a team-best seven pass break-ups, which tied-for-fourth in the league, while his 38 solo tackles tied-for-seventh in the conference.

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Players Mentioned

#18 Jake AmRhein: QB; 6' 4"; Graduate Student

#78 Landin Mitchell: T; 6' 4"; Redshirt Fifth Year

#72 Lane Potter: G; 6' 4"; Graduate Student

#7 Myren Harris: RB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

#3 Drake Reid: CB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Junior

#2 Te'Avion Warren: RB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#52 Julius Wilkerson: MLB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#18 Jake AmRhein
: 6' 4"; Graduate Student
: QB

#78 Landin Mitchell
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Fifth Year
: T

#72 Lane Potter
: 6' 4"; Graduate Student
: G

#7 Myren Harris
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore
: RB

#3 Drake Reid
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Junior
: CB

#2 Te'Avion Warren
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: RB

#52 Julius Wilkerson
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: MLB