Fergie Ferguson Award The Forest K . Ferguson Award is presented annually in memory of one of the University of Florida ' s greatest athletes . The award is given in the form of a trophy , which remains in the permanent possession of the school . The recipient is the Gators ' " senior football player who displays outstanding leadership , character and courage , " and is selected by the Florida Gators football coaching staff . Namesake . The award takes its name from Forest King " Fergie " Ferguson , Jr . , one of the University of Florida ' s greatest all - around athletes . Born June 21 , 1919 , in South Jacksonville , he entered the university in the fall of 1938 , after having been a star end for Stuart High School in Stuart , Florida . Ferguson was a three - year starter at offensive end and defensive end , " playing both ways , " from 1939 to 1941 . His school pass - receiving records remained unbroken until the 1960s , when quarterbacks Steve Spurrier and John Reaves began to throw passes to star receivers Charles Casey , Richard Trapp , and All - American Carlos Alvarez in pro passing schemes . Ferguson was an All - American in football in 1941 . The following year , he was the State of Florida collegiate boxing champion and won the National AAU javelin throw with a distance of 203 feet , 6 and 1 / 2 inches . He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor ' s degree in education in 1942 . Several months after the United States entered World War II , Ferguson joined the U . S . Army as a second lieutenant in 1942 . On June 6 , 1944 , he led an infantry platoon of the 29th Infantry Division in the Allies ' D - Day landings on Omaha Beach in Nazi - occupied Normandy , France . Ferguson and his men were pinned down on the beach by heavy rifle , machine gun and artillery fire from the German defenders , and their advance was blocked by extensive barbed wire and other enemy obstacles . Ferguson rose under fire , cleared a passage through the enemy obstacles with a Bangalore torpedo , and was gravely wounded in leading his men in a direct frontal assault against the enemy . Ferguson was awarded the U . S . Army ' s Distinguished Service Cross , the nation ' s second highest medal for gallantry in combat , for his service on June 6 , 1944 . He never recovered from his wounds , and died in May 1954 in a Miami hospital . He is buried in All Saints Cemetery in Jensen Beach . Winners . 1954 – Malcolm Hammack ( FB ) < br > 1955 – Steve DeLaTorre ( C / LB ) < br > 1956 – Larry Wesley ( T ) < br > 1957 – Jim Rountree ( HB ) < br > 1958 – Jimmy Dunn ( QB ) < br > 1959 – Asa Cox ( G ) < br > 1960 – Pat Patchen ( E ) < br > 1960 – Vic Miranda ( T ) < br > 1961 – Jim Beaver ( T ) < br > 1962 – Sam Holland ( E ) < br > 1963 – Jimmy Morgan ( LB ) < br > 1963 – Hagood Clarke ( HB ) < br > 1964 – Larry Dupree ( FB ) < br > 1965 – Charles Casey ( E ) < br > 1966 – Steve Spurrier ( QB ) < br > 1967 – Richard Trapp ( E ) < br > 1968 – Guy Dennis ( G ) < br > 1968 – Larry Smith ( RB ) < br > 1969 – Steve Tannen ( DB ) < br > 1970 – Jack Youngblood ( DE ) < br > 1971 – John Reaves ( QB ) 1972 – Fred Abbott ( LB ) < br > 1973 – David Hitchcock ( NG ) < br > 1974 – Lee McGriff ( SE ) < br > 1975 – Jimmy DuBose ( FB ) < br > 1976 – Jimmy Fisher ( QB ) < br > 1977 – Wes Chandler ( SE ) < br > 1978 – Mike Dupree ( DE ) < br > 1979 – Chuck Hatch ( DB ) < br > 1980 – David Little ( LB ) < br > 1981 – Brian Clark ( PK ) < br > 1982 – James Jones ( FB ) < br > 1983 – Dwayne Dixon ( WR ) < br > 1984 – Gary Rolle ( WR ) < br > 1985 – Neal Anderson ( RB ) < br > 1986 – Ricky Nattiel ( WR ) < br > 1987 – Kerwin Bell ( QB ) < br > 1988 – Louis Oliver ( DB ) < br > 1989 – John Durden ( OT ) < br > 1990 – Kirk Kirkpatrick ( TE ) < br > 1991 – Cal Dixon ( C ) < br > 1992 – Lex Smith ( DE ) 1993 – William Gaines ( DT ) < br > 1994 – Michael Gilmore ( DB ) < br > 1995 – Ben Hanks ( LB ) < br > 1996 – James Bates ( LB ) < br > 1997 – Dwayne Thomas ( LB ) < br > 1998 – Willie Cohens ( DE ) < br > 1999 – Cheston Blackshear ( OG ) < br > 2000 – Jesse Palmer ( QB ) < br > 2001 – Rob Roberts ( FB ) < br > 2002 – Byron Hardmon ( LB ) < br > 2003 – Daryl Dixon ( FS ) < br > 2004 – Ciatrick Fason ( RB ) < br > 2005 – Jarvis Herring ( S ) < br > 2006 – Jemalle Cornelius ( WR ) < br > 2007 – Andre Caldwell ( WR ) < br > 2008 – Louis Murphy ( WR ) < br > 2009 – Ryan Stamper ( LB ) < br > 2010 – Justin Trattou ( DE ) < br > 2011 – John Brantley ( QB ) < br > 2011 – Lerentte McCray ( LB )