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And The Winners Are ...

December 7, 2000 / 11:14 PM EST / CBS/AP

Purdue quarterback Drew Brees was a big winner in the college football awards show Thursday night, receiving the Maxwell Award as the nation's best all-around player.

Brees passed for 3,393 yards and 24 touchdowns in leading the Boilermakers (8-3) to their first Rose Bowl berth in 34 years.

The Big Ten career passing leader edged Florida State's Chris Weinke and Oklahoma's Josh Heupel in voting by Division I-A coaches, the Football Writers Association of America and members of the Philadelphia-based Maxwell Football Club.

"It's a very, very big surprise," Brees said. "Coming here, I said I was going to have a good time and cherish the moment. It means a lot. I'm going to take it home and share with my teammates. They deserve it."

"It takes you back. It's been a great year. As for the award, just being nominated is a great honor. I said today, if I don't win it, it's not a problem. I'm just blessed with the opportunity to be here."

Brees led the nation in total offense with 358.2 yards a game, threw more touchdown passes than Heupel, and his rating of one interception every 39.42 passes ranks ahead of Heupel and Weinke. Brees also ran for 546 yards and five TDs.

Although Brees is a Heisman Trophy finalist, Heupel and Weinke are the favorites to win college football's top individual prize when it is awarded Saturday night in New York.

In other awards, Texas Christian's LaDainian Tomlinson won the Doak Walker Award as the top running back; Tennessee defensive lineman John Henderson won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman; and Weinke took the Davey O'Brien Award as the top quarterback.

Tomlinson led the nation in rushing with 2,158 yards the fourth-best single-season rushing total in Division I-A history - and scored 22 touchdowns. The senior edged a pair of Big Ten backs - Northwestern's Damien Anderson and Michigan's Anthony Thomas.

"I went in anxious with anticipation," Tomlinson said. "I kind of went from, `Yes I deserve it' to `I don't know.'

"The thing is, I knew I was the favorite during the offseason. I was fourth last year and all (three) seniors graduated. So I knew I was the favorite and I didn't think I did anything to chage it, but you never know."

Henderson, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound junior, was selected over Texas' Leonard Davis and Nebraska's Dominic Raiola.

Henderson said he would stay for his senior year at Tennessee, ending speculation that he would leave early for the NFL.

"I felt it was the right time to come out with it and get it off my chest," Henderson said. "I wanted to get it over with and get ready for the bowl game.

"I'm going to go out next year and work to get better. I know I can get better in a lot of areas, and hopefully help this team go out and win a championship."

The 28-year-old Weinke threw for 4,167 yards tops in the nation and had 33 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Brees and Heupel were the other O'Brien Award finalists.

"I don't think I could have written it any better for my senior year," Weinke said. "I came back because I love to play the game. That's the bottom line. I don't care if I was 21 or 31, I was coming back for my senior year.

"The guys that play this game really love this game and that's over looked sometimes. This has been the most enjoyable year for me. Not because of the things I've accomplished, but because I've enjoyed every day of practice, every game."

Other winners were: Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Bryant, Biletnikoff Award; Wisconsin punter Kevin Stemke, Ray Guy Award; Wisconsin cornerback Jamar Fletcher, Jim Thorpe Award; Miami linebacker Dan Morgan, Bednarik Award.

In a previously announced award, Cincinnati's Jonathan Ruffin won the Groza Award as the nation's top kicker.