NATCHITOCHES – Two-time All-America linebacker Derek Rose, school record-setting kick returner Phillip Harvey and FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star and school record-holding kicker John Shaughnessy headlined the award winners Friday night as Northwestern State honored the 2012 Demon football team with its annual awards dinner.
 
Rose, Harvey and Shaughnessy were among six seniors voted by teammates to receive the 2012 Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership Awards as permanent team captains. Receiver Clifton Brown and quarterback Brad Henderson won offensive honors, Rose and safety Cortez Paige represented the defense and Shaughnessy and Harvey were chosen special teams captains.
 
Rose also claimed the Defensive Most Valuable Player award voted by teammates. Shaughnessy received his FCS Academic All-Star award and captured the team academic award for having the highest overall grade point average  by an upperclassman, a 3.69 that has already earned him a spot in medical school this fall.
 
Shaughnessy and senior tight end Jake Bryan were recognized for having the team's best spring semester 2012 GPA, each posting a 4.0, while freshman running back Matthew Flores matched that to win the fall semester 2012 academic award.
 
Harvey won the prestigious Lester Latino Memorial Award, sharing it with senior defensive end Wade Williams. The honor, chosen by the coaching staff, is presented to the player best reflecting qualities of leadership, unselfishness, relentless effort, sportsmanship and character as displayed by Latino, a two-time team captain as a linebacker whose career wrapped up in 1969.
 
Junior center Warren Jones captured the Offensive MVP award while true freshman tailback Daniel Taylor won the MVP Newcomer honor.
 
Sophomore tight end Chris Dever received the Kirt Straughter Memorial Award for strength and conditioning excellence after winning the annual Trident Competition, a series of tests gauging top marks in speed, strength, agility and conditioning.
 
Senior safety Jamaal White captured the Wild Demon Club Champion award for the most performance points accumulated during the season on special teams. Senior deep snapper Justin Warner won the Most Improved honor.
 
Harvey and Shaughnessy shared the Specialist of the Year award.
 
Ten players were recognized as Chris Waddell Award winners, being honored for outstanding performance and effort as a walk-on: safeties Chase Collins and Russell Owens, linebacker Paxton Cook and Tyler Roussel, receivers Trevor Goodie, Casey Toussant and Jovhan Jilbert, cornerback Fred Thomas, center Caleb Stanfield and Warner.
 
Nine received Scout Team MVP honors: quarterback Daniel Hazlewood, offensive linemen Xavier Jefferson and Thomas Little, defensive lineman Ahmad Martin, cornerback Darius Poullard, Cook, and for special teams, Forrest Graham, Ethan Legarde and Tuff McClain.
 
Fifteen were presented Sam Goodwin Link Awards for great effort, discipline, courage and toughness. They included Rico Albert, Don Canyon, Lesley Deamer, Spencer Harrell, Calvin Morton, Tucker Nims, Isaac Puapuaga, Sidney Riley, Nic Russo, Tyler Smith, Rob Walker, Brown, Dever, Henderson and Roussel.
 
Also honored were 31 Demons who won Southland Conference Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll recognition, along with 12 chosen for the All-Southland football team.