For the second consecutive year, an NIU football player was named the MAC’s Most Valuable Player of the year.

Defensive end Larry English was honored with the Vern Smith Leadership Award. English is only the third Huskie to receive the honor since its 1982 debut.

The junior also joins a rarer group, as he is only the second defensive player to earn the award in conference history.

“This is definitely a great honor,” English said. “As a defensive player, it means a lot for me to get this award. I thought it was only for offensive players.”

The last time a defensive player was honored with the award was during the initial presentation to Central Michigan linebacker Ray Bentley.

During the 2007 season, English compiled 10.5 quarterback sacks, which puts him No. 11 in the nation.

The 6-foot-3, 255-pound lineman also recorded 17 tackles for a loss, an NIU best this season, and 67 tackles in 2007.

His best game came against Idaho. The Aurora native produced a school-record five sacks and a career-high 12 tackles. He also forced a fumble and recovered it for a touchdown.

The performance earned English the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Although English is not the first Huskie or the first defensive player to be honored, he is the first MAC MVP from a losing team. The award, which is voted by the league’s coaches, has never gone to a player from a losing team until now.

“I think you have to stand out that much more [on a losing team],” head coach Joe Novak said. “The people that played against him were aware that Larry was someone they had to be accountable for.”

English played in all but 22 of the 916 defensive plays this season. That performance came only seven months after the defensive end injured his knee in the Poinsettia Bowl.

“He was coming off a very serious knee injury, and as the season went on, he just played better and better,” Novak said. “It was amazing that he was able to sustain that level of play throughout every game and with all the plays he was on the field.”

The junior was taken aback by the award as he saw the list of other recipients, including former teammate Garrett Wolfe. English says he learned a lot from the former Huskie and last year’s MAC MVP.

“Even though he was a running back and I’m a defensive end, I did take a lot from him - his toughness, his persistence, his desire to win,” English said. “He was a great leader and tough football player, so if I’m looked upon in his light, it’s an honor for me.”

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