Wisconsin Sports Network and WisSports.net are happy to announce Saint Mary's Springs' Ike Floyd as the 2013 recipient of the Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award as the most outstanding senior running back in Wisconsin, part of the WSN Senior Football Awards.
Floyd isn't the biggest back in the state, but runs extremely hard and has the strength, balance, and speed to do damage from anywhere on the field. Limited in carries as Springs dominated most games this year, he racked up 2238 yards and 37 touchdowns on just 192 attempts in 12 games, averaging 11.7 yards per carry.
The Ledgers were state champs in 2011 and 2012, with Floyd playing key roles each season. They went undefeated in the regular season once again, but saw their campaign end in the state semi-finals.
For his career he has more than 3900 rushing yards with 71 touchdowns. He was a WFCA First Team All-State selection this season.
"Ike is just a great kid and leader of our team," said veteran head coach Bob Hyland.
Finalists for the award were Floyd, Elijah Fort of Waukesha West, Drew Patterson of Sussex Hamilton, Colten Seibel of Bloomer, and Hudson Walton of Cedarburg.
Past winners of the award include Appleton North's Steve Lichtfuss (2009), Kenosha Bradford's Melvin Gordon (2010), Waunakee's Leo Musso (2011), and Big Foot's Mason Dixon (2012).
The award is named after "Crazylegs" Hirsch, a legendary athlete from Wausau High School who later starred at both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. Hirsch spent 12 seasons in professional football, including nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams who moved him to end. His 1951 season is one of the greatest receiving years in NFL history. He caught 66 passes for a record 1495 yards and 17 touchdowns. The yardage mark wasn’t broken for 19 years while his 17 touchdowns tied the record and wasn’t broken until 1984. He later served as the Wisconsin athletic director from 1969 to 1987, overseeing a revival of UW athletics. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Hirsch passed away in 2004.
The voting panel for the WSN Senior Football Awards consisted of: Travis Wilson, WSN Content Manager and Head Football Writer; Nicholas Kartos, WSN President and Founder; Norbert Durst, WSN Content Producer; Dennis Semrau, Wisconsin State Journal; Justin Hull, WSCO The Score 95.3 in Appleton; JR Radcliffe, NOW Newspapers; Dan Barwick, WSN Contributor
