By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations
MOREHEAD, Ky. — One of the traditions with head football coach Rob Tenyer in his time leading the Morehead State program is to honor the past. Each season Morehead State’s weekly player awards are named for past standouts.
This season, the Eagles have selected another excellent alumni group to honor. The awards are: Offensive MVP (Dave Schaetzke), Defensive MVP (Jerry Spaeth), Game Breaker (Frank Jones), Special Forces MVP (Don Rardin), Big Stick/Big Sack (Gary Virden) and Big Block (Joe Wagner).
Bios of all are below.
Dave Schaetzke, QB, Toledo, Ohio, 1970-73
Schaetzke was an All-Ohio Valley Conference pick in 1972 and finished second in the OVC Offensive Player of the Year voting. He finished his career with 4,036 passing yards, which still ranks 10th on Morehead State’s career list. Schaetzke passed for 31 career touchdowns and also recorded 1,548 career rushing yards in the Eagles’ option offense with 16 rushing scores. During his career, the Eagles won 22 games and had three winning records.
Jerry Spaeth, LB, Mason, Ohio, 1973-76
Spaeth was one of the fiercest linebackers in Morehead State history, notching 382 career tackles. He still ranks second in career tackles in program history. Spaeth led the OVC with 115 tackles and five fumble recoveries in 1975 and was named First-Team All-OVC in 1976.
Frank Jones, RB, Owingsville, Ky., 1971-74
After more than 40 seasons have passed, Jones still ranks third in career rushing yards at MSU with 2,477. In 1974 he put together one of the top seasons in MSU history, being named First-Team All-OVC and rushing for 1,066 yards and scoring nine touchdowns while averaging 96.9 yards per game. His 264 attempts that year is the second highest single-season mark in program history. He was named Second-Team All-OVC in 1973 when he recorded 922 yards with six touchdowns.
Don Rardin, P/K, Lexington, Ky., 1973-76
Rardin is one of only a very few Morehead State punters to average more than 40 yards per punt on average for their entire career. Rardin averaged 42.8 yards his senior year in 1976 and averaged 42.1 as a junior. In 1975 he broke six MSU kicking records, and he still owns the record for the longest punt. Rardin boomed an 87-yard punt against Western Kentucky in 1975.
Gary Virden, LB/C, Parkersburg, W.Va., 1963-66
Virden was a tough, two-way player for the Eagles who played center on offense and linebacker on defense. He helped the Eagles win the 1966 Ohio Valley Conference championship when he was named First-Team All-OVC. Virden also saw action as the Eagles’ long snapper.
Joe Wagner, OL, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1983-86
Wagner was a mainstay on the offensive line in the mid 80s, starting all 33 games his final three seasons. He blocked for a quarterback who set then-MSU records for passing attempts and completions in 1986, and the offense averaged 354 yards per game in 1986, his senior year. Wagner helped MSU improve from just one win in 1985 to a 7-4 record in 1986.