The SMU football team announced its post-season awards, including Most Valuable Players for offense and defense at its annual awards banquet Saturday night.

Joe Sturdivant, Rolando Humphrey and Justin Rogers were named co-Defensive MVPs. Quarterback Jerad Romo and wide receiver Bobby Chase were recognized as co-Offensive MVPs.

“I’m really happy and proud to have received this honor,” Sturdivant said. “I’ve come a long way since I came here. It just really shows how hard work pays off.”

Sturdivant started all 11 games at safety, leading the team with 112 tackles, including a season-best of 10 against Houston.

Don Ieremia-Stansbury won the Mike Kelsey Award, which goes to the player who displayed the attitude, hustle and desire exemplary of the late Mike Kelsey.

“I was just honored to receive such a prestigious award,” Ieremia-Stansbury said. “I wasn’t expecting to win anything only playing four games [because of an injury].”

Ieremia-Stansbury is graduating in May and said he hopes he has laid a good foundation and set a good example for his younger teammates.

Sturdivant has a positive attitude about last season and high expectations for next fall.

“We’re heading in the right direction,” Sturdivant said. “We beat good teams and won three games in a row, which is huge.”

Sturdivant feels the team should change its mentality in order to win more games in the coming season.

“Our mentality needs to be to kick butt,” he said. “It doesn’t need to be ‘I hope we win,’ but ‘how many points are we going to win by?’ No matter how good or bad the team we’re playing is, we’re going to kick their butt.”