Football: Perez, Fowler receive Air Force's top honors Published Feb. 10, 2007 By Troy Garnhart U.S. Air Force Academy Sports Information Director U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNEWS) -- Senior Gilberto Perez and junior Drew Fowler took home top honors at the 25th Annual Air Force Football Awards Banquet Feb. 9 at the Broadmoor Hotel. Perez received the Brian Bullard Memorial Award while Fowler captured the overall most valuable player. Other players receiving awards included junior safety Hunter Altman as most valuable special teams player and junior halfback Chad Hall as most valuable back. Fowler also received recognition as the most valuable lineman. The Bullard Award, established in 1984, is based on the criteria that typifies the late Brian Bullard - unselfishness, 110 percent effort, total team commitment and pride in his role on the team whether he's a starter or not. Bullard was a 1982 graduate of Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs. He attended the Academy the following year and played on the football team for two years. During Thanksgiving vacation in 1983, Bullard and his girlfriend, fellow cadet Dianne Williams, died from carbon monoxide poisoning while returning from a trip to Kansas in a snow storm. Perez was a preseason first-team all-conference selection, but had his season significantly slowed by an injury. He returned to the lineup ahead of schedule to help the team, and his leadership on and off the field contributed to winning the award. He finished the season with 20 total tackles and two pass breakups. Perez also led a group of Falcons that volunteered in the community in the Big Brother program in Colorado Springs. Fowler led the conference and ranked 11th nationally in total tackles with a 10.2 average becoming the first Falcon since Chris Gizzi in 1997 to lead the league in tackles. The Clayton, N.C., product recorded 123 tackles, which is the most by a Falcon since Gizzi posted 179 in 1997. He led the team in tackles in 10 of 12 games in 2006 and notched a career-high 18 tackles in the loss to Navy. Fowler earned first-team all-conference honors and was named the Colorado defensive player of the year by the National Football Foundation's Colorado chapter for his efforts. He is the first Falcon to earn first-team all-conference honors since 2003. Altman played on every special team and was the unit's top tackler. He finished the season with 14 tackles overall and recorded his first-career blocked kick, swatting a punt against UNLV. Guest speaker Scott Thomas, a 1986 graduate and consensus All-American in 1985, highlighted the event. Thomas is also a Gulf War when he served as an active duty Air Force pilot. Thomas is widely considered one of the top players in Air Force history and is one of just five consensus All-Americans in school history. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)Click here to view the comments/letters page