What a year for the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks. After a scary 0-4 start–due to a four-game FBS schedule–UT Martin has turned things around with wins in three out of their last four.

With the team on a bye this week, it marks time to highlight some standouts for the team. The awards covered here will include Most Valuable Player (MVP), Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) and Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY).

*All stats are provided by ESPN via Skyhawks, ESPN via Runnin’ Bulldogs and UTM Football.*

MVP: Jase Bauer, redshirt senior quarterback

When former Skyhawk quarterback, Kinkead Dent–the 2023 and 2024 starting quarterback–declared for the draft, a hole was left at quarterback for UT Martin. Skyhawk head coach Jason Simpson looked to the Sam Houston Bearcats where he found redshirt senior Jase Bauer.

Bauer has been the engine of the offense in each of UT Martin’s three wins–named Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Offensive Player of the Week in two of them. This comes from his dual-threat playstyle. 

In his last four games, Bauer has scored at least one rushing touchdown. He has also recorded 20 rushing yards or more in each of those games–including a season high of 107 rushing yards against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. 

On the passing side of things, Bauer’s most impressive trait has been his ability to keep the ball out of harm’s way and his high completion percentage. Bauer has only turned the ball over twice this season–both were interceptions in the team’s opening four-game losing streak–and has yet to do so since week four. Bauer has only recorded a sub 68 completion percentage in one game this season–the opener at 56.3%. Bauer’s most recent game provided his best completion percentage of the season and his college career–93.8% on 15 completions to 16 attempts. 

Stats: 139 completions on 193 throws–72.0% | 1,376 passing yards | six passing touchdowns | two thrown interceptions | 83 carries | 285 rushing yards | six rushing touchdowns 

OPOY: Bryce Bailey, senior wide receiver

After a few years of development–three for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders and one for UT Martin–Bailey finally got his shot to start in 2025 and he has not looked back since.

Bailey’s first touchdown of the season came in week one against the Oklahoma State Cowboys through the air on a 39-yard passing touchdown to senior running back John Gentry. Bailey’s second touchdown was not a receiving touchdown either, instead an 11-yard rushing touchdown in week two against the University of Texas at El Paso Miners. 

However, Bailey said enough was enough in week five. Bailey not only helped UT Martin get their first win of the season but also his first 100-yard receiving game–135 yards to be exact–including not one but two receiving touchdowns. The Bauer-to-Bailey connection has kept this passing offense alive. No matter the week, Bailey is getting open and has earned this award through the team’s first eight games. 

Stats: 31 receptions | 436 receiving yards | three receiving touchdowns | two carries | 27 rushing yards | one rushing touchdown | two completions on three attempts–66.7% | 54 passing yards | one passing touchdown | one thrown interception 

DPOY: Keyshawn Johnson, junior linebacker

Similar to Bauer, Johnson had huge shoes to fill in 2025 with former Skyhawk linebackers Jaylon Sharpe, Tevin Shipp and Chris Hunter all declared to the 2025 NFL Draft. Johnson was primed for a breakout season; he has done just that. 

Johnson has been a major part of the defense’s recent success. Johnson has been a drive-killer for opposing quarterbacks, with seven sacks recorded for 31 yards lost. In two of the team’s three wins, the team has allowed less than 14 points. 

In the team’s week eight matchup against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, UT Martin looked poised to struggle against the run. Gardner-Webb had rushed for an average of 180 yards a game and 11 touchdowns total on the season. Johnson and UT Martin held Gardner-Webb to just 83 yards and one touchdown. 

Stats: 33 total tackles–16 solo | seven sacks | one forced fumble