MAC Announces Football Post Season Awards

 

 

^{CLEVELAND -- A total of 45 repeat selections from last year’s All-MAC team and the first defensive player in history to be honored with back-to-back Vern Smith Leadership Award honors highlights this year’s post season awards in the Mid-American Conference.}

 

^{Northern Illinois University defensive end Larry English, a senior from Aurora, Ill., was tabbed as the winner of the 27th annual Vern Smith Leadership Award, the fourth time a Huskie has been honored. English, also the 2007 honoree, joins NIU quarterback Tim Tyrrell (1983) and running back Garrett Wolfe (2006) in the select company. He is the fourth overall to capture back-to-back honors with the other three all quarterbacks - Bowling Green’s Brian McClure in 1984 and 1985, BG’s Erik White in 1991 and 1992, and Marshall’s Byron Leftwich in 2001 and 2002. The MAC’s highest football honor is voted on by league head coaches.}

 

^{English, who was also honored as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, anchored a Huskies squad that led the MAC in total defense, allowing 303.7 yards per game, which is 40 yards better than the No.2 rated defensive team. English tied for second in the MAC with 13.5 tackles for a loss and third in sacks with 8.0. The Huskies won four more games this year than in 2007, finishing with  a bowl-eligible 6-6 record. Four of the Huskies six losses were by four points or fewer.}

 

^{In other awards voted by the MAC News Media Association, Ball State was recognized with Coach of the Year in Brady Hoke, Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Nate Davis, and Freshman of the Year in defensive back Sean Baker. The Special Teams Player of the Year Award went to Antonio Brown of Central Michigan.} 

 

^{Hoke, in his sixth seaon as head coach at his alma mater, directed the Cardinals to the best season in school history. Ball State went 12-0 and won the MAC West Division to advance to the Marathon MAC Football Championship game Friday, Dec. 5 versus East Division opponent Buffalo. The Cardinals’ 12-0 regular season is the league’s best since Marshall went 11-0 in 1999. The Cardinals captured their first win ever over a Big Ten foe when they won at Indiana, and they also beat bowl-bound Navy.}

 

^{Davis, a junior from Bellaire, Ohio, led the MAC in passing efficiency for the third consecutive season. He completed a league-high 66.7 percent (218-of-324) of his attempts for 3,095 yards, 25 touchdowns with six interceptions. He guided the Cardinals to a MAC leading 37.7 points per game. Davis also rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns. He is the younger brother of Jose Davis, who while at Kent State set the MAC single-game record for passing yards with 551 in 1997 versus UCF.}

 

^{Baker, a graduate of Canfield High School in Canfield, Ohio, stepped onto the scene by tying for the league-lead in interceptions with six, including three in one game (vs. Akron). He was a key part of the Cardinals defense the led the MAC in scoring defense, allowing 16.7 points per game. Baker had a fumble returned for a touchdown at Akron and the next week ran back an interception for a score at Indiana. He had 90 total tackles, 42 solos, and 10 pass break ups for a MAC-leading 16 passes defended.}

 

^{Brown, a sophomore from Miami, Fla., followed up his 2007 MAC Freshman of the Year honor by leading the nation in punt returns at 20.67 yards per return and contributing 21.1 yards per return on 34 kickoffs. For good measure, he finished among the MAC’s top receivers with 82 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns. Brown was a first-team selection at both the kickoff return and punt return position this year.}

 

^{Among the most interesting all-conference selections was Akron strong safety Bryan Williams. A third team selection as a defensive back this year, Williams was a third-team honoree as a running back in 2007. In addition, second-year MAC member Temple had its first-ever, first-team selection in defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.}

 

^{Ball State and Central Michigan each had seven first-team selections. Overall, Ball State set the pace with 13 honorees, followed by Western Michigan with 12 and Central Michigan with 10.}

 

^{Those who made their second consecutive first-team selection were OL Robert Brewster (Ball State), TE Darius Hill (Ball State), WR Jamarko Simmons (Western Michigan), OLB Clayton Mullins (Miami), DE Larry English (Northern Illinois), DT Diyral Briggs (Bowling Green), DB Davonte Shannon (Buffalo), DB Barry Church (Toledo), and kickoff return specialist Antonio Brown (Central Michigan).}

 

^{The complete All-MAC team is as follows.}

 

Individual Award Winners

Vern Smith Leadership Award – Larry English, Northern Illinois

Coach of the Year – Brady Hoke, Ball State

Offensive Player of the Year – Nate Davis, Ball State

Defensive Player of the Year – Larry English, Northern Illinois

Special Teams Player of the Year – Antonio Brown, Central Michigan

Freshman of the Year – Sean Baker, Ball State

 

First Team Offense

Center - Dan Gerberry, Ball State

Lineman - Robert Brewster, Ball State

Lineman – Andrew Hartline, Central Michigan

Lineman – Chris Kemme, Akron

Lineman - Andre Ramsey, Ball State

Tight End - Darius Hill, Ball State

Quarterback - Nate Davis, Ball State

Wide Receiver - Jamarko Simmons, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver - Naaman Roosevelt, Buffalo

Wide Receiver - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan

Wide Receiver - Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan

Running Back - MiQuale Lewis, Ball State

Running Back - James Starks, Buffalo

Placekicker – Nate Parseghian, Miami

 

Second Team Offense

Center - Alex Derenthal, Temple

Lineman – Augustus Parrish, Kent State

Lineman – Jeff Niedermier, Buffalo

Lineman – Josh Leuck, Ohio

Lineman - T. J. Lang, Eastern Michigan

Tight End - Branden Ledbetter, Western Michigan

Quarterback - Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan

Wide Receiver - Nick Moore, Toledo

Wide Receiver - Dante Love, Ball State

Wide Receiver - Stephen Williams, Toledo

Wide Receiver - Jacory Stone, Eastern Michigan

Running Back - Dennis Kennedy, Akron

Running Back - Eugene Jarvis, Kent State

Placekicker – Mike Salerno, Northern Illinois

 

Third Team Offense

Center - Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois

Lineman – Jon Brost, Northern Illinois

Lineman – Phillip Sawnson, Western Michigan

Lineman – Jason Onyebuagu, Northern Illinois

Lineman - Greg Wojt, Central Michigan

Tight End - Andrew Mooney, Ohio

Quarterback - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver - Andre Jones, Akron

Wide Receiver - Deryn Bowser, Akron

Wide Receiver - Bruce Francis, Temple

Wide Receiver - Juan Nunez, Western Michigan

Running Back - Brandon West, Western Michigan

Running Back - DaJuane Collins, Toledo

Placekicker - Andrew Aguila, Central Michigan

 

Defense

First Team

Outside Linebacker - Clayton Mullins, Miami

Outside Linebacker - Austin Pritchard, Western Michigan

Inside Linebacker - Nick Bellore, Central Michigan

Inside Linebacker - Joe Hudson, Miami

Down Lineman - Larry English, Northern Illinois

Down Lineman - Frank Zombo, Central Michigan

Down Lineman - Diyral Briggs, Bowling Green

Down Lineman - Terrance Knighton, Temple

Defensive Back - Louis Delmas, Western Michigan

Defensive Back - B.J. Hill, Ball State

Defensive Back - Davonte Shannon, Buffalo

Defensive Back - Barry Church, Toledo

Punter – Jake Richardson, Miami

 

Second Team Defense

Outside Linebacker - Derek Burrell, Kent State

Outside Linebacker - Noah Keller, Ohio

Inside Linebacker - Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Michigan

Inside Linebacker - Kevin Grant, Akron

Down Lineman - Andre Neblett, Temple

Down Lineman - Jameson Hartke, Ohio

Down Lineman - Zach Davidson, Western Michigan

Down Lineman - Brandon Crawford, Ball State

Defensive Back - E.J. Biggers, Western Michigan

Defensive Back - Londen Fryar, Western Michigan

Defensive Back - Mike Newton, Buffalo

Defensive Back - Brian Lainhart, Kent State

Punter – Chris Miller, Ball State

 

Third Team Defense

Outside Linebacker – Justin Winters, Buffalo

Outside Linebacker - Boston McCornell, Western Michigan

Inside Linebacker – Bryant Haines, Ball State

Inside Linebacker - Tim McCarthy, Northern Illinois

Down Lineman – Brandon Bice, Northern Illinois

Down Lineman - Joe Coniglio, Miami

Down Lineman - Almondo Sewell, Akron

Down Lineman - Sean Murnane, Central Michigan

Defensive Back – Steven Jackson, Ohio

Defensive Back - Trey Buice, Ball State

Defensive Back - Robbie Wilson, Miami

Defensive Back - Bryan Williams, Akron

Punter – Nick Iovinelli, Bowling Green

 

Kickoff Return Specialist

First Team - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan

Second Team - Travis Shelton, Temple

Third Team - Bryan Williams, Akron

 

Punt Return Specialist

First Team – Antonio Brown, Central Michigan

Second Team - B.J. Hill, Ball State

Third Team - Eugene Harris, Miami