CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (Yorktown, Va.) and Chanticleers’ linebacker Quinn Backus (Greenwood, S.C.) have been voted the 2013 Big South Football Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the Conference’s head coaches and media panel, it was announced today by the League office. Charleston Southern quarterback Daniel Croghan III (Charleston, S.C.) was tabbed Freshman of the Year, Coastal Carolina’s LaDarius Hawthorne (Ware Shoals, S.C.) was voted the inaugural Special Teams Player of the Year, while Charleston Southern’s Jamey Chadwell was voted Coach of the Year. In addition, the Big South’s sports information directors voted Liberty linebacker Scott Hyland (Forest, Va.) as the football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Taliaferro was a near unanimous selection as the Big South’s Offensive Player of the Year and is the first Chanticleer to win the Conference’s top offensive honor since Tyler Thigpen in 2006. Taliaferro finished the regular-season with Big South records of 25 touchdowns, 23 rushing touchdowns, five 3-touchdown games and 150 points. He scored a touchdown in 11 of 12 games and posted eight multi-TD efforts. A finalist for the Walter Payton Award, Taliaferro led the Big South with a school-record 1,487 rushing yards and 1,596 all-purpose yards. The five-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week honoree rushed for more than 100 yards a League-best eight times, including 157 at South Carolina State, 144 vs. Gardner-Webb, 174 at Eastern Kentucky, 151 at Liberty and a career-high 205 at Elon. Taliaferro enters the postseason ranked second nationally in rushing touchdowns, fifth in total rushing yards and seventh in rushing yards per game (123.9). In his five Big South appearances, Taliaferro was tops in the Conference with 636 rushing yards (127.2 per game) and 10 scores to help the Chanticleers claim their second-straight Big South championship.
Taliaferro received 14 of the 16 first-place votes cast and 30 total points to finish ahead of runner-up Christian Reyes (Charleston Southern), who received the remaining first-place votes and eight total points.
Backus is the third-ever repeat winner of the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award and first since Gardner-Webb’s Brian Johnston in 2006-07. Backus is the Big South’s leading tackler for the second-straight season with 111 stops, which includes a League-high 68 solo hits -- third-most in a single-season in Conference history. Just the second player in Big South history to lead the League in total tackles in consecutive seasons, he was the only Big South player to average more than nine stops a game (9.2) this season. In addition, he had six games with 10+ tackles and five games with at least seven solo tackles. A finalist for the Buchanan Award, Backus ranks fourth in the League in interceptions (3) and his 113 interception return yards are the most by a linebacker in the Conference record book. He also ranked among the League leaders in passes defended with nine (three INT, six PBU) and tackles-for-loss (7.0). Backus, who scored two defensive touchdowns this season, is the only player in the Big South ranked among the top 10 in tackles, TFLs and passes defended. In League games, Backus was tops with 49 total tackles, 9.8 per game and 30 solo stops. He also tied for the second-most TFL with 5.0.
Backus received eight first-place votes and 22 points, finishing ahead of Shaquille Riddick (Gardner-Webb), who received six first-place votes and 19 points. Liberty’s Jacob Hagen was third in the voting with seven points (two first-place votes).
Croghan went 5-1 as a starter for the Bucs following an injury to starting quarterback Malcolm Dixon. Croghan’s first completion of the season was a game-winning 15-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Glears in CSU’s 27-24 win at Appalachian State on Sept. 28. Twice named Big South Freshman of the Week this season, Croghan led the Buccaneers to a 31-26 win over No. 3 Coastal Carolina on Nov. 9 with 166 passing yards and a TD. He rushed for a season-high 70 yards and two touchdowns against North Greenville on Oct. 5, and tallied a career-high 275 yards of offense the next week at VMI. Croghan finished the season with 1,014 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and 225 rushing yards.
Croghan is the second quarterback to be honored as Big South Freshman of the Year, and received 12 first-place votes and 26 points, ahead of Coastal Carolina running back De’Angelo Henderson (three first-place votes and 13 points) and Presbyterian College quarterback Heys McMath (one first-place vote and nine points).
Hawthorne is the recipient of the Big South’s inaugural Special Teams Player of the Year award after blocking three field goals, forcing two fumbles, recovering one fumble and registering five tackles on special teams this season. His blocked field goal in the season opener at South Carolina State was returned for a touchdown that tied the game in the third quarter. Hawthorne recovered a fumble on kick coverage vs. Furman that led to a CCU score, and forced a fumble on kick coverage at Eastern Kentucky that led to an eventual game-tying field goal. He also recovered a fumble on punt coverage against Gardner-Webb, which CCU converted into a touchdown two plays later, and his blocked field goal in the second overtime at Liberty gave the Chants the three-point victory over the Flames. Hawthorne also blocked a field goal against Presbyterian to preserve a first half shutout.
Hawthorne received eight first-place votes and 20 points, finishing ahead of Presbyterian College’s Jeremiah McKie (five first-place votes and 15 points) and Gardner-Webb’s Jordan Day (three first-place votes and 13 points).
Chadwell directed the Buccaneers to a school-record 10 wins, which included an 8-0 start to the season. The first head coach in League history to win 10 games in his first season in the Big South, Chadwell led CSU to a League-record six road wins (all FCS victories), including wins at Appalachian State and The Citadel. A finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award for National Coach of the Year, Chadwell directed Charleston Southern to a 31-26 upset win over then-No. 3/5 Coastal Carolina on Nov. 9 -- the Chanticleers’ lowest scoring output this season against an FCS opponent. The Buccaneers received their first national ranking this season since 2006 and have been ranked the last eight weeks -- reaching as high as No. 12/13 in Week 12. CSU’s 10 wins this season are a five-game improvement over last season and two seasons removed from a winless campaign. Under Chadwell’s tutelage, the Buccaneers scored 40 touchdowns -- their most since 2006, rushed for 232.9 yards per game, are second in the nation in time of possession (33:44) and were among the national leaders in third-down defense all season. CSU started 3-0 in the Big South for the first time, and its final 3-2 League mark was its first winning Conference season since 2009 (4-2).
Chadwell received nine first-place votes and 22 points, finishing ahead of fellow Robinson Award candidate and FCS Playoff participant Joe Moglia of Coastal Carolina (four first-place votes and 15 points).
Hyland, who is Liberty’s second consecutive Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year in football, is a 3.94 student majoring in pre-med/biology. A Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District III selection and candidate for Academic All-America, Hyland helped Liberty to a share of the Big South football championship as he ranked fourth on the squad with 57 tackles. He was also second with 31 assisted stops and third with 6.5 tackles-for-loss. Hyland has been a leader on the Flames’ defense that ranks No. 7 in scoring defense (17.6) and No. 9 in total defense (313.9 yards allowed).
The Big South also announced its All-Conference first and second teams. The squads are comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and five special teams players, plus any ties. Liberty led the way with 16 total selections, just ahead of Coastal Carolina (15) and Gardner-Webb (12). The Flames and Chanticleers tied for the League-high with nine First-Team honorees.
Taliaferro and Backus each earned a spot on the All-Conference First-Team. Gardner-Webb’s Jordan Day picked up All-Big South First-Team honors at punter and Second-Team honors at placekicker, while Presbyterian College’s Jeremiah McKie was a First-Team pick at punt returner and Second-Team selection at kickoff returner. The list of 2013 All-Conference members and award winners, as well as the All-Academic Team, appears below.
2013 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Alex Ross, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
RB - Lorenzo Taliaferro, Sr., Coastal Carolina
RB - Christian Reyes, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR - Kenny Cook, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR - Matt Hazel, Sr., Coastal Carolina
WR - Darrin Peterson, Soph., Liberty
TE - Brandon Apon, R-Sr., Liberty
OL - Jamey Cheatwood, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Hunter Steward, Sr., Liberty
OL - Chad Hamilton, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Drew Herring, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Clayton Truitt, Jr., Charleston Southern
DEFENSE
DL - Shaquille Riddick, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Preston Pemasa, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Chima Uzowihe, Soph., Liberty
DL - O.J. Le’iatua Mau, Soph., Gardner-Webb
LB - Quinn Backus, Jr., Coastal Carolina
LB - Tanner Burch, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB - Nick Sigmon, R-Jr., Liberty
LB - Calvin Bryant, Jr., Charleston Southern
DB - Jacob Hagen, R-Jr., Liberty
DB - Walt Aikens, R-Sr., Liberty
DB - Kevin Fogg, R-Sr., Liberty
DB - Keon Williams, Sr., Gardner-Webb
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Alex Catron, Jr., Coastal Carolina
P - Jordan Day, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
LS - Richard Wright, R-Sr., Liberty
KR - Devin Brown, Fr., Coastal Carolina
PR - Jeremiah McKie, Jr., Presbyterian College

SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Josh Woodrum, R-Soph., Liberty
RB - Desmond Rice, Jr., Liberty
RB - Juanne Blount, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR - Tobi Antigha, Jr., Presbyterian College
WR - Sam Patterson, Soph., VMI
WR - DeMario Bennett, Sr., Coastal Carolina
TE - Mike Estes, R-Fr., Gardner-Webb
OL - Jonathan Burgess, Soph., Liberty
OL - Mitch Hanson, R-Jr., Liberty
OL - Will Lucas, Sr., VMI
OL - Greg Ray, R-Jr., Liberty
OL - Tim Fowler, R-Sr., Presbyterian College
DEFENSE
DL - Cory Freeman, R-Sr., Liberty
DL - James Smith, Jr., Charleston Southern
DL - Dylan Black, Jr., Charleston Southern
DL - Calvin Hollenhorst, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
LB - Mike McClure, Sr., Coastal Carolina
LB - Chad Geter, Soph., Gardner-Webb
LB - Weston Reber, R-Sr., VMI
LB - Scott Hyland, Sr., Liberty
DB - Elijah Lee, Sr., Charleston Southern
DB - Demaris Freeman, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
DB - Richie Sampson, Soph., Coastal Carolina
DB - Denzel Rice, Jr., Coastal Carolina
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Jordan Day, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
P - David Eberhardt, R-Sr., VMI
LS - Hudson Smith, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
KR - Jeremiah McKie, Jr., Presbyterian College
PR - Niccolo Mastromatteo, Sr., Coastal Carolina

ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Kirby Broome, Sr., TE, Charleston Southern
Niccolo Mastromatteo, Sr., WR, Coastal Carolina
Lucas Beatty, R-Jr., QB, Gardner-Webb
Scott Hyland, Sr., LB, Liberty
Stephen Doar, R-Soph., P, Presbyterian College
Ty Garvin, R-Jr., LB, VMI
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lorenzo Taliaferro, Sr., RB, Coastal Carolina
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Quinn Backus, Jr., LB, Coastal Carolina
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LaDarius Hawthorne, Sr., DB, Coastal Carolina
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Daniel Croghan III, R-Fr., QB, Charleston Southern
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jamey Chadwell, Charleston Southern
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Scott Hyland, Sr., LB, Liberty



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