scbc
November 20th, 2007, 07:40 PM
Big South Announces Football Award Winners, All-Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Liberty running back Rashad Jennings and Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston have been voted the 2007 Big South football Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the Conference’s head coaches, sports information directors and media panel, it was announced today by the League office. Gardner-Webb linebacker Jeffrey Williams was tabbed Freshman of the Year, while Liberty’s Danny Rocco was voted Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. In addition, the sports information directors voted Charleston Southern’s Nick Ellis as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Jennings (Forest, Va.) led Liberty to its first Big South title and helped the Flames set numerous Conference season records in 2007. He scored a League-record 104 points in nine games, as well as a Big South single-season mark with 17 touchdowns – including a record 15 rushing touchdowns. Jennings tied the Big South record with seven 100-yard rushing games, en route to 1,113 rushing yards on the year (123.7 yards per game average). He ranked first in the Big South in rushing average, was second in rushing yards, and placed second in the Conference with 1,389 all-purpose yards. Jennings caught 13 passes out of the backfield for 276 yards (21.2 average) and ranked sixth in the nation in scoring average (11.6). He was 13th in rushing and 26th in all-purpose yards per game, and scored touchdowns in his final seven games of the year, including a streak of five consecutive multi-TD efforts, which tied the Big South record. A four-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week, Jennings led the Conference with 494 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in four League games, and became just the second player in Big South history with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Jennings received 11 first-place votes and 25 points, finishing ahead of Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson (three first-place votes and 13 points). Jennings is the first running back since Coastal’s Patrick Hall in 2004 to be named Big South Offensive Player of the Year.
Johnston (San Diego, Calif.) is just the second repeat winner of the Big South Defensive Player of the Year award, as he was the 2006 honoree. Johnston is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and was the lone FCS player named to the Ted Hendricks National Defensive End of the Year Award Watch List this season. Johnston led the Big South and finished second nationally in tackles-for-loss per game (2.18), and posted a Big South single-season record of 24.0 TFL. He also recorded six sacks (second in the Conference) while making 74 tackles on the season. He had seven games with at least 2.0 TFL, including five games with three-or-more, and had 12.5 TFL in four League games. He helped Gardner-Webb lead the Big South in total defense and was rated the nation’s No. 5 senior defensive prospect by Mel Kiper in late September.
Johnston received 11 first-place votes and 27 points, ahead of runner-up Vince Redd (Liberty), who received three first-place votes and 13 points.
Williams (Frisco City, Ala.) is the second Gardner-Webb player to receive Freshman of the Year honors (Keppy Baucom, 2002). Williams finished second in the Big South with 120 tackles and was 16th nationally in tackles per game (10.9). He ranked No. 2 in the nation among all Division I freshman in tackles (FBS and FCS) and is the first GWU true freshman to record 100 tackles in a season. He registered double-digit tackles in seven games (Ohio, Mississippi State, Appalachian State, Wofford, VMI, Austin Peay and Liberty), and recorded at least a half-tackle for loss in nine outings (8.5 total). Williams started all 11 games for Gardner-Webb, posted six pass break-ups and was named Big South Freshman of the Week three times in 2007.
Williams received 11 first-place votes and 24 points, ahead of Coastal Carolina’s Eric O’Neal, who finished with three first-place votes and 14 points.
Rocco is now a back-to-back Big South Coach of the Year honoree and the second overall in League history. In his second season at the helm of the Liberty program, he led the Flames to the Big South title with a perfect 4-0 record and finished 8-3 on the season, a two-game improvement over 2006. The Flames’ offense set Big South season records in scoring offense (42.6), points (469), 30-point games (nine) and touchdowns (61), among others. Liberty scored a League-record 191 points in the four Conference games (47.8), set the Big South single-game record with 73 points vs. VMI, and posted a League-high eight return touchdowns in 2007. The Flames rank third nationally in scoring offense, eighth in passing efficiency, 15th in total offense and 18th in rushing offense. Defensively, Liberty is 10th in the country in turnover margin and 24th in rushing defense, while its special teams unit was tops in the Big South in punt returns, kickoff returns and net punting average.
Rocco was a unanimous Coach of the Year selection, receiving all 16 first-place votes and 32 points, finishing ahead of Coastal’s David Bennett (eight points) and Gardner-Webb’s Steve Patton (five points).
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. Liberty received a Big South-record 22 selections, and tied the League record with 13 First-team honorees. Gardner-Webb was second with 11 All-Conference members, followed by Coastal Carolina (10), Charleston Southern (9) and VMI (6).
Jennings and Johnston also earned a spot on the respective All-Conference First-teams, while Williams was voted to the Second-team defense.
Three players were bestowed All-Conference honors for the fourth time in their careers. Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson was named to the First-team for the second-straight year, after being selected to the Second-team in 2004 and 2005. Charleston Southern linebacker Jada Ross received his fourth All-Conference honor and third First-team selection, while Coastal defensive end Adrain Grady earned a First-team honor after placing on the Second-team in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
In addition, Gardner-Webb’s Demario Deese, Duvaughn Flagler and Daniel Cooke are now three-time All-Conference honorees, as are teammates Johnston and punter Michael Hanna. Liberty tight end Chris Luck and running back Zach Terrell also received their third career All-Conference selection as well.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Liberty running back Rashad Jennings and Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston have been voted the 2007 Big South football Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the Conference’s head coaches, sports information directors and media panel, it was announced today by the League office. Gardner-Webb linebacker Jeffrey Williams was tabbed Freshman of the Year, while Liberty’s Danny Rocco was voted Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. In addition, the sports information directors voted Charleston Southern’s Nick Ellis as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Jennings (Forest, Va.) led Liberty to its first Big South title and helped the Flames set numerous Conference season records in 2007. He scored a League-record 104 points in nine games, as well as a Big South single-season mark with 17 touchdowns – including a record 15 rushing touchdowns. Jennings tied the Big South record with seven 100-yard rushing games, en route to 1,113 rushing yards on the year (123.7 yards per game average). He ranked first in the Big South in rushing average, was second in rushing yards, and placed second in the Conference with 1,389 all-purpose yards. Jennings caught 13 passes out of the backfield for 276 yards (21.2 average) and ranked sixth in the nation in scoring average (11.6). He was 13th in rushing and 26th in all-purpose yards per game, and scored touchdowns in his final seven games of the year, including a streak of five consecutive multi-TD efforts, which tied the Big South record. A four-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week, Jennings led the Conference with 494 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in four League games, and became just the second player in Big South history with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Jennings received 11 first-place votes and 25 points, finishing ahead of Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson (three first-place votes and 13 points). Jennings is the first running back since Coastal’s Patrick Hall in 2004 to be named Big South Offensive Player of the Year.
Johnston (San Diego, Calif.) is just the second repeat winner of the Big South Defensive Player of the Year award, as he was the 2006 honoree. Johnston is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and was the lone FCS player named to the Ted Hendricks National Defensive End of the Year Award Watch List this season. Johnston led the Big South and finished second nationally in tackles-for-loss per game (2.18), and posted a Big South single-season record of 24.0 TFL. He also recorded six sacks (second in the Conference) while making 74 tackles on the season. He had seven games with at least 2.0 TFL, including five games with three-or-more, and had 12.5 TFL in four League games. He helped Gardner-Webb lead the Big South in total defense and was rated the nation’s No. 5 senior defensive prospect by Mel Kiper in late September.
Johnston received 11 first-place votes and 27 points, ahead of runner-up Vince Redd (Liberty), who received three first-place votes and 13 points.
Williams (Frisco City, Ala.) is the second Gardner-Webb player to receive Freshman of the Year honors (Keppy Baucom, 2002). Williams finished second in the Big South with 120 tackles and was 16th nationally in tackles per game (10.9). He ranked No. 2 in the nation among all Division I freshman in tackles (FBS and FCS) and is the first GWU true freshman to record 100 tackles in a season. He registered double-digit tackles in seven games (Ohio, Mississippi State, Appalachian State, Wofford, VMI, Austin Peay and Liberty), and recorded at least a half-tackle for loss in nine outings (8.5 total). Williams started all 11 games for Gardner-Webb, posted six pass break-ups and was named Big South Freshman of the Week three times in 2007.
Williams received 11 first-place votes and 24 points, ahead of Coastal Carolina’s Eric O’Neal, who finished with three first-place votes and 14 points.
Rocco is now a back-to-back Big South Coach of the Year honoree and the second overall in League history. In his second season at the helm of the Liberty program, he led the Flames to the Big South title with a perfect 4-0 record and finished 8-3 on the season, a two-game improvement over 2006. The Flames’ offense set Big South season records in scoring offense (42.6), points (469), 30-point games (nine) and touchdowns (61), among others. Liberty scored a League-record 191 points in the four Conference games (47.8), set the Big South single-game record with 73 points vs. VMI, and posted a League-high eight return touchdowns in 2007. The Flames rank third nationally in scoring offense, eighth in passing efficiency, 15th in total offense and 18th in rushing offense. Defensively, Liberty is 10th in the country in turnover margin and 24th in rushing defense, while its special teams unit was tops in the Big South in punt returns, kickoff returns and net punting average.
Rocco was a unanimous Coach of the Year selection, receiving all 16 first-place votes and 32 points, finishing ahead of Coastal’s David Bennett (eight points) and Gardner-Webb’s Steve Patton (five points).
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. Liberty received a Big South-record 22 selections, and tied the League record with 13 First-team honorees. Gardner-Webb was second with 11 All-Conference members, followed by Coastal Carolina (10), Charleston Southern (9) and VMI (6).
Jennings and Johnston also earned a spot on the respective All-Conference First-teams, while Williams was voted to the Second-team defense.
Three players were bestowed All-Conference honors for the fourth time in their careers. Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson was named to the First-team for the second-straight year, after being selected to the Second-team in 2004 and 2005. Charleston Southern linebacker Jada Ross received his fourth All-Conference honor and third First-team selection, while Coastal defensive end Adrain Grady earned a First-team honor after placing on the Second-team in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
In addition, Gardner-Webb’s Demario Deese, Duvaughn Flagler and Daniel Cooke are now three-time All-Conference honorees, as are teammates Johnston and punter Michael Hanna. Liberty tight end Chris Luck and running back Zach Terrell also received their third career All-Conference selection as well.