1 2 Welcome to the 2015 FCS Awards Banquet! TABLE OF CONTENTS This season has been a particularly special one for STATS. Back in June, senior writer Craig Haley and I attended the Page annual CoSIDA convention in Orlando and told a group representing Welcome Letter – Frisco Mayor Maher Maso 4 the FCS that STATS was considering shining a national light on Welcome Letter – Texas Governor Greg Abbott 5 the subdivision. The reaction was overwhelming. From that point FCS Awards Finalists 7 on we kicked the project into high gear, soon after announcing a Marshaun Coprich – Offensive Finalist 8 preseason All-America team, organizing the weekly media poll and Kade Harrington – Offensive Finalist 10 creating a dedicated website to house all of our original content just in time for the regular season. Four months of one-of-a-kind – Offensive Finalist 12 coverage and 1.5 million page views later, we find ourselves in James Cowser – Defensive Finalist 14 Frisco, surrounded by the game's best and brightest the night before Tyrone Holmes – Defensive Finalist 16 the end of an incredible journey. Football is a game of passion and Patrick Onwuasor – Defensive Finalist 18 commitment, and STATS has brought those same qualities to the Dalton Screws – Robinson Scholar-Athlete Recipient 20 table in undertaking this unprecedented initiative. Of course, many Case Cookus – Freshman Recipient 22 of you have directly helped make that job a lot easier. Conferences, teams, coaches and players have uniformly opened their arms to us – Coach Recipient 24 with accessibility and communication, allowing us to better relay 2015 FCS Season in Review 26 your stories to a rabid fan base around the country. So let tonight 2015 FCS Playoff Bracket 27 be not only a celebration of the stars that make the FCS great, but Past NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game Results 28 a thank you to all those who have helped us cover them and the STATS FCS All-America Teams 29 countless other student-athletes who would no doubt make Doris Awards Presenters 31 and Eddie Robinson proud. Master of Ceremonies – 32 Sincerely, FCS Awards Voters 32

Brian Orefice Director, News & Editorial Operations

2015 FCS AWARDS BANQUET FCS SUPPORTERS Page Banquet Coordinators: Brian Orefice, Philip Sokol and Craig Haley Southwestern Athletic Conference Front Inside Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Reitzes Colonial Athletic Association 2 Awards Program Writers: Craig Haley, Philip Sokol, Jeff Bartl, Big South Conference 6 Matt Becker, Tom Castro and Jeff Mezydlo Illinois State University 9 Video Coordinator: Caleb Thomas Lamar University 11 STATS FCS Website: Eastern Washington University 13 www.fcs.football 13 Southern Utah University 15 For future FCS business and advertising inquiries, please Southland Conference 17 contact Brian Orefice at [email protected]. 19 STATS LLC Global Headquarters Patriot League 21 2775 Shermer Road Pioneer Football League 21 Northbrook, IL 60062 Northern Arizona University 23 1-847-583-2100 Portland State University 25 Ohio Valley Conference 27 www.stats.com Northeast Conference 30 Missouri Valley Football Conference 30 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Back Inside STATS Back Cover 3 4 5 6 2015 FCS AWARDS FINALISTS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS Kendell Anderson RB William & Mary Kourtney Berry LB Alabama State Tarik Cohen RB North Carolina A&T Don Cherry LB Villanova Case Cookus QB Northern Arizona James Cowser DE Southern Utah Marshaun Coprich RB Illinois State Keionta Davis DE Chattanooga Tyler Dube WR Sacred Heart Dee Delaney CB The Citadel RB Fordham Tyler Drake LB Penn Austin Gahafer QB Morehead State Deiondre’ Hall CB Northern Iowa Jacobi Green RB Richmond P.J. Hall DE Sam Houston State LT North Dakota State Javon Hargrave DT South Carolina State Kade Harrington RB Lamar Stephen Hodge LB Fordham Johnta’ Hebert RB Prairie View A&M Tyrone Holmes DE Montana De’Angelo Henderson RB Coastal Carolina Jermaine Hough CB Jacksonville State Scott Hosch QB Harvard DeAndre Houston-Carson FS William & Mary Jacob Huesman QB Chattanooga John Hugunin LB Drake KD Humphries QB Murray State LB Norfolk State Mark Iannotti QB Southern Illinois LB Duquesne Eli Jenkins QB Jacksonville State O.J. Mau NT Gardner-Webb Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington Harlan Miller CB Southeastern Louisiana Troy Mitchell QB Western Carolina Victor Ochi DE Stony Brook Dakota Prukop QB Montana State Patrick Onwuasor S Portland State Alex Ross QB Coastal Carolina Derek Rivers DE Youngstown State Daniel Sams QB McNeese State Darnell Sankey LB Sacramento State Jake Wieneke WR South Dakota State Noah Spence DE Eastern Kentucky Dalyn Williams QB Dartmouth Myke Tavarres LB Incarnate Word Johnathan Williams QB Grambling State Chima Uzowihe DE Liberty

FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS Ian Berryman P Western Carolina Bruce Barnum Portland State (Big Sky) Dominick Bragalone RB Lehigh Jamey Chadwell Charleston Southern (Big South) Solomon Brown LB Charleston Southern Rick Chamberlin Dayton (Pioneer) Kyle Buss WR Robert Morris Broderick Fobbs Grambling State (SWAC) Jabari Butler CB Abilene Christian John Grass Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley) Taryn Christion QB South Dakota State Mike Houston The Citadel (Southern) Case Cookus QB Northern Arizona Dan Hunt Colgate (Patriot) Julian Cox LB Albany Ed Lamb Southern Utah (Big Sky) Marquis Green S Mississippi Valley State Jerry Mack North Carolina Central (MEAC) Derrick Griffin WR Texas Southern Ray Priore Penn (Ivy) Thomas Jefferson RB Delaware Danny Rocco Richmond (CAA) Alex Jeske QB Dayton Jerry Schmidt Duquense (Northeast) Zak Kennedy PK Youngstown State John Stiegelmeier South Dakota State (Missouri Valley) Anthony Lawrence QB San Diego Matt Viator McNeese State (Southland) Dorrel McClain RB North Carolina Central Chris Villarrial Saint Francis (Northeast) John Santiago RB North Dakota Justice Shelton-Mosley WR/RS Harvard Andrew Van Ginkel DE South Dakota Dylan Weigel LB East Tennessee State Micah Wright WR Maine

DORIS & EDDIE ROBINSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FINALISTS Christopher Beaschler LB Dayton Jake Prus OT Villanova Derek Crittenden DE Montana Alex Ross QB Coastal Carolina Matt DelMauro RB Bucknell John Russ QB Mercer Nick Faraci C Robert Morris Dalton Screws WR Jacksonville State Padyn Giebler LB Incarnate Word Matt Shiltz QB Butler Mark Iannotti QB Southern Illinois Cole Toner OT Harvard Carl Jones C North Carolina Central QB North Dakota State Javancy Jones DE Jackson State 7 • OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • Before a game, running back Marshaun Coprich will walk around and shake hands with every other starter on the Illinois State football team. He believes it shows leadership, plus it gives him an opportunity to share some motivating words.

“I’m showing them that I’m watching ‘em and I’m here for them every play,” he said. “I’ve got their back.”

In actuality, it’s those same Redbirds who have been known to climb on Coprich’s back. One year ago, he was the nation’s leading rusher and scorer while helping them reach the FCS championship game.

This season, he remained at that same elite level in becoming a finalist for STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year. During the regular season, Coprich ranked second nationally in rushing yards (1,720) and rushing yards per game (156.4), and tied for third in (20) and points per game (11.1) all while competing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference – considered the strongest in the FCS. The Redbirds earned a share of the league title for the second straight year.

Appropriately, Coprich earned the nickname of “Young Bull” from former Illinois State safety Tevin Allen for his hard-charging running style. A machine, the 5-foot-9, 205-pounder often explodes between the tackles and to the edge of a defense – a true bull on the loose. The FCS’ active career rushing leader, he surpassed 5,000 yards during the playoffs.

“I go into each game with what I’m taught from my (running backs) coach Lamar Conard, just being fundamentally sound,” Coprich said. “Your fundamentals will place you in the right spot and then your talent will just take over. And that’s what I’ve been doing, week in and week out.”

– Craig Haley

8 9 • OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • There’s a port near Lamar University where Kade Harrington and a teammate like to disappear for a little saltwater fishing. “I like the fact that you can just kind of get away. It’s relaxing,” said Harrington, whose biggest catch was a 35-pound drum fish last summer.

During the 2015 season, the FCS All-America running back represented the fish that kept getting away. And chasing him around was anything but relaxing for those trying to catch him.

Harrington averaged 7.9 yards per carry while leading the FCS in rushing yards (2,092), rushing yards per game (190.2) and rushing touchdowns (21) during the regular season. The finalist for STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year also was No. 1 in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (213.4) and points per game (12.5). He surpassed 2,000 rushing yards in his first 10 contests, marking just the seventh time that has happened in Division I history.

So was Harrington the biggest fish that got away? Not really. He stands about 5-feet-8, 190 pounds. But don’t be fooled.

“I’m a lot more physical of a runner than people would think just when they would look at me,” he said. “I would say I’m a one-cut kind of person. I tend not to dance as much as other running backs do, I just kind of hit the hole and go. A lot of that is credit to an incredible offensive line because I’ve had some pretty nice holes all season long.”

Lamar was the only school which offered its first-ever Southland Conference Player of the Year a scholarship when he was in high school. Harrington adds that while it’s his name on the stats, he considers personal success a team effort.

– Craig Haley

10 11 • OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • The idea that one of the greatest wide receivers in FCS history would be riding the bench must sound impossible to every cornerback who has tried to defend Cooper Kupp.

But it’s true, the first-team All-American in all three of his seasons at Eastern Washington considers his time on an eighth-grade travel basketball team as the turning point of his athletic career. Everyone else on the team seemed to be getting bigger and stronger in addition to gaining more playing time while Kupp was stuck at 5-foot-3 and in a reserve role.

Having come from a football-playing family – his father Craig and grandfather Jake played in the NFL – Kupp committed himself to trying to outwork anybody and everybody else. And by the time he was a high school junior, his body had met up with his talent level and determination.

Even to this day in Cheney, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is trying “to earn my spot over again. I keep striving to be perfect, it keeps you pushing and pushing and pushing.”

That attitude has paid off with a career in which Kupp has set 17 school records, eight Big Sky records and seven FCS records. During the 2015 regular season, the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year finalist led the nation in receptions (114, a Big Sky record), receptions per game (10.4, another Big Sky mark), receiving yards (1,642), receiving yards per game (149.3) and touchdown catches (19). He also scored on a return and passed for two touchdowns on trick plays.

“The challenge to be great day in and day out, the coaches and players here, they do that,” said Kupp, who was named the FCS freshman of the year in 2013.

“There’s no entitlement.”

– Craig Haley

12 13 • DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • On the day James Cowser set the FCS record for tackles for loss in a career, he accomplished something he had never done in his four years at Southern Utah – scoring a touchdown. The 55- yard return was another memorable play in a career full of highlights, but, make no mistake, he has no interest in switching to the other side of the ball anytime soon. “I thought I was going to get a bigger rush, I thought it was going to be wild, but it was just really cool,” he said. “I think I enjoy getting a sack more than a touchdown.” Lucky thing, considering Cowser finished his career with an FCS-record 43.5 sacks while his 80 tackles for loss shattered the old mark of 72.5. Eleven of those sacks and 17 tackles for loss were recorded in the 2015 regular season as Cowser earned Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year honors, helping Southern Utah go from 3-9 in 2014 to conference champion. He also had a monster performance in the team’s lone playoff game, forcing two and recording two sacks in a 42-39 setback to Sam Houston State. Cowser’s collegiate career isn’t quite over as he has been invited to the East-West Shrine Game. Graduating with a 3.99 GPA and a degree in psychology, Cowser is working toward a master’s in communication. “When I made the decision that my life is going to be football and school,” he said, “I wanted to try to excel at both.” Cowser’s life didn’t have football for four years. After high school, he redshirted a season before heading to Hong Kong for part of his LDS Church mission. The next four years were spent terrorizing offenses. “When I got back on the field it was crazy,” he said. “I forgot how exciting football is.” - Matt Becker

14 15 • DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • The FCS sack leader and defensive star of Montana’s first- round playoff win over South Dakota State sat unassumingly at the podium during a news conference Dec. 1 after another dominating performance, answering questions thoughtfully, graciously and in a measured tone, at times looking uncomfortable with having the spotlight on him. The contrast between that and Tyrone Holmes’ ferocity on the field this season was almost stunning. The “Mr. Hyde” portion of that duality has resulted in Holmes being a finalist for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year award after turning in a spectacular campaign that earned the senior some much-deserved recognition. When all was said and done, Holmes ended up with 18 sacks – 14 in the regular season – which were the most in FCS or FBS going into bowl season and one shy of tying Andy Petek’s school record. He also had 21.5 tackles for loss as the defensive anchor of a Grizzlies team that reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to North Dakota State. So it was hard to reconcile his fearsome performances with the soft-spoken, modest response Holmes gave about being nominated for the award during the media session that preceded the matchup with the Bison. “It’s a huge honor and I think awards like this are really a team thing,” he said. “There’s no way I could do it by myself, it’s a whole D-line thing, it’s coaches, the secondary giving enough time, so I think it’s just a testament to how well our defense has done this year and I think that’s really important.” Holmes’ 34 1/2 career sacks were the second-most in Grizzlies history – right behind the 37 1/2 of Zack Wagenmann, who Holmes started opposite from the previous two years and who at times overshadowed his teammate. Those days have most definitely come to an end. - Tom Castro

16 17 • DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST • Transferring to Portland State helped Patrick Onwuasor become a very good football player. It also turned him into a greater individual.

“It’s a blessing,” the senior safety said. “I hit a bit of a bumpy road before I came here. I’ve learned a lot about life, and have been able to do things outside of football to become a better person.”

The Los Angeles-area native began his career at the University of Arizona, but ran into trouble off the field prior to the 2013 season and was dismissed from the team. He then headed to the Great Northwest determined to get it all right.

In his second season in Portland, Onwuasor blossomed into one of the nation’s best defenders. His nine tied for the most in the FCS and his 85 tackles were second on the team. He equaled a school record with three picks in a 35-16 win over Montana on Halloween.

“He’s worked hard his whole career to get to this point,” Vikings safeties coach John Ely said.

Onwuasor was a major reason Portland State went from 3-9 last year to 9-2 during a 2015 regular season that included victories over FBS opponents Washington State and North Texas and a berth in the FCS playoffs.

“We came a long way with this program,” said Onwuasor, who prefers to be called by his nickname, “Peanut,” than his given first name.

“Peanut” has come an even longer way off the field. He worked last summer as a counselor at a camp for people with disabilities, coming full circle as someone who himself overcame a learning disability to succeed in the classroom. Today, he’s one semester away from earning his degree. - Jeff Mezydlo

18 19 • DORIS AND EDDIE ROBINSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE • Dalton Screws is a lot of things and the numbers don’t lie. But what this young man is can only be described as, an outstanding human being. The academic accolades have been growing since high school, but it’s his work outside of the educational arena that has produced the most rewarding work for Jacksonville State’s starting wide receiver, the Doris & Eddie Robinson Scholar- Athlete Award recipient. The past six summers have been spent on mission trips with e3 Partners, an organization which his father is the country coordinator. Screws has traveled to Caracas, Venezuela, and, more recently, Ukara Island and Magumu in the African nation of Tanzania. The idea is community transformation, where he’s taught the natives how to improve their quality of life while also exploring fresh water options and helping provide AIDS testing and eye exams, all while sharing his faith.

“Me personally, I have a heart for children and youth,” Screws said, “so when I go, I work a lot of time in the schools there, interact with them in the school system, sit down and teach them, play with them in an effort to try and reach the people of Tanzania at a young age and anything we can do to improve their quality of life.” A member of Jacksonville State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the redshirt junior has helped coordinate fundraising efforts for the Hoops For Heroes program. In the Jacksonville community, he also has helped with Project 58, which has helped pack more than 100,000 meals for those in need. “I wish I had a secret formula, but I just look at academics with the same approach as I look at athletics,” he said. “I push myself on the field to get better every day and I do that same thing in the classroom.” “The demands of being a student-athlete in and of itself are difficult,” said Beth DeBauche, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, “but to be a starter on a highly competitive football team and to be able to excel in the classroom makes us immensely proud because of the well-rounded student that Dalton is.” – Phil Sokol

20 21 • FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR • Case Cookus easily could have sulked when he didn’t get much attention coming out of high school, or when the film he sent to colleges didn’t illicit responses. It took a twist of fate – and a bit of good luck he hadn’t experienced to that point – for Cookus to end up at Northern Arizona. Both sides couldn’t be happier the way things turned out. Cookus led the FCS with 37 touchdown passes during the regular season, finished second with a 184.9 rating and third with a 68.9 completion percentage on his way to being voted the STATS FCS Freshman of the Year in a runaway. Those gaudy numbers are even more surprising considering Cookus wasn’t even on NAU’s radar until another the Lumberjacks had penciled in as the starter decided to transfer elsewhere in June. “Every time I play, I kind of have that chip on my shoulder,” Cookus said. “I don’t know what it was about me that people didn’t like, whether it was my weight or my arm strength or what. But that’s in the past now and I’m enjoying my time here.” Coach isn’t ashamed to admit that pursuing Cookus was a last-ditch effort to fill his need at the position after Connor Brewer backed out on his commitment to Northern Arizona and headed to . Cookus still had to beat out two others in camp to win the starting job. Souers said it became clear quickly that Cookus was the best of the bunch. Cookus ended up setting an FCS freshman record for touchdown passes, including tossing seven against Northern Colorado and six against Sacramento State. Equally impressive, he threw just five interceptions. “We have high hopes for him,” Souers said. “He just had a remarkable year. You’ll never hear of that kind of efficiency out of a freshman quarterback.” -Jeff Bartl

22 23 • FCS COACH OF THE YEAR • Bruce Barnum’s message to his Portland State football team has been about raising expectations, both individual and for the team. From respecting the game to calling loved ones back home to being strong students. And, of course, playing a brand of football that’s blue-collar, tough and fundamental. “It looked like Santa’s list,” Barnum reminisced. His players were so immersed, yet so inundated by the first-year coach’s concepts for turning around their struggling program, that they summed it all up with a moniker: “Barny Ball.” It stuck affectionately. And fittingly enough, so has Barnum, who went from being named the interim head coach last offseason for what he called a “12-month interview,” to earning the full- time position and a five-year contract extension by midseason. The deal was richly deserved considering the incredible turnaround the STATS FCS Coach of the Year engineered following the Vikings’ 3-9 finish last season, when Barnum was the offensive coordinator. “Barny Ball” went 9-2 in the regular season, capped by a No. 5 national ranking and the program’s second FCS playoff berth – its first since 2000. Portland State tied for second in the Big Sky, went 5-0 against FCS Top 25 teams and beat two FBS programs, Washington State and North Texas – the latter a 66-7 rout that was the largest win ever by an FCS school over an FBS opponent. “The win at Pullman (Washington State) obviously helped kick off what we were trying to do,” said Barnum, who has become a relative folk hero on campus. “It’s been fun to watch it. Even after the losses – we lost two games this year – and nothing changed. It wasn’t a locker room full of names flying, ‘your fault,’ fingers pointing … it was, ‘Hey, we fixing it, where we going?’ And the next game, they responded.” – Craig Haley

24 25 FCS SEASON IN REVIEW

It started with the game of the year in the FCS. Or so versions of the game of the year – North Dakota State it felt that way – for one entire week. slipping past Northern Iowa, 31-28, in the Valley on Oct. 10, and Portland State edging Big Sky champ Yes, just seven days after Montana and North Dakota Southern Utah, 24-23, on Nov. 14. State kicked off the college football season with a memorable performance in which Montana edged the four-time defending national champion, 38-35, with a last-second touchdown, the Griz proceeded to lose in the final seconds of their next home game.

Hope you had your seatbelt strapped on because it was going to be that kind of season in 2015.

Wild finishes and unpredictable results were the norm across the FCS. So many games were worthy of top billing. Being idle was basically the only safe bet for a team. Jacksonville State University Athletics In the first full week of FCS action, four teams toppled But the nominees for the game of the year stretched programs from the FBS level. By season’s end, there far and wide, from CAA Football (Richmond spoiling were nine of the national-attention-grabbing wins, James Madison’s “College GameDay” showcase, with Portland State and its “Barny Ball” grabbing two 59-49, on Oct. 24) to the Ivy League (Harvard over of them (sorry about the 66-7 whipping, North Texas). Dartmouth, 14-13, on Oct. 30) to the Big South (Charleston Southern taking down Coastal Carolina, 33-25, on Halloween Night).

All the while the chaos, er, parity-filled season unfolded, Jacksonville State remained a constant, sweeping through the Ohio Valley Conference for the second consecutive season and holding the No. 1 national ranking for the final 11 weeks of the regular season.

The postseason made the season even more fun. McNeese State, the only unbeaten team in the regular season, was ousted in its first playoff game. North Dakota State University Athletics Richmond, Sam Houston State, Colgate and Northern The national title picture became even more wide Iowa were hot at the right time. And, yes, earplugs open because of injuries to some of the elite were required inside the Fargodome. in the FCS, such as Villanova’s John Robertson, James Madison’s Vad Lee and North Still looking for that FCS game of the year? Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. Still, many other veteran Hopefully, it will come on Saturday with the national players were happy to step into the spotlight and new championship game – a matchup of the North Dakota stars emerged alongside them (hello, Case Cookus). State Bison and their “Drive For Five” titles in a row and the No. 1-seeded Jacksonville State Gamecocks, The season boasted exceptional success for the the contenders to the throne. Missouri Valley and Big Sky conferences as their teams filled the STATS Top 25 rankings. They had their – Craig Haley

26 FCS PLAYOFF BRACKET

27 PAST NCAA DIVISION I FCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS

Year Champion Coach Runner-Up Score

2014 North Dakota State Illinois State 29-27 2013 North Dakota State Towson 35-7 2012 North Dakota State Craig Bohl Sam Houston St 39-13 2011 North Dakota State Craig Bohl Sam Houston St 17-6 2010 Eastern Washington Delaware 20-19 2009 Villanova Montana 23-21 2008 Richmond Montana 24-7 2007 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Delaware 49-21 2006 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Massachusetts 28-17 2005 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Northern Iowa 21-16 2004 James Madison Montana 31-21 2003 Delaware K.C. Keeler Colgate 40-0 2002 Western Kentucky McNeese State 34-14 2001 Montana Joe Glenn Furman 13-6 2000 Georgia Southern Paul Johnson Montana 27-25 1999 Georgia Southern Paul Johnson Youngstown State 59-24 1998 Massachusetts Georgia Southern 55-43 1997 Youngstown State McNeese State 10-9 1996 Marshall Bob Pruett Montana 49-29 1995 Montana Marshall 22-20 1994 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Boise State 28-14 1993 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Marshall 17-5 1992 Marshall Jim Donnan Youngstown State 31-28 1991 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Marshall 25-17 1990 Georgia Southern Nevada 36-13 1989 Georgia Southern Stephen F. Austin 37-34 1988 Furman Georgia Southern 17-12 1987 Louisiana-Monroe Pat Collins Marshall 43-42 1986 Georgia Southern Erk Russell Arkansas State 48-21 1985 Georgia Southern Erk Russell Furman 44-42 1984 Montana State Dave Arnold Louisiana Tech 19-6 1983 Southern Illinois Western Carolina 43-7 1982 Eastern Kentucky Roy Kidd Delaware 17-14 1981 Idaho State Dave Kragthorpe Eastern Kentucky 34-23 1980 Boise State Jim Criner Eastern Kentucky 31-29 1979 Eastern Kentucky Roy Kidd Lehigh 30-7 1978 Florida A&M Rudy Hubbard Massachusetts 35-28

28 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM OFFENSE OFFENSE QB: Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State QB: Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga RB: Marshaun Coprich, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State RB: Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham De’Angelo Henderson, junior, 5-8, 205, Coastal Carolina Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar FB: , senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State FB: Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel WR: Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona WR: Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana Tyler Dube, graduate, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State TE: Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State TE: Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard OL: Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern OL: Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty Joe Haeg, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State Julie’n Davenport, junior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga Mitch Kirsch, junior, 6-6, 300, James Madison Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard AP: John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota AP: Johnta’ Hebert, senior, 5-10, 195, Prairie View A&M DEFENSE DEFENSE DL: Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga DL: James Cowser, graduate, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State P.J. Hall, sophomore, 6-1, 270, Sam Houston State Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana Karter Schult, junior, 6-2, 265, Northern Iowa Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook Chima Uzowihe, senior, 6-2, 250, Liberty Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky LB: Andrew Ankrah, sophomore, 6-4, 234, James Madison LB: Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State Stephen Hodge, graduate, 6-2, 196, Fordham Myke Tavarres, senior, 6-3, 230, Incarnate Word Brett McMakin, junior, 6-4, 232, Northern Iowa DB: Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel DB: David Jones, junior, 6-1, 187, Richmond Deiondre’ Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa Miles Killebrew, senior, 6-3, 230, Southern Utah DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195, William & Mary Harlan Miller, senior, 6-1, 180, Southeastern Louisiana Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State Donald Payne, junior, 6-1, 215, Stetson Wallace Scott, senior, 6-1, 211, McNeese State SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL TEAMS PK: Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary PK: John Lunsford, senior, 6-1, 180, Liberty P: Ben LeCompte, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State P: Ryan Hawkins, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Arizona KR: Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern KR: Lorenzo Jerome, junior, 5-11, 185, Saint Francis PR: Khris Gardin, sophomore, 5-7, 158, North Carolina A&T PR: Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado LS: Joshua Appel, junior, 6-2, 250, Indiana State LS: Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern

29 30 AWARDS PRESENTERS DOUG WILLIAMS Presenter, FCS Offensive Player of the Year Four-year starter and two-time coach at Grambling State University and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. First-round pick in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where his jersey was recently retired in their Ring of Honor. A nine-year NFL veteran with the Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins, Williams threw for 100 touchdowns and almost 17,000 yards. His career was highlighted with XXII MVP honors, as he led the Redskins to a 42-10 rout of the .

DEXTER COAKLEY Presenter, FCS Defensive Player of the Year An All-American and Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior at Appalachian State, he was named FCS (then I-AA) Defensive Player of the Year in 1995 and ‘96. Selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the , Coakley played 10 seasons in the league with three appearances. He recorded 762 tackles with 13 interceptions and 9½ quarterback sacks over his career. In 2011, Coakley became the first player in Appalachian State history to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

JERRY MOORE Presenter, FCS Coach of the Year Widely known for coaching Appalachian State to three straight FCS national championships from 2005-07 – the first three-peat on the level – as well as a 34-32 victory at No. 5 Michigan to open the ’07 season. Played three seasons at Baylor before he began his coaching career as an assistant at SMU. Following an assistant stint at Nebraska, where he eventually became ’s offensive coordinator, Moore spent two seasons as North Texas State’s head coach (1979-80) and five seasons guiding Texas Tech (1981-85). Took over at Appalachian State in 1989 and led the Mountaineers to 10 Southern Conference crowns before completing his coaching career in 2012 with a 242- 134-2 record. The 2006 FCS Coach of the Year is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

JEROME SOUERS Presenter, FCS Freshman of the Year Northern Arizona’s head coach since 1998, Souers has led the Lumberjacks to four straight winning seasons. A graduate of the , he began his coaching career at Western Washington in 1984 before moving on to Portland State, then a Division II program, for one year. Spent 12 seasons at Montana, mainly as the . As Northern Arizona’s head coach, he has compiled a 107-97 record, which includes a Big Sky championship in 2003. When he reached his 100th career victory in 2014, he became only the second coach to reach the milestone while coaching in the conference.

EDDIE ROBINSON III Presenter, Doris & Eddie Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year Grandson of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and Doris Robinson. A graduate of Grambling State University with a B.S. degree in Biology, Eddie has a sports management background and worked in the organization. A father of three children, Brandon, 30, Eddie IV, 17, and Chloe, 15, with a granddaughter, Andriana, Eddie is currently working closely with the Eddie Robinson Legacy Fund, a non-profit organization that provides educational assistance for minority students and preserves the memory of his grandfather.

31 MASTER OF CEREMONIES • GARY REASONS Master of Ceremonies His career is highlighted by memorable plays. Late in the 1989 Gary Reasons was an season, Reasons and the Giants made a trip to FCS (then Division I-AA) in Denver to face the Broncos. With his team ahead 14-0 in the third All-American linebacker quarter and playing in a driving snowstorm, Reasons went airborne at Northwestern State, on a 4th-and-goal at the Giants’ 1-yard line to stop the Broncos the first player in NCAA and a high-flying for a 1-yard loss. The stop was history to gain the recognized as the “hit of the decade” and listed among the top “NFL prestigious honor three Big Hits of All Time.” The Giants held on for a 14-7 victory behind consecutive seasons Reasons’ 14 tackles and one pass deflection. They went on to win (1981-83). the NFC East title.

A college football Another memorable play involved the Giants and the 49ers in San television analyst for Francisco during the 1990 NFC Championship game. With the FOX Sports Net, Reasons Giants trailing 13-9 midway through the fourth quarter, Reasons is in his 22nd season as rambled 31 yards on a fake punt to set up a field goal, a broadcaster. He also is president of Pro Athletes Group, a division of which cut the deficit to one. Bahr later added his fifth field goal of Cornerstone Payment Systems, leading an organization comprised the game to kick the Giants to a 15-13 win and into Super Bowl XXV. of former and current professional athletes who help businesses gain guaranteed savings on their merchant services costs and non- During his career, Reasons was selected to both All-Rookie and profit organizations raise revenue through the “Processing With A All-NFL teams. In the regular season, he had 10 interceptions, nine Purpose” business referral program. fumble recoveries and a safety. In the postseason, he intercepted three passes, including two off 49ers great in a 1985 Reasons was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 matchup, and was the Giants’ leading tackler in Super Bowl XXV. as part of the inaugural group of small college players. Northwestern Reasons finished his nine-year NFL career with a one-year stint in State retired his No. 34 after he set the school’s all-time tackles Cincinnati. mark (394) from 1980-83. He also set the single-season mark of 172 tackles in his senior year, which included 24 stops in a game His broadcasting career began with ABC Sports in 1994. He also against rival McNeese State. An honors student, the Crowley, Texas, served as the first head coach of the native graduated with a degree in business administration. of arenafootball2 and later spent one year as the team’s president.

Drafted into the NFL by the in the fourth round in Married for 31 years to wife Terri, the Reasons have three children. 1984, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Reasons spent eight years with the Their son Nick played defensive back for Nicholls State before club, helping it win Super Bowls XXI and XXV under head coach graduating in 2007, and two daughters, Randi and Lacy, played . Reasons, , and volleyball at Arkansas-Fort Smith and North Texas, respectively. Randi comprised a linebacker corps that is recognized as one of the graduated in 2010 and Lacy the following year. The Reasons reside greatest in NFL history. in McKinney, Texas.

FCS AWARDS VOTING PANEL STATS LLC: Dan Eaves; Craig Haley; Brian Orefice; Tim Williamson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Keith Groller; Kevin Herr; Mike Joseph; Phil LaBella; Jon Passman; Elliot Schall; Phil Sokol. Big Sky David Hall; Bill Hamilton; Brian Holloway; Dennis Steve Lomangino; Eric Malanowski; Matt Markus; Conference: Brian Berger; Brad Bugger; Eric Jones; Kendrick Lewis; Matt Michalec; Patricia John Painter, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football Burdick; Dave Cook; Paul Grua; Jeremy Hoeck; Porter; Dan Ryan; Jay Walker; Maurice Williams. League: Nolan Alexander; Justin Bohn; Mike Mick Holien; Jon Kasper; Doug Kelly; Bill Lamberty; Missouri Valley Football Conference: Bryan Ferraro; Ted Gosen; Paul Oren; Jason Williams; Ryan Mike Lund; Anthony Mazzolini; Jon Oglesby; Ryan Boettcher, John Bohnenkamp; Eric Doennig; Jeremy Wronkowicz. Southern Conference: Jay Blackman; Powell; Mike Robles; Steve Schaack; Randy Scovil; Hoeck; Jason Hove; Todd Hefferman; Dom Izzo; Mike Jordon Bruner; Daniel Hooker; Joey Mullins; Mitch Strohman; Eric Taber; Denise Thompson. Big Kern; Jeff Kolpack; John Lock; Colin McDonough; Todd Shanesy; Adam Smith; Brent Williamson. South Conference: Mike Cawood; Matt Harmon; Patrick Osterman; Trevor Parks; Ryan Perreault; Southland Conference: Jason Barfield; Louis Kevin O’Rourke; Marc Rabb; Mark Simpson; Damien Randy Reinhardt; Jeff Schwartz; Tyler Wooten; Mike Bonnette; Matthew Bonnette; Jamie Bustos; Rand Sordelett; Greg Viscomi; Todd Wetmore; Alan York. Williams. Northeast Conference: John Beisser; Champion; Kemmler Chapple; James Dixon; Lance CAA Football: Lizzie Barlow; Chris Brooks; John Brian Cleary; Tristan Hobbes; Spencer Kowitz; Paul Fleming; Alex Hickey; Calhoun Hipp; Doug Ireland; Brush; Pete Clawson; Shane Donaldson; Glenn Marboe; Tad Maurey; Chris O’Connor; Ralph Ventre, J.P. McBride; David McCollum; Shane Meling; Teddy Frazer; Matt Jones; Dean Kenefick; Allen Lessels; Jim Waggoner. Ohio Valley Conference: Alex Renois. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Jasher Tim McDonnell; Tyson McHatten; Brian Miller; Matt Boggis; Neal Bradley; Kevin Britton; Parker Griffith; Cox; Ronnie Johnson; Wesley Peterson, LaMonica Moretti; Mike Murphy; Chris Rash; Scott Selheimer; Jeff Honza; Rich Moser: Karl Park: Mike Parris; Justin Scott; Herman Shelton. Other Representatives: Kevin Tresolini. Ivy League: Rick Bender; Chris Rust; Kyle Schwartz; Greg Seitz; Colby Wilson. Patriot Josh Buchanan; Brandon Lawrence; Jim Seman; Humm; Craig Larson; Dan Loney; Craig Sachson; League: Charles Bare; Joe DiBari; Matt Dougherty; Reggie Thomas.

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