NEWS RELEASE 100 Legends Lane • Waco, Texas 76706 • (254) 754-9900 • Fax: (254) 754-7373 • www.afca.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 12, 2006 AFCA CONTACT: Vince Thompson, Manager of Publications and Media Relations Assistant 254 754-9900 NEW HAMPSHIRE’S DAVID BALLAND MAINE’S MATT KING HEADLINE Team Background THE 2006 AFCA DIVISION I-AA COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM The AFCA has selected an All- America team every year since 1945. WACO, TEX. — Division I-AA’s all-time touchdown reception leader and the nation’s What makes these teams so special is second leading sack artist headline the American Football Coaches Association 2006 that they are the only ones chosen Division I-AA Coaches’ All-America Team announced today. exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches THE OFFENSE themselves. Central Connecticut State runningback Justise Hairston led the nation with 1,847 The five teams now chosen for each yards rushing, which set a new school and Northeast Conference record. He also led the AFCA division evolved from a single nation in rushing yards per game (167.9) and all-purpose yards (199.8). Joining him in the 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 backfield is Marcus Mason of Youngstown State. Mason earned Gateway Conference until 1967, only one team was chosen. Offensive Player of the Year honors after finishing second in the nation in rushing yards From 1967 through 1971, two teams, per game (156.80) and points per game. At quarterback is Coastal Carolina’s Tyler University Division and College Thigpen. Thigpen set nine Big South Conference season records in 2006 in total offense Division, were selected. In 1972, the (3,952), total offense per game (329.3), passing yards (3,296), touchdown passes (29), College Division was split into College passing yards per game (274.7), passing efficiency (167.42), 300-yard passing games (5), I and College II. In 1979, the 300-total yard games (9) and rushing yards by a quarterback (656). University Division was split into two Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Jackie Skipper, Massachusetts’ Alex Miller, Lafayette’s Mike teams — Division I-A and Division I- Saint Germain, Yale’s Ed McCarthy and Appalachian State’s Kerry Brown make up the AA. In 1996, the College I and College offensive line for 2006. Skipper played every position on the offensive line during his II teams were renamed Division II and career and anchored an offense that finished second in points (29.1) and total yards (342.8) Division III respectively. The AFCA is per game in the SWAC. Miller, who earned first-team Atlantic 10 honors, was a key mem- selecting an NAIA-only team for the ber of an offensive line that allowed only 33 sacks the past three years. Saint Germain first time this year. helped anchor an offense that totaled 351 yards of offense per game in 2006. McCarthy From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 helped a Bulldog offense rank No. 1 in rushing in the Ivy League at 200.8 yards per game. offensive, 11 defensive) team was cho- Brown was a big reason that Appalachian State finished third in total offense (416.71) and sen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker second in scoring offense (35.71) in the nation this season. were added to the team. In 1997, a The receiving corps on this year’s team is David Ball of New Hampshire, Bruce return specialist was added, giving us Hocker of Duquesne and Ben Patrick of Delaware. Ball, who earned his second straight the current 25-player team. The return AFCA All-America honor, had a school-record 93 receptions for 1,114 yards and 13 specialist position has been replaced by touchdowns for the Wildcats. He finished his collegiate career with 58 touchdown recep- an all-purpose player this season. tions, a Division I-AA record. Hocker led the nation in receiving yards per game (107.0) and points per game by a receiver (9.6), and was tied for No. 1 with 16 touchdown catch- Selection Process es. Patrick led Delaware in receiving with 64 receptions for 639 yards and six touchdowns. The AFCA’s Division I-AA All- His 64 receptions at tight end led all of Division I-A, I-AA and II and set a school record. America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from THE DEFENSE each of the AFCA’s nine districts, The defensive line is headlined by Maine’s Matt King. King was second in the nation one of whom serves as a district with 11.5 sacks and sixth in tackles for a loss with 18, and helped anchor a defense that chairman, along with another head finished No. 2 in total defense at 229.91 yards per game. The Southern Conference coach who serves as the chairman of Defensive Player of the Year, Appalachian State’s Marques Murrell racked up 65 total the selection committee. tackles, including 11 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and four forced fumbles. Montana’s The coaches in each district are Mike Murphy recorded 38 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. Chris White of responsible for ranking the top play- Cal Poly finished the 2006 season with 30 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and five ers in their respective districts prior to sacks, including nine quarterback hurries. Northwestern State’s Tory Collins finished the a conference call between the district season with 33 tackles, six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick despite chairmen and the committee chair- facing double-team blocks all season. man on which the team is chosen. -(MORE)- 2006 AFCA DIVISION I-AA COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM PAGE 2 OF 3 James Madison’s Akeem Jordan, Albany’s Colin Disch and Georgia Southern’s John Mohring make up the linebackers on the Coaches’ All-America Team. Jordan totaled 140 tackles, and sits third nationally in tackles per game with an average of 11.67 per game. He had 69 solo stops, 17 tackles for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks. Disch earned Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors after record- ing 103 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, four pass break-ups and one interception. Mohring finished third in the Southern Conference with 93 tackles, while also recording 14 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Dre Dokes of Northern Iowa leads a group of three talented defensive backs on the All-America team. Dokes led the nation in interceptions with seven, returning one for a touchdown against Iowa State. Stacey Thomas of Texas Southern earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after finishing the season with 114 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and six breakups. Eastern Illinois’ Tristan Burge recorded 118 tackles, five tackles for a loss, two sacks and two interceptions, earning him first-team Ohio Valley Conference honors for a second straight year. THE SPECIALISTS Southern Illinois’ Arkee Whitlock is this year’s all-purpose player. One of three Payton Award finalists, Whitlock rushed for 1,828 yards and a SIU single-season record 25 touchdowns. He also ranked second in the nation in all-purpose yardage (179.23 ypg) and fourth in rushing (140.62 ypg). In 2006, punter Breck Ackley of Southern led the nation in punting, averaging 45.47 yards per punt, and also dropped 21 punts inside the 20-yard line. Andrew Paterini of Hampton was named to the Coaches’ All-America team for a second straight year. Paterini was 16 of 21 on field goal attempts and 48 of 52 on PATs this season. He tied his own school record with four field goals in a win over Howard. 2006 AFCA Division I-AA Coaches’ All-America Team Offense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) WR David Ball* 6-2 200 Sr. New Hampshire Sean McDonnell Orange, Vt. (Worcester Academy) WR Bruce Hocker 6-4 190 Jr. Duquesne Jerry Schmitt Upper Marlboro, Md. (Eleanor Roosevelt) TE Ben Patrick 6-4 270 Sr. Delaware K.C. Keeler Savannah, Ga. (Jenkins) OL Jackie Skipper 6-1 295 Sr. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Mo Forte Bastrop, La. (Bastrop) OL Alex Miller 6-2 290 Sr. Massachusetts Don Brown Fairfax, Va. (Chantilly) OL Mike Saint Germain 6-5 295 Sr. Lafayette Frank Tavani Morris Plains, N.J. (Morristown) OL Ed McCarthy 6-5 302 Sr. Yale Jack Siedlecki Fairfield, Conn. (Fairfield Prep) OL Kerry Brown 6-6 300 Jr. Appalachian St. Jerry Moore Marietta, Ga. (Lassiter) QB Tyler Thigpen 6-3 220 Sr. Coastal Carolina David Bennett Winnsboro, S.C. (Fairfield Central) RB Justise Hairston 6-1 210 Sr. Central Connecticut St. Jeff McInerney New Britain, Conn. (New Britain) RB Marcus Mason 5-9 215 Sr. Youngstown St. Jon Heacock Potomac, Md. (Georgetown Prep) Defense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) DL Tory Collins 6-3 280 Sr. Northwestern St. Scott Stoker New Orleans, La. (Fortier) DL Mike Murphy 6-3 237 Sr. Montana Bobby Hauck Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell) DL Marques Murrell 6-2 245 Sr. Appalachian St. Jerry Moore Fayetteville, N.C. (Jack Britt) DL Chris White 6-3 275 Sr. Cal Poly Rich Ellerson Bakersfield, Ca. (Garces Memorial) DL Matt King 6-3 242 Sr. Maine Jack Cosgrove Stoughton, Mass. (Stoughton) LB Akeem Jordan 6-0 235 Sr. James Madison Mickey Matthews Harrisonburg, Va. (Harrisonburg) LB Colin Disch 6-1 220 Jr. Albany Bob Ford North Plainfield, N.J.