Central Arkansas Lands 13 on All-Southland Conference Football Teams
FRISCO, Texas ? After quarterbacking Central Arkansas to a 10-2 overall record, Nathan Brown was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year Tuesday in conjunction with the announcement of the all-conference teams, which were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. UCA defensive end Larry Hart was named the defensive player of the year and Bears’ mentor Clint Conque was named coach of the year.
McNeese State tailback Toddrick Pendland was the Southland’s offensive player of the year, while Southeastern Louisiana receiver Simmie Yarborough was named the freshman of the year. Stephen F. Austin receiver Duane Brooks was voted the newcomer of the year.
Brown, last year’s offensive player of the year, capped his career by surpassing the 10,000-yard passing mark. The senior from Russellville, Ark., finished with an even 100 career touchdowns. A candidate for the Walter Payton Award, Brown completed 254-of-375 passes for 3,206 yards and 31 scores, while maintaining the best pass efficiency (164.7) rating by a conference quarterback.
Nearly half of Hart’s 43 tackles went for losses. The junior from Madison, Miss., led the conference with 21 tackles for losses of 96 yards and his league-best 15 sacks totaled 75 yards. He broke up five passes, forced one fumble and blocked a kick. He recorded 9.5 tackles for loss in Southland play, in addition to eight sacks.
Pendland, who averaged 130.1 yards rushing in 11 games this season, saw that number swell to 153.7 yards per game in conference play. The junior from Newton, Texas, totaled 1,431 yards on 219 carries and scored 12 touchdowns. He was second in the league with 174.1 all-purpose yards per game, but led the Southland with 201.9 all-purpose yards in seven conference games.
Yarborough, a true freshman tight end from Brookhaven, Miss., caught 51 passes for 490 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 9.6 yards per reception and 44.5 yards per game. Brooks, a freshman transfer from Central Michigan, led the Lumberjacks with 86.3 receiving yards per game. A native of Irving, Texas, Brooks caught a team-high 68 passes for 863 yards and four scores.
Conque led Central Arkansas to the best record in the Southland this season at 6-1 though it was ineligible for the conference championship and league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division I Football Championships during its transition from Division II. During the last two seasons, Conque has guided the Bears to an 11-3 conference record, matching McNeese State for the best mark during that stretch. The Bears’ win over McNeese State last Saturday gave Conque 10 wins for just the second time in his nine-year career. Conque, who has guided the Bears to a No. 11 national ranking, owns a 68-36 career record and is a finalist for the 2008 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
The Bears placed 13 student-athletes on the two all-conference teams, the most by a Southland program. That included seven first-team selections. Joining Brown on the first-team offense are tight end Marquez Branson and offensive linemen Lane Freiwald and Jeremy Ford. Hart was joined on the first-team defense by defensive backs Pieri Feazell and Anthony Gambles. Six Bears earned second-team all-conference mention including running back Brent Grimes, fullback Nick Cowger, offensive lineman Brad Gordon, defensive lineman Taylor Scott, linebacker James Lancaster and punter Jonathan Beard.
Texas State and McNeese State each had nine members on the all-conference squads. The Bobcats won the Southland Conference championship and is the league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division I Football Championships. Four Texas State players earned first-team honors, including running back Karrington Bush, fullback Blake Burton, wide receiver Cameron Luke and offensive lineman Jeff Bowen. Joining Pendland on the first team for McNeese are offensive linemen Eman Naghavi and Kyle Link, defensive lineman Vaalyn Jackson and linebacker Allen Nelson.
Sam Houston was next with six all-conference selections. Defensive lineman Chris Brown was the Bearkats’ lone first-team selection. Northwestern State and Nicholls State each placed five on the teams. The Demons were represented on the first team by placekicker Robert weeks and defensive back Wesley Eckles. Lardarius Webb, of Nicholls State, earned first-team honors both as a defensive back and as a return specialist and was joined on the first-team by Colonel punter Patrick Dolan.
Stephen F. Austin landed three selections on the all-conference teams. Wide receiver Dominque Edison, defensive lineman Tim Knicky and linebacker Jabara Williams each earned first-team kudos. Southeastern Louisiana placed two on the all-conference teams, including defensive back Tommy Connors on the first team.
Twelve members of the all-conference team have earned first-team honors previously, including McNeese State’s Whitehead, who has now earned all-conference honors three consecutive seasons. Burton previously earned all-conference honors in 2006.
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2008 All-Southland Conference Football Teams |
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First Team Offense |
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Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Nathan Brown |
Central Arkansas |
6-2 |
214 |
Sr. |
Russellville, Ark. |
|
RB |
Toddrick Pendland |
McNeese State |
5-10 |
175 |
Jr. |
Newton, Texas |
|
RB |
Karrington Bush |
Texas State |
5-10 |
182 |
So. |
Whitewright, Texas |
|
FB |
Blake Burton |
Texas State |
6-0 |
237 |
Sr. |
Hungerford, Texas |
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WR |
Cameron Luke |
Texas State |
6-2 |
211 |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
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WR |
Dominque Edison |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-3 |
200 |
Sr. |
San Augustine, Texas |
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TE |
Marquez Branson |
Central Arkansas |
6-3 |
248 |
Sr. |
Starkville, Miss. |
|
OL |
Eman Naghavi |
McNeese State |
6-2 |
300 |
Sr. |
Katy, Texas |
|
OL |
Kyle Link |
McNeese State |
6-6 |
290 |
Sr. |
Lake Charles, La. |
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OL |
Lane Freiwald |
Central Arkansas |
6-7 |
318 |
Jr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
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OL |
Jeff Bowen |
Texas State |
6-1 |
275 |
Sr. |
North Richland Hills, Texas |
|
OL |
Jeremy Ford |
Central Arkansas |
6-1 |
284 |
Sr. |
Bastrop, La. |
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PK |
Robert Weeks |
Northwestern State |
6-0 |
195 |
Sr. |
Pineville, La. |
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First Team Defense |
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Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
DL |
Larry Hart |
Central Arkansas |
6-1 |
255 |
Jr. |
Madison, Miss. |
|
DL |
Tim Knicky |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-4 |
235 |
Jr. |
Cedar Park, Texas |
|
DL |
Vaalyn Jackson |
McNeese State |
6-0 |
285 |
Sr. |
Sulphur, La. |
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DL |
Chris Brown |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
220 |
Jr. |
Texarkana, Texas |
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LB |
Allen Nelson |
McNeese State |
6-2 |
210 |
Sr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
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LB |
Jabara Williams |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-3 |
205 |
So. |
Garrison, Texas |
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DB |
Lardarius Webb |
Nicholls State |
5-10 |
205 |
Sr. |
Opelika, Ala. |
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DB |
Tommy Connors |
Southeastern La. |
6-0 |
195 |
Jr. |
Marrero, La. |
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DB |
Pieri Feazell |
Central Arkansas |
5-11 |
206 |
Jr. |
Mount Olive, Miss. |
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DB |
Wesley Eckles |
Northwestern State |
6-0 |
185 |
Jr. |
Mansfield, La. |
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DB |
Anthony Gambles |
Central Arkansas |
5-9 |
174 |
Jr. |
Byhalia, Miss. |
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P |
Patrick Dolan |
Nicholls State |
6-1 |
180 |
So. |
Mobile, Ala. |
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RS |
Lardarius Webb |
Nicholls State |
5-10 |
205 |
Sr. |
Opelika, Ala. |
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Second Team Offense |
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Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
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QB |
Rhett Bomar |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
215 |
Sr. |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
|
RB |
Byron Lawrence |
Northwestern State |
5-8 |
197 |
Sr. |
North Little Rock, Ark. |
|
RB |
Brent Grimes |
Central Arkansas |
5-9 |
194 |
Jr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
|
FB |
Nick Cowger |
Central Arkansas |
6-1 |
236 |
Jr. |
Vilonia, Ark. |
|
WR |
Steven Whitehead |
McNeese State |
5-8 |
173 |
Sr. |
Slidell, La. |
|
WR |
Catron Houston |
Sam Houston State |
5-11 |
184 |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
TE |
Wes Mangan |
McNeese State |
6-4 |
245 |
Jr. |
Brenham, Texas |
|
OL |
Brad Gordon |
Central Arkansas |
6-1 |
294 |
Sr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
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OL |
Nigel Cormier |
Nicholls State |
6-1 |
250 |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
|
OL |
Lance Fremin |
McNeese State |
6-1 |
300 |
Sr. |
Starkville, Miss. |
|
OL |
D.J. Hall |
Texas State |
6-2 |
280 |
Fr. |
Palestine, Texas |
|
OL |
Hunter Schmidt |
Sam Houston State |
6-3 |
304 |
Jr. |
Alvin, Texas |
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PK |
Andrew Ireland |
Texas State |
5-8 |
188 |
Sr. |
Cedar Hill, Texas |
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Second Team Defense |
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Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
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DL |
Taylor Scott |
Central Arkansas |
6-4 |
264 |
Jr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
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DL |
Donavan King |
Texas State |
6-2 |
262 |
Sr. |
Altair, Texas |
|
DL |
Zac Reddix |
Nicholls State |
6-2 |
215 |
Jr. |
Prairieville, La. |
|
DL |
Ledell Love |
Northwestern State |
6-0 |
240 |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
|
LB |
James Lancaster |
Central Arkansas |
6-0 |
224 |
Jr. |
Cordova, Tenn. |
|
LB |
Mack Dampier |
Northwestern State |
6-0 |
235 |
Sr. |
West Monroe, La. |
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DB |
Jeremy Haynes |
McNeese State |
5-10 |
185 |
Sr. |
Waller, Texas |
|
DB |
Wonseleh Brewer |
Sam Houston State |
5-8 |
165 |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
|
DB |
Morris Crosby |
Texas State |
5-9 |
184 |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
DB |
Marquis Powell |
Southeastern La. |
5-9 |
207 |
Sr. |
Madison, Fla. |
|
DB |
Billy Skinner |
Sam Houston State |
5-11 |
212 |
Sr. |
Arlington, Texas |
|
P |
Jonathan Beard |
Central Arkansas |
5-10 |
165 |
Jr. |
Weir, Miss. |
|
RS |
Karrington Bush |
Texas State |
5-10 |
182 |
So. |
Whitewright, Texas |
Player of the Year: Nathan Brown, Central Arkansas
Offensive Player of the Year: Toddrick Pendland, McNeese State
Defensive Player of the Year: Larry Hart, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Simmie Yarborough, Southeastern La.
Newcomer of the Year: Duane Brooks, Stephen F. Austin
Coach of the Year: Clint Conque, Central Arkansas
Honorable Mention ? Quarterback: Derrick Fourroux, MCN; Jeremy Moses, SFA; Bradley George, TXST. Running Back: Jay Lucas, SLU. Fullback: Matthew Powledge, SHSU; Contravious Parks, SFA. Wide Receiver: Willie Landers, UCA; Eric Ware, UCA; Patrick Gordon, NICH; Antonio Robinson, NICH; Justin Wells, SHSU. Tight End: Simmie Yarborough, SLU; John Gilley, TXST. Offensive Linemen: Aric Flowers, NICH; Tim Henderson, NWLA; Nick Grimes, SHSU; Brad Bardy, SLU; Kevin Hughes, SLU; Karl Glimp, SFA; Cameron Schacht, SFA. Placekicker: Ross Schexnayder, NICH. Defensive Linemen: Kenton Alleyne, MCN; Matt Fairchild, NICH; Erik Mikolajchak, SHSU; Devin Boutwell, SLU; Steven Honore, SLU; Travis Houston, TXST. Linebacker: Deron Minor, MCN; Nolen Bucek, SHSU; Quinten Pierre, SLU; Joe Bell, TXST; Courtney Smith, TXST. Defensive Back: Derrick Boyd, UCA; Darrell Jenkins, MCN; Justin Perry, NWLA; Kenneth Hampton, TXST. Punter: Derrick Raymer, SHSU; Drew Nelson, SFA. Return Specialist: Marquis Powell, SLU.