Patriot League Announces 2007 Football All-League Teams and Major Awards

[smallcollegefbfan]

http://patriotleague.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112007aac.html

Patriot League Announces 2007 Football All-League Teams and Major Awards League champion Fordham earns two major awards and 12 All-League selections

Center Valley, Pa. - After winning the Patriot League football title outright for the first time in school history, Fordham led all teams with 12 selections on the 2007 All-League football team and garnered two of the League's four major awards, it was announced on Tuesday. The 2007 All-Patriot League Football team is selected by the League's seven head coaches.

Holy Cross junior quarterback Dominic Randolph (Amelia, Ohio/St. Xavier) took home Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Lafayette junior linebacker Andy Romans (Allendale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Fordham took home the remaining two awards, with freshman running back Xavier Martin (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) claiming Rookie of the Year honors and Tom Masella winning the Coach of the Year award in his second season at the helm.

All seven Patriot League teams had at least one honoree on the All-League teams. Lafayette had 11 student-athletes earn All-League status, while Colgate and Lehigh each had 10. Lafayette, Colgate and Holy Cross, who all tied for second place in the standings, shared the League lead with six student-athletes receiving First-Team honors.

Randolph led Holy Cross to a 7-4 overall and 4-2 Patriot League record by putting on an aerial display with 3,604 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He ranks second in the Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards per game, completions per game and total offense per game, and sixth in points responsible for. He led a Crusader team that placed in the top five in passing and total offense. He completed 297-of-482 passes for the season, and set Holy Cross records for completions, attempts and total offense (3,741). Randolph's 3,604-yard passing total ranks third on the Patriot League single-season list, and he is up to 14th in League annals with 5,841 career passing yards with one season still to play. Randolph earned three Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors, including the final week of the season when he completed 29-of-42 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Colgate. He is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given to the most outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Randolph is the fourth Holy Cross student-athlete to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors, and the second in the last three seasons after running back Steve Silva earned the award in 2005. Randolph is the first quarterback to win the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award since Holy Cross' Tom Ciaccio won it in 1990. The Patriot League did give out a "Player of the Year" honor from 1986-2000 that was given to eight quarterbacks since 1990, and most recently to Colgate's Ryan Vena in 1999.

[ngineer]

Randolph as the OPY was a no-brainer. The DPY was probably a lot closer. Romans, Gallihugh, Diamond, Sprenkle,all had great seasons..Romans, though, very deserving.

[DFW HOYA]

Fordham: 12 players
Lafayette: 11
Lehigh: 10
Colgate: 10
Holy Cross: 6
Bucknell: 3
Georgetown: 1

[colgate13]

Randolph as the OPY was a no-brainer. The DPY was probably a lot closer. Romans, Gallihugh, Diamond, Sprenkle,all had great seasons..Romans, though, very deserving.
Putting my Homer hat on, OPY could have gone either way between Randolph or Scott. It thought it would go to the head to head winner, and it did.

DPY though I have a strong disagreement with. Gallihugh was robbed.

Gallihugh 62 Solo 61 Assisted 123 Total Tackles 11.2 Avg/G 3.5 Sacks
Romans 53 Solo 60 Assisted 113 Total Tacklers 10.3 Avg/G 3.0 Sacks

Gallihugh also had 3 INTs/Romans 0 INTS

And using whatever rankings you want, Gallihugh did it against a tougher schedule on a team that was 4-7 the season before. Not cool.

[carney2]

DPY though I have a strong disagreement with. Gallihugh was robbed.

Gallihugh 62 Solo 61 Assisted 123 Total Tackles 11.2 Avg/G 3.5 Sacks
Romans 53 Solo 60 Assisted 113 Total Tacklers 10.3 Avg/G 3.0 Sacks

Gallihugh also had 3 INTs/Romans 0 INTS

And using whatever rankings you want, Gallihugh did it against a tougher schedule on a team that was 4-7 the season before. Not cool.

Putting MY homer hat on (and jousting with Mr. 13 again - just like the good old days), Romans did it with a better defense, a defense that was ranked all year, and a defense where he did not need to make all the plays. He was the heart and soul of the "better defense," and deserves the recognition. Very cool.

[Pard94]

It's hard to argue these selsctions as the coaches vote for them. Obviously Andy made a bigger impression. Perhaps it's becasue many of his tackle and sacks featured the defiance of gravity.xnodx

[PLLB]

Putting MY homer hat on (and jousting with Mr. 13 again - just like the good old days), Romans did it with a better defense, a defense that was ranked all year, and a defense where he did not need to make all the plays. He was the heart and soul of the "better defense," and deserves the recognition. Very cool.

that defense was very overrated..dominating stats against the likes of marist, columbia, georgetown etc. patriot league all star teams are a joke
adair makes all league at WR over Harrison and Simonds thats crazy. Thomas makes it from Lehigh at DB. He got beat for a TD in every league game.

[Fordham]

Biggest surprise to me was the exclusion of McDermott from HC. He was the best WR I saw all season ... at least on the Saturday when we played them.

Thought that Louks should have made it at DB over Orah. A bit surprised that our Oline, that played so well during the season, didn't have a 1st teamer on it. Overall, though, I think the fairly light representation on the 1st Team is a testament to how we played and to our coaches this year. We made an awful lot of subs on both sides of the ball and other than Skelton, we really relied on different guys every week.

Congrats to Randolph and Romans, although I agree w/13 on Gallihugh. What I don't understand is that he was the Preseason DPOY and I can't figure out what he did (or didn't do) during the season to lose that during the season. I understand that they both played well but imo our Preseason DPOY played tremendous football all year and did nothing to lose that spot. Again, just my .02.

[LCFan21]

I understand that they both played well but imo our Preseason DPOY played tremendous football all year and did nothing to lose that spot. Again, just my .02.

I was surprised but then again not surprised - saying he got robbed is a slap in the face and you should know better 13!!! It's not so clear cut. Both are deserving but if most had to pick one going into battle - it's Romans! I think most all the PL coaches agreed. It's not about the stats (which get manipulated anyway) or the schedule or junior vs. senior - the fact of the matter is Romans does not just put up good stats - he is a huge difference maker and the leader of a very good defense that BTW did not get much help this season!!!! Go watch that Harvard game again and you will see exactly what I am talking about. I see why people would question it but the coaches vote and from a PURE football player perspective Romans is just flat out better and impacts the game more. You can argue both sides of this all day long and never agree but to use the word robbed when comparing these two players is way....WAY off base!

[LCFan21]

that defense was very overrated..dominating stats against the likes of marist, columbia, georgetown etc. patriot league all star teams are a joke
adair makes all league at WR over Harrison and Simonds thats crazy. Thomas makes it from Lehigh at DB. He got beat for a TD in every league game.[/QUOTE]

Ask the Harvard offense what they think about LC's Defense - last I checked they ran the table and spanked Yale which BTW was another very good football team and defense this year - On a side note - Romans had 17 tackles vs. Harvard and 16 vs. Colgate - I guess both of those teams are overrated in which he put up dominating stats as well. Get a grip!

[colgate13]

The bottomline is the Preseason DPY put up better stats against better competition and is on the Buck Buchanan list and has a great shot at All-American... yet his own league dissed him.

Personally I'm beginning to believe there is no love lost for Colgate among the leagues coaches. Whether it is supposed snubs by the Lehigh coach or stuff like this, I just don't understand it. Maybe there have been too many Colgate linebackers winning this thing...

[LCFan21]

The bottomline is the Preseason DPY put up better stats against better competition and is on the Buck Buchanan list and has a great shot at All-American... yet his own league dissed him.

Personally I'm beginning to believe there is no love lost for Colgate among the leagues coaches. Whether it is supposed snubs by the Lehigh coach or stuff like this, I just don't understand it. Maybe there have been too many Colgate linebackers winning this thing...

So it has nothing to do with his play on the field and everything to do with pre-season awards, watch lists and previous players from Colgate? Wake up! Here is a quote from Tom Gilmore and Tavani for you. Enjoy!

"When you saw the film, take nothing away from (Gallihugh), but everybody will tell you that Andy was hands down better," Lafayette coach Frank Tavani said. "You vote on performance and Andy impressed everyone in the conference."

Rival coaches share that sentiment and they demonstrated their respect by voting Romans the 2007 Patriot League defensive player of the year.

''He's a pure joy to watch,'' Holy Cross coach Tom Gilmore said. ''You wish every player had that kind of passion and intensity.''

Romans was the heart and soul of a Lafayette defense that ranks No. 1 at the NCAA FCS level in total defense (260.1 yards per game) and No. 4 against the run (86.3). The 5-11, 215-pound native of Allendale, N.J., joins linebacker Dan Bengele (1997) and safety B.J. Gallis (1996) as Leopards to win the award. Romans finished the season with 113 tackles (12.5 for loss), three sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His single-game high was 16 tackles against Colgate.

Not bad for someone was injured the entire season.

[crusader11]

How Thomas Harrison and Brett McDermott did not make at least the second team is beyond me. To be frank, both of them put up numbers that were worthy of first team all league.

[barkleysboy]

Hey co-13 dont for get how in 05 how mo bennett got robbed, when he had better stats and was on the buck- list and nepa got dpoy, and on that team the lb's were carzy and mo bennett made alot of plays with blake and spoon making alot of tackles he was the leading tackler of the league for three years in a row, so it go's around like that sometimes dont get mad it happens dog!

[LCFan21]

This award is not given to the player who puts up the best "stats" - it is not designated to a senior - it is not given to the pre-season pick - it is not given to a player on a watch list - it's not given to the player who plays a tough schedule - the coaches pick who they think is the best defensive football player in the given season - period - nothing less - nothing more - the best player does not always have the most tackles - if you judge a player based on how many stats get put on the tally sheet you are fooling yourself - playing outstanding defense and being a defensive standout is about so much more then how many tackles you get. I trust the coaches who know all these players well can see that clearly. They made the right choice!

[barkleysboy]

Your right lcfan21, I was just making that point to cogate-13 who I happen to like by the way,but back in 05 the same thing happen the cogate lb nepa and lafayette lb mo bennett and mo was the 5 rated lb and pre-season all-american, in fact lafayette had the best lb's in the nation that year. I rememeber cogate-13 coming on here after the award was giving bosting about how nepa deserved it and how mo should not have gottin dpoy, and that hole lafayette linebacking was legit blake went to the jets camp and now with the bills, and mo bennett went to the bears camp and now is on wallstreet making over six digits somthing he choose over going to camp like his agent wanted him to. Hey cant get mad lafayette is puttin out some great lb's as of late, so cogate-13 hey it happens sometimes you win some and you lose some, but I dont think anybody lost! they are all good, but hey who know's maybe next year its all good co-13!

[colgate13]

So it has nothing to do with his play on the field and everything to do with pre-season awards, watch lists and previous players from Colgate? Wake up! Here is a quote from Tom Gilmore and Tavani for you. Enjoy!

"When you saw the film, take nothing away from (Gallihugh), but everybody will tell you that Andy was hands down better," Lafayette coach Frank Tavani said. "You vote on performance and Andy impressed everyone in the conference."


Quotes from his own coach aren't going to do anything to impress me.

And no, it's not all about preseason awards. Gallihugh was awesome this year, just like last year. Stats or no stats, he was a force to deal with.

I'm not dense enough to think that I could convince Lafayette fans that Gallihugh was better than Romans. Suffice to say, the general Colgate sentiment was that he was the deserving winner. That's probably the end of the discussion. xpeacex

[Pard94]

Quotes from his own coach aren't going to do anything to impress me.

And no, it's not all about preseason awards. Gallihugh was awesome this year, just like last year. Stats or no stats, he was a force to deal with.

I'm not dense enough to think that I could convince Lafayette fans that Gallihugh was better than Romans. Suffice to say, the general Colgate sentiment was that he was the deserving winner. That's probably the end of the discussion. xpeacex

And the general Lafayette sentiment...as well as the majority of the PL coaches was that Romans was the deserving winner. And THAT, my friend is the end of the discussion.xthumbsupx

[barkleysboy]

I here you pard94, everbody was cool when mo bennett got robbed in 05 and nepa got it, same deal here its not that big of a deal it happens sometimes, maybe next year! BOTH GUYS ARE GREAT!