smallcollegefbfan
November 28th, 2007, 11:37 AM
http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39013&SPID=2899&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=1326736
Missouri State's Cody Kirby is Gateway's Top Freshman;
Ferlando Williams of Youngstown State is League's Top Newcomer
ST. LOUIS — For the second time in three years, the Gateway’s Newcomer of the Year is from Youngstown State, while a Missouri State player has claimed the league’s freshman honor for the first time. WR Ferlando Williams is the second Penguin to earn the league’s Newcomer of the Year honor since 2005, while QB Cody Kirby is the first Bear to earn the league’s nine-year-old Freshman of the Year honor.
The duo heads a list of 23 student-athletes named to the 2007 Gateway All-Newcomer Team. Gateway coaches, sports information directors and a media panel selected the team. The top 11 vote-getters on offense and defense, plus ties, were named to the team.
Williams caught a team-high 42 passes for 499 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 464 yards on 74 carries and had nine touchdowns for the Penguins. He played 675 snaps (497 at wide receiver and 178 at quarterback) and caught at least one pass in the final 10 games. Kirby, a true freshman, started at QB the last eight games of season and set Missouri State records for freshman passing attempts (246), completions (149), yards (1,742) and TDs (11). He also rushed for 218 yards and eight TDs, the most TDs by a Missouri State quarterback
since the 1990 season.
OFFENSE Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous Schools)
OG David Arkin, Missouri State 6-5 281 Fr. Wichita (Kan.) Kapaun High
QB Matt Barr, Western Illinois 6-2 210 Fr. Belvidere (Ill.) High
OT Kevaughn Brown, Missouri State 6-4 320 Jr. Port Arthur (Texas) High [Tyler (Texas) Junior College]
PK Billy Hallgren, UNI 5-11 190 Fr. Coal Valley (Ill.) Moline High
QB Cody Kirby, Missouri State 5-11 200 Fr. Rogers (Ark.) High
FB Ryan Mahaffey, UNI 6-4 253 Fr. Grinnell (Iowa) High
WR Eyad Salem, Illinois State 6-2 185 So. Elgin (Ill.) Larkin High [Minnesota State-Moorhead]
TB Kevin Smith, Youngstown State 5-10 195 Jr. San Diego (Calif.) Helix High [Grossmont Community College]
RB Larry Warner, Southern Illinois 5-7 180 Jr. Vicksburg (Miss.) High [Mississippi Gulf Coast CC]
TB Kingjack Washington, Missouri State 5-9 165 Fr. Owasso (Okla.) High
WR Ferlando Williams, Youngstown State 6-0 195 Jr. Warner Robins (Ga.) Northside High [Georgia Military]
DEFENSE
DE Clayton Dickehut, Missouri State 6-3 245 Jr. Derby (Kan.) High [Garden City (Kan.) Community College]
DL Josh Galloway, Western Illinois 6-3 250 Jr. Reno (Nev.) [Glendale Community College]
LB De'Veon Harris, UNI 6-1 215 Jr. Pompano Beach (Fla.) Ely High [North Iowa Area CC]
DB Kelvyn Hemphill, Illinois State 6-2 180 Fr. San Antonio (Texas) O'Connor High
CB Darrell Lloyd, UNI 6-0 191 Jr. O'Fallon (Mo.) Fort Zumwalt High [Iowa Central CC]
DB Darius Middlebrooks, Indiana State 5-11 190 Fr. Indianapolis (Ind.) North Central High
CB Derek Miller, Missouri State 6-3 190 Fr. Olathe (Kan.) East High
DT Torrance Nicholson, Youngstown State 6-3 285 Fr. Columbus (Ohio) Marion Franklin High
P Ben Nowicki, Youngstown State 5-10 175 So. Gilbert (Ariz.) Mesquite High [Mesa Community College]
CB Adam Roberts, UNI 5-11 199 Jr. Oklahoma City (Okla.) Southeast High [NE Oklahoma JC]
DL Victor Visoky, Western Illinois 6-4 255 Fr. Northbrook (Ill.) Glenbrook North High
RS/CB De'Angelo Wilson, Youngstown St. 5-10 190 Jr. Sacramento (Calif.) Mesa Verde High [Nevada]
Missouri State's Cody Kirby is Gateway's Top Freshman;
Ferlando Williams of Youngstown State is League's Top Newcomer
ST. LOUIS — For the second time in three years, the Gateway’s Newcomer of the Year is from Youngstown State, while a Missouri State player has claimed the league’s freshman honor for the first time. WR Ferlando Williams is the second Penguin to earn the league’s Newcomer of the Year honor since 2005, while QB Cody Kirby is the first Bear to earn the league’s nine-year-old Freshman of the Year honor.
The duo heads a list of 23 student-athletes named to the 2007 Gateway All-Newcomer Team. Gateway coaches, sports information directors and a media panel selected the team. The top 11 vote-getters on offense and defense, plus ties, were named to the team.
Williams caught a team-high 42 passes for 499 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 464 yards on 74 carries and had nine touchdowns for the Penguins. He played 675 snaps (497 at wide receiver and 178 at quarterback) and caught at least one pass in the final 10 games. Kirby, a true freshman, started at QB the last eight games of season and set Missouri State records for freshman passing attempts (246), completions (149), yards (1,742) and TDs (11). He also rushed for 218 yards and eight TDs, the most TDs by a Missouri State quarterback
since the 1990 season.
OFFENSE Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous Schools)
OG David Arkin, Missouri State 6-5 281 Fr. Wichita (Kan.) Kapaun High
QB Matt Barr, Western Illinois 6-2 210 Fr. Belvidere (Ill.) High
OT Kevaughn Brown, Missouri State 6-4 320 Jr. Port Arthur (Texas) High [Tyler (Texas) Junior College]
PK Billy Hallgren, UNI 5-11 190 Fr. Coal Valley (Ill.) Moline High
QB Cody Kirby, Missouri State 5-11 200 Fr. Rogers (Ark.) High
FB Ryan Mahaffey, UNI 6-4 253 Fr. Grinnell (Iowa) High
WR Eyad Salem, Illinois State 6-2 185 So. Elgin (Ill.) Larkin High [Minnesota State-Moorhead]
TB Kevin Smith, Youngstown State 5-10 195 Jr. San Diego (Calif.) Helix High [Grossmont Community College]
RB Larry Warner, Southern Illinois 5-7 180 Jr. Vicksburg (Miss.) High [Mississippi Gulf Coast CC]
TB Kingjack Washington, Missouri State 5-9 165 Fr. Owasso (Okla.) High
WR Ferlando Williams, Youngstown State 6-0 195 Jr. Warner Robins (Ga.) Northside High [Georgia Military]
DEFENSE
DE Clayton Dickehut, Missouri State 6-3 245 Jr. Derby (Kan.) High [Garden City (Kan.) Community College]
DL Josh Galloway, Western Illinois 6-3 250 Jr. Reno (Nev.) [Glendale Community College]
LB De'Veon Harris, UNI 6-1 215 Jr. Pompano Beach (Fla.) Ely High [North Iowa Area CC]
DB Kelvyn Hemphill, Illinois State 6-2 180 Fr. San Antonio (Texas) O'Connor High
CB Darrell Lloyd, UNI 6-0 191 Jr. O'Fallon (Mo.) Fort Zumwalt High [Iowa Central CC]
DB Darius Middlebrooks, Indiana State 5-11 190 Fr. Indianapolis (Ind.) North Central High
CB Derek Miller, Missouri State 6-3 190 Fr. Olathe (Kan.) East High
DT Torrance Nicholson, Youngstown State 6-3 285 Fr. Columbus (Ohio) Marion Franklin High
P Ben Nowicki, Youngstown State 5-10 175 So. Gilbert (Ariz.) Mesquite High [Mesa Community College]
CB Adam Roberts, UNI 5-11 199 Jr. Oklahoma City (Okla.) Southeast High [NE Oklahoma JC]
DL Victor Visoky, Western Illinois 6-4 255 Fr. Northbrook (Ill.) Glenbrook North High
RS/CB De'Angelo Wilson, Youngstown St. 5-10 190 Jr. Sacramento (Calif.) Mesa Verde High [Nevada]