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November 25th, 2008, 12:01 PM
http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=3623172
Central Arkansas Lands 13 on All-Southland Conference Football Teams
Quarterback Nathan Brown named player of the year as seven Bears earn first-team all-league honors
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.
2008 All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
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
WR Cameron Luke Texas State 6-2 211 Sr. Houston, Texas
WR Dominque Edison Stephen F. Austin 6-3 200 Sr. San Augustine, Texas
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.
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas 6-7 318 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Jeff Bowen Texas State 6-1 275 Sr. North Richland Hills, Texas
OL Jeremy Ford Central Arkansas 6-1 284 Sr. Bastrop, La.
PK Robert Weeks Northwestern State 6-0 195 Sr. Pineville, La.
First Team Defense
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.
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State 6-2 220 Jr. Texarkana, Texas
LB Allen Nelson McNeese State 6-2 210 Sr. Beaumont, Texas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin 6-3 205 So. Garrison, Texas
DB Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La. 6-0 195 Jr. Marrero, La.
DB Pieri Feazell Central Arkansas 5-11 206 Jr. Mount Olive, Miss.
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State 6-0 185 Jr. Mansfield, La.
DB Anthony Gambles Central Arkansas 5-9 174 Jr. Byhalia, Miss.
P Patrick Dolan Nicholls State 6-1 180 So. Mobile, Ala.
RS Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
Central Arkansas Lands 13 on All-Southland Conference Football Teams
Quarterback Nathan Brown named player of the year as seven Bears earn first-team all-league honors
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.
2008 All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
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
WR Cameron Luke Texas State 6-2 211 Sr. Houston, Texas
WR Dominque Edison Stephen F. Austin 6-3 200 Sr. San Augustine, Texas
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.
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas 6-7 318 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Jeff Bowen Texas State 6-1 275 Sr. North Richland Hills, Texas
OL Jeremy Ford Central Arkansas 6-1 284 Sr. Bastrop, La.
PK Robert Weeks Northwestern State 6-0 195 Sr. Pineville, La.
First Team Defense
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.
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State 6-2 220 Jr. Texarkana, Texas
LB Allen Nelson McNeese State 6-2 210 Sr. Beaumont, Texas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin 6-3 205 So. Garrison, Texas
DB Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La. 6-0 195 Jr. Marrero, La.
DB Pieri Feazell Central Arkansas 5-11 206 Jr. Mount Olive, Miss.
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State 6-0 185 Jr. Mansfield, La.
DB Anthony Gambles Central Arkansas 5-9 174 Jr. Byhalia, Miss.
P Patrick Dolan Nicholls State 6-1 180 So. Mobile, Ala.
RS Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.