CAA Football Issues 2012 All-Conference Honors
RICHMOND,
Va. - CAA Football announced its 2012
All-Conference honors on Monday following one of the most exciting conference
title and automatic qualifier races in league history. The three All-Conference
teams and six individual honors were voted on by CAA Football's 11 head coaches
and handed out following a 2012 season that saw as many as seven league squads in
the national rankings.
Villanova head coach Andy Talley was named CAA Football Coach of the
Year for the 2012 season. Old Dominion sophomore quarterback Taylor Heinicke and
James Madison junior linebacker Stephon Robertson earned Offensive and
Defensive Player of the Year honors, respectively, while William and Mary
senior punt returner B.W. Webb and Georgia State junior kick returner Albert
Wilson were selected Special Teams Players of the Year. Villanova quarterback John
Robertson was chosen Offensive Rookie of the Year and Delaware linebacker Jeff
Williams received Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. New Hampshire senior
Chris Zarkoskie has been named the winner of CAA Football's first-ever Chuck
Boone Leadership Award.
Talley earns his second CAA Coach of the Year honor after guiding
Villanova to the nation's best regular-season turnaround this fall. After
finishing 2-9 in 2011 and being picked eighth in the league's preseason poll,
the Wildcats have utilized a strong ground game and a dominant defense to put
together an impressive 8-3 overall record that includes a 6-2 mark in CAA play,
eight wins by double-digit margins and two victories over top-10 programs. After
earning a share of the conference championship this past week, Talley's team
has garnered at least a share of the title for the sixth time in his coaching
tenure and became the automatic qualifier for the first time since 2009 when
the Wildcats went on to win the national championship. Nova, which finished the
regular season ranked among the league's top four in both total defense and
total offense, will face Stony Brook in the First Round of the NCAA Division I Football
Championship on Saturday.
Heinicke has undoubtedly been the force behind helping propel Old
Dominion's offense into one of the most prolific attacks in FCS Football. In
only his second year in the collegiate ranks, the Atlanta native leads the
nation with 378 passing yards per game and 412 total yards per game and has
already become the Monarchs' all-time career leader in completions, passing
yards and touchdowns. A Walter Payton Award finalist, Heinicke has also thrown
for an FCS-best 35 scores and 4,158 yards during a season in which he set new
Division I records with 791 yards of total offense and 730 yards passing in ODU's
64-61 win over New Hampshire.
A starter in all 34 games in his three-year career in
Harrisonburg, Stephon Robertson has come to be the core of a dominant James
Madison defense that has consistently been among the league leaders in
virtually every defensive statistical category. The Alexandria, Va., native and
Buck Buchanan Award Watch List member wrapped up the regular season ranked
third in the league with 101 tackles and finished as his team's leader with 8.5
tackles for loss. Robertson has also recorded a sack, an interception and five
pass breakups on the year.
Webb keeps the Special Teams Player of the Year title in the Tribe
family for the third-consecutive year after proving himself as one of the most
dangerous punt returners in the league. The Newport News, Va., native can
quickly change the scope of a game with his return prowess, which not only
includes his actual returns but the fact that many teams are forced to alter
their special teams strategies and punt around him. One of the league's four Buck
Buchanan Award finalists this season, Webb concluded his senior campaign with
123 punt return yards and an 11.2 yard-per-return average to go with two fumble
recoveries. He highlighted the season with a 91-yard punt return for a
touchdown against Delaware.
As with Webb, Wilson also presented a definite threat any time he
touched the ball on the special teams front. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., product
amassed 751 yards on 29 kick return tries for a solid 25.9 yard-per-return
average this season, an effort punctuated by a school-record 100-yard kick
return for a touchdown against Old Dominion. Wilson finished his junior
campaign third among all CAA players with 947 receiving yards, and his 1,810
all-purpose yards easily led the league and were nearly 450 yards more than the
second-closest conference player on the list.
Giving true meaning to the term "dual threat", John Robertson has been
a major catalyst in helping Villanova complete the nation's biggest turnaround
in 2012. With his 1,830 yards passing this fall, the Paramus, N.J., product has
thrown for the third-most yards in the league in addition to racking up 936
yards on the ground, putting him more than 250 rushing yards ahead of any other
conference signal caller this fall. A Jerry Rice Award finalist and five-time
CAA Rookie of the Week, Robertson has registered 27 total touchdowns in his
rookie campaign while ranking fifth in the league with 13 rushing scores.
Like Robertson, Williams has also made a quick impact in his rookie
campaign. The Freeport, N.Y., product was chosen as a finalist for the Jerry
Rice Award, and with good reason after he secured a league-best 6.5 sacks and
14 tackles for a loss of 83 yards for the Blue Hens in the regular season.
Williams finished the year ranked fourth in the CAA among freshmen and fifth on
his team with 61 tackles.
Zarkoskie becomes CAA Football's first-ever recipient of the Chuck
Boone Annual Leadership Award, which is presented to the league player who
embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship
in his academic and athletic achievements and is voted on by the athletic
directors of the league's 11 member institutions. A native of West Caldwell,
N.J., the senior co-captain has not only excelled as a leader on the field, but
he has also maintained a 3.54 cumulative GPA, been named to the Dean's List
seven out of his eight semesters on campus and will graduate with a degree in
psychology in December. Among other activities in his time outside of academic
and athletic obligations, Zarkoskie has been an active member of the Durham
area's "Pease Greeters" who welcome home troops returning from tours in the
Middle East.
We encourage you to share your thoughts on our individual award winners
and all-conference honorees listed below with us on our various social media
platforms. CAA Football is on Twitter @The_CAAFootball and uses
the official hashtag #CAAFB. We can
also be found on Facebook, Instagram
(search "caafootball") and blogging on our official new Every Day Is Saturday blog at caafootball.wordpress.com. All CAA
Football video productions can be found on our YouTube Channel as well.
2012 CAA Football Major Awards (as voted on by the head coaches)
Coach of the Year: Andy Talley, Villanova
Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, Soph.,
Quarterback
Defensive Player of the Year: Stephon Robertson, James Madison,
Jr., Linebacker
Special Teams Co-Player of the Year: B.W. Webb, William and Mary,
Sr., Punt Returner
Special
Teams Co-Player of the Year:
Albert Wilson, Georgia State, Jr., Kick Returner
Offensive Rookie of the Year: John Robertson, Villanova, R-Fr.,
Quarterback
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jeff Williams, Delaware, R-Fr., Linebacker
| 2012
All-CAA Football First Team (as voted on by the head coaches) |
| OFFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| QB |
Taylor Heinicke |
Old Dominion |
Sophomore |
| RB |
Kevin Monangai |
Villanova |
Sophomore |
| RB |
Terrance West |
Towson |
Sophomore |
| FB/HB |
Kendall Gaskins |
Richmond |
Senior |
| WR |
Ben Edwards |
Richmond |
Junior |
| WR |
R.J. Harris |
New Hampshire |
Sophomore |
| WR |
Nick Mayers |
Old Dominion |
Senior |
| TE |
Justin Perillo |
Maine |
Junior |
| OL |
Randall Harris |
Towson |
Junior |
| OL |
Chris Howley |
Maine |
Senior |
| OL |
Seamus O'Neill |
New Hampshire |
Junior |
| OL |
Eric Pike |
Towson |
Junior |
| OL |
Earl Watford |
James Madison |
Senior |
| PK |
Jarod Brown |
Old Dominion |
Junior |
| KR |
Albert Wilson |
Georgia State |
Junior |
| PR |
Ryan Smith |
James Madison |
Senior |
| |
|
|
|
| DEFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| DL |
Frank Beltre |
Towson |
Senior |
| DL |
Chris Burnette |
Old Dominion |
Senior |
| DL |
Rakim Cox |
Villanova |
Junior |
| DL |
Antoine Lewis |
Villanova |
Junior |
| DL |
Jared Smith |
New Hampshire |
Senior |
| LB |
Donte Dennis |
Maine |
Senior |
| LB |
Matt Evans |
New Hampshire |
Senior |
| LB |
Stephon Robertson |
James Madison |
Junior |
| LB |
Paul Worrilow |
Delaware |
Senior |
| CB |
Eric Loper |
Villanova |
Senior |
| CB |
B.W. Webb |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| S |
Jordan Dangerfield |
Towson |
Senior |
| S |
Dean Marlowe |
James Madison |
Sophomore |
| S |
Cooper Taylor |
Richmond |
Senior |
| P |
Jonathan Plisco |
Old Dominion |
Senior |
| |
|
|
|
| 2012 All-CAA
Football Second Team (as voted on by the head coaches) |
| OFFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| QB |
Grant Enders |
Towson |
Senior |
| RB |
Dae'Quan Scott |
James Madison |
Junior |
| RB |
Nico Steriti |
New Hampshire |
Sophomore |
| FB/HB |
Brian Barlow |
James Madison |
Senior |
| WR |
Tre McBride |
William and Mary |
Sophomore |
| WR |
Antonio Vaughan |
Old Dominion |
Sophomore |
| WR |
Nihja White |
Delaware |
Senior |
| TE |
Kevin Finney |
Richmond |
Senior |
| OL |
David Born |
Old Dominion |
Junior |
| OL |
Josh Bucci |
Villanova |
Junior |
| OL |
Bobby Kennedy |
Delaware |
Junior |
| OL |
Mike Salazar |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| OL |
Doug Shaw |
Towson |
Junior |
| OL |
Josh Spearin |
Maine |
Senior |
| PK |
Cameron Starke |
James Madison |
Junior |
| KR |
Justin Grant |
Richmond |
Sophomore |
| PR |
B.W. Webb |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| |
|
|
|
| DEFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| DL |
Marlon Johnson |
Villanova |
Senior |
| DL |
Evan Kelly |
Richmond |
Sophomore |
| DL |
Zach Kerr |
Delaware |
Junior |
| DL |
Romale Tucker |
Towson |
Senior |
| LB |
Devon Bridges |
Villanova |
Senior |
| LB |
Monte Gaddis |
Towson |
Junior |
| LB |
Darius McMillan |
Richmond |
Senior |
| LB |
Jabrel Mines |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| LB |
Craig Wilkins |
Old Dominion |
Senior |
| CB |
Darlos James |
Maine |
Senior |
| CB |
Jordan Love |
Towson |
Junior |
| CB |
Dontra Peters |
New Hampshire |
Senior |
| S |
Manny Asam |
New Hampshire |
Junior |
| S |
Brian Thompson |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| P |
Matt Hubbard |
Georgia State |
Sophomore |
| |
|
|
|
| 2012 All-CAA
Football Third Team (as voted on by the head coaches) |
| OFFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| QB |
John Robertson |
Villanova |
Freshman |
| RB |
Andrew Pierce |
Delaware |
Junior |
| RB |
Donald Russell |
Georgia State |
Senior |
| WR |
Stephen Barnette |
Richmond |
Sophomore |
| WR |
Brandon Johnson-Farrell |
Rhode Island |
Senior |
| WR |
Tom Ryan |
Towson |
Senior |
| WR |
Norman White |
Villanova |
Senior |
| WR |
Albert Wilson |
Georgia State |
Junior |
| TE |
Harold Spears |
New Hampshire |
Sophomore |
| OL |
Mike Coccia |
New Hampshire |
Sophomore |
| OL |
Brandon Heath |
Delaware |
Junior |
| OL |
Vince Kowalski |
Villanova |
Sophomore |
| OL |
Jack Lowney |
Old Dominion |
Junior |
| OL |
Nick Ritcher |
Richmond |
Sophomore |
| OL |
Chris Zarkoskie |
New Hampshire |
Senior |
| PK |
Mike MacArthur |
New Hampshire |
Junior |
| KR |
Derrick Joseph |
Towson |
Sophomore |
| PR |
Poppy Livers |
Villanova |
Sophomore |
| |
|
|
|
| DEFENSE |
|
|
|
| Position |
Player |
School |
Class |
| DL |
Dominique Guinn-Bailey |
Old Dominion |
Sophomore |
| DL |
Matt Morgan |
Towson |
Senior |
| DL |
Tyler Snow |
James Madison |
Junior |
| DL |
Nick Zaremba |
William and Mary |
Senior |
| LB |
Andrew Bose |
Rhode Island |
Sophomore |
| LB |
Luke Rhodes |
William and Mary |
Freshman |
| LB |
Jeff Williams |
Delaware |
Freshman |
| LB |
Eric Wright |
Richmond |
Sophomore |
| CB |
Jamaal Bess |
Rhode Island |
Junior |
| CB |
Darryl Hamilton |
Richmond |
Senior |
| CB |
Tye Smith |
Towson |
Sophomore |
| S |
Jerome Couplin |
William and Mary |
Junior |
| S |
Jakarie Jackson |
James Madison |
Senior |
| S |
Joe Sarnese |
Villanova |
Sophomore |
| P |
Drake Kuhn |
William and Mary |
Junior |
| P |
David Skahn |
James Madison |
Senior |