Flacco, Moreland Headline 2018 CAA Football All-Conference Awards
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (November 20, 2018) – CAA Football announced its 2018 post-season award winners on Tuesday, headlined by Towson junior quarterback
Tom Flacco being selected as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and James Madison senior cornerback
Jimmy Moreland being chosen as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Other major award recipients included Maine’s
Joe Harasymiak as CAA Coach of the Year, Towson junior kick/punt returner
Shane Simpson as Special Teams Player of the Year, Elon freshman running back
Jaylan Thomas as Offensive Rookie of the Year and Villanova freshman cornerback
Christian Benford as Defensive Rookie of the Year. Stony Brook senior offensive lineman
Chris Infantino was honored with the Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award.
CAA Football’s all-conference awards are voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches. James Madison led all teams with 14 selections, while CAA champion Maine had 12 players named to the squad.
Flacco made an immediate impact in his first season with the Tigers. The junior completed 259-of-406 passes for 3,124 yards and 27 touchdowns and also ran for a team-high 704 yards and four scores. He leads CAA Football and ranks third in FCS in total offense (348.0 ypg) and is fifth nationally in passing TD’s, seventh in passing yards per game (284.0 ypg) and 19
th in passing efficiency (145.0). Flacco threw for over 300 yards six times and had multiple TD passes in 10 of his 11 contests. He ran for over 100 yards in a game twice. A finalist for the STATS Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in FCS, Flacco is Towson’s first Offensive Player of the Year since Terrance West in 2013.
Moreland had a record-setting season for a JMU defense that ranks in the top 10 nationally. The senior cornerback tied for the CAA lead and was eighth in FCS with five interceptions. He set a CAA record by returning three interceptions for touchdowns and his 217 interception return yards broke the Dukes’ single-season mark. Along with the interception numbers, Moreland contributed 40 tackles, 3.5 TFL, a team-high nine pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt. He owns JMU’s career interceptions record with 18 and his six career interceptions for TD’s is a CAA record. A finalist for the STATS Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in FCS, Moreland is JMU’s second straight Defensive Player of the Year honoree.
Picked to finish eighth in the league’s preseason poll, Harasymiak guided Maine to its first CAA Football championship since 2013 with a 7-1 league mark. The Black Bears went 8-3 overall, earned a berth in the FCS playoffs for the first time in five years and were ranked No. 12 in the final regular-season STATS FCS Top 25 poll. Maine was a perfect 5-0 against nationally ranked opponents this season and recorded a victory over FBS foe Western Kentucky despite playing a rigorous schedule that included seven road games. Harasymiak is a finalist for the STATS Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented to the top head coach in FCS football.
Simpson ranked fifth in the CAA in kickoff return average (24.0) and third in punt return average (7.5) this season. His 992 combined kick return yards were the third-most in FCS. The multi-talented junior, who also earned first-team All-CAA honors at running back, ranked second in the nation in all-purpose yards (177.6 ypg). Simpson’s 12 total touchdowns were the most in the CAA this season and included a 96-yard kickoff return for a score against Stony Brook.
Thomas took over as Elon’s starting running back at mid-season due to injuries and rushed for a team-high 723 yards and four touchdowns in just seven games. He ran for 222 yards on 18 carries in a win over Rhode Island, which was the most by a CAA player this season and the 9
th-best effort in Elon history. He also had 150 yards rushing against Richmond and averaged 7.3 yards per carry for the season. Thomas is the second Elon player in as many seasons to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Benford tied for the CAA lead with five interceptions in nine contests and ranked sixth in FCS in interceptions per game (0.6). The freshman cornerback picked off three passes in a win at Richmond, becoming the first Villanova player to do that since 2011. He also contributed 49 tackles, 2.0 TFL and six pass breakups, which tied for the team lead. Benford is a finalist for the STATS Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the top freshman player in FCS.
Infantino was the recipient of the prestigious Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award, an honor that embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship in academics and athletics. The senior offensive lineman started every game this season and helped Stony Brook rush for 208.1 yards per game, which ranks second in the CAA and 27
th nationally. He graduated last May with a double major in biology and psychology and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences. He is an ambassador for the Concussion Legacy Foundation and participates in Uplifting Athletes, a fundraising event to raise awareness for rare disease research. The Boone Award is selected by the CAA Football athletics directors.
2018 CAA Football First Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Tom Flacco, Towson |
QB |
Jr. |
Voorhees, N.J. |
| Donald Liotine, Stony Brook |
RB |
Sr. |
Medford, N.Y. |
| Shane Simpson, Towson |
RB |
Jr. |
Easton, Pa. |
| Cal Daniels, Stony Brook |
FB/HB |
Sr. |
Bethel, Conn. |
| Shane Leatherbury, Towson |
WR |
Jr. |
Salisbury, Md. |
| Neil O’Connor, New Hampshire |
WR |
Sr. |
Leominster, Mass. |
| Aaron Parker, Rhode Island |
WR |
Jr. |
Brandywine, Md. |
| Charles Scarff, Delaware |
TE |
Sr. |
Lancaster, Pa. |
| Mario Farinella, Delaware |
OL |
Sr. |
Bloomfield, N.J. |
| Kyle Murphy, Rhode Island |
OL |
Jr. |
Attleboro, Mass. |
| Matt Kauffman, Towson |
OL |
Sr. |
York, Pa. |
| CJ Toogood, Elon |
OL |
Sr. |
Holly Springs, N.C. |
| Oli Udoh, Elon |
OL |
Sr. |
Fayetteville, N.C. |
| Aidan O’Neill, Towson |
PK |
Jr. |
New Paltz, N.Y. |
| Earnest Edwards, Maine |
KR |
Jr. |
Rochester, N.Y. |
| D’Angelo Amos, James Madison |
PR |
So. |
Richmond, Va. |
2018 CAA Football First Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Ron’Dell Carter, James Madison |
DL |
Jr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Andrew Clyde, Richmond |
DL |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| Maurice Jackson, Richmond |
DL |
Jr. |
Levittown, Pa. |
| Kayon Whitaker, Maine |
DL |
Jr. |
Washington, D.C. |
| Shayne Lawless, Stony Brook |
LB |
Sr. |
Moorestown, N.J. |
| Warren Messer, Elon |
LB |
Sr. |
Garner, N.C. |
| Troy Reeder, Delaware |
LB |
Sr. |
Hockessin, Del. |
| Sterling Sheffield, Maine |
LB |
Sr. |
Mullica Hill, N.J. |
| Jimmy Moreland, James Madison |
CB |
Sr. |
Royal Palm Beach, Fla. |
| Manny Patterson, Maine |
CB |
Jr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Nasir Adderley, Delaware |
S |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Adam Smith, James Madison |
S |
Jr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| Nick Pritchard, Delaware |
P |
Jr. |
New Egypt, N.J. |
| Robert Carter, Jr., James Madison |
SPEC |
Sr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| 2018 Offensive Player of the Year: Tom Flacco, Towson |
| 2018 Defensive Player of the Year: Jimmy Moreland, James Madison |
| 2018 Coach of the Year: Joe Harasymiak, Maine |
| 2018 Special Teams Player of the Year: Shane Simpson, Towson |
| 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jaylan Thomas, Elon |
| 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year: Christian Benford, Villanova |
2018 Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award: Chris Infantino, Stony Brook
|
2018 CAA Football Second Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| JaJuan Lawson, Rhode Island |
QB |
Sr. |
Petaluma, Calif. |
| Jordan Gowins, Stony Brook |
RB |
Sr. |
Bellport, N.Y. |
| Aaron Forbes, Villanova |
RB |
Sr. |
Newburgh, N.Y. |
| Tyler Burke, Rhode Island |
FB/HB |
Sr. |
Coatesville, Pa. |
| Earnest Edwards, Maine |
WR |
Jr. |
Rochester, N.Y. |
| Cortrelle Simpson, Richmond |
WR |
Jr. |
Indian Head, Md. |
| Riley Stapleton, James Madison |
WR |
Jr. |
Indiana, Pa. |
| Drew Belcher, Maine |
TE |
Sr. |
Reading, Mass. |
| Ethan Greenidge, Villanova |
OL |
Sr. |
Flanders, N.Y. |
| Liam Dobson, Maine |
OL |
So. |
Ottawa, Ontario |
| Liam Fornadel, James Madison |
OL |
So. |
Ramsey, N.J. |
| Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook |
OL |
Fr. |
East Islip, N.Y. |
| John Yarbrough, Richmond |
OL |
Sr. |
Homewood, Ala. |
| Ethan Stark, UAlbany |
PK |
Sr. |
Erie, Pa. |
| Shane Simpson, Towson |
KR |
Jr. |
Easton, Pa. |
| Ahmere Dorsey, Rhode Island |
PR |
Jr. |
Wilmington, Del. |
2018 CAA Football Second Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Charles Mitchell, Maine |
DL |
Jr. |
Piscataway, N.J. |
| Bill Murray, William & Mary |
DL |
Jr. |
Millington, N.J. |
| Sam Kamara, Stony Brook |
DL |
Jr. |
Carteret, N.J. |
| Jae’Wuan Horton, New Hampshire |
DL |
Sr. |
Stafford, Va. |
| Quinlen Dean, New Hampshire |
LB |
Jr. |
Greenbelt, Md. |
| Dimitri Holloway, James Madison |
LB |
Jr. |
Newport News, Va. |
| Robert Heyward, Towson |
LB |
Jr. |
Savannah, Ga. |
| Deshawn Stevens, Maine |
LB |
So. |
Toronto, Ontario |
| Gavin Heslop, Stony Brook |
CB |
Jr. |
Yonkers, N.Y. |
| Greg Liggs, Jr., Elon |
CB |
Jr. |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| Pop Lacey, New Hampshire |
S |
Jr. |
Reading, Pa. |
| Isaiah Laster, William & Mary |
S |
Jr. |
Cary, N.C. |
| Harry O’Kelly, James Madison |
P |
So. |
Wynnum, Queensland, Australia |
| Mozai Nelson, Maine |
SPEC |
Sr. |
Uniondale, N.Y. |
2018 CAA Football Third Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Ben DiNucci, James Madison |
QB |
Jr. |
Wexford, Pa. |
| Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, UAlbany |
RB |
Jr. |
Newark, N.J. |
| Malcolm Summers, Elon |
RB |
Sr. |
Mebane, N.C. |
| Tyler Crist, William & Mary |
FB |
So. |
Hampton, Va. |
| DeVonte Dedmon, William & Mary |
WR |
Sr. |
Williamsburg, Va. |
| Joe Walker, Delaware |
WR |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Micah Wright, Maine |
WR |
Sr. |
Newark, N.Y. |
| Nick Muse, William & Mary |
TE |
So. |
Belmont, N.C. |
| Noah Beh, Delaware |
OL |
Sr. |
Moscow, Pa. |
| Cody Levy, Maine |
OL |
Sr. |
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. |
| Mac Patrick, James Madison |
OL |
Jr. |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
| Mark Williamson, William & Mary |
OL |
Jr. |
Greene County, Va. |
| Aaron Grzymkowski, Towson |
OL |
So. |
Stevensville, Md. |
| Ethan Ratke, James Madison |
PK |
So. |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
| Jawon Hamilton, James Madison |
KR |
So. |
Miami, Fla. |
| Shane Simpson, Towson |
PR |
Jr. |
Easton, Pa. |
2018 CAA Football Third Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| John Daka, James Madison |
DL |
Jr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| Cam Kitchen, Delaware |
DL |
Jr. |
Trenton, N.J. |
| Marcus Willoughby, Elon |
DL |
Jr. |
Durham, N.C. |
| John Haggart, Stony Brook |
DL |
Sr. |
Sayville, N.Y. |
| Matt Baker, Elon |
LB |
Sr. |
Raleigh, N.C. |
| Noah McGinty, Stony Brook |
LB |
Sr. |
Carlsbad, Calif. |
| Ray Jones, Delaware |
LB |
Sr. |
Wilmington, Del. |
| Diondre Wallace, Towson |
LB |
Sr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Christian Benford, Villanova |
CB |
Fr. |
Randallstown, Md. |
| T.J. Morrison, Stony Brook |
CB |
So. |
Yonkers, N.Y. |
| Tyler Campbell, Elon |
S |
Sr. |
Suwanee, Ga. |
| Corey Parker, William & Mary |
S |
Jr. |
Haymarket, Va. |
| Drew Sanborn, New Hampshire |
P |
Jr. |
Amherst, N.H. |
| Yeedee Thaenrat, Towson |
SPEC |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. |