Thirty SAC Football Players Named To Football Gazette All-Super Region Team

WESTMONT, Ill. - Thirty football players from the South Atlantic Conference, including eight from Tusculum College, have been named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette 2008 NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 Team.

Don Hansen's Football Gazette covers NCAA 1-AA, NCAA 1-AA Mid-Major, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, and NCCAA college football.

The eleven SAC players named to the first team are eligible for All-American team honors.

Tusculum

Tusculum College had eight players named to the 2008 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 Team announced College officials Wednesday.

The Pioneers had five First Team honorees, including Corey Russell, Jarrell NeSmith, Justin Scott, Jeremy Thompson and John Gregory. Ryan Tallent earned All-Region Second Team honors, while Danny Partida and Jarvis Littlejohn were named to the Third Team.

Russell, a 6-4, 190-pound senior quarterback from Speedwell, Tenn., smashed the record books in the finest season ever posted by a Pioneer signal caller. He was named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Second Team and was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which recognizes the Division II National Player of the Year. The 2008 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Daktronics Region Player of the Year peppered his name throughout the Tusculum, SAC and NCAA II record books.

Russell established 15 Tusculum records this season, including a pair of NCAA Division II bests. He recorded 300 or more total offensive yards on 11 occasions this season, which were the best in DII history. He recorded 674 total offensive plays, which are a new NCAA II record. The All-SAC First Team signal caller established league single-season records in total offensive yards (4907), passing yards (4097) and touchdown passes (37). He also set TC season records for completions (301) and pass attempts (505).

Russell caps one of the most successful careers in Division II history. His 11,315 total offensive yards are the most ever by a Pioneer, second in SAC history and ninth in NCAA II history. The Cumberland Gap High School graduate also set career marks in pass attempts (1382), completions (773), passing yards (9887), TD passes (82), touchdowns accounted for (103), interceptions (49) and total offensive attempts (1853). He also becomes the first Tusculum quarterback to earn NCAA II All-American and All-Region honors.

Russell was selected to play in the Valero Cactus Bowl, the NCAA II Senior All-Star game, which was held in Kingsville, Texas last week. In that game, he rushed and passed for a touchdown as he accounted for over 170 total offensive yards, splitting time at quarterback for the East squad.

NeSmith, a 6-2, 215-pound junior tight end from Russellville, Ala., has earned All-American distinction three times so far this year. Last month, he was named to the Associated Press Little All-America Team. He was selected as the First Team tight end for the Daktronics Division II All-America Team. He earned All-South Atlantic Conference First Team and Daktronics Super Region Two First Team honors this year, finishing second on the team and in the league with 67 receptions. His catch tally is the third-best in school history. He totaled 635 receiving yards, while making seven touchdown receptions, which are tied for the fourth most in TC history.

NeSmith was also recognized for his off the field success as he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® College Division Third Team. The Russellville High School graduate has a 3.83 cumulative grade point average as a Pre-Medicine major. He is a two-time Academic All-District First Team selection, was also named the SAC Scholar Athlete for Football for a second consecutive year. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Scott, a 6-3, 235-pound linebacker from Jamestown, S.C., has been Tusculum's Minister of Defense this year leading the team and South Atlantic Conference with 113 tackles, the second most in school history. The 2008 Daktronics All-Region honoree has also been a two-time All-SAC selection, pushing his name into the record book in tackles for loss in a season (22) and a career (51). His seven career fumble recoveries are the most ever in Tusculum history. Scott was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week for his 10-tackle performance against Mars Hill. His 277 career tackles are tied for fifth all-time in school history with former All-American linebacker Craig Pritchett.

Scott was also selected to play in the Cactus Bowl, where he recorded four tackles and recovered a fumble to set up the East's first touchdown of the night.

Thompson, a 6-0, 200-pound free safety from Rome, Ga., recorded 75 tackles which was fourth on the team to earn him a spot on the Daktronics All-Region Second Team. The two-time All-SAC First Team honoree led the Pioneers with nine passes defended, including three interceptions. In Tusculum's 45-44 win over Carson-Newman, he recovered three C-N turnovers, including a 55-yard fumble return for the game-winning touchdown. For his efforts, he was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week. He finished his TC career with 205 career tackles and 2 passes defended which are the fifth most in school history.

Gregory, a 6-2, 210-pound junior punter from Ooltewah, Tenn., has earned All-Region honors twice this year and for a third straight season. He was a Daktronics All-Region selection in 2006 and 2008 and was named to the Football Gazette All-Region squad in 2007 and again this year. The three-time All-SAC honoree continues to rewrite the school punting records. Gregory owns the three top career marks for punt attempts (175), punting yards (7293) and punting average (41.67). The Ooltewah High School graduate averaged 43.52 yards per punt this season which is a new school record, breaking the previous mark set by Dick Schultz (43.50) in 1941. Gregory's average is third in the nation this year.

Tallent, a 5-10, 210-pound receiver from Maryville, Tenn., garners All-Region honors for the first time in his career. He established a pair of school records himself this season, both coming on the last offensive play of the season for Tusculum. Tallent hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of TC's 27-19 road loss at No. 4 Delta State in the second round of the NCAA DII playoffs. That catch was his 92nd this year, tying the all-time single-season mark with former All-American wideout Kevin Wolcott. The two-time All-SAC First Team standout also tied a school season record with nine TD receptions this year, matching the mark set by junior teammate Nate Binder (Maidstone, Ontario, Canada) who also grabbed nine scoring tosses in his inaugural Pioneer campaign.

Partida, a 6-2, 270-pound senior center from Tujunga, Calif., picks up his second All-Region nod this season. He was a Daktronics All-Region First Team selection this past November joining former players Alan Dunn (2002, 2003) Felix Perez (2003) and Michael Bujnak (2006) as one of only four offensive linemen to earn First Team recognition. Partida, an All-SAC First Team choice, started in all 13 games this season at center, where he played in all but 11 snaps for the Pioneers. He was also a regional finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, which recognizes the Division II Lineman of the Year.

Littlejohn, a 5-11, 240-pound senior from Gaffney, S.C., finished second on the team with 105 tackles, which are the third most in a season by a Pioneer, earning him Daktronics All-Region Second Team honors. The two-time All-SAC standout recorded nine tackles for loss, while forcing three fumbles to go along with four sacks. For his 38-game career, Littlejohn finished with 209 tackles, including 190 in just the last two seasons combined. His career hit tally is also the 12th most in school history.

The Pioneers posted a 9-4 record winning four of their last five outings to capture TC's second South Atlantic Conference title in five years. Tusculum also made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, advancing to the Final 16. TC finished the season ranked No. 16 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

Newberry

Five Newberry College football players have been named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette all-Super Region 2 teams. Senior defensive end David Harris (Ninety Six, S.C.) earned first team honors, while two defensive players made second team and two offensive players made third team.

Harris, who was named to the Daktronics All-Super Region 2 second team in December, wrapped up his collegiate career with his first all-SAC honor. The senior defensive lineman made 34 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He also recovered two fumbles with 63 return yards, including a 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown in his final game last weekend at Brevard.

Two Newberry defensive players earned second team honors in senior linebacker Will Newell (Irmo, S.C.) and sophomore cornerback Kamaal McIlwain (Fort Mill, S.C.).

Newell capped a spectacular career last month as he earned All-American honors from the American Football Coaches' Association, becoming only the third player in Newberry history to acheive that feat. He was also named to the South Carolina all-state team.

In 2008, Newell led Newberry in tackles for the third consecutive season, en route to South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as Daktronics All-Super Region 2 second team.

He finished his collegiate career with 338 total tackles, which is the fifth most in Newberry College history. He finished the 2008 season with 91 total tackles for an average of 9.1 stops per game. He recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks and forced two fumbles. He also registered five quarterback hurries, broke up three passes and snagged his first career interception on Homecoming night against Catawba. He was a defensive captain this season as the scarlet and gray claimed their second SAC Championship in the last three seasons.

Newell is only the second Newberry player to earn SAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and the first since Charlie Coles in 1978, which was the league's fourth season of existence.

McIlwain, who also earned second team all-region honors on the Daktronics list, had one of the more eye-catching breakout seasons in recent memory by any SAC player. After making 21 tackles in 2007, McIlwain followed that up with 30 tackles in his sophomore campaign. He also recorded a solo sack from his cornerback position. He led the Newberry squad with three interceptions and eight pass breakups, for a total of 11 passes defended. He also snagged two fumble recoveries, and blocked two kicks - both of which came in the win over Catawba on Homecoming. He earned one Special Teams Player of the Week honor as well as one Defensive Player of the Week honor.

On the offensive side of the ball, junior wide receiver Kelton Tindal (Sumter, S.C.) and senior offensive tackle Marchent Faustin (Summerville, S.C.) earned third team honors from the Football Gazette.

Tindal finished his junior campaign with 39 receptions for 745 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 19.1 yard per catch and 74.5 yards per game. His 745 yards is the seventh best receiving year in Newberry history. He now has 1,461 career receiving yards, which places him sixth all-time for the scarlet and gray. He was also a Daktronics second team all-region honoree.

Faustin capped his career with his third straight season in which he earned an all-SAC honor. He finished his career with a total of 41 starts, including the last 37 consecutive games. He was also a Daktronics second team all-region honoree.

Mars Hill

Chris Dowell, Elroy Harris and Deshun Nesbitt were recently named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-Super Region II Team. Dowdell was a Second Team Defense selection while Harris and Nesbitt made the Third Team Offense and Third Team Defense, respectively.

Dowdell just recently participated in the Cactus Bowl, a collegiate football all-star game for outgoing seniors, and shined on the field in his final season at Mars Hill. The Riverside, Ga., native amassed 49 total tackles, three tackles-for-loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. For his efforts, Dowdell was named to the 2008 All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) First Team Defense.

Harris, from Orlando, Fla., was a standout blocker for Lion tailbacks that accumulated 1716 rushing yards in 2008. Harris carried the ball 24 times for 93 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground. He also demonstrated good hands out of the backfield catching 11 balls for 78 yards and two scores.

Nesbitt, a local product from Asheville, N.C., led the SAC in interceptions with five and was 13th in the nation in that category. He was second in the SAC in passes broken up with five and 45th in the nation in that statistic. Nesbitt's play on the field earned him a 2008 Daktronics Super Region II All-Region Second Team selection and a First Team All-South Atlantic Conference selection.

Lenoir-Rhyne

Lenoir-Rhyne University's Colin Corpe and Anthony Silvers have been selected to the 2008 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 Second Team.

Corpe, a freshman placekicker from Ocala, Fla., and a graduate of Vanguard High School, earned First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honors in November as well after leading the league in field goals made (10) and finishing first on the team in points (55) this year.

Corpe connected on 10-of-16 field goals in 2008 and 25-of-31 point-after-attempts.

Silvers (Burnsville, N.C./Mountain Heritage HS), a junior fullback, finished second this season in rushing (410 yards) to go along with two touchdowns despite missing three games due to injury.

Silvers, who tallied a career-high 114 yards on the ground against Wingate (Oct. 11, 2008), was leading the team in rushing before his season-ending leg injury against Carson-Newman (Oct. 18, 2008).

The complete list can be downloaded here

First Team Offense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB Corey Russell 6-4 190 SR Tusculum Speedwell, Tenn.
RB Jamelle Cuthbertson 5-8 185 SR Catawba Charlotte, N.C.
RB Buck Wakefield 5-9 265 JR Carson-Newman Drummonds, Tenn.
FB Ben Stallings 6-1 245 JR Delta State Cleveland, Miss.
WR Garett Manning 6-3 210 SR Henderson State Hallettsville, Texas
WR Julius Pruitt 6-3 210 SR Ouachita Baptist Newport, Ark.
TE Jerrell NeSmith 6-2 215 JR Tusculum Russellville, Ala.
C Torrence Wright 6-3 280 JR Arkansas Tech Sulphur Springs, Texas
OG Thomas Battle 6-3 320 SR Carson-Newman Chattanooga, Tenn.
OG Sam Hathorn 6-3 275 SR North Alabama Corinth, Miss.
OT Mark Ellis 6-5 355 SR Delta State New York, N.Y
OT Terence Crosby 6-3 195 JR Catawba Winston-Salem, N.C.
AP Trevar Deed 5-11 205 SO Delta State Phoenix, Ariz.
PK Tom Schneider 6-0 195 SR North Alabama Walnut Creek, Calif.

First Team Defense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE David Harris 6-1 265 SR Newberry Ninety Six, S.C.
DE Montrell Craft 6-2 250 JR North Alabama Memphis, Tenn.
DG/DT Derrick Chatman 6-1 245 SR North Alabama Clarksdale, Miss.
DG/DT Melquan Fair 6-1 260 JR Catawba Raleigh, N.C.
LB Lardester Hicks-Green 6-1 235 JR Delta State Chicago, Ill.
LB Mike Johnson 6-4 250 JR North Alabama Panama City, Fla.
LB Justin Scott 6-3 235 SR Tusculum Jamestown, S.C.
CB Devon Hughes 5-11 180 SR Henderson State Marlin, Texas
CB David Raymond 5-11 190 SR North Alabama Atlanta, Ga.
S Sherard Reynolds 5-10 185 SR Valdosta State Moultrie, Ga.
S Jeremy Thompson 6-0 200 SR Tusculum Rome, Ga.
P John Gregory 6-2 210 JR Tusculum Ooltewah, Tenn.
RS Greg Godfrey 5-10 175 SR Henderson State Houston, Texas

Second Team Offense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB A.J. Milwee 5-10 175 SR North Alabama Boaz, Ala.
RB Mike McClendon 5-10 200 SR North Alabama Quitman, Miss.
RB Winston Thompson 5-9 195 SO Clark-Atlanta Miami, Fla.
FB Anthony Silvers 6-1 225 JR Lenoir-Rhyne Burnsville, N.C.
WR Ryan Tallent 5-10 200 JR Tusculum Maryville, Tenn.
WR Kurt Adams 6-5 195 JR Harding Searcy, Ark.
TE Bob Ruffing 6-5 250 SR Ouachita Baptist Chico, Calif.
C Michael Stevens 6-6 380 JR Tuskegee Montgomery, Ala.
OG Ross Conn 6-3 265 SR Harding Ann Arbor, Mich.
OG Stanley Wright 6-3 350 SR Benedict Holy Hill, S.C.
OT Jeremy Ashcraft 6-7 335 SR Arkansas Tech Marshall, Texas
OT Sam McNaulty 6-4 320 SR Clark-Atlanta Oakland, Calif.
AP Greg Godfrey 5-10 175 SR Henderson State Houston, Texas
PK Colin Corpe 6-2 180 FR Lenoir-Rhyne Ocala, Fla.

Second Team Defense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE David Williams 6-3 240 SR Kentucky State Detroit, Mich.
DE Andre Bernardi 6-3 265 SR North Greenville Marietta, Ga.
DG/DT Demario Jones 5-10 300 SO Valdosta State Jacksonville, Fla.
DG/DT Chris Dowdell 6-4 265 SR Mars Hill Riverdale, Ga.
LB Jeffrey Cargile 5-9 200 SR Morehouse Cincinnati, Tenn.
LB Garry Pack 6-1 230 SR West Alabama Hattiesburg, Miss.
LB Will Newell 6-2 250 SR Newberry Irmo, S.C.
CB Kamal McIlwain 5-10 175 SO Newberry Fort Mill, S.C.
CB Dominic Spinks 6-2 195 SR Delta State Meridian, Miss.
S Caylon Hann 5-10 170 SO UNC Pembroke Homestead, Fla.
S Bobby Brooks 6-0 190 SR North Alabama Hoover, Ala.
P Will Batson 6-4 210 JR North Alabama Killen, Ala.
RS Chad Schroeder 5-11 180 SR Delta State Demopolis, Ala.

Third Team Offense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB Scott Buisson 5-10 175 SO Arkansas-Monticello Metairie, La.
RB Michael Wright 5-10 195 SR Kentucky State Knoxville, Tenn.
RB Nelson Woods 5-8 190 SO Wingate Charlotte, N.C.
FB Elroy Harris 5-11 240 SR Mars Hill Orlando, Fla.
FB Pernez Pinkney 5-10 225 JR Morehouse Atlanta, Ga.
WR Kelton Tindal 6-3 195 JR Newberry Sumter, S.C.
WR Rocky Coleman 6-3 220 SR North Alabama Clarksdale, Miss.
TE Robert Smith 6-4 220 JR Lane St. Louis, Mo.
C Danny Partida 6-2 270 SR Tusculum Tujunga, Calif.
OG Jon Weinreich 6-5 345 JR West Alabama Pismo Beach, Calif.
OG Joe Wilson 6-1 305 SR Arkansas-Monticello West Memphis, Ark.
OT Micheal Hathorn 6-4 280 SR North Alabama Corinth, Miss.
OT Marchent Faustin 6-5 290 SR Newberry Summerville, S.C.
AP Buck Wakefield 5-9 265 JR Carson-Newman Drummonds, Tenn.
PK Ryan Ferrell 6-1 210 SR Harding Houston, Texas

Third Team Defense
POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE Darius Wrentz 6-3 220 SR Carson-Newman Miami, Fla.
DE Joshua Ingram 6-6 305 SO Albany State Milledgeville, Ga.
DE Danny Anderson 5-10 225 JR Tuskegee Butler, Ala.
DG/DT Jarvis DeVaughn 6-0 245 SR Tuskegee Katy, Texas
DG/DT Brandon Sutton 6-3 245 SO Catawba Snow Hill, N.C.
LB Jarvis Littlejohn 5-11 240 SR Tusculum Gaffney, S.C.
LB Sevohn Greer 5-9 180 SR Harding Vellejo, Calif.
LB Charles McAfee 5-10 210 SR Catawba Charlotte, N.C.
CB Deshun Nesbitt 5-10 190 JR Mars Hill Asheville, N.C.
CB Darron Dampier 5-10 185 JR North Alabama Mendenhall, Miss.
S Dre'Mail Hardin 6-1 195 SR Stillman Tuscaloosa, Ala.
S Mario Russell 6-1 180 SO Carson-Newman Columbus, Ohio
P Michael Podobnik 6-0 245 SR Arkansas Tech Frankfort, Ill.
RS Patrick Pinchinat 6-1 220 SO Wingate Rockville, Md.