• Complete 2016 All-OVC Football Team (PDF)
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - For the first time in league history Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State took home all four major 2016 postseason OVC football awards and had 17 first and second team All-Conference selections in voting conducted by league head coaches and sports information directors and announced on Tuesday.
Jacksonville State senior quarterback
Eli Jenkins was named OVC Offensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row, while junior defensive end
Darius Jackson was tabbed OVC Defensive Player of the Year. Safety
Marlon Bridges was honored as OVC Freshman of the Year while
John Grass won his third-straight Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year honors.
It marked the first time since the Freshman of the Year Award was first handed out in 2004 that one team had won all four of the awards in the same year. Overall it is the eighth time in OVC history (and first since Eastern Kentucky in 2007) that one team claimed the Offensive, Defensive and Coach of the Year awards in the same season.
JSU also had two All-Newcomer picks to finish with 19 overall individual awards. Tennessee State was second with 10 selections across the first, second and All-Newcomer teams while UT Martin had eight picks. The All-OVC first-team included 10 seniors, 12 juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen while the second-team included 13 seniors, 10 juniors and three sophomores.
Jenkins became the first player to repeat as OVC Offensive Player of the Year since former Eastern Illinois and current Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo won three-straight awards from 2000-02. Jenkins completed the regular season by improving to 36-0 all-time as a starter during the regular season against non-FBS opponents and led his team to its third-straight outright OVC Championship. After being named FCS National Quarterback of the Year and leading his team to the FCS Title Game a season ago, Jenkins etched his name all over the Jacksonville State, OVC and FCS record book. In 11 games, he accounted for 2,762 yards of total offense and 22 touchdowns, similar numbers to his junior regular season. The senior threw for 1,967 yards and 10 scores and rushed for 795 yards and 12 touchdowns in guiding JSU to a 10-1 overall record. Three times during the campaign he had games with 200-plus passing and 100-plus rushing yards and capped the regular season with a career-high four rushing touchdowns against UT Martin. Jenkins currently ranks 13th nationally in rushing touchdowns. His 11,119 yards of career total offense is second most among active FCS players and second in OVC history behind only former National Player of the Year and current New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He also moved into 10th place in FCS history for rushing yards by a quarterback (3,607); he enters the postseason just 67 years out of eighth place in that category. His 42 career rushing touchdowns are currently eighth in OVC history while his 7,368 passing yards ranks 10th in Conference history. In 2016 he has spearheaded an offensive attack that ranks ninth in rushing offense (244.5 yards/game) and 21st in total offense (432.0 yards/game).
After Jacksonville State lost eight starters from last year’s defense that ranked 12th nationally in total defense and helped the team to the FCS Title Game, Jackson took over as the leader of the defensive unit that enters the postseason ranked second nationally in total defense (252.6 yards/game allowed) and fourth in scoring defense (16.3 points/game allowed). Jackson totaled 44 tackles, 15.0 tackles-for-loss and 10.0 sacks in 11 games while also netting an interception, recovering two fumbles, forcing another fumble and tallying 11 quarterback hurries. He ranks ninth nationally in sacks (0.91/game) and 31st in tackles-for-loss (1.4/game). During the year, he became the program’s all-time leader in sacks (20.5) and enters the postseason currently tied for first in school history in tackles-for-loss (39.5). In three games against nationally-ranked Division I opponents this season he had 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks. Jackson is the second Jacksonville State player to be named OVC Defensive Player of the Year, joining defensive tackle Devaunte Sigler in 2014.
Bridges enters the postseason leading Jacksonville State, which is ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense, with 79 tackles in 11 games; his 7.2 tackles/game average is tops among freshmen in the OVC. He has forced five fumbles (two coming against nationally-ranked teams) which is tied for the FCS national lead while his four interceptions are the third-most among freshmen nationally. Bridges had six tackles, a tackle-for-loss and two pass breakups in a victory over No. 17 Coastal Carolina earlier in the season, netted a season-best 11 tackles against nationally-ranked FBS foe LSU and capped the regular season with 10 tackles, an interception and pass breakup as JSU topped UT Martin to win its third-straight outright OVC Championship. Bridges is the third different JSU player to earn OVC Freshman of the Year honors since the award was first presented in 2004, joining quarterback/punter Coty Blanchard (2010) and offensive tackle Justin Lea (2014).
Grass became the first person to win three-straight OVC Coach of the Year awards since the award’s namesake, Eastern Kentucky’s Roy Kidd, did so from 1981-83. Kidd, however, shared two of those awards, making Grass the first coach in League history to win the award outright three consecutive times. Kidd, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, won the award a record 10 times during his career (1964-2002) and retired with 314 victories, the second-most in I-AA/FCS history. Grass is the first person in FCS history to start his career with three-straight undefeated Conference seasons, finishing 7-0 in League play this season to push his career OVC mark to 23-0. JSU was also the first team in OVC history to have three-straight undefeated and untied seasons. He guided the Gamecocks to its third-straight outright OVC Championship (and the sixth overall in school history), marking the first OVC team to accomplish that feat since EKU from 1982-84. Overall Jax State is 10-1, ranked No. 2 in the FCS Top 25 polls, is the No. 3 overall seed for the 2016 NCAA Division I Football Championship and has won nine games in a row since falling to nationally-ranked FBS opponent LSU. Dating back to 2013, Jacksonville State has won 24-straight OVC games (two off the all-time OVC record) and 30-straight regular season contests against non-FBS opponents. Entering the playoffs the team ranks No. 1 nationally in third down conversion defense (22.4%), second in total defense (252.6 yards/game allowed), pass efficiency defense (92.54), red zone defense (64.0%) and sacks (3.45/game), fourth in scoring defense (16.3 points/game allowed), rushing defense (78.8 yards/game allowed) and tackles-for-loss (8.7/game), fifth in passes intercepted (18), ninth in rushing offense (244.5 yards/game) and turnover margin (+1.09/game) and 10th in least interceptions thrown (6).
The All-OVC first-team was highlighted by Jenkins at the quarterback position. He is the first quarterback to earn three-straight first-team All-OVC honors since Tony Romo from 2000-02. He is joined in the backfield by junior teammate
Roc Thomas and Eastern Illinois senior
Devin Church. The duo ranked No. 1 and 2 in the OVC in rushing with Church tallying 1,066 yards and Thomas gaining 782 yards in nine games after transferring from Auburn. Church not only led the OVC in rushing, he also led his team with 41 catches and six touchdowns; nationally he ranked 20th in total touchdowns (13) and 14th in all-purpose yards (138.73/game). Thomas ranked first in the OVC and 20th nationally in gaining 6.16 yards/carry and had four games with 100-plus rushing yards during the year including a season-high 165 yards (and three touchdowns) all in the second half at Murray State. Murray State junior
Jordon Gandy led the OVC with 976 receiving yards and caught 11 touchdown passes while Tennessee State junior
Patrick Smith had an OVC-best 13 touchdown catches (fifth nationally) to go along with 966 yards; his 13 touchdown passes were tied for the seventh-best in OVC single-season history. Gandy’s teammate, senior
Jesse Blackburn, was the first-team selection at tight end (after being the second-team pick last year) after catching 52 passes for 747 yards and three touchdowns. Jacksonville State had three of the five first-team selections on the offensive line including senior center
Casey Dunn (his second-straight first-team pick), junior guard
Justin Lea (the third All-OVC honor of his career) and senior tackle
Nick Johnson. The Gamecock trio was joined by UT Martin junior guard
Robert Burleigh and Tennessee State senior tackle
Jessamen Dunker (who has been invited to the Senior Bowl).
The first-team defense was headlined by Jackson and Bridges, two of six Jacksonville State players named to the first-team defensive unit. He was joined on the defensive line by sophomore teammate
Randy Robinson who netted 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks during the year. The defensive line also included repeat first-team pick
Ebenezer Ogundeko, the Tennessee State junior, who despite missing three games due to injury and being limited in the final three contests of the season, still finished the campaign with 48 tackles, 11.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries. The line was rounded out by Eastern Kentucky sophomore
Aaron Patrick who tallied 53 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries in 11 games. Due to a tie in voting there were four linebacker selections including two from JSU in juniors
Siran Neal and
Joel McCandless. Neal recorded 75 tackles and 11.5 tackles-for-loss for the OVC champions while McCandless added 56 stops and 7.0 tackles-for-loss. They were joined by Eastern Illinois senior
Seth McDonald and Southeast Missouri junior
Chad Meredith. McDonald was one tackle shy of becoming just the second player in EIU history to record back-to-back 100 tackle seasons, while Meredith had 86 stops, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks. The defensive backs included Bridges, the OVC Freshman of the Year, and senior teammate
Jaylen Hill who led the OVC with six interceptions (sixth nationally) while ranking third in the FCS with 1.6 passes defended/game. Tennessee State senior
Ezra Robinson, another Senior Bowl invitee, and UT Martin junior
Kahlid Hagens rounded out the defensive back selections. Robinson had five interceptions and 42 tackles on the season while Hagens made 93 tackles in addition to intercepting four passes and forcing and recovering two fumbles.
The first-team All-OVC specialists were headlined by Tennessee State junior kicked
Lane Clark and Southeast Missouri senior punter
Alex Knight. Clark connected on four field goals of longer than 50 yards (one of two players nationally to do that), including tying for the OVC season-high with a 57-yarder against UT Martin. He also connected from 55, 54 and 52 yards, giving him four of the longest 10 field goals in the FCS in 2016. Clark ranks fourth nationally in field goals made/game (1.55). Knight, a left-footed punter, ranked sixth nationally in punting (43.8 yards/punt) with a long of 62 yards. He had 22 of his 64 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and had 13 punts of longer than 50 yards. Southeast Missouri sophomore
Cameron Sanders and Tennessee State freshman
Chris Rowland shared the first-team return specialist honor. Sanders ranked 12th nationally with a 27.0 yards/kickoff return average, including returning a 93-yarder for a touchdown. Rowland averaged 23.6 yards/kick return and 8.5 yards/punt return while his combined 1,103 return yards ranked first nationally.
The All-OVC second-team offensive unit included Murray State senior quarterback
KD Humphries (3,116 yards, 23 TDs), a repeat selection at the position; he finished his career second in OVC history for total passing yards (10,458). The running backs were Southeast Missouri senior
Will Young (838 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and Jacksonville State senior
Josh Clemons (731 rushing yards, 9 TDs). JSU senior
Josh Barge (39 catches, 600 yards, 2 TDs), who has established a new FCS record with a catch in 49 consecutive games (and counting), earned his third career All-OVC selection and was joined by Tennessee Tech junior newcomer
Dontez Byrd, who set TTU single-season records for receptions (74) and receiving yards (933) while catching seven touchdowns, and Austin Peay junior
Jared Beard (71 catches, 910 yards, 7 TDs). The tight end pick was UT Martin senior
Ben Axline (35 catches, 659 yards, 4 TDs). The second-team offensive line included Jacksonville State senior guard
Kyron Samuels and junior tackle
Dylan Cline, Tennessee State senior guard
Kevin Kenton, UT Martin senior center
Kenneth Crenshaw and Eastern Illinois senior tackle
Evan Kanz.
The second-team defensive line included a pair of UT Martin senior defensive linemen in
Keith Jones (33 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks) and
Damani Taylor (35 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) as well as Jacksonville State senior
Desmond Owino (18 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks) and Eastern Illinois junior
David Johnson (49 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks). The linebacker unit included Tennessee Tech sophomore
Josh Poplar (105 tackles, 3 FR, 2 FF), Tennessee State junior
Chris Collins (87 tackles, 9.5 TFL) and Austin Peay sophomore
Gunnar Scholato (124 tackles, 7.0 TFL). The defensive backs included Eastern Kentucky senior
Kiante Northington (89 tackles, 2 FF), Jacksonville State junior
Reggie Hall (26 tackles, 2 INT, 8 PBU), Murray State junior
D’Montre Wade (third nationally with 1.6 passes defended/game) and UT Martin junior
Tae Martin (53 tackles, 2 INT returns for touchdowns).
The second-team specialists were Tennessee Tech sophomore
Nick Madonia (13-of-16 FGs including a school record long of 57 yards), Eastern Kentucky junior punter
Keith Wrzuszczak (42.1 yards/punt average) and Austin Peay junior return specialist
Kyran Moore (20.6 yards/kick return including a 96-yard touchdown).
Fourteen (14) players were selected to the All-OVC Newcomer squad (three more than normal due to ties in voting); to be selected to the team an individual had to be a first-year player (freshman or transfer) in the OVC. One of the selections was JSU’s Bridges, the OVC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-OVC selection at defensive back. The squad also included four other players who were either first or second-team All-OVC selections including JSU’s Thomas (first-team running back), TSU’s Rowland (first-team return specialist), EIU’s Johnson (second-team defensive line) and TTU’s Byrd (second-team wide receiver). The remaining All-Newcomer selections included Austin Peay freshman running back/return specialist
Kentel Williams (541 rush yards, 6 TDs,1 KR TD), Eastern Illinois junior quarterback
Mitch Kimble (1,414 passing yards, 13 TDs, 139 rushing yards, 2 TDs), Eastern Kentucky senior tight end
Dan Crimmins (34 catches, 531 yards, 3 TDs), Murray State junior defensive back
Zachary Wade (90 tackles), Southeast Missouri junior quarterback
Jesse Hosket (2,332 passing yards, 11 TDs, 151 rushing yards, 3 TDs), Tennessee State freshman
Steven Newbold (41 catches, 784 yards, 6 TDs), Tennessee Tech freshman running back
Yeedee Thaenrat (707 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and senior quarterback
Michael Birdsong (2,577 passing yards, 17 TDs, 226 rushing yards, 4 TDs) and UT Martin junior wide receiver/return specialist
Londell Lee (25 catches, 355 yards, 4 TDs, 1 punt return touchdown).
2016 All-OVC Football Team and Award Winners
OVC Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Jenkins (QB), Jacksonville State
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Darius Jackson (DE), Jacksonville State
OVC Freshman of the Year: Marlon Bridges (S), Jacksonville State
Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year: John Grass, Jacksonville State
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Eli Jenkins, Jacksonville State
RB - Devin Church, Eastern Illinois
RB - Roc Thomas, Jacksonville State
WR - Jordon Gandy, Murray State
WR - Patrick Smith, Tennessee State
TE - Jesse Blackburn, Murray State
C - Casey Dunn, Jacksonville State
OG - Justin Lea, Jacksonville State
OG - Robert Burleigh, UT Martin
OT - Nick Johnson, Jacksonville State
OT - Jessamen Dunker, Tennessee State
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DL - Ebenezer Ogundeko, Tennessee State
DL - Darius Jackson, Jacksonville Stat
DL - Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Randy Robinson, Jacksonville State
LB - Siran Neal, Jacksonville State
LB - Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State
LB - Seth McDonald, Eastern Illinois
LB - Chad Meredith, Southeast Missouri
DB - Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State
DB - Kahlid Hagens, UT Martin
DB - Jaylen Hill, Jacksonville State
DB - Ezra Robinson, Tennessee State
FIRST-TEAM SPECIALISTS
K - Lane Clark, Tennessee State
P - Alex Knight, Southeast Missouri
RS - Cameron Sanders, Southeast Missouri
RS - Chris Rowland, Tennessee State
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
QB - KD Humphries, Murray State
RB - Will Young, Southeast Missouri
RB - Josh Clemons, Jacksonville State
WR - Josh Barge, Jacksonville State
WR - Dontez Byrd, Tennessee Tech
WR - Jared Beard, Austin Peay
TE - Ben Axline, UT Martin
C - Kenneth Crenshaw, UT Martin
OG - Kyron Samuels, Jacksonville State
OG - Kevin Kenton, Tennessee State
OT - Evan Kanz, Eastern Illinois
OT - Dylan Cline, Jacksonville State
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DL - Keith Jones, UT Martin
DL - Damani Taylor, UT Martin
DL - David Johnson, Eastern Illinois
DL - Desmond Owino, Jacksonville State
LB - Josh Poplar, Tennessee Tech
LB - Chris Collins, Tennessee State
LB - Gunnar Scholato, Austin Peay
DB - Kiante Northington, Eastern Kentucky
DB - Reggie Hall, Jacksonville State
DB - D’Montre Wade, Murray State
DB - Tae Martin, UT Martin
SECOND-TEAM SPECIALISTS
K - Nick Madonia, Tennessee Tech
P - Keith Wrzuszczak, Eastern Kentucky
RS - Kyran Moore, Austin Peay
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
RB/RS - Kentel Williams, Austin Peay
DL - David Johnson, Eastern Illinois
QB - Mitch Kimble, Eastern Illinois
TE - Dan Crimmins, Eastern Kentucky
DB - Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State
RB - Roc Thomas, Jacksonville State
DB - Zachary Wade, Murray State
QB - Jesse Hosket, Southeast Missouri
WR - Steven Newbold, Tennessee State
WR/RS - Chris Rowland, Tennessee State
RB - Yeedee Thaenrat, Tennessee Tech
QB - Michael Birdsong, Tennessee Tech
WR - Dontez Byrd, Tennessee Tech
WR/RS - Londell Lee, UT Martin
Note: The All-Newcomer team is comprised of first-year players in the OVC - that can be either true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or first-year transfers. The team consists of 14 total players (3 extra this year due to ties in voting) and is not voted on by position.
There were 12 players on the All-OVC first-team defense (4 LB’s), four on first-team specialist (2 RS) and 12 on the second-team offense (3 WR’s) due to ties in voting.