Ohio Valley Conference

• 2019 All-OVC Football Teams and Award Winners (PDF)

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - Four different schools took home the four major 2019 Ohio Valley Conference football awards in voting conducted by league head coaches and communication directors and announced on Tuesday.
 
Tennessee State senior wide receiver/return specialist Chris Rowland was named Offensive Player of the Year, Eastern Kentucky senior defensive lineman Aaron Patrick was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year, UT Martin redshirt freshman quarterback John Bachus III was named the Freshman of the Year and first-year Austin Peay head coach Mark Hudspeth earned the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year honor.
 
Austin Peay, which shared the OVC regular season championship (its first since 1977), had the most selections with 11 across the teams, including seven first-team picks, two second-team selections and two All-Newcomer honorees. UT Martin was second with 10 selections, including five first-team picks. The All-OVC first-team included 18 seniors, seven juniors and one sophomore while the second-team included 11 seniors, five juniors, 10 sophomores and one freshman.
 
Despite being limited in one and a half games in November due to injury, Rowland ranked first nationally in total receiving yards (1,437) and receiving yards/game (119.8), second in all-purpose yards (175.83 yards/game), third in receptions/game (8.7) and 22nd in kickoff returns (25.0 yards/return). Rowland missed the second half of the Eastern Illinois game on November 9 and was unable to play wide receiver in the following game against UT Martin, although he did perform his normal role and hold on field goal attempts. Had he not participated in that game (where he did not play offense and recorded zero all-purpose yards) he would have led the FCS in receptions/game. Named first-team All-OVC as both a wide receiver and return specialist, Rowland became just the second player in OVC history to catch 100 passes in a season (joining Eastern Illinois All-American Erik Lora who accomplished the feat in 2012 and 2013). As a return specialist he is one of just two FCS players to return both a kick return and a punt return for a touchdown this season. His kickoff return score went for 96 yards against Jackson State in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis while his punt return score came in the first half against Eastern Illinois, as it went for 57 yards. Rowland was the only Division I player (FBS or FCS) to score a touchdown via kick return, punt return, reception and rushing in 2019. He had six games with 200-plus all-purpose yards during the season, including a season-high 267 against Jackson State. He had six games with 10-plus receptions, including a season-high 14 for 146 yards against Murray State and 11 for a season-high 202 yards and two scores against FBS foe Middle Tennessee. He was recently selected to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Rowland is the fifth Tennessee State player to be named OVC Offensive Player of the Year and the first wide receiver. Overall he is the first wide receiver in the OVC to win the award since EIU’s Lora in 2012.
 
Patrick, a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, led the OVC and ranked 11th nationally in sacks in 2019, averaging 0.83/game (10.0 total). The senior ranked second in the OVC and 29th nationally in tackles for loss (1.4/game), finishing the season with 16.5 for loss. He finished his career with 27.5 career sacks which ranks second in school history. Patrick tallied 52 total tackles, forced three fumbles (a mark that was tied for 22nd in the FCS), had six quarterback hurries and an interception. The senior had a season-best eight tackles in a win over Tennessee State in September; he also had 2.0 sacks in that game, a mark he equaled in the season finale victory over Jacksonville State, marking the Colonels first win over the Gamecocks since 2012. Patrick added a season-high 3.5 tackles for loss in a game against nationally-ranked Southeast Missouri in early November. Patrick is the 15th EKU player to be named OVC Defensive Player of the Year (a group that includes former NFL players Aaron Jones, Chad Bratzke and Yeremiah Bell) and first since the 2015 season (Noah Spence).
 
Hudspeth, a finalist of the Eddie Robinson Award, guided Austin Peay to a school record nine victories, its first OVC Championship since 1977 and its first-ever FCS Playoff appearance in his first year as head coach. After narrowly missing out on the playoffs two years ago, the Governors were picked fourth in this year’s preseason poll. After a win in the season-opener, Austin Peay lost its starting quarterback, Jeremiah Oatsvall, in the first quarter of the second game of the season. That loss did not hamper the Governors offense who would go on to tally a school record 5,158 yards of total offense this season. The Austin Peay defense also proved to be strong in 2019, ranking fifth nationally in rush defense (86.5 yards/game), ninth in defensive touchdowns (3) and total defense (299.6 yards/game), 13th in tackles for loss (7.9/game), 14th in passes intercepted (14) and 18th in team passing efficiency defense (117.77). Along the way the Govs toppled a pair of nationally-ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks (a first in program history) and finished 9-3 overall (7-1 OVC), losing three games by a combined 16 points. After a two-point setback on October 19, Austin Peay finished the regular season by winning five-straight games (the third-longest winning streak in program history). The Govs enter the postseason ranked No. 17 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the STATS poll, marking its highest-ever rank in either of those polls in program history. Hudspeth is the fourth APSU head coach to win the honor, joining Bill Dupes (1964), Boots Donnelly (1977) and Will Healy (2017). The OVC Coach of the Year award is named after Eastern Kentucky legend Roy Kidd, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, who 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.
 
Bachus, a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award given to the FCS National Freshman of the Year, took over a team that was 2-9 overall (2-6 OVC) last year and started all 12 games in 2019 in helping UT Martin improve to 7-5 overall and 6-2 in the OVC (third place). Bachus ranked 39th nationally and first among freshmen in passing yards (2,549), 24th nationally (and fourth among freshmen) in passing yards per completion (13.56), 48th nationally (and fourth among freshmen) in passing touchdowns (18) and 57th nationally (and fifth among freshmen) in total offense (218.1 yards/game). The redshirt freshman completed 188-of-332 passes (56.6%) for 18 touchdowns while also rushing for 93 net yards and three additional scores. Bachus, who was named OVC Newcomer of the Week four times and OVC Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season, completed 16-of-22 passes for 331 yards and five touchdowns in the team’s win over Tennessee Tech on October 12. Bachus is the second UT Martin player to be named OVC Freshman of the Year, joining running back Don Chapman who won the inaugural award in 2004.
 
The All-OVC first-team offense was highlighted by Rowland, the Offensive Player of the Year, who was selected as both a wide receiver and a return specialist. It marks the sixth All-OVC accolade of his career as he was also a second-team selection as both a wideout and returner in 2018, a first-team return specialist in 2016 and an All-Newcomer pick in 2016. He was joined at the wide receiver position by Southeast Missouri senior Kristian Wilkerson who ranks third nationally in receiving yards (1,236) and 20th in receiving touchdowns (10). Wilkerson enters the FCS Playoffs with 33 career receiving touchdowns (second in OVC history, two off the record), 3,426 receiving yards (fourth in OVC history) and 214 receptions (sixth in OVC history). The first-team quarterback was Austin Peay senior JaVaughn Craig who took over quarterback duties in the second game of the season and finished the regular season with 3,114 yards of total offense and 30 combined touchdowns (22 passing, 8 rushing) in leading the Govs to the OVC title and the program’s first-ever playoff appearance. Eastern Kentucky senior Daryl McCleskey Jr. and Austin Peay senior Kentel Williams comprised the running back selections. McCleskey led the OVC and ranked ninth nationally in rushing yards (1,238), while also ranking 13th nationally in rushing yards/game (103.2) and 23rd in rushing yards/carry (5.79). Williams tallied 773 yards and 11 total touchdowns (9 rushing, 2 receiving) in 10 games. He also returned kicks and ranked 36th nationally in all-purpose yards (115.7/game) in earning his second-straight first-team selection. Eastern Illinois senior James Sheehan was the first-team tight end selection after catching 23 passing for 240 yards and a pair of touchdowns in eight games. Austin Peay had two of the five first-team offensive line selections in senior tackle Kyle Anderton and junior center Blake Mitchell. The line was rounded out by Southeast Missouri senior guard Elijah Swehla, Tennessee State senior tackle Lachavious Simmons and UT Martin junior guard Aries Davis.
 
The first-team defense was headlined by Patrick, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year, who earned his third career first-team honor (2016, 2018, 2019). He was joined on the defensive line by Austin Peay junior Josephus Smith, Tennessee Tech junior Chris Tucker and UT Martin senior Austin Pickett. Smith led the OVC and ranked 12th nationally in tackles for loss (1.6/game) in helping the Governors defense rank fifth nationally against the run (86.5 yards/game) and ninth overall in total defense (299.6 yards/game). Tucker tallied 56 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and recovered three fumbles, a mark that ranked him third in the FCS. Pickett contributed 38 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries for a balanced Skyhawk defense. The linebackers included Southeast Missouri senior Zach Hall, Murray State junior Anthony Koclanakis and UT Martin senior TJ Jefferson. Hall, the 2018 OVC Defensive Player of the Year and Buck Buchanan Award winner, followed his award winning season by recording 112 tackles (26th nationally at 9.3/game), 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions (one he returned for a touchdown), two pass breakups, eight quarterback hurries, forced two fumbles and recovered one. Koclanakis led the OVC and ranked eighth nationally in tackles/game (10.3) while adding 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, an interception and recovering a pair of fumbles. Jefferson led UTM with 94 tackles (9.5 for loss) while adding 4.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and forcing and recovering a fumble for a touchdown. The first-team defensive backs included Austin Peay junior Kordell Jackson and senior Juantarius Bryant, UT Martin junior JaQuez Akins and Jacksonville State senior Marlon Bridges. Jackson ended the regular season with seven interceptions, the second-most nationally by one pick. He scored three defensive touchdowns on the season (two on interceptions, one on a fumble return) while adding two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. His teammate Bryant was second on the Govs squad with 89 tackles while adding a quartet of pass breakups. In his first year with UTM, Akins had 92 tackles (5.5 for loss), an interception, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Bridges earned the third first-team All-OVC honors of this career (2016, 2018, 2019) after recording 61 tackles, an interception and forcing three fumbles (22nd nationally) during the year.
 
The first-team All-OVC specialists included TSU’s Rowland, UT Martin senior return specialist Terry Williams, Eastern Kentucky senior kicker Samuel Hayworth and Jacksonville State sophomore punter Jason Pierce. Rowland was one of two players nationally with each a kick and punt return score this year; he ranked 22nd nationally in kickoff returns (25.0 yards/return) while averaging 11.9 yards per punt return (which would have ranked ninth nationally had he had one more return to qualify). He shared first-team return specialist honors with Williams who was the only player in the FCS (and one of two in Division I) to return two punts for touchdowns in 2019. Williams averaged 18.0 yards per punt return, a mark that ranked second nationally; he also ranked 42nd nationally in kick returns (22.4 yards/return). Hayworth ranks ninth nationally in field goals made/game (1.50) and 16th in field goal percentage (81.8%). He made 15 of his final 16 field goals of the season (missing only from 48 yards in the final game of the season), including eight over his final two games of the year (both EKU wins) while going a perfect 37-of-37 on PATs. Pierce ranked 28th nationally in punting (41.8 yards/punt), booming 12 longer than 50 yards (including a long of 69 yards), downing 20 inside the 20-yard line and tallying only four touchbacks.
 
The All-OVC second-team offensive unit included Jacksonville State junior quarterback Zerrick Cooper (3,404 passing yards, 320 rushing yards, 28 passing TDs, 6 rushing TDs), Tennessee Tech sophomore quarterback Bailey Fisher (2,643 passing yards, 489 rushing yards, 21 passing TDs, 11 rushing TDs), UT Martin junior running back Peyton Logan (784 rushing yards, 6 TDs, 7.2 yards/carry) and Eastern Kentucky sophomore Alonzo Booth (673 rushing yards and OVC-best 14 rushing TDs) in the backfield. The receivers were Austin Peay junior DeAngelo Wilson (68 catches, 1,246 yards, 12 TDs) and Jacksonville State senior Josh Pearson (59 catches, 943 yards, 13 TDs) while the tight end pick was UT Martin sophomore Colton Dowell (38 catches, 765 yards, 4 TDs). The second-team offensive line included a pair of Eastern Kentucky players in sophomore guard Tucker Schroeder and sophomore tackle Graham Ashkettle, Tennessee State senior center Thomas Burton, Tennessee Tech sophomore Mike Rhoades and Jacksonville State sophomore Michael Shaddix.
 
The second-team defensive line included Austin Peay senior Shaun Whittinghill (45 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks), Eastern Kentucky senior Taquan Evans (29 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 2 FF), Eastern Illinois senior Terrell Greer (41 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 4 QBH, 1 FR) and Jacksonville State sophomore DJ Coleman (56 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 18 QBH). The linebackers were Southeast Missouri senior Justin Swift (86 tackles, 13.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 FF), Tennessee Tech senior Aderick Moore (104 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 2 QBH, 2 FF), Eastern Illinois junior Dytarious Johnson (67 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 FF, 2 FR) and Jacksonville State sophomore Zach Woodard (96 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 4 PBU, 1 FR). The second-team defensive backs included Jacksonville State senior Traco Williams (66 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 3 INT, 2 FR, 1 FF), Southeast Missouri junior Bydarrius Knighten (65 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 3 INT, 4 PBU), UT Martin senior DaVonte Maura (73 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT, 11 PBU) and Murray State senior TJ Warren (69 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT, 2 FF, 2 safeties).
 
The second-team specialists included Tennessee State sophomore kicker Antonio Zita (20-of-24 field goals, Long of 50, 30-of-32 PATS), Murray State senior punter Steve Dawson (40.0 yards/punt average, 22 inside the 20-yard line, 1 touchback) and Tennessee Tech freshman return specialist Metrius Fleming (26.5 yards per kickoff return, 1 TD).
 
Eleven (11) players were selected to the All-OVC Newcomer squad; to be selected to the team an individual had to be a first-year player (freshman or undergraduate transfer) in the OVC. One of the selections was UTM’s Bachus, the OVC Freshman of the Year. The squad also included two players who were first or second-team All-OVC selections in UTM defensive back Akins and TTU wide receiver/return specialist Fleming. The remaining All-Newcomer selections included Austin Peay redshirt freshman offensive guard Bucky Williams and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman John Wesley Whiteside (40 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 6 QBH, 1 FF), Eastern Illinois sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Hill (56 catches, 560 yards, 4 TDs, 2 rushing TDs), freshman running back Jaelin Benefield (403 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 39 catches, 304 yards, 2 TDs) and freshman linebacker Jason Johnson (59 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR), Jacksonville State junior wide receiver KJ Stepherson (36 catches, 479 yards, 6 TDs), Southeast Missouri redshirt freshman running back Geno Hess (575 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and Tennessee State redshirt freshman safety Josh Green (66 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks).
 
 

2019 All-OVC Football Teams and Award Winners
OVC Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Rowland (WR/RS), Tennessee State
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Patrick (DL), Eastern Kentucky
OVC Freshman of the Year: John Bachus III (QB), UT Martin
Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year: Mark Hudspeth, Austin Peay
 
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
QB - JaVaughn Craig, Austin Peay
RB - Daryl McCleskey Jr., Eastern Kentucky
RB - Kentel Williams, Austin Peay
WR - Chris Rowland, Tennessee State
WR - Kristian Wilkerson, Southeast Missouri
TE - James Sheehan, Eastern Illinois
C - Blake Mitchell, Austin Peay                  
OG - Elijah Swehla, Southeast Missouri        
OG - Aries Davis, UT Martin
OT - Kyle Anderton, Austin Peay                  
OT - Lachavious Simmons, Tennessee State
 
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DL - Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Josephus Smith, Austin Peay
DL - Chris Tucker, Tennessee Tech       
DL - Austin Pickett, UT Martin
LB - Zach Hall, Southeast Missouri
LB - Anthony Koclanakis, Murray State
LB - TJ Jefferson, UT Martin
DB - Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
DB - Juantarius Bryant, Austin Peay
DB - JaQuez Akins, UT Martin
DB - Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State
 
FIRST-TEAM SPECIALISTS
K - Samuel Hayworth, Eastern Kentucky
P - Jason Pierce, Jacksonville State
RS - Chris Rowland, Tennessee State
RS - Terry Williams, UT Martin
 
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Zerrick Cooper, Jacksonville State
QB - Bailey Fisher, Tennessee Tech
RB - Peyton Logan, UT Martin
RB - Alonzo Booth, Eastern Kentucky
WR - DeAngelo Wilson, Austin Peay
WR - Josh Pearson, Jacksonville State
TE - Colton Dowell, UT Martin
C - Thomas Burton, Tennessee State
OG - Tucker Schroeder, Eastern Kentucky
OG - Mike Rhoades, Tennessee Tech
OT - Graham Ashkettle, Eastern Kentucky     
OT - Michael Shaddix, Jacksonville State
 
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DL - Shaun Whittinghill, Austin Peay
DL - Taquan Evans, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Terrell Greer, Eastern Illinois
DL - DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State
LB - Justin Swift, Southeast Missouri
LB - Aderick Moore, Tennessee Tech    
LB - Dytarious Johnson, Eastern Illinois
LB - Zack Woodard, Jacksonville State
DB - Traco Williams, Jacksonville State
DB  Bydarrius Knighten, Southeast Missouri
DB - DaVonte Maura, UT Martin
DB - TJ Warren, Murray State
 
SECOND-TEAM SPECIALISTS
K - Antonio Zita, Tennessee State
P - Steve Dawson, Murray State
RS - Metrius Fleming, Tennessee Tech
 
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
OG - Bucky Williams, Austin Peay
DL - John Wesley Whiteside, Austin Peay
WR - Isaiah Hill, Eastern Illinois
RB - Jaelin Benefield, Eastern Illinois
LB - Jason Johnson, Eastern Illinois     
WR - KJ Stepherson, Jacksonville State
RB - Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri
SAF - Josh Green, Tennessee State
WR/RS -Metrius Fleming, Tennessee Tech
QB - John Bachus III, UT Martin
DB - JaQuez Akins, 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 11 total players and is not voted on by position.
 
There were 4 players on the All-OVC first-team specialists (2 RS’s), 13 players on the second-team offense (2 QB’s) and 13 players on the second-team defense (4 LB’s) due to ties in voting.