• Complete HERO Sports FCS All-Sophomore Team
Four OVC football players have been named to the inaugural HERO Sports FCS All-Sophomore Team.
The selections were Eastern Kentucky defensive lineman
Aaron Patrick (a first-team pick), as well as three honorable mention selections in Jacksonville State defensive lineman
Randy Robinson, Austin Peay linebacker
Gunnar Scholato and UT Martin linebacker
Kevin Prather.
Patrick was a first-team All-OVC selection this season and started 10 of 11 games at defensive end. He was fifth on the team with 53 tackles and led EKU with 10 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks. He also added 10 quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and forced a fumble. Overall his 0.64 sacks/game ranked second in the OVC and 42nd nationally among all FCS players.
Robinson was a first-team All-OVC selection in 2016 after notching 31 tackles for the nation's No. 4 ranked defense. He also added 7.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and blocked a kick.
Scholato earned second-team All-OVC honors after leading the Conference and ranking seventh nationally in tackles/game (11.2) in 2016. Overall Scholato made 124 total tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for a 25-yard touchdown against FBS foe Kentucky. He had 18 tackles in a game at Southeast Missouri; that is tied for the ninth-best individual tackle performance in the FCS this season.
In 12 games this season Prather netted 71 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, four pass breakups, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Prather ranked fourth nationally in forced fumbles/game (0.42) and 24th in fumble recoveries.