The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Place Six on Football All-MAC
December 02 | Football
AKRON - The University of Akron had six football student-athletes named All-Mid-American Conference, as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Brian Wagner and Miguel Graham were second team honorees, while Almondo Sewell, Corey Woods, Jalil Carter and Dashan Miller were third team selections.
Wagner (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield Catholic Central HS) ranks sixth in the NCAA and leads the MAC in tackles (11.0 per game). In fact, he is believed to be the first freshman to lead the MAC in tackles for a season and his season total of 132 is the most by a Zip since Nate Boyd's 140 in 1996. More impressively, his 132 stops are 61 more than the next closest Zip (Mike Thomas tallied 71) and his total suffered as he registered just three tackles while battling illness at Syracuse. He was credited with double-digit tackles in eight of 12 games - getting nine in three others - and led the Zips in tackles nine times in 2009. Wagner was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Zips to a shut out versus Morgan State, getting nine tackles with a 32-yard interception return for a score and two forced fumbles. The following week, he tallied 12 stops with a fumble recovery versus Indiana, while getting 16 and picking off Dan LeFevour at Central Michigan. Wagner went on to get 15 stops versus Kent State and Northern Illinois, making him the only freshman in the NCAA to have three games with 15-plus tackles in 2009. Wagner also led the Zips in fumbles forced (2) and recovered (2), while ranking second on the team in tackles for loss (7.0), third in interceptions (2), fourth in passes broken up (3).
Graham (Rock Hill, S.C./Coffeyville (Kan.) CC/Rock Hill HS) ranks seventh in the NCAA and second in the MAC in passes defended (1.25 avg.) The senior's 12 passes broken up leads the MAC and he is just one of 11 players in the NCAA to have 12-plus PBU in 2009. Graham was named MAC East Player of the Week as he helped the Zips defeat rival Kent State. He had six tackles and a school-record six PBU, which also ties for the NCAA single-game lead this season. Three of those six PBU versus the Golden Flashes came on consecutive plays. With KSU having first and goal on the UA two, Graham broke up three straight passes in the endzone, forcing a Kent State field goal as time expired in the first half and keeping Akron in the lead. For the year, Graham had 52 tackles, ranking fifth on the team, while his 38 solo stops ranked third-best on the team.
Sewell (Trenton, N.J./Hargrave (Va.) Military Acad./Trenton Central HS) becomes just the second Zip in school history to earn All-MAC three times, joining Chris Kemme (2006, '07 & '08). The junior was a second team pick in 2007 and a third team selection in '08 and '09. This season, Sewell ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 53, including 5.5 tackles for loss, with a blocked field goal versus Indiana. At Central Michigan, Sewell had eight tackles and posted a season-high 11 tackles at Northern Illinois, tying his second-best career total. For his three-year career, Sewell has 180 tackles, including 21.5 for losses.
Woods (Reading Pa./Exeter Township HS) earns his first All-MAC honor, but gives the Zips a fourth-straight year of All-MAC honors at left tackle. The junior has started every game of his career, 36, including 12 this season at left tackle. Woods spent his first two seasons at right tackle as Kemme manned the left tackle spot. This season, although the Zips had numerous injuries at running back and had three starting quarterbacks, Woods helped the UA offense average 3.6 yards per carry and throw for 2,190 yards.
Carter (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit HS) also earns his first All-MAC honor. The junior safety ranked third on the team with 58 tackles, adding his second career interception and his second career blocked punt. The blocked punt was recovered by the Zips' Aaron Williams to give Akron a 14-10 lead. Carter led the Zips with 12 tackles at Buffalo, adding his interception, while tallying 10 stops at Northern Illinois. He also had a big game late in the season at Bowling Green, getting nine tackles, a half sack and a PBU. Carter was also a dangerous kick returner, averaging 18.9 yards per return with a long of 42 at Penn State and 35 yards at Buffalo.
Miller (Corona, Calif./Bakersfield College/Centennial HS) gives the Zips its third-straight All-MAC honoree at kick returner, while it is the first honor for Miller. (Bryan Williams was named All-MAC kick returner in 2007 & '08.) The senior ranks 31st in the NCAA and third in the MAC in kick returns with his average of 25.74. The highlight of his season came at Syracuse, where he set an Akron single-record with 191 yards in kick returns. He was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week. Down 14-7 to start the second half, Miller took the opening kickoff and returned it 98 for a touchdown, the longest return in the MAC in 2009. After that performance, Miller moved from 82nd to 28th in the NCAA in kick returns and, the next two weeks, Northern Illinois and Kent State kicked away from Miller. He also had a big game returning kicks at Central Michigan, amassing 189 yards on seven returns with a long of 67. His total of 191 yards at Syracuse and 189 at Central Michigan ranks 19th and 21st, respectively, in the NCAA for 2009. Miller ended his career in fine fashion, returning three kicks for 78 yards, including a long of 42, catching a 25-yard pass and scoring his first rushing TD, a 29-yard reverse to provide the eventual game winner versus Eastern Michigan.
2009 MAC Specialty Award Winners
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
Coach of the Year: Al Golden, Temple
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Adrian Robinson, Temple
Special Teams Player of the Year: Antonio Brown, Central Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Bernard Pierce, Temple
All-MAC First Team
Offense
Quarterback - Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan #^~
Center - Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois %
Offensive Lineman - Allen Ollenburger, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman - Jason Onyebuagu, Northern Illinois %
Offensive Lineman - Darius Morris, Temple
Offensive Lineman - Colin Madison, Temple
Tight End - Jesse Rack, Buffalo
Wide Receiver - Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green
Wide Receiver - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan @
Wide Receiver - Naaman Roosevelt, Buffalo @&
Wide Receiver - Stephen Williams, Toledo #!
Running Back - Bernard Pierce, Temple
Running Back - Chad Spann, Northern Illinois
Placekicker - Matt Weller, Ohio
Defense
Outside Linebacker - Lee Renfro, Ohio
Outside Linebacker - Elijah Joseph, Temple
Inside Linebacker - Nick Bellore, Central Michigan @
Inside Linebacker - Cobrani Mixon, Kent State
Down Lineman - Andre Neblett, Temple #!
Down Lineman - Adrian Robinson, Temple
Down Lineman - Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
Down Lineman - Frank Zombo, Central Michigan @
Defensive Back - Barry Church, Toledo @^~
Defensive Back - Davonte Shannon, Buffalo @^
Defensive Back - Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple
Defensive Back - Brian Lainhart, Kent State #
Punter - Matt Rinehart, Kent State
Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist - Chris Garrett, Ohio
Punt Return Specialist - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan @^
All-MAC Second Team
Offense
Quarterback - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan %
Center - Colin Miller, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman - Peter Bittner, Buffalo
Offensive Lineman - Brandon Brooks, Miami
Offensive Lineman - Anthony Parker, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman - Devin Tyler, Temple
Tight End - Jimmy Scheidler, Bowling Green
Wide Receiver - Eric Page, Toledo
Wide Receiver - Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan @!~
Wide Receiver - Taylor Price, Ohio
Wide Receiver - LaVon Brazill, Ohio
Running Back - Brandon West, Western Michigan %!
Running Back - MiQuale Lewis, Ball State @
Placekicker - Mike Salerno, Northern Illinois #
Defense
Outside Linebacker - Austin Pritchard, Western Michigan @
Outside Linebacker - Robert Eddins, Ball State
Inside Linebacker - Brian Wagner, Akron
Inside Linebacker - Noah Keller, Ohio #
Down Lineman - Brandon Crawford, Ball State #&
Down Lineman - Jake Coffman, Northern Illinois
Down Lineman - Monte Simmons, Kent State
Down Lineman - Brandon Bice, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back - Mike Newton, Buffalo #
Defensive Back - Thad Turner, Ohio
Defensive Back - Josh Gordy, Central Michigan
Defensive Back - Miguel Graham, Akron
Punter - Zach Johnson, Eastern Michigan
Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist - James Nixon, Temple
Punt Return Specialist - LaVon Brazill, Ohio
All-MAC Third Team
Offense
Quarterback - Tyler Sheehan, Bowling Green
Center - John Palumbo, Temple
Offensive Lineman - Joe Flading, Ohio
Offensive Lineman - Shane Steffy, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman - Chris Rodgers, Ohio
Offensive Lineman - Corey Woods, Akron
Tight End - Steve Maneri, Temple
Wide Receiver - Robert Arnheim, Western Michigan
Wide Receiver - Juan Nunez, Western Michigan %
Wide Receiver - Armand Robinson, Miami
Wide Receiver - Brett Hamlin, Buffalo
Running Back - DaJuane Collins, Toledo %
Running Back - Me'co Brown, Northern Illinois
Placekicker - Alex Steigerwald, Toledo
Defense
Outside Linebacker - Andre Hatchett, Eastern Michigan
Outside Linebacker - Amara Kamara, Temple
Inside Linebacker - Alex Joseph, Temple
Inside Linebacker - Archie Donald, Toledo
Down Lineman - Almondo Sewell, Akron %!
Down Lineman - Ernie Hodge, Ohio
Down Lineman - Larry Knight, Central Michigan
Down Lineman - Sean Murnane, Central Michigan %
Defensive Back - Gerald Moore, Ohio
Defensive Back - Dominique Harris, Temple
Defensive Back - Anthony Kokal, Miami
Defensive Back - Jalil Carter, Akron
Punter - Ben Armer, Western Michigan
Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist - Dashan Miller, Akron
Punt Return Specialist - Tommy Davis, Northern Illinois
@ 2008 First team All-MAC
# 2008 Second team All-MAC
% 2008 Third team All-MAC
^ 2007 First team All-MAC
! 2007 Second team All-MAC
& 2007 Third team All-MAC
~ 2006 First team All-MAC
