The University of Akron Athletics
Four Zips Earn All-MAC Football Honors
December 03 | Football
CLEVELAND — Four University of Akron football players earned All-Mid-American Conference honors for the 2014 season, the MAC announced on Wednesday.
Junior linebacker Jatavis Brown (Belle Glade, Fla.) and junior nose tackle Cody Grice (Akron, Ohio) were first-team honorees on defense. Senior defensive lineman Nordly Capi (Ocoee, Fla.) and junior punter Zach Paul (Broadview Heights, Ohio) earned second-team honors.
Brown, who also earned first-team All-MAC accolades in 2013, was the Zips' defensive leader this season. He finished with 99 tackles, including a team-best 64 solo stops and a team-best 14.5 TFL. Brown also had four sacks and three forced fumbles. He was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week three times during the season, once by the league and twice by College Sports Madness.
Grice, who has started every game (36) of his collegiate career, finished the season with 31 tackles, 4.0 TFL, and three fumble recoveries. He also saw action at fullback on short-yardage plays, racking up 44 yards, four touchdowns, and 12 first downs on 20 carries.
Paul, who earned third-team All-MAC honors in 2013, gave the Zips good field position all season. In 12 games, he punted 66 times for 2,806 yards (42.5 avg.). His long was 65 yards in the win at Pittsburgh. Twenty-one of his punts were longer than 50 yards; 24 were inside the 20; 16 were called as fair catches, and 14 were touchbacks. Paul was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List and was named the Honorable Mention National Punter of the Week by College Football Performance Awards (9/28/14).
Akron concluded the 2014 season at 5-7 overall and 3-5 in MAC play. The five wins equaled the total from the 2013 season. With 10 victories over the last two seasons, the Zips totaled more wins than the previous three seasons combined (2010-11-12 = 3 wins).
2014 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL HONOREES
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Blake Frohnapfel, UMass
OL – Greg Mancz, Toledo @!
OL – Nick Beamish, Central Michigan
OL – Andy Phillips, Central Michigan @
OL – Andrew Ness, Northern Illinois
OL – Tyler Loos, Northern Illinois ^+
TE – Jean Sifrin, UMass
WR – Tajae Sharpe, UMass
WR – Titus Davis, Central Michigan ^+%
WR – Corey Davis, Western Michigan @
WR – Roger Lewis, Bowling Green
RB – Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan
RB – Kareem Hunt, Toledo
PK – Scott Secor, Ball State #
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
OLB – Jatavis Brown, Akron ^
OLB – Junior Sylvestre, Toledo ^
ILB – Justin Cherocci, Central Michigan #
ILB – Jovan Santos-Knox, UMass
DL – Jason Meehan, Northern Illinois
DL – Leterrius Walton, Central Michigan
DL – Pat O'Connor, Eastern Michigan
DL – Cody Grice, Akron
DB – Quinten Rollins, Miami
DB – Nate Holley, Kent State
DB – Donald Celiscar, Western Michigan #
DB – Paris Logan, Northern Illinois
P – Anthony Melchiori, Kent State
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
KOR – Eric Patterson, Ball State
PR –Ryan Burbrink, Bowling Green @
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Zach Terrell, Western Michigan
OL – Alex Huettel, Bowling Green @
OL – Willie Beavers, Western Michigan
OL – Josh Hendershot, Toledo
OL – Jake Silas, Buffalo
OL – Jeff Myers, Toledo #
TE – Casey Pierce, Kent State
WR – Da'Ron Brown, Northern Illinois @
WR – David Frazier, Miami
WR – Corey Jones, Toledo
WR – Jordan Williams, Ball State #
RB – Anthone Taylor, Buffalo
RB – Thomas Rawls, Central Michigan
PK – Jeremiah Detmer, Toledo ^!
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
OLB – Gabe Martin, Bowling Green @&
OLB – Adam Redden, Buffalo #
ILB – Boomer Mays, Northern Illinois
OLB – Great Ibe, Eastern Michigan
DL – Orion Jones, Toledo
DL – Treyvon Hester, Toledo #
DL – Nordly Capi, Akron
DL – Perez Ford, Northern Illinois
DB – Randall Jette, UMass
DB – Nick Johnson, Bowling Green
DB – Jordan Haden, Toledo
DB – Dechane Durante, Northern Illinois #
P – Zach Paul, Akron #
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
KOR – Devin Campbell, Buffalo
PR – Daz Patterson, Ohio
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Andrew Hendrix, Miami
OL – James Kristof, Western Michigan
OL – Lucas Powell, Ohio
OL – Jake Richard, Ball State #
OL – Andre Davis, Buffalo
OL – Zach Lewis, Miami
TE – Tyreese Russell, Eastern Michigan @
WR – Daniel Braverman, Western Michigan
WR – Alonzo Russell, Toledo #!
WR – Ron Willoughby, Buffalo
WR – KeVonn Mabon, Ball State
RB – Cameron Stingily, Northern Illinois
RB – Jahwan Edwards, Ball State @!
PK– Tyler Tate, Bowling Green
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
OLB – Jovon Johnson, Ohio
OLB – Rasheen Lemon, Northern Illinois
ILB – Stanley Andre, UMass
ILB – Lee Skinner, Buffalo
DL – Bryan Thomas, Bowling Green
DL – Tarrell Basham, Ohio
DL – Joe Ostman, Central Michigan
DL – Darnell Smith, Ball State
DB – Eric Patterson, Ball State
DB – Tony Annese, Central Michigan
DB – Ronald Zamort, Western Michigan
DB – Justin Currie, Western Michigan
P – J. Schroeder, Western Michigan
THIRD TEAM SPECIALISTS
KOR – Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
PR – Fred McRae, Miami
Coach of the Year: P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year: RB Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: DB Quinten Rollins, Miami
Special Teams Player of the Year: K Scott Secor, Ball State
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: OL Greg Mancz, Toledo
^ 2013 First-Team All-MAC
@ 2013 Second-Team All-MAC
# 2013 Third-Team All-MAC
& 2012 First-Team All-MAC
+ 2012 Second-Team All-MAC
! 2012 Third-Team All-MAC
% 2011 Third-Team All-MAC
