The South Atlantic Conference Announces Football Annual Awards
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Newberry quarterback Raleigh Yeldell was tabbed the South Atlantic Conference Football Offensive Player of the Year, while Wingate defensive lineman Ray Edwards was tabbed the League's Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, Craig Rucker of Mars Hill was named the SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year and Jay Boyd from Tusculum was tabbed the Defensive Freshman of the Year. Lions' offensive lineman Joe Hillin garnered the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and Newberry mentor Todd Knight picked up South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors, the League announced today.
Yeldell, a senior from Edgefield, S.C., finished the 2016 regular season ranked in the top 25 in several offensive categories. He completed 70 percent of his passes to rank No. 1in Division II, while his 26 completions per game was good for No. 5 in the nation. Yeldell threw for 308.7 yards per game to rank No. 6 in the country and amassed 3,087 total yards through the air to rank No. 11 in the nation. His 27 touchdown strikes has him currently ranked 16th in D-II. Yeldell was responsible for 20.4 points per game to rank 11th in the nation as well as 204 total points responsible for on the year to rank 14th in the country. He threw for multiple touchdowns in eight contests this season and posted a pair of contests with four touchdown passes. On the ground, Yeldell posted 331 rushing yards, including 141 yards on the ground in the win over North Greenville. He carried the ball into the end zone six times this season, including three rushing scores in the win over the Crusaders.
Edwards, a senior from Sacramento, Calif., posted 7.5 sacks this season to rank second in the South Atlantic Conference. His sacks totaled 44 yards lost for opposing quarterbacks. He finished the season with 17 tackles for loss to go along with 56 total tackles. Edwards forced four fumbles during the 2016 campaign as he also recovered a fumble. The defensive end chipped in one interception to anchor a Bulldog defense that led the Conference and ranked No. 13 in the nation with four defensive touchdowns. His play fueled a Wingate defense that ranked No. 10 in the country and tops in the SAC as it allowed just 284 yards per game. The Bulldogs also ranked No. 9 in the country in turnovers gained with 29 on the year.
Rucker, a wide out from Leesburg, Fla., recorded 846 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns for the Lions this season. He recorded seven games with at least one score, including three contests with multiple touchdown receptions. He posted three games with 100-yards receiving to finish the 2016 season with an average of 77 receiving yards per game. Rucker also carried the ball nine times on the year for 88 yards and one score.
Boyd, a defensive back from Viera, Fla., closed out the 2016 season ranked No. 1in the South Atlantic Conference with five interceptions and finished the year ranked No. 10 in Division II with 0.6 interceptions per game. Boyd posted 44 tackles in the defensive backfield and added 2.5 tackles for loss. He forced a fumble during the season and recovered another. One of Boyd's biggest games this season came against Limestone on Oct. 22 as he notched a pair of interceptions.
Hillin, a senior from Atlanta, Ga., has been the starting center at Mars Hill for three years. This year he was named team captain and MHU's leader on the offensive line. Hillin posted an average grade of 90 percent, including a 95 percent pass protection grade and an 85 percent run blocking grade. He has also given up zero sacks this season to go along with 40 pancake blocks this during the 2016 campaign to average 4.44 per game.
Knight coached the Wolves to their first outright SAC title since the 2006 season as Newberry posted a perfect 7-0 record in Conference play. The Wolves went 9-1 in the Super Region II, earned the No. 2 seed and secured home field advantage through the first two rounds of the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship. On the national stage, the Wolves are currently ranked No. 14 by the American Football Coaches Association after ranking in the top 30 in several statistical categories. Newberry is currently ranked 15th in the nation as it is averaging 302.9 passing yards per game to go along with 36.6 points per game to rank No. 30. Newberry's 157.04 passing efficiency is good for No. 19 in Division II, while its defense is currently No. 25 with 3.0 sacks per game.
Newberry finished No. 1in the League with nine first-team selections. Catawba placed six on the first-teams, while Mars Hill and Wingate put four players on the first team. Carson-Newman, Brevard and Lenoir-Rhyne rounded out the first team honorees with two selections each.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry
RB – Jamel Harbison, Mars Hill
RB – Blake Hayes, Wingate
RB – Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman
WR – Markell Castle, Newberry
WR – Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
WR – Cole Watson, Newberry
OL – Joe Hillin, Mars Hill
OL – Daniel Owens, Wingate
OL – Bobby McNeil, Newberry
OL – Quinzavious Sands, Catawba
OL – Tyler Stasky, Newberry
TE – Baptiste Staggers, Newberry
PK – Caleb Baird, Wingate
LS – Steven Bartlett, Catawba AND Eddie Slyle, Brevard (TIE)
RS – Jay Boyd, Tusculum
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Ray Edwards, Wingate
DL – C.J. Barksdale, Catawba
DL – Jimmy Holmes, Newberry
DL – Jamarcus Henderson, Newberry
LB – Kyle Kitchens, Catawba
LB – Carl Mattox, Mars Hill
LB – Joe Blue, Newberry
LB – Trey Evans, Catawba
DB – Case Woodard, Catawba
DB – Rodney Singleton, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Ashud Moore, Brevard
DB – Jerry Miclisse, Carson-Newman
P – Michael DeStephens, Lenoir-Rhyne
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Kyle Johnson, Wingate
RB – Romelo Doctor, Newberry
RB – Nelson Brown, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Lawrence Pittman, Wingate
WR – Jordan Berry, Wingate
WR – Sam Mobley, Catawba
WR – Braxton Ivery, Newberry
OL – Jaleel Roberts, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Austin Lewis, Carson-Newman
OL – Cabell Cantrell, Wingate
OL – Dakota Mozingo, Newberry
OL – T.J. Olsen, Catawba
TE – Kedar Bryant, Mars Hill AND Jake Jensen, Wingate (TIE)
PK – Brennan Lambert, Catawba AND Carson Wise, Carson-Newman
RS – Jordan Berry, Wingate AND Cole Watson, Newberry (TIE)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Andre Foulks, Wingate
DL – Chris Green, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Brandon Williams, Tusculum
DL – Jamel Brintley, Mars Hill AND Josh Mills, WINGATE (TIE)
LB – Zack Singleton, Wingate
LB – Deres Benn, Tusculum
LB – Jamal Lackey, Catawba
LB – Lane Bloom, Carson-Newman AND Will Elm, Newberry (TIE)
DB – Rashaad Smith, Newberry
DB – Cornel Cheron, Wingate
DB – Chris Page, Catawba
DB – Jay Boyd, Tusculum
P – Jonathan King, Carson-Newman
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Jay Boyd, Tusculum
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry
DEFENSVIE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Ray Edwards, Wingate
JACOBS BLOCKING TROPHY – Joe Hillin, Mars Hill
COACH OF THE YEAR – Todd Knight, Newberry
Statistical Champions
Rushing Yards Per Game: Jamel Harbison, Mars Hill (109.5)
Passing Yards Per Game: Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry (308.7)
Total Offense Per Game: Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry (341.8)
Receptions Per Game: Markell Castle, Newberry (5.8)
Receiving Yards Per Game: Markell Castle, Newberry (78.5)
All-Purpose Yards Per Game: Jamel Harbison, Mars Hill (123.5)
Passing Efficiency Rating: Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry (158.5)
Punt Return Avg.: Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman (8.7)
Kick Return Avg: Jay Boyd, Tusculum (26.0)
Punting Avg: Michael Destephens, Lenoir-Rhyne (44.2)
Scoring Average (TDs): Blake Hayes, Wingate (7.6)
Scoring Average (K): Caleb Baird, Wingate (7.5)
Field Goals Per Game: Caleb Baird, Wingate (1.09)
Field Goal Percentage: Caleb Baird, Wingate (.800)
Tackles Per Game: Ashud Moore, Brevard (8.9)
Sacks Per Game: Kyle Kitchens, Catawba (0.77)
Tackles for Loss Per Game: Brandon Williams, Tusculum (1.7)
Interceptions Per Game: Jay Boyd, Tusculum (0.6)
Team Scoring Offense: Newberry (36.6)
Team Scoring Defense: Newberry (18.7)
Team Passing Offense: Newberry (302.9)
Team Passing Defense: Brevard (149.5)
Team Rushing Offense: Carson-Newman (272.8)
Team Rushing Defense: Wingate (98.2)
Team Total Offense: Newberry (464.0)
Team Total Defense: Wingate (284.7)