Temple honored by MAC

Following its first-place tie in the Mid-American Conference East Division, the Temple football team received numerous conference honors on Wednesday.

Running back Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) was named the 2009 Freshman of the Year, sophomore DE Adrian Robinson (Harrisburg, Pa.) was named the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, and head coach Al Golden was named the 2009 Coach of the Year by the MAC News Media Association.

A school record eight Temple football players were named to the All-MAC first team.

Earning first team honors were junior DB Jaiquawn Jarrett (Brooklyn, N.Y.), junior LB Elijah “Peanut” Joseph (Hartford, Conn.), junior OL Colin Madison (Villa Park, Ill.), r-junior OL Darius Morris (Long Branch, N.J.), senior NT Andre Neblett (Rahway, N.J.), freshman RB Bernard Pierce, sophomore DE Adrian Robinson, and sophomore DT Muhammad Wilkerson (Linden, N.J.).

Second team honorees were r-senior OL Devin Tyler (Suitland, Md.) and sophomore KOR James Nixon (New Haven, Conn.).

Third team honorees included r-senior DB Dominique Harris (Washington, D.C.), senior LB Alex Joseph (Stamford, Conn.), junior LB Amara Kamara (Newark, N.J.), senior TE Steve Maneri (Saddle Brook, N.J.), and r-sophomore OL John Palumbo (Lyndhurst, N.J.).

The 15 All-MAC honorees are the most for the Owls since joining the MAC in 2007. In its first two seasons of MAC play, Temple had a total of seven All-MAC honorees, including just one first team honoree-- DT Terrance Knighton, who now plays in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars-- in 2008.

Temple led all MAC schools with 15 honorees, followed by Ohio with 12, and Central Michigan with 11. The Owls’ eight first team selections were the most of any MAC team, followed by CMU with six.

During its third season of MAC play, the Owls finished the regular-season at 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the MAC’s East Division. Temple now awaits a bowl bid which will be announced on Dec. 6.

The 2009 Vern Smith Leadership Award and MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors went to Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour. CMU’s Antonio Brown was named the Special Teams Player of the Year.

The All-MAC teams and the Vern Smith Leadership Award were selected by the MAC head coaches.

In his fourth year at Temple, Golden has guided the Owls to a 9-3 record, including a record nine consecutive wins, and a 7-1 record in Mid-American Conference play. During his tenure, Golden has revamped the football program from top to bottom, on and off the field. In 2006 and 2007, he fielded the youngest teams in the nation. He is one of three finalists for the Maxwell Club’s 2009 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award. Golden is also a candidate for the Paul “Bear” Bryant College Football Coach of the Year Award and the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.

All-America candidate Pierce set the freshman records for yards (1,308), touchdowns (15), and 100-yard rushing games (6). He needs just one touchdown to set the single-season records for TDs and points scored. He earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors three times during the season, the most in school history, as well as National Performer of the Week twice. He also earned Helmet Stickers from ESPN.com.

Robinson set the season record for sacks with 12, leading the Owls and all MAC players. He ranks No. 10 nationally in sacks (0.92 per game). Robinson also has a team-best 12 TFL and a team-best five forced fumbles.

Jarrett is second in team tackling with 70 tackles. He also has a team-best three interceptions. Jarrett earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 12. He was also named the National Performer of the Week twice during the season, once at DB and again at kickoff returner.

Peanut Joseph is fourth in team tackles with 56. He also has two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Joseph was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 28. He also earned National Performer of the Week honors.

Madison started all 12 games at right guard. He also played on the field goal unit. Madison was named the coaches’ offensive player of the game following the win over Ball State.

Morris played in all 12 games with 10 starts at right tackle. He also played on the field goal unit.

Team captain Neblett earned his third All-MAC honor and inaugural first team honor. He earned second team honors in 2006 and 2007. A starter at nose tackle in all 12 games, he has 39 tackles and 8.5 TFL. Neblett was a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award.

Wilkerson is fourth in team tackles with 56. He also has 9.0 TFL, seven sacks, and four break-ups. Wilkerson earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 23.

Team captain Tyler started all 12 games at left tackle. He also played on the field goal unit.

Nixon is Temple’s top kick returner with 497 yards and two touchdowns on 17 returns. He became the first player in school history to score a KOR touchdown in consecutive games. He ranks No. 10 nationally with 29.24 yards per return. Nixon was named the National Performer of the Week twice as kickoff returner.

Team captain Harris earned his second All-MAC honor. He was a third team honoree in 2007. Harris has played in every game of his collegiate career with 43 starts. This fall he is third in team tackles with 68. He also has two sacks and a team-best eight break-ups. Harris is a finalist for the 2009 Wuerffel Trophy. He was also named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine first-team Academic All-District Football Team.

Team captain Alex Joseph leads all Temple defenders with 73 tackles, including a team-best 46 solo takedowns and 5.0 TFL. He also has two break-ups, a sack, an interception, and a fumble recovery.

Kamara has 41 tackles, including 3.0 TFL and two sacks on the season. He also has two break-ups and a forced fumble. Kamara played at the linebacker and defensive end positions this fall.

Team captain Maneri started all 12 games at tight end. Mostly blocking on the line, he added 11 receptions for 108 yards and a six-yard touchdown catch against Army.

Palumbo has played in all 12 games with 11 starts at center.


2009All-MAC Football Awards
FIRST TEAM
QB - Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
C - Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois
OL - Allen Ollenburger, Central Michigan
OL - Jason Onyebuagu, Northern Illinois
OL - Darius Morris, Temple
OL - Colin Madison, Temple
TE - Jesse Rack, Buffalo
WR - Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green
WR - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan
WR - Naaman Roosevelt, Buffalo
WR - Stephen Williams, Toledo
RB - Bernard Pierce, Temple
RB - Chad Spann, Northern Illinois
OK- Matt Weller, Ohio

OLB - Lee Renfro, Ohio
OLB - Elijah Joseph, Temple
ILB - Nick Bellore, Central Michigan
ILB - Cobrani Mixon, Kent State
DL - Andre Neblett, Temple
DL - Adrian Robinson, Temple
DL - Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
DL - Frank Zombo, Central Michigan
DB - Barry Church, Toledo
DB - Davonte Shannon, Buffalo
DB - Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple
DB - Brian Lainhart, Kent State
P- Matt Rinehart, Kent State

KOR - Chris Garrett, Ohio
PR - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan


SECOND TEAM
QB - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan
C - Colin Miller, Central Michigan
OL - Peter Bittner, Buffalo
OL - Brandon Brooks, Miami
OL - Anthony Parker, Western Michigan
OL - Devin Tyler, Temple
TE - Jimmy Scheidler, Bowling Green
WR - Eric Page, Toledo
WR - Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan
WR - Taylor Price, Ohio
WR - LaVon Brazill, Ohio
RB - Brandon West, Western Michigan
RB - MiQuale Lewis, Ball State
OK - Mike Salerno, Northern Illinois

OLB - Austin Pritchard, Western Michigan
OLB - Robert Eddins, Ball State
OLB - Brian Wagner, Akron
ILB - Noah Keller, Ohio
DL - Brandon Crawford, Ball State
DL - Jake Coffman, Northern Illinois
DL - Monte Simmons, Kent State
DL - Brandon Bice, Northern Illinois
DB - Mike Newton, Buffalo
DB - Thad Turner, Ohio
DB - Josh Gordy, Central Michigan
DB - Miguel Graham, Akron
P - Zach Johnson, Eastern Michigan

KOR - James Nixon, Temple
PR - LaVon Brazill, Ohio


THIRD TEAM
QB- Tyler Sheehan, Bowling Green
C- John Palumbo, Temple
OL - Joe Flading, Ohio
OL - Shane Steffy, Bowling Green
OL - Chris Rodgers, Ohio
OL - Corey Woods, Akron
TE - Steve Maneri, Temple
WR - Robert Arnheim, Western Michigan
WR - Juan Nunez, Western Michigan
WR - Armand Robinson, Miami
WR - Brett Hamlin, Buffalo
RB - DaJuane Collins, Toledo
RB - Me’co Brown, Northern Illinois
PK - Alex Steigerwald, Toledo

OLB - Andre Hatchett, Eastern Michigan
OLB - Amara Kamara, Temple
ILB - Alex Joseph, Temple
ILB - Archie Donald, Toledo
DL - Almondo Sewell, Akron
DL - Ernie Hodge, Ohio
DL - Larry Knight, Central Michigan
DL - Sean Murnane, Central Michigan
DB - Gerald Moore, Ohio
DB - Dominique Harris, Temple
DB - Anthony Kokal, Miami
DB - Jalil Carter, Akron
P - Ben Armer, Western Michigan

KOR - Dashan Miller, Akron
PR - Tommy Davis, Northern Illinois

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