2015 FCS - STATS | FCS Football

1
2
Welcome to the 2015 FCS Awards Banquet!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This college football season has been a particularly special one for
STATS. Back in June, senior writer Craig Haley and I attended the
annual CoSIDA convention in Orlando and told a group representing
the FCS that STATS was considering shining a national light on
the subdivision. The reaction was overwhelming. From that point
on we kicked the project into high gear, soon after announcing a
preseason All-America team, organizing the weekly media poll and
creating a dedicated website to house all of our original content
just in time for the regular season. Four months of one-of-a-kind
coverage and 1.5 million page views later, we find ourselves in
Frisco, surrounded by the game's best and brightest the night before
the end of an incredible journey. Football is a game of passion and
commitment, and STATS has brought those same qualities to the
table in undertaking this unprecedented initiative. Of course, many
of you have directly helped make that job a lot easier. Conferences,
teams, coaches and players have uniformly opened their arms to us
with accessibility and communication, allowing us to better relay
your stories to a rabid fan base around the country. So let tonight
be not only a celebration of the stars that make the FCS great, but
a thank you to all those who have helped us cover them and the
countless other student-athletes who would no doubt make Doris
and Eddie Robinson proud.
Welcome Letter – Frisco Mayor Maher Maso
Welcome Letter – Texas Governor Greg Abbott
FCS Awards Finalists
Marshaun Coprich – Offensive Finalist
Kade Harrington – Offensive Finalist
Cooper Kupp – Offensive Finalist
James Cowser – Defensive Finalist
Tyrone Holmes – Defensive Finalist
Patrick Onwuasor – Defensive Finalist
Dalton Screws – Robinson Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Case Cookus – Freshman Recipient
Bruce Barnum – Coach Recipient
2015 FCS Season in Review
2015 FCS Playoff Bracket
Past NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game Results
STATS FCS All-America Teams
Awards Presenters
Master of Ceremonies – Gary Reasons
FCS Awards Voters
Sincerely,
Page
4
5
7
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
27
28
29
31
32
32
Brian Orefice
Director, News & Editorial Operations
FCS SUPPORTERS
2015 FCS AWARDS BANQUET
Banquet Coordinators: Brian Orefice, Philip Sokol and Craig Haley
Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Reitzes
Awards Program Writers: Craig Haley, Philip Sokol, Jeff Bartl,
Matt Becker, Tom Castro and Jeff Mezydlo
Video Coordinator: Caleb Thomas
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Colonial Athletic Association
Big South Conference
Illinois State University
Lamar University
Eastern Washington University
University of Montana
Southern Utah University
Southland Conference
Big Sky Conference
Patriot League
Pioneer Football League
Northern Arizona University
Portland State University
Ohio Valley Conference
Northeast Conference
Missouri Valley Football Conference
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
STATS
STATS FCS Website:
www.fcs.football
For future FCS business and advertising inquiries, please
contact Brian Orefice at [email protected].
STATS LLC Global Headquarters
2775 Shermer Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
1-847-583-2100
www.stats.com
3
Page
Front Inside
2
6
9
11
13
13
15
17
19
21
21
23
25
27
30
30
Back Inside
Back Cover
4
5
6
2015 FCS AWARDS FINALISTS
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Kendell Anderson
Tarik Cohen
Case Cookus
Marshaun Coprich
Tyler Dube
Chase Edmonds
Austin Gahafer
Jacobi Green
Joe Haeg
Kade Harrington
Johnta’ Hebert
De’Angelo Henderson
Scott Hosch
Jacob Huesman
KD Humphries
Mark Iannotti
Eli Jenkins
Cooper Kupp
Troy Mitchell
Dakota Prukop
Alex Ross
Daniel Sams
Jake Wieneke
Dalyn Williams
Johnathan Williams
RB
RB
QB
RB
WR
RB
QB
RB
LT
RB
RB
RB
QB
QB
QB
QB
QB
WR
QB
QB
QB
QB
WR
QB
QB
William & Mary
North Carolina A&T
Northern Arizona
Illinois State
Sacred Heart
Fordham
Morehead State
Richmond
North Dakota State
Lamar
Prairie View A&M
Coastal Carolina
Harvard
Chattanooga
Murray State
Southern Illinois
Jacksonville State
Eastern Washington
Western Carolina
Montana State
Coastal Carolina
McNeese State
South Dakota State
Dartmouth
Grambling State
Kourtney Berry
Don Cherry
James Cowser
Keionta Davis
Dee Delaney
Tyler Drake
Deiondre’ Hall
P.J. Hall
Javon Hargrave
Stephen Hodge
Tyrone Holmes
Jermaine Hough
DeAndre Houston-Carson
John Hugunin
Deon King
Christian Kuntz
O.J. Mau
Harlan Miller
Victor Ochi
Patrick Onwuasor
Derek Rivers
Darnell Sankey
Noah Spence
Myke Tavarres
Chima Uzowihe
LB
LB
DE
DE
CB
LB
CB
DE
DT
LB
DE
CB
FS
LB
LB
LB
NT
CB
DE
S
DE
LB
DE
LB
DE
Alabama State
Villanova
Southern Utah
Chattanooga
The Citadel
Penn
Northern Iowa
Sam Houston State
South Carolina State
Fordham
Montana
Jacksonville State
William & Mary
Drake
Norfolk State
Duquesne
Gardner-Webb
Southeastern Louisiana
Stony Brook
Portland State
Youngstown State
Sacramento State
Eastern Kentucky
Incarnate Word
Liberty
FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Ian Berryman
Dominick Bragalone
Solomon Brown
Kyle Buss
Jabari Butler
Taryn Christion
Case Cookus
Julian Cox
Marquis Green
Derrick Griffin
Thomas Jefferson
Alex Jeske
Zak Kennedy
Anthony Lawrence
Dorrel McClain
John Santiago
Justice Shelton-Mosley
Andrew Van Ginkel
Dylan Weigel
Micah Wright
P
RB
LB
WR
CB
QB
QB
LB
S
WR
RB
QB
PK
QB
RB
RB
WR/RS
DE
LB
WR
Western Carolina
Lehigh
Charleston Southern
Robert Morris
Abilene Christian
South Dakota State
Northern Arizona
Albany
Mississippi Valley State
Texas Southern
Delaware
Dayton
Youngstown State
San Diego
North Carolina Central
North Dakota
Harvard
South Dakota
East Tennessee State
Maine
Bruce Barnum
Jamey Chadwell
Rick Chamberlin
Broderick Fobbs
John Grass
Mike Houston
Dan Hunt
Ed Lamb
Jerry Mack
Ray Priore
Danny Rocco
Jerry Schmidt
John Stiegelmeier
Matt Viator
Chris Villarrial
DORIS & EDDIE ROBINSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FINALISTS
Christopher Beaschler
Derek Crittenden
Matt DelMauro
Nick Faraci
Padyn Giebler
Mark Iannotti
Carl Jones
Javancy Jones
LB
DE
RB
C
LB
QB
C
DE
Dayton
Montana
Bucknell
Robert Morris
Incarnate Word
Southern Illinois
North Carolina Central
Jackson State
Jake Prus
Alex Ross
John Russ
Dalton Screws
Matt Shiltz
Cole Toner
Carson Wentz
7
Portland State
Charleston Southern
Dayton
Grambling State
Jacksonville State
The Citadel
Colgate
Southern Utah
North Carolina Central
Penn
Richmond
Duquense
South Dakota State
McNeese State
Saint Francis
OT
QB
QB
WR
QB
OT
QB
(Big Sky)
(Big South)
(Pioneer)
(SWAC)
(Ohio Valley)
(Southern)
(Patriot)
(Big Sky)
(MEAC)
(Ivy)
(CAA)
(Northeast)
(Missouri Valley)
(Southland)
(Northeast)
Villanova
Coastal Carolina
Mercer
Jacksonville State
Butler
Harvard
North Dakota State
• OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
Before a game, running back Marshaun Coprich will walk
around and shake hands with every other starter on the Illinois
State football team. He believes it shows leadership, plus it
gives him an opportunity to share some motivating words.
“I’m showing them that I’m watching ‘em and I’m here for them
every play,” he said.“I’ve got their back.”
In actuality, it’s those same Redbirds who have been known
to climb on Coprich’s back. One year ago, he was the nation’s
leading rusher and scorer while helping them reach the FCS
championship game.
This season, he remained at that same elite level in becoming
a finalist for STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year. During the
regular season, Coprich ranked second nationally in rushing
yards (1,720) and rushing yards per game (156.4), and tied
for third in touchdowns (20) and points per game (11.1) all
while competing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference
– considered the strongest in the FCS. The Redbirds earned a
share of the league title for the second straight year.
Appropriately, Coprich earned the nickname of “Young Bull”
from former Illinois State safety Tevin Allen for his hard-charging
running style. A touchdown machine, the 5-foot-9, 205-pounder
often explodes between the tackles and to the edge of a defense
– a true bull on the loose.The FCS’ active career rushing leader,
he surpassed 5,000 yards during the playoffs.
“I go into each game with what I’m taught from my (running
backs) coach Lamar Conard, just being fundamentally sound,”
Coprich said. “Your fundamentals will place you in the right
spot and then your talent will just take over. And that’s what I’ve
been doing, week in and week out.”
– Craig Haley
8
9
• OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
There’s a port near Lamar University where Kade Harrington
and a teammate like to disappear for a little saltwater fishing.
“I like the fact that you can just kind of get away. It’s relaxing,”
said Harrington, whose biggest catch was a 35-pound drum
fish last summer.
During the 2015 season, the FCS All-America running back
represented the fish that kept getting away. And chasing him
around was anything but relaxing for those trying to catch him.
Harrington averaged 7.9 yards per carry while leading the
FCS in rushing yards (2,092), rushing yards per game (190.2)
and rushing touchdowns (21) during the regular season. The
finalist for STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year also was No.
1 in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (213.4) and
points per game (12.5). He surpassed 2,000 rushing yards
in his first 10 contests, marking just the seventh time that has
happened in Division I history.
So was Harrington the biggest fish that got away? Not really.
He stands about 5-feet-8, 190 pounds. But don’t be fooled.
“I’m a lot more physical of a runner than people would think
just when they would look at me,” he said. “I would say I’m a
one-cut kind of person. I tend not to dance as much as other
running backs do, I just kind of hit the hole and go. A lot of that
is credit to an incredible offensive line because I’ve had some
pretty nice holes all season long.”
Lamar was the only school which offered its first-ever Southland
Conference Player of the Year a scholarship when he was in
high school. Harrington adds that while it’s his name on the
stats, he considers personal success a team effort.
– Craig Haley
10
11
• OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
The idea that one of the greatest wide receivers in FCS history
would be riding the bench must sound impossible to every
cornerback who has tried to defend Cooper Kupp.
But it’s true, the first-team All-American in all three of his seasons
at Eastern Washington considers his time on an eighth-grade
travel basketball team as the turning point of his athletic career.
Everyone else on the team seemed to be getting bigger and
stronger in addition to gaining more playing time while Kupp
was stuck at 5-foot-3 and in a reserve role.
Having come from a football-playing family – his father Craig
and grandfather Jake played in the NFL – Kupp committed
himself to trying to outwork anybody and everybody else. And
by the time he was a high school junior, his body had met up
with his talent level and determination.
Even to this day in Cheney, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is trying
“to earn my spot over again. I keep striving to be perfect, it
keeps you pushing and pushing and pushing.”
That attitude has paid off with a career in which Kupp has set
17 school records, eight Big Sky records and seven FCS records.
During the 2015 regular season, the STATS FCS Offensive Player
of the Year finalist led the nation in receptions (114, a Big Sky
record), receptions per game (10.4, another Big Sky mark),
receiving yards (1,642), receiving yards per game (149.3) and
touchdown catches (19). He also scored on a punt return and
passed for two touchdowns on trick plays.
“The challenge to be great day in and day out, the coaches and
players here, they do that,” said Kupp, who was named the FCS
freshman of the year in 2013.
“There’s no entitlement.”
– Craig Haley
12
13
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
On the day James Cowser set the FCS record for tackles for loss
in a career, he accomplished something he had never done in
his four years at Southern Utah – scoring a touchdown. The 55yard fumble return was another memorable play in a career
full of highlights, but, make no mistake, he has no interest in
switching to the other side of the ball anytime soon.
“I thought I was going to get a bigger rush, I thought it was
going to be wild, but it was just really cool,” he said. “I think I
enjoy getting a sack more than a touchdown.”
Lucky thing, considering Cowser finished his career with an
FCS-record 43.5 sacks while his 80 tackles for loss shattered
the old mark of 72.5.
Eleven of those sacks and 17 tackles for loss were recorded in
the 2015 regular season as Cowser earned Big Sky Defensive
Player of the Year honors, helping Southern Utah go from 3-9
in 2014 to conference champion. He also had a monster
performance in the team’s lone playoff game, forcing two
fumbles and recording two sacks in a 42-39 setback to Sam
Houston State.
Cowser’s collegiate career isn’t quite over as he has been
invited to the East-West Shrine Game.
Graduating with a 3.99 GPA and a degree in psychology,
Cowser is working toward a master’s in communication.
“When I made the decision that my life is going to be football
and school,” he said,“I wanted to try to excel at both.”
Cowser’s life didn’t have football for four years. After high
school, he redshirted a season before heading to Hong Kong
for part of his LDS Church mission.
The next four years were spent terrorizing offenses.
“When I got back on the field it was crazy,” he said. “I forgot
how exciting football is.”
- Matt Becker
14
15
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
The FCS sack leader and defensive star of Montana’s firstround playoff win over South Dakota State sat unassumingly
at the podium during a news conference Dec. 1 after another
dominating performance, answering questions thoughtfully,
graciously and in a measured tone, at times looking
uncomfortable with having the spotlight on him.
The contrast between that and Tyrone Holmes’ ferocity on the
field this season was almost stunning.
The “Mr. Hyde” portion of that duality has resulted in Holmes
being a finalist for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year
award after turning in a spectacular campaign that earned the
senior some much-deserved recognition.
When all was said and done, Holmes ended up with 18 sacks
– 14 in the regular season – which were the most in FCS or
FBS going into bowl season and one shy of tying Andy Petek’s
school record. He also had 21.5 tackles for loss as the defensive
anchor of a Grizzlies team that reached the second round of
the playoffs before falling to North Dakota State.
So it was hard to reconcile his fearsome performances with
the soft-spoken, modest response Holmes gave about being
nominated for the award during the media session that
preceded the matchup with the Bison.
“It’s a huge honor and I think awards like this are really a team
thing,” he said. “There’s no way I could do it by myself, it’s a
whole D-line thing, it’s coaches, the secondary giving enough
time, so I think it’s just a testament to how well our defense has
done this year and I think that’s really important.”
Holmes’ 34 1/2 career sacks were the second-most in Grizzlies
history – right behind the 37 1/2 of Zack Wagenmann, who
Holmes started opposite from the previous two years and who
at times overshadowed his teammate.
Those days have most definitely come to an end.
- Tom Castro
16
17
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST •
Transferring to Portland State helped Patrick Onwuasor become
a very good football player. It also turned him into a greater
individual.
“It’s a blessing,” the senior safety said.“I hit a bit of a bumpy road
before I came here. I’ve learned a lot about life, and have been
able to do things outside of football to become a better person.”
The Los Angeles-area native began his career at the University
of Arizona, but ran into trouble off the field prior to the 2013
season and was dismissed from the team. He then headed to
the Great Northwest determined to get it all right.
In his second season in Portland, Onwuasor blossomed into one
of the nation’s best defenders. His nine interceptions tied for the
most in the FCS and his 85 tackles were second on the team.
He equaled a school record with three picks in a 35-16 win over
Montana on Halloween.
“He’s worked hard his whole career to get to this point,” Vikings
safeties coach John Ely said.
Onwuasor was a major reason Portland State went from 3-9 last
year to 9-2 during a 2015 regular season that included victories
over FBS opponents Washington State and North Texas and a
berth in the FCS playoffs.
“We came a long way with this program,” said Onwuasor, who
prefers to be called by his nickname, “Peanut,” than his given
first name.
“Peanut” has come an even longer way off the field. He worked
last summer as a counselor at a camp for people with disabilities,
coming full circle as someone who himself overcame a learning
disability to succeed in the classroom. Today, he’s one semester
away from earning his degree.
- Jeff Mezydlo
18
19
• DORIS AND EDDIE ROBINSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE •
Dalton Screws is a lot of things and the numbers don’t lie. But
what this young man is can only be described as, an outstanding
human being.
The academic accolades have been growing since high school,
but it’s his work outside of the educational arena that has
produced the most rewarding work for Jacksonville State’s
starting wide receiver, the Doris & Eddie Robinson ScholarAthlete Award recipient.
The past six summers have been spent on mission trips with
e3 Partners, an organization which his father is the country
coordinator. Screws has traveled to Caracas, Venezuela, and,
more recently, Ukara Island and Magumu in the African nation
of Tanzania. The idea is community transformation, where he’s
taught the natives how to improve their quality of life while also
exploring fresh water options and helping provide AIDS testing
and eye exams, all while sharing his faith.
“Me personally, I have a heart for children and youth,” Screws
said, “so when I go, I work a lot of time in the schools there,
interact with them in the school system, sit down and teach
them, play with them in an effort to try and reach the people of
Tanzania at a young age and anything we can do to improve
their quality of life.”
A member of Jacksonville State’s Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee, the redshirt junior has helped coordinate
fundraising efforts for the Hoops For Heroes program. In the
Jacksonville community, he also has helped with Project 58,
which has helped pack more than 100,000 meals for those in
need.
“I wish I had a secret formula, but I just look at academics
with the same approach as I look at athletics,” he said. “I push
myself on the field to get better every day and I do that same
thing in the classroom.”
“The demands of being a student-athlete in and of itself are
difficult,” said Beth DeBauche, commissioner of the Ohio
Valley Conference, “but to be a starter on a highly competitive
football team and to be able to excel in the classroom makes
us immensely proud because of the well-rounded student that
Dalton is.”
– Phil Sokol
20
21
• FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR •
Case Cookus easily could have sulked when he didn’t get much
attention coming out of high school, or when the film he sent to
colleges didn’t illicit responses.
It took a twist of fate – and a bit of good luck he hadn’t
experienced to that point – for Cookus to end up at Northern
Arizona.
Both sides couldn’t be happier the way things turned out.
Cookus led the FCS with 37 touchdown passes during the
regular season, finished second with a 184.9 rating and third
with a 68.9 completion percentage on his way to being voted
the STATS FCS Freshman of the Year in a runaway. Those gaudy
numbers are even more surprising considering Cookus wasn’t
even on NAU’s radar until another quarterback the Lumberjacks
had penciled in as the starter decided to transfer elsewhere in
June.
“Every time I play, I kind of have that chip on my shoulder,”
Cookus said. “I don’t know what it was about me that people
didn’t like, whether it was my weight or my arm strength or
what. But that’s in the past now and I’m enjoying my time here.”
Coach Jerome Souers isn’t ashamed to admit that pursuing
Cookus was a last-ditch effort to fill his need at the position
after Connor Brewer backed out on his commitment to Northern
Arizona and headed to Virginia. Cookus still had to beat out two
others in camp to win the starting job.
Souers said it became clear quickly that Cookus was the best of
the bunch. Cookus ended up setting an FCS freshman record for
touchdown passes, including tossing seven against Northern
Colorado and six against Sacramento State.
Equally impressive, he threw just five interceptions.
“We have high hopes for him,” Souers said. “He just had a
remarkable year. You’ll never hear of that kind of efficiency out
of a freshman quarterback.”
-Jeff Bartl
22
23
• FCS COACH OF THE YEAR •
Bruce Barnum’s message to his Portland State football team
has been about raising expectations, both individual and for
the team. From respecting the game to calling loved ones back
home to being strong students. And, of course, playing a brand
of football that’s blue-collar, tough and fundamental.
“It looked like Santa’s list,” Barnum reminisced.
His players were so immersed, yet so inundated by the first-year
coach’s concepts for turning around their struggling program,
that they summed it all up with a moniker:“Barny Ball.”
It stuck affectionately. And fittingly enough, so has Barnum, who
went from being named the interim head coach last offseason
for what he called a “12-month interview,” to earning the fulltime position and a five-year contract extension by midseason.
The deal was richly deserved considering the incredible
turnaround the STATS FCS Coach of the Year engineered
following the Vikings’ 3-9 finish last season, when Barnum was
the offensive coordinator. “Barny Ball” went 9-2 in the regular
season, capped by a No. 5 national ranking and the program’s
second FCS playoff berth – its first since 2000. Portland State
tied for second in the Big Sky, went 5-0 against FCS Top 25
teams and beat two FBS programs, Washington State and North
Texas – the latter a 66-7 rout that was the largest win ever by
an FCS school over an FBS opponent.
“The win at Pullman (Washington State) obviously helped kick
off what we were trying to do,” said Barnum, who has become
a relative folk hero on campus.
“It’s been fun to watch it. Even after the losses – we lost two
games this year – and nothing changed. It wasn’t a locker
room full of names flying, ‘your fault,’ fingers pointing … it was,
‘Hey, we fixing it, where we going?’ And the next game, they
responded.”
– Craig Haley
24
25
FCS SEASON IN REVIEW
It started with the game of the year in the FCS. Or so versions of the game of the year – North Dakota State
it felt that way – for one entire week.
slipping past Northern Iowa, 31-28, in the Valley on
Oct. 10, and Portland State edging Big Sky champ
Yes, just seven days after Montana and North Dakota Southern Utah, 24-23, on Nov. 14.
State kicked off the college football season with a
memorable performance in which Montana edged
the four-time defending national champion, 38-35,
with a last-second touchdown, the Griz proceeded to
lose in the final seconds of their next home game.
Hope you had your seatbelt strapped on because it
was going to be that kind of season in 2015.
Wild finishes and unpredictable results were the
norm across the FCS. So many games were worthy
of top billing. Being idle was basically the only safe
bet for a team.
In the first full week of FCS action, four teams toppled
programs from the FBS level. By season’s end, there
were nine of the national-attention-grabbing wins,
with Portland State and its “Barny Ball” grabbing two
of them (sorry about the 66-7 whipping, North Texas).
Jacksonville State University Athletics
But the nominees for the game of the year stretched
far and wide, from CAA Football (Richmond spoiling
James Madison’s “College GameDay” showcase,
59-49, on Oct. 24) to the Ivy League (Harvard over
Dartmouth, 14-13, on Oct. 30) to the Big South
(Charleston Southern taking down Coastal Carolina,
33-25, on Halloween Night).
All the while the chaos, er, parity-filled season
unfolded, Jacksonville State remained a constant,
sweeping through the Ohio Valley Conference for the
second consecutive season and holding the No. 1
national ranking for the final 11 weeks of the regular
season.
The postseason made the season even more fun.
McNeese State, the only unbeaten team in the
regular season, was ousted in its first playoff game.
North Dakota State University Athletics
Richmond, Sam Houston State, Colgate and Northern
The national title picture became even more wide Iowa were hot at the right time. And, yes, earplugs
open because of injuries to some of the elite were required inside the Fargodome.
quarterbacks in the FCS, such as Villanova’s John
Robertson, James Madison’s Vad Lee and North Still looking for that FCS game of the year?
Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. Still, many other veteran Hopefully, it will come on Saturday with the national
players were happy to step into the spotlight and new championship game – a matchup of the North Dakota
stars emerged alongside them (hello, Case Cookus). State Bison and their “Drive For Five” titles in a row
and the No. 1-seeded Jacksonville State Gamecocks,
The season boasted exceptional success for the the contenders to the throne.
Missouri Valley and Big Sky conferences as their
teams filled the STATS Top 25 rankings. They had their
– Craig Haley
26
FCS PLAYOFF BRACKET
27
PAST NCAA DIVISION I FCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS
Year
Champion
Coach
Runner-Up
Score
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
North Dakota State
North Dakota State
North Dakota State
North Dakota State
Eastern Washington
Villanova
Richmond
Appalachian State
Appalachian State
Appalachian State
James Madison
Delaware
Western Kentucky
Montana
Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern
Massachusetts
Youngstown State
Marshall
Montana
Youngstown State
Youngstown State
Marshall
Youngstown State
Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern
Furman
Louisiana-Monroe
Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern
Montana State
Southern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky
Idaho State
Boise State
Eastern Kentucky
Florida A&M
Chris Klieman
Craig Bohl
Craig Bohl
Craig Bohl
Beau Baldwin
Andy Talley
Mike London
Jerry Moore
Jerry Moore
Jerry Moore
Mickey Matthews
K.C. Keeler
Jack Harbaugh
Joe Glenn
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson
Mark Whipple
Jim Tressel
Bob Pruett
Don Read
Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
Jim Donnan
Jim Tressel
Tim Stowers
Erk Russell
Jimmy Satterfield
Pat Collins
Erk Russell
Erk Russell
Dave Arnold
Rey Dempsey
Roy Kidd
Dave Kragthorpe
Jim Criner
Roy Kidd
Rudy Hubbard
Illinois State
Towson
Sam Houston St
Sam Houston St
Delaware
Montana
Montana
Delaware
Massachusetts
Northern Iowa
Montana
Colgate
McNeese State
Furman
Montana
Youngstown State
Georgia Southern
McNeese State
Montana
Marshall
Boise State
Marshall
Youngstown State
Marshall
Nevada
Stephen F. Austin
Georgia Southern
Marshall
Arkansas State
Furman
Louisiana Tech
Western Carolina
Delaware
Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky
Lehigh
Massachusetts
29-27
35-7
39-13
17-6
20-19
23-21
24-7
49-21
28-17
21-16
31-21
40-0
34-14
13-6
27-25
59-24
55-43
10-9
49-29
22-20
28-14
17-5
31-28
25-17
36-13
37-34
17-12
43-42
48-21
44-42
19-6
43-7
17-14
34-23
31-29
30-7
35-28
28
STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
OFFENSE
QB:
Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State
QB:
Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga
RB:
Marshaun Coprich, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State
Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham
Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar
RB:
Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond
De’Angelo Henderson, junior, 5-8, 205, Coastal Carolina
FB:
Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel
FB:
Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State
WR:
Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana
Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington
Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State
WR:
Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona
Tyler Dube, graduate, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart
Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross
TE:
Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard
TE:
Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State
OL:
Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington
Joe Haeg, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State
Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State
Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga
Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard
OL:
Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern
Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty
Julie’n Davenport, junior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell
Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State
Mitch Kirsch, junior, 6-6, 300, James Madison
AP:
Johnta’ Hebert, senior, 5-10, 195, Prairie View A&M
AP:
John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota
DEFENSE
DEFENSE
DL:
James Cowser, graduate, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah
Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State
Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana
Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook
Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky
LB:
Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State
Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne
Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State
Myke Tavarres, senior, 6-3, 230, Incarnate Word
DB:
Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel
Deiondre’ Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa
DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195,William & Mary
Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State
DL:
Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga
Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois
P.J. Hall, sophomore, 6-1, 270, Sam Houston State
Karter Schult, junior, 6-2, 265, Northern Iowa
Chima Uzowihe, senior, 6-2, 250, Liberty
LB:
Andrew Ankrah, sophomore, 6-4, 234, James Madison
Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State
Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova
Stephen Hodge, graduate, 6-2, 196, Fordham
Brett McMakin, junior, 6-4, 232, Northern Iowa
DB:
David Jones, junior, 6-1, 187, Richmond
Miles Killebrew, senior, 6-3, 230, Southern Utah
Harlan Miller, senior, 6-1, 180, Southeastern Louisiana
Donald Payne, junior, 6-1, 215, Stetson
Wallace Scott, senior, 6-1, 211, McNeese State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK:
Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary
P:
Ben LeCompte, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State
KR:
Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern
PR:
Khris Gardin, sophomore, 5-7, 158, North Carolina A&T
LS:
Joshua Appel, junior, 6-2, 250, Indiana State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK:
John Lunsford, senior, 6-1, 180, Liberty
P:
Ryan Hawkins, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Arizona
KR:
Lorenzo Jerome, junior, 5-11, 185, Saint Francis
PR:
Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado
LS:
Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern
29
30
AWARDS PRESENTERS
DOUG WILLIAMS
Presenter, FCS Offensive Player of the Year
Four-year starter and two-time coach at Grambling State University and a member of the College Football Hall of
Fame. First-round pick in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where his jersey was recently retired in
their Ring of Honor. A nine-year NFL veteran with the Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins, Williams threw for
100 touchdowns and almost 17,000 yards. His career was highlighted with Super Bowl XXII MVP honors, as he led
the Redskins to a 42-10 rout of the Denver Broncos.
DEXTER COAKLEY
Presenter, FCS Defensive Player of the Year
An All-American and Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior at
Appalachian State, he was named FCS (then I-AA) Defensive Player of the Year in 1995 and ‘96. Selected in the third
round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Coakley played 10 seasons in the league with three Pro Bowl
appearances. He recorded 762 tackles with 13 interceptions and 9½ quarterback sacks over his career. In 2011,
Coakley became the first player in Appalachian State history to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
JERRY MOORE
Presenter, FCS Coach of the Year
Widely known for coaching Appalachian State to three straight FCS national championships from 2005-07 – the first
three-peat on the level – as well as a 34-32 victory at No. 5 Michigan to open the ’07 season. Played three seasons
at Baylor before he began his coaching career as an assistant at SMU. Following an assistant stint at Nebraska,
where he eventually became Tom Osborne’s offensive coordinator, Moore spent two seasons as North Texas State’s
head coach (1979-80) and five seasons guiding Texas Tech (1981-85). Took over at Appalachian State in 1989 and
led the Mountaineers to 10 Southern Conference crowns before completing his coaching career in 2012 with a 242134-2 record. The 2006 FCS Coach of the Year is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
JEROME SOUERS
Presenter, FCS Freshman of the Year
Northern Arizona’s head coach since 1998, Souers has led the Lumberjacks to four straight winning seasons.
A graduate of the University of Oregon, he began his coaching career at Western Washington in 1984 before
moving on to Portland State, then a Division II program, for one year. Spent 12 seasons at Montana, mainly as the
defensive coordinator. As Northern Arizona’s head coach, he has compiled a 107-97 record, which includes a Big
Sky championship in 2003. When he reached his 100th career victory in 2014, he became only the second coach
to reach the milestone while coaching in the conference.
EDDIE ROBINSON III
Presenter, Doris & Eddie Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Grandson of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and Doris Robinson. A graduate of Grambling State University
with a B.S. degree in Biology, Eddie has a sports management background and worked in the New York Yankees
organization. A father of three children, Brandon, 30, Eddie IV, 17, and Chloe, 15, with a granddaughter, Andriana,
Eddie is currently working closely with the Eddie Robinson Legacy Fund, a non-profit organization that provides
educational assistance for minority students and preserves the memory of his grandfather.
31
MASTER OF CEREMONIES • GARY REASONS
Master of Ceremonies
Gary Reasons was an
FCS (then Division I-AA)
All-American linebacker
at Northwestern State,
the first player in NCAA
history to gain the
prestigious honor three
consecutive
seasons
(1981-83).
His career is highlighted by memorable plays. Late in the 1989
season, Reasons and the Giants made a trip to Mile High Stadium
in Denver to face the Broncos. With his team ahead 14-0 in the third
quarter and playing in a driving snowstorm, Reasons went airborne
on a 4th-and-goal at the Giants’ 1-yard line to stop the Broncos
and a high-flying Bobby Humphrey for a 1-yard loss. The stop was
recognized as the “hit of the decade” and listed among the top “NFL
Big Hits of All Time.” The Giants held on for a 14-7 victory behind
Reasons’ 14 tackles and one pass deflection. They went on to win
the NFC East title.
A
college
football
television analyst for
FOX Sports Net, Reasons
is in his 22nd season as
a broadcaster. He also is president of Pro Athletes Group, a division of
Cornerstone Payment Systems, leading an organization comprised
of former and current professional athletes who help businesses
gain guaranteed savings on their merchant services costs and nonprofit organizations raise revenue through the “Processing With A
Purpose” business referral program.
Another memorable play involved the Giants and the 49ers in San
Francisco during the 1990 NFC Championship game. With the
Giants trailing 13-9 midway through the fourth quarter, Reasons
rambled 31 yards on a fake punt to set up a Matt Bahr field goal,
which cut the deficit to one. Bahr later added his fifth field goal of
the game to kick the Giants to a 15-13 win and into Super Bowl XXV.
Reasons was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996
as part of the inaugural group of small college players. Northwestern
State retired his No. 34 after he set the school’s all-time tackles
mark (394) from 1980-83. He also set the single-season mark of
172 tackles in his senior year, which included 24 stops in a game
against rival McNeese State. An honors student, the Crowley, Texas,
native graduated with a degree in business administration.
Drafted into the NFL by the New York Giants in the fourth round in
1984, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Reasons spent eight years with the
club, helping it win Super Bowls XXI and XXV under head coach
Bill Parcells. Reasons, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson and Carl Banks
comprised a linebacker corps that is recognized as one of the
greatest in NFL history.
STATS LLC: Dan Eaves; Craig Haley; Brian Orefice;
Jon Passman; Elliot Schall; Phil Sokol. Big Sky
Conference: Brian Berger; Brad Bugger; Eric
Burdick; Dave Cook; Paul Grua; Jeremy Hoeck;
Mick Holien; Jon Kasper; Doug Kelly; Bill Lamberty;
Mike Lund; Anthony Mazzolini; Jon Oglesby; Ryan
Powell; Mike Robles; Steve Schaack; Randy Scovil;
Mitch Strohman; Eric Taber; Denise Thompson. Big
South Conference: Mike Cawood; Matt Harmon;
Kevin O’Rourke; Marc Rabb; Mark Simpson; Damien
Sordelett; Greg Viscomi; Todd Wetmore; Alan York.
CAA Football: Lizzie Barlow; Chris Brooks; John
Brush; Pete Clawson; Shane Donaldson; Glenn
Frazer; Matt Jones; Dean Kenefick; Allen Lessels;
Tim McDonnell; Tyson McHatten; Brian Miller; Matt
Moretti; Mike Murphy; Chris Rash; Scott Selheimer;
Kevin Tresolini. Ivy League: Rick Bender; Chris
Humm; Craig Larson; Dan Loney; Craig Sachson;
During his career, Reasons was selected to both All-Rookie and
All-NFL teams. In the regular season, he had 10 interceptions, nine
fumble recoveries and a safety. In the postseason, he intercepted
three passes, including two off 49ers great Joe Montana in a 1985
matchup, and was the Giants’ leading tackler in Super Bowl XXV.
Reasons finished his nine-year NFL career with a one-year stint in
Cincinnati.
His broadcasting career began with ABC Sports in 1994. He also
served as the first head coach of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz
of arenafootball2 and later spent one year as the team’s president.
Married for 31 years to wife Terri, the Reasons have three children.
Their son Nick played defensive back for Nicholls State before
graduating in 2007, and two daughters, Randi and Lacy, played
volleyball at Arkansas-Fort Smith and North Texas, respectively. Randi
graduated in 2010 and Lacy the following year. The Reasons reside
in McKinney, Texas.
FCS AWARDS VOTING PANEL
Tim Williamson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference:
David Hall; Bill Hamilton; Brian Holloway; Dennis
Jones; Kendrick Lewis; Matt Michalec; Patricia
Porter; Dan Ryan; Jay Walker; Maurice Williams.
Missouri Valley Football Conference: Bryan
Boettcher, John Bohnenkamp; Eric Doennig; Jeremy
Hoeck; Jason Hove; Todd Hefferman; Dom Izzo; Mike
Kern; Jeff Kolpack; John Lock; Colin McDonough;
Patrick Osterman; Trevor Parks; Ryan Perreault;
Randy Reinhardt; Jeff Schwartz; Tyler Wooten; Mike
Williams. Northeast Conference: John Beisser;
Brian Cleary; Tristan Hobbes; Spencer Kowitz; Paul
Marboe; Tad Maurey; Chris O’Connor; Ralph Ventre,
Jim Waggoner. Ohio Valley Conference: Alex
Boggis; Neal Bradley; Kevin Britton; Parker Griffith;
Jeff Honza; Rich Moser: Karl Park: Mike Parris; Justin
Rust; Kyle Schwartz; Greg Seitz; Colby Wilson. Patriot
League: Charles Bare; Joe DiBari; Matt Dougherty;
32
Keith Groller; Kevin Herr; Mike Joseph; Phil LaBella;
Steve Lomangino; Eric Malanowski; Matt Markus;
John Painter, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football
League: Nolan Alexander; Justin Bohn; Mike
Ferraro; Ted Gosen; Paul Oren; Jason Williams; Ryan
Wronkowicz. Southern Conference: Jay Blackman;
Jordon Bruner; Daniel Hooker; Joey Mullins;
Todd Shanesy; Adam Smith; Brent Williamson.
Southland Conference: Jason Barfield; Louis
Bonnette; Matthew Bonnette; Jamie Bustos; Rand
Champion; Kemmler Chapple; James Dixon; Lance
Fleming; Alex Hickey; Calhoun Hipp; Doug Ireland;
J.P. McBride; David McCollum; Shane Meling; Teddy
Renois. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Jasher
Cox; Ronnie Johnson; Wesley Peterson, LaMonica
Scott; Herman Shelton. Other Representatives:
Josh Buchanan; Brandon Lawrence; Jim Seman;
Reggie Thomas.