College Sports Journal News Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Towson running back Terrance West was named on Wednesday as the freshman of the year on the first College Sports Journal All-Freshman Team.
West, who helped orchestrate one of the most impressive turnarounds in Football Championship Subdivision history, heads up a squad of 40 newcomers that made a significant impact in their first year of playing college football.
West had already picked up the first Jerry Rice Award as The Sports Network’s freshman of the year and was also honored by College Sporting News as its freshman of the year.
West, a 5-11, 220-pound performer, rushed for 1,294 yards (6.7 average per carry) and 29 touchdowns to spark Towson to a 9-3 record, the Colonial Athletic Association title and the second round of the NCAA Division Football playoffs after the Tigers had finished with a 1-10 record in 2010.
West broke several single-game and single-season records for Towson and the CAA as the Tigers won the first league championship in school history and made their first trip to the FCS playoffs.
Another significant freshmen chosen to the squad was Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who led the Monarchs to the second round of the NCAA Division I Football playoffs after taking over the controls of the offense midway through the season.
Heinicke was the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award.
Other standouts on the All-Freshman team included Big South Conference freshman of the year Donelle Williams at linebacker, Ivy League rookie of the year Chuck Dibilio at running back, Great West Conference freshman of the year Brady Measom of Southern Utah, Southern Conference co-freshman of the year Dominique Swope of Georgia Southern at fullback, and kick returner Jordan Wells of Southeastern Louisiana, who shattered the Southland Conference for kickoff return yards in a season.
Six teams had two players chosen to the team and 34 teams are represented on the squad.
Appalachian State is represented by defensive end Ronald Blair and cornerback Doug Middleton, Furman garnered two selections with defensive end Tyreek Phillips, Furman and guard Austin Sowell and Harvard kickoff returner Seitu Smith and tackle Will Whitman were picked.
Two Missouri Valley Football Conference teams had two players selected Illinois State with punt returner Donovan Harden and tight end James O’Shaughnessy and Missouri State with offensive tackle Zach Cooley and free safety Mike Crutcher.
Joining Wells on the squad for Southeastern Louisiana is strong safety Tyler Stoddard.
All 14 FCS conferences managed to earn representation on the squad, led by the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Southern Conference with seven players each.
The All-Freshman team was selected by a blue ribbon panel of FCS experts put together by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton.
Coulson has 35 years of experience covering college football, including 20 seasons of following FCS and has served as the executive editor and managing partner of College Sporting News and the executive director for The Sports Network, running its national awards program from 2007-2009.
He has had a hand in selecting honors teams at the FCS level since 2002 and is in the process of writing and compiling the first FCS encyclopedia.
Burton has been acclaimed for his Lehigh Football Nation blog and as a national columnist for College Sporting News in the past decade.
The College Sports Journal will announce its first All-America team, including offensive and defensive players of the year, coach of the year, lineman of the year and special teams player of the year on Thursday.
2011 College Sports Journal All-Freshman Team
Freshman of the Year: Terrance West, Towson, 5-11, 220
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, 6-1, 190
Running Back: Chuck Dibilio, Princeton, 5-10, 200
Running Back: Julian Hayes, Monmouth, 5-10, 220
Fullback: Dominique Swope, Georgia Southern, 6-0, 209
All-Purpose Back: David Johnson, Northern Iowa, 6-3, 214
All-Purpose Back: Spencer Davis, Southeast Missouri State, 5-8, 175
Wide Receiver: R.J. Harris, New Hampshire, 6-0, 194
Wide Receiver: Brady Measom, Southern Utah, 5-9, 165
Wide Receiver: Christian Bryan, Youngstown State, 5-10, 180
Wide Receiver: Brandon White, San Diego, 6-3, 195
Tight End: James O’Shaughnessy, Illinois State, 6-4, 210
Tackle: Zack Cooley, Missouri State, 6-5, 284
Tackle: Will Whitman, Harvard, 6-6, 260
Guard: Matt Williams, James Madison, 6-3, 255
Guard: Charles Emert, Furman, 6-3, 286
Center: Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State, 6-3, 254
DEFENSE
Defensive End: Ronald Blair, Appalachian State, 6-4, 260
Defensive End: Devontae Chapple, Northern Colorado, 6-6, 245
Defensive Tackle: Mike Jones, Stephen F. Austin, 6-2, 260
Defensive Tackle: Tyreek Phillips, Furman, 6-0, 294
Defensive Lineman: Davis Tull, Chattanooga, 6-3, 235
Linebacker: D’Vonte Grant, NC A&T, 5-11, 215
Linebacker: Dillon Lucas, Villanova, 6-1, 215
Linebacker: Nick Sigmon, Liberty, 6-1, 240
Linebacker: Jonathan Spain, Elon, 6-3, 223
Linebacker: Donelle Williams, Presbyterian, 6-0, 200
Cornerback: Stephen Godbolt III, Tennessee State, 6-1, 180
Cornerback: Doug Middleton, Appalachian State, 6-1, 185
Strong Safety: Tyler Stoddard, Southeastern Louisiana, 6-2, 205
Free Safety: Mike Crutcher, Missouri State, 6-2, 198
Defensive Back: Christian Dudzik, North Dakota State, 5-10, 180
Defensive Back: Daryl Brown, North Dakota, 5-10, 161
Defensive Back: Tray Walker, Texas Southern, 6-2, 180
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kickoff Returner: Jordan Wells, Southeastern Louisiana, 5-11, 195
Kickoff Returner: Seitu Smith III, Harvard, 5-11, 195
Punt Returner: Donovan Harden, Illinois State, 5-11, 170
Kicker: Trever Austin, Gardner-Webb, Kicker, 5-10, 190
Punter: Jake Miller, Eastern Washington, 6-5, 205
Long Snapper: Matt Fava, Holy Cross, 5-9, 200
Picks by Conference:
Big Sky Conference: Jake Miller, Eastern Washington; Devontae Chapple, Northern Colorado;
Big South Conference: Trever Austin, Gardner-Webb; Nick Sigmon, Liberty; Donelle Williams, Presbyterian;
Colonial Athletic Association: R.J. Harris, New Hampshire; Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion; Dillon Lucas, Villanova; Terrance West, Towson; Matt Williams, James Madison.
Great West Conference: Daryl Brown, North Dakota; Brady Measom, Southern Utah;
Ivy League: Chuck Dibilio, Princeton; Seitu Smith III, Harvard; Will Whitman, Harvard.
Mid Eastern Athletic Conference: D’Vonte Grant, North Carolina A&T.
Missouri Valley Football Conference: Christian Bryan, Youngstown State; Zack Cooley, Missouri State; Mike Crutcher, Missouri State; Christian Dudzik, North Dakota State; Donovan Harden, Illinois State; David Johnson, Northern Iowa; James O’Shaughnessy, Illinois State;
Northeast Conference: Julian Hayes, Monmouth.
Ohio Valley Conference: Stephen Godbolt III, Tennessee State; Spencer Davis, Southeast Missouri State; Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State.
Patriot League: Matt Fava, Holy Cross.
Pioneer Football League: Brandon White, San Diego.
Southern: Ronald Blair, Appalachian State; Charles Emert, Furman; Doug Middleton, Appalachian State; Tyreek Phillips, Furman; Jonathan Spain, Elon; Dominique Swope, Georgia Southern; Davis Tull, Chattanooga.
Southland: Mike Jones, Stephen F. Austin; Tyler Stoddard, Southeastern Louisiana; Jordan Wells, Southeastern Louisiana
Southwestern Athletic Conference: Tray Walker, Texas Southern.
