ST. LOUIS — RB Jewel Hampton of Southern Illinois has been named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year, and QB Austin Sumner of South Dakota State is the league's Freshman of the Year. The duo heads a list of 24 student-athletes named to the 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team. League coaches, sports information directors and a media panel selected the team.
Hampton led the MVFC with 17 rushing touchdowns and was fifth in the nation in scoring, while amassing 1,121 yards on 230 carries. The transfer from Iowa added 163 yards receiving and ranked fourth in the conference in all-purpose yards. He's the first Saluki to win the league's top newcomer award since Brandon Jacobs (2004).
Sumner set an MVFC freshman record with 2,382 passing yards, leading the league with an average of 238.2 yards per game. He tallied 300-plus yards in five games and threw 16 touchdown passes and nine interceptions, while completing 59.7 percent (182-of-305) of his passes for a 136.68 pass efficiency rating. He is candidate for the Jerry Rice Award as top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.
OFFENSE
WR Christian Bryan, Youngstown State 5-10 180 Fr. Irwin (Pa.) Norwin High
RB Jewel Hampton, Southern Illinois 5-9 210 Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central High / Univ. of Iowa
RB David Johnson, Northern Iowa 6-3 214 Fr. Clinton (Iowa) High
WR Dale Moss, South Dakota State 6-4 210 Sr. Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley High
WR Lechein Neblett, Illinois State 6-0 175 Fr. Madison (Wis.) James Madison Memorial High School
TE James O’Shaughnessy, Illinois State 6-4 210 Fr. Naperville (Ill.) North High School
C Mark Pratt, Youngstown State 6-3 320 Jr. Tooele (Utah) High /Snow Junior College
TE MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois 6-3 240 Fr. St. Louis (Mo.) Kirkwood High
WR Donald Spencer, Indiana State 6-2 205 So. Ypsilanti (Mich.) High / Michigan State University
QB Austin Sumner, South Dakota State 6-5 230 Fr. Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley High
RB Nikko Watson, Western Illinois 6-0 240 Fr. Rock Island (Ill.) High
RB/RS Zach Zenner, South Dakota St. 6-0 215 Fr. Eagan (Minn.) High
DEFENSE
DB Mike Banks, Illinois State 5-7 165 Fr. University Park (Ill.) Mount Carmel High School
ILB Andrew Beisel, Missouri State 6-2 228 Fr. Fenton (Mo.) Rockwood Summit High
DE Kenneth Boatright, Southern Illinois 6-4 245 Jr. Bolingbrook (Ill.) High / Midland University
S Mike Crutcher, Missouri State 6-2 198 Fr. Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland High
LB Theon Dixon, Western Illinois 6-1 215 Jr. Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville High / Ball State University
CB Christian Dudzik, North Dakota State 5-10 180 Fr. Omaha (Neb.) Skutt Catholic High
LB Evan Frierson, Illinois State 6-2 230 Jr. Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson High School / Univ. of Illinois
P Lucas Hileman, Indiana State 6-1 195 Jr. Anna (Ill.) Anna-Jonesboro High School / Baylor University
DE Nate Palmer, Illinois State 6-3 220 Jr. Chicago (Ill.) Simeon High School / Univ. of Illinois
P Jason Schlautman, South Dakota St. 6-2 195 Sr. Columbus (Neb.) High / Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha
LB Teven Williams, Youngstown State 6-0 220 Fr. Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne High
LB Travis Williams, Youngstown State 6-3 215 Fr. Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor [Miami, Fla.] High
C Mark Pratt, YSU, 6-3, 320, Jr., Tooele, Utah (Tooele)
Started all 11 games at center in his first year with the program…posted the highest overall grade of 83 percent of all YSU offensive lineman…played 717 snaps for the season…leader of an offensive line that averaged a school-record 36.2 points per game and had a school-best 458.6 total offensive yards per game…exceptional balance with 231.1 rushing and 227.5 passing…YSU's offense scored 53 touchdowns for the season…named team's Offensive Lineman of the Game against Michigan State, Illinois State, Western Illinois and UNI…played every snap the final three games…co-YSU Offensive Player of the Game vs. Saint Francis (Pa.).
WR Christian Bryan, YSU, Fr., 5-10, 180, Irwin, Pa. (Norwin)
Set school freshman receiving records for season receptions, yards and touchdowns…led team with 46 receptions and 722 yards and was second in touchdowns (six)…averaged 65.6 yards receiving per game and 15.7 per catch…had season-high seven receptions at Indiana State and 131 yards at Southern Illinois…both were school marks for a freshman…had a touchdown reception in six different games, including five MVFC contests…caught 31 passes for 550 yards in MVFC action…had a season-long 70-yard catch for TD against Western Illinois.
LB Teven Williams, YSU, Fr., 6-0, 220, Huber Heights, Ohio (Wayne)
Played in all 11 games, starting the final eight games at MIKE Linebacker…led the team with 67 total tackles and 38 unassisted tackles…had a season-high 10 tackles against South Dakota State…had five tackles in at least eight games…credited with nine stops against WIU and eight at UNI…had a sack for a five-yard loss at UNI…finished with three tackles for losses and had a fumble recovery against Saint Francis (Pa.)…had 55 tackles, including 32 solos in MVFC action.
LB Travis Williams, YSU, RFr., 6-3, 215, Norfolk, Va. (Lake Taylor/Miami, Fla.)
Started all 11 games at WILL Linebacker…ranked second on the team in total tackles with 58…credited with 31 solo stops…had five pass breakups, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery…posted a season-high 11 stops, including nine solos in win at Southern Illinois…had at least five tackles on six occasions…forced a fumble at UNI, recovered a key third-quarter fumble at NDSU on game-changing play…one of three freshman starters at linebacker for the Penguins…had 48 tackles in MVFC play.
