JBS SMALL SCHOOL PLAYER OF YEAR WATCH LISTS ANNOUNCED
The first annual JBS Small School Player of the Year Award Watch Lists, given annually to the top offensive and defensive player in the small school ranks, have been announced.
The offensive player of the year list is named after Texas A&I (now A&M Kingsville) RB Johnny Bailey, a three-time Harlon Hill Trophy Winner, who became college football's all-time leading rusher in the sixth game of the 1989 season. Bailey finished as the top rusher in Division II football for three straight years, ending that streak as a senior where he finished second in the nation.
The defensive player of the year list is named after Appalachian State LB Dexter Coakley who is retired from the NFL after playing for the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams. Coakley was a third round selection by the Cowboys in the 1997 NFL Draft. Coakley remains the only player in FCS history to win the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top FCS defensive player,
The watch lists include 32 players each, honoring the top returning names in the FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA.
Appalachian State, Weber State, and Northwest Missouri State lead all schools with three selections each.
2008 Walter Payton Award Winner QB Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State highlights the offensive selections while teammate FS Mark LeGree and Central Arkansas DE Larry Hart highlight the defensive selections.
Both winners will be announced one week after all of the playoffs have been completed.
Read below for the full list of 32 candidates for each award:
JOHNNY BAILEY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
|
Position
|
First Name
|
Last Name
|
School
|
Class
|
Division
|
|
OT
|
Tony
|
Washington
|
Abilene Christian
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
QB
|
Armanti
|
Edwards
|
Appalachian State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
QB
|
Billy
|
Cundiff
|
Ashland
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
OT
|
Blaine
|
Westemeyer
|
Augustana (Ill.)
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
WR
|
Johnny
|
Spevak
|
Central Washington
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
RB
|
Tunde
|
Ogun
|
Christopher Newport
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
QB
|
Trevor
|
Harris
|
Edinboro (PA)
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
WR
|
Terrell
|
Hudgins
|
Elon
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
QB
|
Brad
|
Iciek
|
Grand Valley State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
OT
|
James
|
Williams
|
Harvard
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
QB
|
Dominic
|
Randolph
|
Holy Cross
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
RB
|
Toddrick
|
Pendland
|
McNeese State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
RB
|
Isaac
|
Odim
|
Minnesota Duluth
|
Jr.
|
D2
|
|
RB
|
DeRon
|
Brown
|
MIT
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
RB
|
David
|
Sinisi
|
Monmouth
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
QB
|
Alex
|
Tanney
|
Monmouth (Ill.)
|
Jr.
|
D3
|
|
WR/RS
|
Marc
|
Mariani
|
Montana
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
WR
|
Beau
|
Kildow
|
Morningside College
|
Sr.
|
NAIA
|
|
WR
|
Cecil
|
Shorts III
|
Mount Union
|
Jr.
|
D3
|
|
QB
|
Aaron
|
Fanthorpe
|
North Central (Ill.)
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
RB
|
La'Ron
|
Council
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
OG
|
Matthew
|
McCracken
|
Richmond
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
RB
|
William
|
Ford
|
South Carolina State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
QB
|
Bryant
|
Lee
|
Southern
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
WR
|
Michael
|
Hayward
|
St. Ambrose
|
Jr.
|
NAIA
|
|
RB
|
Dan
|
Carter
|
St. Francis (Ind.)
|
Sr.
|
NAIA
|
|
WR/RS
|
Andre'
|
Roberts
|
The Citadel
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
OT
|
Ben
|
Ijalana
|
Villanova
|
Jr.
|
FCS
|
|
RB
|
Joique
|
Bell
|
Wayne State (MI)
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
QB
|
Cameron
|
Higgins
|
Weber State
|
Jr.
|
FCS
|
|
RB
|
Trevyn
|
Smith
|
Weber State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
OT
|
J'Marcus
|
Webb
|
West Texas A&M
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
DEXTER COAKLEY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
|
Position
|
First Name
|
Last Name
|
School
|
Class
|
Division
|
|
LB
|
Jacque
|
Roman
|
Appalachian State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
FS
|
Mark
|
LeGree
|
Appalachian State
|
Jr.
|
FCS
|
|
FS
|
Bobby
|
Bott
|
Case Western
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
DE
|
Larry
|
Hart
|
Central Arkansas
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
DT
|
Marc
|
Schiechl
|
Colorado Mines
|
Jr.
|
D2
|
|
LB
|
Lardester
|
Hicks-Green
|
Delta State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
LB
|
Randy
|
Wright
|
Elmhurst
|
Jr.
|
D3
|
|
LB
|
Jeffery
|
Williams
|
Gardner-Webb
|
Jr.
|
FCS
|
|
DE
|
Danny
|
Richard
|
Grand Valley State
|
Jr.
|
D2
|
|
CB
|
Akwasi
|
Owusu-Ansah
|
Indiana (PA)
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
DE
|
James
|
Herbert
|
Mount Union
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
DE
|
Austen
|
Lane
|
Murray State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
FS
|
Terrell
|
Whitehead
|
Norfolk State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
LB
|
Matt
|
Wenger
|
North Central (Ill.)
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
DE
|
James
|
Ruffin
|
Northern Iowa
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
SS
|
Myles
|
Burnsides
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
DE
|
Sean
|
Paddock
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
DE
|
Lantz
|
Mathers
|
NW Oklahoma State
|
Sr.
|
NAIA
|
|
CB
|
Chris
|
Wynn
|
Penn
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
CB
|
Justin
|
Rogers
|
Richmond
|
Jr.
|
FCS
|
|
LB
|
John
|
Jacobs
|
Saginaw Valley State
|
Sr.
|
D2
|
|
LB
|
Mike
|
Lally
|
Saint Xavier
|
Sr.
|
NAIA
|
|
DE
|
Danny
|
Batten
|
South Dakota State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
DT
|
Gerard
|
Bryant
|
St. Lawrence
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
LB
|
Jabara
|
Williams
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
SS
|
Jeromy
|
Miles
|
UMASS
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
FS
|
Brian
|
Abshire
|
University of Cumberlands
|
Sr.
|
NAIA
|
|
LB
|
Osayi
|
Osunde
|
Villanova
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
CB
|
Josh
|
Morris
|
Weber State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
DE
|
Adrian
|
Tracy
|
William & Mary
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
|
DE
|
Marcus
|
Ball
|
Wisconsin-Stout
|
Sr.
|
D3
|
|
DT
|
Mychal
|
Savage
|
Youngstown State
|
Sr.
|
FCS
|
