Boxtorow

Football

Hopson and Gibbs Earn Boxtorow Yearly Awards

There were plenty of talented football players and 27 of them were voted
to the annual BOXTOROW All-America team. BOXTOROW has administered the
All-America team since 2007 and the voters are comprised of media members
from around the nation that cover HBCU football.

BOXTOROW national champion Alcorn State leads the way with five
selections and head coach Jay Hopson was also selected BOXTOROW Coach of
the Year.

Alcorn State quarterback John Gibbs, Jr. was named Offensive Player of the
Year and South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was the
overwhelming choice for the Willie Davis Defensive Player of the Year.
Gibbs, who was also named SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year, is the
only player in Division I football to throw for over 2,000 yards (2,482)
and rush for over 1,000 yards (1,006). He completed 58 percent of his
passes and led the SWAC in total touchdowns (32).

North Carolina A&T's Tarik Cohen and Malcolm Cyrus of Alabama State were
selected as the running backs. Cohen, the 2013 BOXTOROW Rookie of the
Year, was named the MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and had a
sensational sophomore year, rushing for 1,340 yards and 15 touchdowns. He
averaged 6.2 yards per carry and his 121.8 yards rushing per game led the
MEAC. Cyrus was the SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and is sixth in
FCS in rushing (1,662 yards). He averaged 139 yards rushing per game and
rushed for 12 touchdowns.

Tuskegee center Matthew Reese led all offensive linemen in votes. The
other linemen joining Reese include MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year
Darren Pinnock of Morgan State, Alcorn State's Isaac Sampson, North
Carolina A&T's Willie Ray Robinson, III, Devin Flowers of South Carolina
State and Dewayne Houston of Southern.

A trio of pass catchers from the SWAC make up this year's receiver unit.
Julian Stafford of Mississippi Valley State led the conference in
receiving yards per game (94.3). He caught 67 passes for 1,069 yards,
averaging 15.5 yards per receptions and nine touchdowns. Southern's
Willie Quinn was one of the most dynamic receivers, catching 62 passes for
892 yards, 14.4 yards per reception and five touchdowns.

Jordan Payne of Alcorn State was named to the team at tight end and was an
integral part of the Brave offense. He caught 25 passes for 463 yards and
five touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, Hargrave was the leading vote-getter
amongst all players and had a dominating year The MEAC Defensive Player
of the Year led the MEAC and ranks fourth in the nation with 16 sacks for
losses totaling 199 yards, is fourth in FCS in tackles for loss (24) and
tied a conference and FCS-record with six sacks in a SCSU victory over
Bethune-Cookman (10/25/14).

Joining Hargrave on the line is Deion Roberson of Alcorn State, LeBrandon
Richardson of Bethune-Cookman, Anthony McDaniel of Bowie State and Anthony
Bass of Tennessee State, a 2013 BOXTOROW All-American. The foursome
combined to register 54.5 tackles for loss and 28 sacks.

The linebacker unit voting was extremely close and ultimately Alabama
State's Kourtney Berry, North Carolina A&T's D'Vonte Grant and Norfolk
State's Lynden Trail were voted to that unit. The trio combined for 307
tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and 14 pass breakups.
North Carolina A&T cornerback Donald Mattocks was the leading vote-getter
in the defensive secondary. Mattocks is second in FCS in interceptions
(7). He also broke up six passes and registered 22 tackles (17 solo).
Joining Mattocks is Devin Francois of Alcorn State, Curtis Pumphrey of
Bowie State and De'Ante "Pop" Saunders of Tennessee State.

The specialist team is made up of Prairie View A&M place kicker Chris
Barrick, Texas Southern punter Cory Carter and North Carolina Central
return specialist Michael Jones. Barrick connected on 15-of-17 field
goals, an 88 percent conversion rate. Carter led the SWAC and is third in
the nation in punt average (45.0). Jones averaged 19.1 yards per punt
return and 22.3 yards per kick return.

Hopson led the Braves to their first SWAC championship since 1994 They
defeated Southern 38-24. The Braves finished the season 10-3 and finished
as national champions in the BOXTOROW final coaches and media polls.

Southern quarterback Austin Howard is the BOXTOROW Rookie of the Year.
Also the SWAC's Rookie of the Year, he threw for 2,334 yards, completing
52 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.


2014 BOXTOROW All-America Team
OFFENSE
QB: John Gibbs, Jr., Alcorn State, Jr., Houston, Texas
RB: Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T, Soph., Bunn, N.C.
RB: Malcolm Cyrus, Alabama State, Sr., Autaugaville, Ala.
OL: Devin Flowers, South Carolina St., Sr., Charlotte, N.C.*
OL: Dewayne Houston, Southern, r-Sr., Lafayette, La.*
OL: Darren Pinnock, Morgan State, Sr., Miami, Fla.
OL: Matthew Reese, Tuskegee, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.
OL: William Ray Robinson, III, North Carolina A&T, r-Sr., Clinton, Md.
OL: Isaac Sampson, Alcorn State, Jr., Mobile, Ala.
TE: Jordan Payne, Alcorn State, Jr., Racine, Wis.
WR: Willie Quinn, Southern, Jr., Miami, Fla.
WR: Julian Stafford, Miss. Valley State, r-Sr., Memphis, Tenn.

DEFENSE
DL: Anthony Bass, Tennessee State, Sr., Clarksville, Tenn.*$
DL: Javon Hargrave, South Carolina St., Jr., Salisbury, N.C.
DL: Anthony McDaniel, Bowie State, Sr., Ft. Washington, Md.*
DL: LeBrandon Richardson, Bethune-Cookman, Sr., Miami, Fla.
DL: Deion Roberson, Alcorn State, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.
LB: Kourtney Berry, Alabama State, Soph., Merrillville, Ind.
LB: D'Vonte Grant, North Carolina A&T, Grad., Charlotte, N.C.
LB: Lynden Trail, Norfolk State, r-Sr., Miami, Fla.
DB: Devin Francois, Alcorn State, Sr., New Orleans, La.
DB: Donald Mattocks, North Carolina A&T, r-Sr., Burlington, N.C.
DB: Curtis Pumphrey, Bowie State, r-Jr., Laurel, Md.
DB: De'Ante "Pop" Saunders, Tennessee State, Sr., DeLand, Fla.
SPECIALIST
PK: Cory Carter, Texas Southern, Jr., Raymond, Miss.
P: Chris Barrick, Prairie View A&M, r-Sr., Copperas Cove, Texas
RS: Michael Jones, North Carolina Central, Soph., Baltimore, Md.

*Indicates tie
$2013 BOXTOROW All-American

Honorable Mention
QB: Greg McGhee, Howard
RB: Jarvis Small, Albany State; Herb Walker, Jr. Morgan State
OL: Damian Love, Alabama State; Victor Moli, Albany State; Ronnie Ransome,
Virginia State; Michael Sabb, Winston-Salem State
TE: Tahj Dent, Tuskegee
WR: Jalen Hendricks, Livingstone; Javion Smallwood, Virginia State; Adrian
Wilkins, North Carolina Central
DL: Demarcus Berry, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Duvontae Covington, Winston-Salem
State
LB: LeRon Furr, Fort Valley State; Jerome Howard, Prairie View A&M; Nick
Thrasher, Tennessee State; Tavarius Washington, Albany State; Bre'Nard
Williams, Clark-Atlanta; Ralph Williams, Bethune-Cookman
DB: Najee Bright, Alabama State; Charles Davis, Virginia Union; Warren
Gatewood, Alcorn State; Michael Jones, North Carolina Central; Tony McRae,
North Carolina A&T; Travis Lee, Miles
PK: Cody Jones, N.C. A&T; Alejandro Suarez, Winston-Salem State
P: Christian Kinney, Hampton
RS: Johnta' Hebert, Prairie View A&M; Morris Henderson, Lincoln (Mo.);
Hoderick Lowe, Tuskegee

Offensive Players of the Year
2014 John Gibbs, Jr., Alcorn State
2013 Dray Joseph, Southern
2012 Kameron Smith, Winston-Salem State
2011 Casey Therriault, Jackson State
2010 Frank Warren, Grambling State
2009 Will Ford, South Carolina State
2008 Will Ford, South Carolina State
2007 Jacary Atkinson, Tuskegee

Defensive Players of the Year
2014 Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
2013 Darnell Evans, Shaw
2012 Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
2011 Adrian Hamilton, Prairie View A&M
2010 Kenrick Ellis, Hampton
2009 Christian Anthony, Grambling
2008 Marcellus Speaks, Jackson State
2007 Zach East, Prairie View A&M

Coaches of the Year
2014 Jay Hopson, Alcorn State
2013 Rod Reed, Tennessee State
2012 Connell Maynor, Winston-Salem State
2011 Connell Maynor, Winston-Salem State
2010 Brian Jenkins, Bethune-Cookman
2009 Henry Frazier, Prairie View A&M
2008 Rod Broadway, Grambling State
2007 Al Lavan, Delaware State

Rookie/Newcomer of the Year
2014 Austin Howard, Southern
2013 Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
2012 Damon Gresham Chisholm, Howard
2011 Greg McGhee, Howard
2010 Casey Therriault, Jackson State
2009 Ari Johnson, Grambling State
2008 Greg Dillon, Grambling State
2007 Frank Warren, Grambling State

About FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW
FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW (BOXTOROW) is the national sports talk
radio show, placing major emphasis on HBCU sports, which airs on radio
stations across the country as well as on SiriusXM.
 
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Players Mentioned

John Gibbs Jr.

#3 John Gibbs Jr.

QB
6' 6"
Junior
Jordan Payne

#7 Jordan Payne

TE
6' 2"
Junior
Deion Roberson

#55 Deion Roberson

DE
6' 0"
Senior
Isaac Sampson

#79 Isaac Sampson

OL
6' 5"
Junior

Players Mentioned

John Gibbs Jr.

#3 John Gibbs Jr.

6' 6"
Junior
QB
Jordan Payne

#7 Jordan Payne

6' 2"
Junior
TE
Deion Roberson

#55 Deion Roberson

6' 0"
Senior
DE
Isaac Sampson

#79 Isaac Sampson

6' 5"
Junior
OL