Jenkins tabbed MEAC Coach of the Year; 12 @BCUGridiron athletes earn All-MEAC honors

SONY DSCNorfolk, VA – Fourth-year head coach Brian Jenkins of Bethune-Cookman was selected for his third Coach of the Year honor.  Jenkins led the Wildcats to a 7-1 MEAC mark and a 10-2 overall record.  The Wildcats defeated Florida A&M, 29-10, to clinch a share of the conference’s regular season title and secure the MEAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division I (FCS) Championships. The Wildcats are currently ranked 12th in both the Sports Network’s FCS and FCS Coaches Poll.  He has led Bethune-Cookman to three MEAC titles in four years and fell just one game shy of back-to-back undefeated MEAC finishes.

Howard quarterback Greg McGhee was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Year and Joe Thomas of South Carolina State earned the Defensive Player of the Year honors, as voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors.

North Carolina A&T’s Tarik Cohen earned the Rookie of the Year award and Tristan Bellamy, of S.C. State, was selected as Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Junior Greg McGhee led the MEAC in total offense (272.9 avg./g) and ranked second in passing yards per game (198.2 avg./g).  He completed 228 passes on 385 attempts (59%) with 16 touchdowns in 12 games this season. He also finished the season ranked third in the MEAC in rushing with 896 yards (74.7 avg./g), on 157 attempts, and three touchdowns.  McGhee ranks 19th in the nation in total offense and 31st in completions per game (19). He earned conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades twice this season. McGhee is the tenth Bison to earn the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year honor and first since Ted White in 1996.

Joe Thomas recorded 116 total tackles, 84 solo, with a conference-best 19 tackles for a loss during the 2013 campaign.  Thomas collected 7.5 sacks, sixth in the MEAC, with one interception, five breakups, five hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery to help the Bulldogs finish as the nation’s No. 1 rushing defense (80.5 avg./g) and No. 2 scoring defense (14.0 avg./g).  Thomas earned Defensive Player of the Week honors once this season and is currently listed on the Sports Network’s Buck Buchannan Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s top Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) defensive player.  Thomas becomes the 13th Bulldog to earn the conference’s top defensive award, however he is only the second to have been selected in more than 10 years (David Erby 2010).

As a freshman, North Carolina A&T’s Tarik Cohen led the MEAC in rushing, averaging 104.4 yards per game (,) on 195 attempts with eight touchdowns.  He earned the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week accolades three times and Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.  A native of Bunn, North Carolina, Cohen became the first freshman in North Carolina A&T State history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.  Cohen’s is currently listed on the Sports Network’s Jerry Rice Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s top FCS freshman.  Cohen is just the second Aggie to be named Rookie of the Year.  He joins the school’s all-time rushing leader, Mike Mayhew, who earned the honor in 2009.

Tristan Bellamy aided a dominating Bulldog offense that accounted for 4,101 yards of total offense ,  including 2,000 yards on the ground.  Behind Bellamy’s blocking S.C. State finished second in the MEAC in scoring offense (29.6 ppg), and third in total offense (341.1 avg./g).  Bellamy earned the conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Week honor twice this season.  Bellamy is the sixth Bulldog to earn Offensive Lineman of the Year accolades.

South Carolina State led all schools with 13 student-athletes recognized on the three MEAC post-season teams.  The Bulldogs have five student-athletes earn first-team honors, in addition to two-of-four top awards.

Bethune-Cookman finished close behind with 12 student-athletes to earn postseason honors, in addition to five first-team selections.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) – 2013 Football All-Conference Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Greg McGhee, Howard
Defensive Player of the Year: Joe Thomas, South Carolina State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Tristan Bellamy, South Carolina State
Rookie of the Year: Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
Coach of the Year: Brian Jenkins, Bethune-Cookman

 First Team

Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
QB Greg McGhee Jr. Howard Pittsburgh, Pa.
RB Tarik Cohen Fr. North Carolina A&T Bunn, N.C.
RB Rolandan Finch Grad. Norfolk State New Albany, Ind.
WR Tyler McDonald Sr. South Carolina State Summerville, S.C.
WR Milton Williams III Jr. Delaware State Upper Marlboro, Md.
TE Joseph Hawkins r-Sr. Norfolk State Chicago, Ill.
C Andrew Edourad Jr. Bethune-Cookman Philadelphia, Pa.
OL Karim Barton Sr. Morgan State Los Angeles, Calif.
OL Alex Monroe Sr. Bethune-Cookman Jacksonville, Fla.
OL Domanic Wilson r-So. South Carolina State Lake City, S.C.
OL Rashard Brown Sr. Bethune-Cookman Kissimmee, Fla.
DEFENSE        
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Miles Groom So. Hampton Richmond, Va.
DL Andrew Carter r-Jr. South Carolina State Hamlet, N.C.
DL Alex Glover Jr. South Carolina State Charlotte, N.C.
DL Rodney Gunter Jr. Delaware State Haines, Fla.
LB Lynden Trail r-Jr. Norfolk State Miami, Fla.
LB Jarkevis Fields Sr. Bethune-Cookman Samford, Fla.
LB Joe Thomas r-Sr. South Carolina State Blackville, S.C.
DB Nick Addison Jr. Bethune-Cookman Tampa, Fla.
DB Darrin Marrow r-Jr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va.
DB Justin Blake r-Sr. Hampton Piscataway, N.J.
DB Ademola Olatunji Jr. Howard Riverdale, Md.
P Lawrence Forbes r-Fr. Morgan State Upper Marlboro, Md.
PK Anthony Prevost Fr. Hampton Chesterfield, Va.
RS Adrian Wilkins r-So. North Carolina Central Forest City, N.C.

Second Team

Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
QB Cory Murphy Sr. Delaware State Sunnyvale, Calif.
RB Isidore Jackson Sr. Bethune-Cookman Mossy Head, Fla.
RB Anthony Philyaw Fr. Howard Redondo Beach, Calif.
WR Eddie Poole Grad. Bethune-Cookman Belle Glade, Fla.
WR Simon Heyward Sr. Savannah State Savannah, Ga.
TE Kris Drummond Jr. Savannah State Washington, D.C.
C Tristan Bellamy r-Sr. South Carolina State Johnston, S.C.
OL William Robinson r-Jr. North Carolina A&T Clinton, Md.
OL Nathan Isles Sr. North Carolina A&T Atlanta, Ga.
OL Darren Pinnock Jr. Morgan State Miami, Fla.
OL Kory Alpichi Jr. Hampton Winchester, Calif.
DEFENSE        
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Dyron Dye Grad. Bethune-Cookman Sanford, Fla.
DL Javon Hargrave So. South Carolina State Salisbury, N.C.
DL LeBrandon Richardson Jr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
DL Deon King So. Norfolk State Reston, Va.
LB D’Vonte Grant Sr. North Carolina A&T Charlotte, N.C.
LB Delbert Tyler Sr. Hampton Monroeville, Pa.
LB Tazmon Foster Sr. North Carolina Central Henderson, N.C.
DB D’Vonte Graham Sr. North Carolina A&T Tallahassee, Fla.
DB Michael Jones Fr. North Carolina Central Baltimore, Md.
DB Kimario McFadden Sr. South Carolina State Riverdale, Ga.
DB Carvin Johnson Sr. Hampton New Orleans, La.
P Christian Faber-Kinney r-Fr. Hampton Williamsburg, Va.
PK Nick Belcher r-Sr. South Carolina State Sumter, S.C.
RS* Tubotein Taylor Sr. Morgan State Anaheim, Calif.
RS* D’Vonte Graham Sr. North Carolina A&T Tallahassee, Fla.

Third Team

Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
QB Richard Cue r-Sr. South Carolina State Florence, S.C.
RB Lamont Brown r-Fr. Morgan State Suffolk, Va.
RB Justin Taylor r-Sr. South Carolina State Atlanta, Ga.
WR Antwon Chisholm Sr. Hampton Belle Glade, Fla.
WR* Lenworth Lennon r-Jr. Florida A&M Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
WR* Malik Golson r-Fr. Delaware State Smyrna, Del.
TE Termarrick Hemingway r-So. South Carolina State Loris, S.C.
C Joshua Matthews Sr. Howard Bowman, S.C.
OL Toree Boyd Fr. Howard Miami, Fla.
OL Deonta Allen-Wright r-So. Howard Midolthian, Va.
OL Blake Matthews r-Sr. Norfolk State Manassas, Va.
OL Anthony Kibler Jr. Bethune-Cookman Belle Glade, Fla.
DEFENSE        
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Tyree Hearn Sr. North Carolina A&T Durham, N.C.
DL Damon Gresham Chisholm So. Howard Covington, Ga.
DL George Riddick Jr. Norfolk State Suffolk, Va.
DL Tevin Toney Sr. Bethune-Cookman Sebring, Fla.
LB Marquis Smith So. Savannah State Prince Georges County, Md.
LB Cody Acker Jr. Morgan State Greenbelt, Md.
LB Ernest Adjei Sr. Delaware State Woodbridge, Ga.
DB Terrick Colston So. Delaware State Lakeland, Fla.
DB Travis Crosby Sr. North Carolina A&T Charlotte, N.C.
DB John Wilson Sr. Savannah State Athens, Ga.
DB* Tim Burke Sr. Bethune-Cookman Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
DB* Patrick Aiken r-So. Florida A&M Miramar, Fla.
P Oleg Parent Jr. North Carolina Central Lake Forest, Calif.
PK Cody Jones Fr. North Carolina A&T Gastonia, N.C.
RS Darius Drummond Sr. South Carolina State Asheville, N.C.

*indicates tie

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