Bowling Green State University Athletics
Eight Falcons Earn All-MAC Honors
November 27, 2007 | Football
Nov. 27, 2007
CLEVELAND, OHIO - The Mid-American Conference announced their 2007 All-MAC squads this afternoon, with eight Bowling Green State University Falcons earning spots on the three teams, fourth most in the conference behind Western Michigan (10), Ball State (9) and Central Michigan (9).
Earning first-team honors were senior center Kory Lichtensteiger and junior defensive end Diyral Briggs. The Falcons also placed two players on the second-team in Drew Nystrom and P.J. Mahone. Tyler Sheehan, Freddie Barnes, Sinisa Vrvilo and Antonio Smith were named to the All-MAC third-team. Lichtensteiger is the lone Falcons to have been named to an All-MAC squad prior to this season.
BGSU head coach Gregg Brandon finished third in the voting for coach of the year with seven votes, trailing only Turner Gill (18) and Shane Montgomery (12).
Lichtensteiger, a native of Van Wert, Ohio, earns first-team honors for the second consecutive year, and has been named to the first or second team in each of the last four seasons. Along with earning All-MAC honors he was also a semifinalist for the Draddy Award and is a member of the Lombardi Watch List. He started all 12 games this season, helping the Falcons rank third in the MAC in scoring (32.1) and first in passing yards (286.8) and total first downs (286).
Briggs, a native of Mt. Healthy, Ohio, had 54 tackles and 5.0 sacks while playing in all 12 games this season, making eight starts. He also had 7.0 tackles for loss, which were second on the team. Versus Temple he finished with five tackles, two sacks and two hurries.
Nystrom, a native of Crystal Lake, Ill., earns second-team All-MAC honors for the first time in his career. He, along with the rest of the offensive line, has paved the way for the third-best scoring team in the MAC (32.1) and the top passing offense (298.8) and total first downs (286).
Mahone, a native of Elyria, Ohio, did not even open the 2007 season as a starter, but an injury to Jerett Sanderson propelled Mahone into a starting role in which he flourished, recording 80 tackles and seven interceptions, which is tied for the MAC lead. He also had 220 return yards off of those seven picks, which broke a school record that stood since 1948. He has also been named MAC Defensive Player of the Week twice.
Sheehan, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, completed 289-of-457 passes for 3,123 yards and 23 touchdowns. He became only the fourth quarterback in school history to surpass the 3,000-yard plateau. He led the MAC with three Offensive Player of the Week awards, and threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start in a 32-31 win over Minnesota. He also caught two touchdowns on the year, the only quarterback in the country to do so.
Barnes, a native of Chicago Heights, Ill., has 77 receptions for 891 yards and nine touchdowns in his first full year as a wide receiver. He is fifth in the MAC in receptions per game (6.4) and fifth in yards (74.3). His 77 catches rank third all-time in school history. He posted career-bests versus Buffalo in receptions (10) and yards (113), while also posting eight catches for 112 yards and two scores versus Boston College.
Smith, a native of Miami, Fla., set career-high in tackles (74) and tackles for loss (3.5), while matching his season-best in interceptions (2) and fumble recoveries (2). His two interceptions came versus Western Kentucky and Toledo, both Falcon wins and had nine tackles versus Temple and eight versus WKU in back-to-back weeks.
Vrvilo, a native of Zenica, Bosnia, was 15-of-19 on field goal attempts and 46-of-46 on extra points through the year. His 46 extra points made rank fourth all-time and his 15 made field goals are fifth in school history. Of his four misses on the year, two came from 52 and 55 yards. He was also a perfect 9-of-9 on kicks under 40 yards this season.
2007 All-MAC Football Awards Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: Larry English, Northern Illinois Coach of the Year: Turner Gill, Buffalo Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan Defensive Player of the Year: Clayton Mullins, Miami Special Teams Player of the Year: Brett Kern, Toledo Freshman of the Year: Antonio Brown, Central MichiganAll-MAC First Team Offense Quarterback - Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan Center - Kory Lichtensteiger, Bowling Green Offensive Lineman - Robert Brewster, Ball State Offensive Lineman - Matt Miller, Ohio Offensive Lineman - John Greco, Toledo Offensive Lineman - James Blair, Western Michigan Tight End - Darius Hill, Ball State Wide Receiver - Jabari Arthur, Akron Wide Receiver - Dante Love, Ball State Wide Receiver - Jamarko Simmons, Western Michigan Running Back - Eugene Jarvis, Kent State Running Back - Kalvin McRae, Ohio Running Back - Jalen Parmele, Toledo Placekicker - Michael Braunstein, Ohio
All-MAC Second Team Offense Quarterback - Nate Davis, Ball State Center - Jamey Richard, Buffalo Offensive Lineman - Chris Kemme, Akron Offensive Lineman - Drew Nystrom, Bowling Green Offensive Lineman - Andrew Hartline, Central Michigan Offensive Lineman - Gus Parrish, Kent State Tight End - Andrew Mooney, Ohio Wide Receiver - Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan Wide Receiver - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan Wide Receiver - Stephen Williams, Toledo Running Back - James Starks, Buffalo Running Back - Justin Anderson, Northern Illinois Running Back - Brandon West, Western Michigan Placekicker - Alex Steigerwald, Toledo
All-MAC Third Team Offense Quarterback - Tyler Sheehan, Bowling Green Center - Robbie Krutilla, Western Michigan Offensive Lineman - Jeff Niedermier, Buffalo Offensive Lineman - Eric Tunney, Central Michigan Offensive Lineman - Dave DiFranco, Miami Offensive Lineman - Jon Brost, Northern Illinois Tight End - Branden Ledbetter, Western Michigan Wide Receiver - Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green Wide Receiver - Naaman Roosevelt, Buffalo Wide Receiver - Nick Moore, Toledo Running Back - Bryan Williams, Akron Running Back - Justin Hoskins, Central Michigan Running Back - Pierre Walker, Eastern Michigan Placekicker - Sinisa Vrvilo, Bowling Green
All-MAC First Team Defense Outside Linebacker - Ike Brown, Central Michigan Outside Linebacker - Clayton Mullins, Miami Down Lineman - Diyral Briggs, Bowling Green Down Lineman - Jason Jones, Eastern Michigan Down Lineman - Colin Ferrell, Kent State Down Lineman - Larry English, Northern Illinois Inside Linebackers - Red Keith, Central Michigan Inside Linebackers - Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Michigan Defensive Back - Reggie Corner, Akron Defensive Back - Davonte Shannon, Buffalo Defensive Back - Barry Church, Toledo Defensive Back - Londen Fryar, Western Michigan Punter - Chris Miller, Ball State
All-MAC Second Team Defense Outside Linebacker - Brion Stokes, Akron Outside Linebacker - Boston McCornell, Western Michigan Down Lineman - Almondo Sewell, Akron Down Lineman - Trevor Scott, Buffalo Down Lineman - Landon Cohen, Ohio Down Lineman - Andre Neblett, Temple Down Lineman - Zach Davidson, Western Michigan Inside Linebackers - Bryant Haines, Ball State Inside Linebackers - Joe Hudson, Miami Defensive Back - B.J. Hill, Ball State Defensive Back - P.J. Mahone, Bowling Green Defensive Back - Jack Williams, Kent State Defensive Back - Louis Delmas, Western Michigan Punter - Brett Kern, Toledo
All-MAC Third Team Defense Outside Linebacker - Kareem Byrom, Buffalo Outside Linebacker - Larry Hutchinson, Buffalo Down Lineman - Brandon Crawford, Ball State Down Lineman - Steven Friend, Central Michigan Down Lineman - Joe Coniglio, Miami Down Lineman - Jamison Hartke, Ohio Inside Linebackers - Kevin Grant, Akron Inside Linebackers - Derek Burrell, Kent State Defensive Back - John Mackey, Akron Defensive Back - Alex Knipp, Ball State Defensive Back - Antonio Smith, Bowling Green Defensive Back - Dominique Harris, Temple Punter - Jake Richardson, Miami
Kick Return Specialist First Team - Antonio Brown, Central Michigan Second Team - Brandon West, Western Michigan Third Team - Brian Williams, Akron
