Can't
get to the game? Don't worry, we've got ya covered.
Tigers earn all-MIAA honors
11/11/2009
By CONOR NICHOLL
cnicholl@dailynews.net
In the first three seasons in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Fort Hays State University football team finished 4-23 in conference games. As a result, the Tigers never put more than nine players on the all-conference teams.
This season, helped by a host of offensive transfers, the Tigers saw a four-win improvement from 2-9 to 6-5, including a 4-5 record in conference play. Fort Hays' 365 points ranked second in school history and fourth in the MIAA. The Tigers improved play yielded more awards, including 12 Tigers picking up end-of-season hardware when the conference announced the all-MIAA teams Tuesday afternoon.
"Much better representation than in the past," fifth-year head coach Kevin Verdugo said in his season-ending news conference Tuesday.
FHSU had two first-team selections, five second-team picks and six honorable mentions. Senior defensive back/returner C.J. Lovett led the team with a first-team all-conference selection at kick/punt returner and second-team honors as a defensive back.
Lovett led the MIAA in punt return average, picking up 38.8 yards per punt, returned three punts (on just nine returns) for scores and one kickoff for a TD.
"I think that CJ had a pretty good year," Verdugo said. "I think he played well in the secondary for the most part. He got off to a very strong start on special teams. A little bit of that was hampered throughout the year because we were having a hard time of slowing people down, didn't get as many punts kicked to him as we would have liked. When he did get them, he gave you a good effort out there."
Lovett, who earned All-American honors and first team all-MIAA honors at defensive back last season, picked off four passes this fall. He finishes his Tiger career with school records for single season punt return yardage, special teams TD returns and ranks second all-time in career interceptions. He is the first FHSU player to pick up two first-team all-conference honors in his career since lineman Tyler Strong in 2002-03.
Lovett finished his career with a MIAA Freshman of the Year award, all-MIAA honorable mention at defensive back in 2006 and 2007, first-team all-MIAA defensive back in 2008 and second team this season. On special teams, Lovett was honorable mention returner as a junior and first team this year.
"He had a tremendous career and we are very thankful for him being in the program," Verdugo said. "He has been great on and off the field and you couldn't have asked for more from a young man."
Senior left tackle Wes Yarbough picked up first-team honors after he was honorable mention as a junior. Yarbough played in nine games; in those nine contests, FHSU scored 30 or more points in every one. In the other two, the Tigers scored 14 and 3. A preseason All-American, he is the first Tiger offensive lineman to earn first-team honors since 2004.
"When you are missing that caliber of a player up front, you are dropping down to a redshirt freshman or somebody, they are fighting hard, but they are not the same caliber as Wes right now," Verdugo said.
The second team yielded senior quarterback Mike Garrison, junior tailback James Walker, junior wideout O.J. Murdock, Lovett and sophomore punter Ethan Kosjer. Walker and Murdock were both new transfers; Walker finished with a team-high 1,184 yards from scrimmage, including 903 rushing.
Murdock picked up 35 catches for 697 yards and eight TDs. His TD catches and yards per catch (19.9) both rank in the top seven in school history.
"As a quarterback, probably had kind of an early Christmas with all the new toys," Verdugo said of the skill players.
Garrison finished second in the conference in total offense (271 yards per game), threw for 2,606 yards and 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions. His passing efficiency was 134.64, more than 35 points better than an injury-plagued 2008 season.
"It has to do with Mike made a great effort himself to become a better quarterback, but I think that we were able to surround him with some pretty good players to help him carrying the load," Verdugo said. "When he could throw a pass under for six yards, it wasn't always just a six-yard ball. Sometimes it would turn into 16-yard ball. You get those yards after the catch with the guys that were great athletes. We were able to spread the field more now."
Kosjer replaced all-conference punter Tyler Elder and averaged 40.3 yards per punt, first in the MIAA and nearly identical to Elder's 40.8 average from 2008.
"I think the kid did a nice job," Verdugo said. "Tyler was a tremendous player for us here and that was something that I know that we talked about as a staff and were worried about a drop in that area. I thought Ethan for the most part stepped up pretty well."
The honorable mention selections included junior wideout Cordarol Scales, another transfer who had 40 catches, second-most on the team. Junior Anthony Smith collected 25 catches, while senior tight end Beau Gadwood hauled in 26. This season is the first time since John Luke Snyder in 2006 that a FHSU wideout/tight end earned all-conference honors.
Junior offensive lineman Colby McKinney, senior defensive lineman Jacob Crossman (5.5 sacks) and senior kicker Nathan Rausa (10 field goals, fourth in the conference), all were named honorable mention as well. In addition, Pittsburg State University junior safety Alex Kuhlman, a Ness City native, earned second-team honors.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |