2013 All-MEAC Football Team
NORFOLK, Va. – Seven Norfolk State football players were named to the All-MEAC football teams as the conference announced its postseason awards on Friday.
Four Spartans were named to the All-MEAC first team: graduate student running back Rolandan Finch, senior tight end Joseph Hawkins, junior linebacker Lynden Trail and junior cornerback Darrin Marrow. Sophomore outside linebacker/defensive end Deon King was named to the All-MEAC second team, while senior offensive lineman Blake Matthews and junior defensive lineman George Riddick earned spots on the third team.
Finch finished second in the MEAC with 1,113 rushing yards. Finch became the first Spartan since DeAngelo Branche in 2010 to top the 1,000-yard mark. Finch ran for four touchdowns and tied with fellow All-MEAC first teamer Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T for the conference lead with five 100-yard games this year. The transfer from Boston College was also second on the team with 27 receptions this year, and his 107.6 all-purpose yards per game ranked him fifth in the league.
Hawkins led all MEAC tight ends with 39 catches for 438 yards en route to his third straight All-MEAC honor. Hawkins is only the second Spartan offensive player, along with Branche (2008-10), to earn three All-MEAC accolades. Hawkins, who was a second-team pick in 2011 and a first-team selection last year, is also just the second Spartan offensive player to earn two All-MEAC first-team honors in his career along with fellow tight end Jonathan Allen (2005-06).
Trail also picked up his second straight All-MEAC first-team award. Trail was second on the Spartans with 94 tackles this year, which ranked 15th in the conference. He added 12.5 tackles for loss (T-8th in MEAC), 8.5 sacks (T-5th in MEAC), two interceptions, eight pass breakups, 10 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked field goals. The Buck Buchanan Award finalist for the top defensive player in the nation leads the MEAC and is tied for first in the nation in forced fumbles.
Marrow tied for the conference lead with five interceptions this year, his first at cornerback. The former free safety also had 11 pass deflections, giving him 16 total passes defended – second in the MEAC and tied for seventh in the nation among FCS players. Marrow also had 37 tackles, three for loss, and a forced fumble.
King tallied 84 tackles, including team highs of 18.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. King also recovered two fumbles, forced one, and had four QB hurries. King tied for second in the conference in both tackles for loss and sacks, and ranked in the nation's top 20 in both categories. His 9.5 sacks are tied for the third most for a single season in NSU's Division I history.
Matthews started the last 10 games of the season at right tackle after missing the first two games while recovering from off-season knee operations. He helped pave the way for Finch to top 1,000 yards – just the 10th such season in school history. The former MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2011 missed all of last season due to injury. He was also a first-team all-conference pick in 2011.
Riddick posted 46 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and half a sack. The preseason All-MEAC second-team pick also broke up one pass, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal this year.
Howard quarterback Greg McGhee was named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year. South Carolina State's Joe Thomas and Tristan Bellamy were tabbed conference Defensive Player and Offensive Lineman of the Year, respectively. Cohen picked up Rookie of the Year honors and Bethune-Cookman's Brian Jenkins was voted Coach of the Year.
