2014 All-MEAC Football TeamsNORFOLK, Va. – Ten Norfolk State football players were named to the All-MEAC football teams on Saturday, tying the most in school history.
The Spartans' nationally No. 2 ranked defense also set school records with six players chosen to either the first, second or third teams and four named to the first team. The Spartans also had 10 total All-MEAC selections in 2007 and 2011, when the conference only honored a first and second team.
Senior linebacker
Lynden Trail, junior defensive end
Deon King, senior defensive tackle
George Riddick and senior safety
Keenan Lambert were voted to the All-MEAC first team. Junior wide receiver
Isaac White was named to the second team. Senior offensive lineman
Justin Myler, senior linebacker
Marcell Coke, senior cornerback
Darrin Marrow, senior punter
Dylan Shaddix and sophomore placekicker
Cameron Marouf were named to the third team.
Trail earned his third straight All-MEAC first-team honor after finishing the season with 91 tackles, 11.5 for loss, and five sacks. The Senior Bowl invitee and Buck Buchanan Award finalist deflected four passes, caused two fumbles, blocked two kicks, recovered one fumble and was credited with nine quarterback hurries despite being the focus of most other teams' offenses. Trail becomes just NSU's second-ever three-time All-MEAC first-team defender, joining safety Terrell Whitehead (2007-09).
King picked up his second straight All-MEAC award after being named to the second team last season. King tallied 106 tackles, good for second on the team and fourth in the MEAC. He also led NSU with 18 tackles for loss (tied for second in the MEAC) and was second with 7.5 sacks (tied for sixth in the MEAC). He also recovered three fumbles, forced two fumbles, intercepted one pass, deflected two passes and notched nine quarterback hurries. King's season included a 19-tackle, four-tackle for loss game against Bethune-Cookman and a five-tackle for loss effort against South Carolina State.
Like King, Riddick also earned his second career All-MEAC honor. Riddick had a stellar senior year, leading the Spartans' defensive tackles with 70 total tackles, 13 for loss and eight sacks. Riddick tied for third in the conference in sacks. He was a third-team All-MEAC selection last year.
Lambert paced the Spartan secondary with 52 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass deflections for a total of 12 passes defended while primarily playing free safety. He also forced one fumble and helped the Spartans finish the regular season ranked fifth in the nation in fewest passing yards allowed (148.6).
White enjoyed a breakout season in his first full year as a starter. White led the Spartans with 48 catches for 664 yards and seven touchdowns. His 664 yards and seven touchdowns were the most of any MEAC receiver. He ranked eighth in the MEAC in receptions per game (4.0) and second in receiving yards per game (55.3). White was named MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with 10 catches, 150 yards and two touchdowns in the win at Hampton.
Myler started the final 25 games of his career for the Spartans. He started 10 times this year at left tackle and twice at left guard. Myler was a preseason All-MEAC second-team selection prior to the 2014 season and was one of NSU's most dependable blockers. This is his first All-MEAC postseason award.
Coke, who was also a preseason All-MEAC third team selection, also earned his first career All-MEAC postseason honor. Coke led NSU in tackles this year for the second straight season from his inside linebacker position. He tallied 107 total tackles, good for third in the MEAC. Coke also recorded 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups. He ended his career with 289 total tackles.
Marrow was also a key cog in NSU's No. 5 nationally-ranked pass defense. The preseason All-American notched 38 tackles, two for a loss, and seven pass breakups.
Shaddix, who became NSU's first-ever All-MEAC punter two years ago, returned from a one-year hiatus to earn All-MEAC honors again in 2014. He was third in the MEAC in punting average this year, at 41.3. That mark trailed only Brian Evans' 1982 mark of 41.5 as the best in school history. Shaddix leaves NSU with the second-best (41.3 this year) and third-best (40.5 in 2012) single-season averages for a punter in program history. Nineteen of his 73 punts landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line and 17 went 50+ yards.
Marouf, who played in nine games this year, made 10 of his 15 field goal attempts. He led all MEAC kickers with seven field goals of 40 yards or longer. He was 7-of-10 on attempts over 40 yards with a career-long 51-yarder against Delaware State. He was MEAC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 3-of-3 against Morgan State – one of two games this year where he made two field goals of 40 yards or longer.
Howard quarterback Greg McGhee and North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen were named MEAC Co-Offensive Players of the Year. South Carolina State defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was voted MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. SCSU linebacker Darius Leonard was tabbed Rookie of the Year, Morgan State's Darren Pinnock was selected Offensive Lineman of the Year and Morgan State's Lee Hull was voted Coach of the Year.
N.C. A&T and North Carolina Central led the way with 12 selections apiece, while NSU and SCSU followed with 10 apiece.
