NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State football team had a school-record 18 players recognized with All-MEAC postseason honors on Tuesday, with two Spartans earning top conference accolades.
Junior right guard
Justin Redd was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and freshman running back
J.J. Davis was selected Rookie of the Year in voting conducted by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. They were two of a school-record 11 first-team All-MEAC honorees for the Spartans, with eight coming from the offensive side of the ball.
NSU led all MEAC teams with 18 players named to the first, second or third-team All-MEAC squads.
In addition to Davis and Redd, quarterback
Juwan Carter, receiver
Justin Smith, tight end
Anthony Williams and offensive linemen
Jalen Powell,
Colby Byrd and
D'Montre' Smith were all named to the first-team offense. Defensive linemen
De'Shaan Dixon and
Chris Myers and cornerback
Brandon Savage were voted to the first-team defense.
Second-team selections included linebackers
Marquis Hall and
Tyler Long, cornerback
Justin Toler and kicker
Josh Nardone. Third-team honorees included running back
Cameryn Brent, defensive back
Stuart Anderson and punter
Ryan Richter.
Redd started all 11 games for NSU and helped the Spartans set Division I school records for scoring offense (33.2 points per game), total offense (440.5 ypg) and rushing offense (212.2 ypg). NSU led the league in all three categories. The total offensive yards mark is the most in school history for any era, while the scoring and rushing offense marks are both second-best in school history regardless of era. Redd led the team in knockdowns and was a three-time MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week winner. He is NSU's second-ever Offensive Lineman of the Year winner, following Blake Matthews in 2011.
Davis led the MEAC in rushing with 887 yards, most by a Spartan back since Rolandan Finch's 1,113 in 2013, to win NSU's first-ever MEAC Rookie of the Year honor. Davis was a five-time MEAC Rookie of the Week winner who was second in the conference with 11 total touchdowns, 10 rushing and one receiving. Davis's 1,288 all-purpose yards also led the conference and his 7.2 yards per carry average ranked third in the nation among FCS players. He topped the 100-yard rushing mark four times, with a high of 217 at N.C. Central.
Carter put a period on his stellar career by leading all MEAC quarterbacks in passing yards (2,511), touchdown passes (21), completion percentage (63.8) and efficiency (150.4). He also ran for 390 yards and six touchdowns. A four-time MEAC Offensive Player of the Week in 2021, Carter leaves NSU as the school's all-time leader with 9,271 passing yards, 10,248 total yards, 749 completions and 1,270 attempts.
Smith ranked second among MEAC wide receivers with 51 catches, 758 yards and seven touchdown receptions. He topped the 100-yard receiving mark twice, with 144 yards at Hampton and 147 at Howard. Smith finishes his career seventh all-time in NSU history with 1,741 receiving yards.
Williams led all MEAC tight ends with three touchdown catches in 2021, one each against Wake Forest, St. Francis and Morgan State. He caught eight passes for 88 yards this year.
Powell (left guard),
Byrd (center) and
Smith (right tackles) were three more vital cogs in NSU's strong offensive line. Powell started all 11 games at left guard and all 45 in his career and earned two MEAC offensive Lineman of the Week honors. Byrd, who entered the starting lineup in game two and never left, was a three-time weekly winner, while Smith started eight times at right tackle, including the last seven of the season. The group combined with Redd to win eight weekly MEAC lineman awards this year.
Dixon made 54 tackles and recorded MEAC-high totals of 12.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He added four quarterback hurries and four pass breakups. Dixon was invited to play in the 2022 East-West Shrine Game.
Myers ranked second in the MEAC to only Dixon in sacks with 5.5 sacks this year. He logged 40 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and was MEAC Defensive Player of the Week after the Elizabeth City State win.
Savage tied for second among conference players with three interceptions. He also broke up seven other passes, helping him rank second in the league with 10 passes defended. Savage made 35 total tackles.
Hall, NSU's starter at middle linebacker, finished the season with 49 tackles, 4.0 for loss, with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. He also forced two fumbles, tied for the most among conference players.
Long led the Spartans and finished fourth in the MEAC with 78 tackles. He also logged 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup and was MEAC Defensive Player of the Week after the Morgan State win.
Toler also tied for second in the MEAC with his three interceptions. He also made 27 tackles with one sack and one fumble recovery in 10 games.
Nardone led all MEAC kickers with 60 points and 39 made extra points this season. He also connected on seven field goals, with a long of 41 yards. He finished his career first in school history in PATs (116), third in made field goals (32) and fifth in career points (212).
Brent ranked ninth in the MEAC in rushing this year with 388 yards on 101 carries. He ran for five touchdowns, including two in the win at Howard.
Anderson recorded 38 tackles, 1.5 for loss, with two interceptions and one pass breakup while playing safety for the Spartans. He was also Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt which NSU returned for a touchdown at Howard.
Richter averaged 35 yards per punt and landed eight of his boots inside the opponents' 20-yard line. He also handled kickoffs and extra points at the end of the season.
The Spartans, whose previous high of 13 All-MEAC selections came in 2019, may not be done winning awards yet. The MEAC's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year award winners will be announced on Dec. 7 at the National Football Foundation's annual awards dinner in Las Vegas.
Second Team Offense
