Tennessee State University senior running back Javarris Williams has been named the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Offensive “Player of the Year.â€
Williams, a 5-11, 220 lb native of Foster High in Richmond, Texas, leads ten (10) TSU Tigers on various All-OVC teams, including three on the first team.
In the 2008 season, Javarris averaged a league-best 103.7 ypg with 1,037 yards in ten (10) games, including a league-best fifteen (15) rushing touchdowns. Williams also scored one touchdown on a pass for sixteen TDs on the year and a league leading 9.6 points per game scoring average. He finishes his TSU career as the top All-time rushing TD leader (42) and second on the All-Time rushing list with 4,329 yards. He had six (6) 100+ yard rushing games this season and twenty (20) such games in his career. Williams rushed for over 1,000 yards three consecutive years.
Joining Williams on the first team of the 2008 All-OVC team are two senior offensive linemen in center Cecil Newton and tackle Cornelius Lewis.
Cecil Newton, a 6-2, 305 lb native of Atlanta, GA is a four-year starter and the leader of the TSU offensive line that led the OVC in rushing average (195.8 ypg). Cecil helped lead the blocking for 1,000 yard rusher Javarris Williams for three years.
Cornelius Lewis, is a 6-5, 310 lb native of Jacksonville, FL, transferred to TSU from Florida State in 2007 and helped solidify the Tigers’ offensive front that powered the TSU rushing attack to average almost 200 yards per game.
Other Tigers gaining 2008 All-OVC honors were on the second team. On the offensive line, 6-4, 302 senior tackle Dumaka Atkins (Sarasota FL), a transfer from Florida State in 2008. On defense, senior lineman Maurice Davis (6-3, 245, Sr.) from Irondale, AL was honored. Among defensive backs, senior Larry Williford (6-2, 195) from Knoxville, TN was recognized and sophomore Eugene Clifford (6-2, 195) from Cincinnati, OH, a transfer from Ohio State gained honors.
Tennessee State had four players named to the All-Newcomer team, consisting of freshmen or first-year OVC players. Tigers named were Eugene Clifford, junior WR/KR JaJuan Spillman (5-8, 152), a transfer from Louisville, sophomore DL Marcus Broxie (6-4, 245), a transfer from West Virginia, and redshirt freshman LB Rico Council (6-0, 254) from Chattanooga, TN.
The Big Blue of Tennessee State finished the season with an 8-4 record, the most wins since the 2001 (8-3) season.
