meacsports.com
NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Javon Hargrave of South Carolina State earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, as voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors. Both student-athletes received the top honors just one year ago.
North Carolina Central’s Dorrel McClain earned Rookie of the Year honors and North Carolina A&T State’s Brandon Parker was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Year.
First-year head coach Terry Sims of Bethune-Cookman was selected as the Coach of the Year. Sims guided the Wildcats to a share of the MEAC title, including a 9-2 overall finish and 7-1 mark in conference play. The Wildcats were victorious over local rival Florida A&M 35-14 in their final game of the season to secure their stake in the conference title.
The Wildcats led the MEAC in several statistical categories, including scoring offense (31.4 avg/g), total offense (445.0 avg/g), rushing offense (191.8 yds./g), pass offense (253.2 avg/g), and pass efficiency (164.1 effic.). They also hold top 10 positions in the FCS in passing yards per completion (6th), team passing efficiency (3rd). B-CU entered the STATS FCS Top 25 poll in the final ranking of the season (25th) and have slowly climbed the FCS Coaches Poll with a 21st spot following the last game of the regular season.
Junior Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T State led the MEAC in rushing and recorded his third straight 1,000 yard season with 1,248 total yards to help the Aggies secure a share of the conference title. He became the Aggies all-time leading rusher in less than three full seasons (3,736 yards) and accounted for his third-straight yearly conference honor having earned Rookie of the Year along with the top offensive honor in his first two seasons.
He ranks seventh in the nation in rushing yards per game (113.5 avg.) and rushing yards and 14th in rushing touchdowns (12.0). He also leads the MEAC in all-purpose yards (130.73 avg.), 22nd in the nation. Cohen was named third-team preseason All-American (STATS) and honored as a 2015 FCS FAB 50 by the College Sporting News. He received two conference player of the week honors and was a finalist for the STATS Inc., Offensive Player of the Year.
South Carolina State’s Javon Hargrave adds his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honor after aiding the team to a 6-2 conference finish and 7-4 overall mark. He was selected as the Preseason All-MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and named to the FCS Stats Preseason All-American First-Team.
He earned national FCS player of the week honors (STATS Inc.), Boxtorow National Defensive Player of the Week, and Stats FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors, He leads the MEAC in sacks (5th in FCS) and is second in tackles for loss (5th in FCS). He recorded 59 total tackles (43 solo), 13 sacks, and 20 tackles.
As a freshman, North Carolina Central’s Dorrel McClain led his team in rushing (958 yards) and ranked second in the MEAC (87.1 avg.). He also finished second in all-purpose yards in the MEAC averaging 108.0 yards per game. He garnered the MEAC’s Rookie of the Week honor three times this season and was a finalist for the STATs Inc. Freshman of the Year honor. As a freshman McClain averaged 5.6 yards per carry and eight touchdowns. Also, he caught 13 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown.
North Carolina A&T State’s Brandon Parker started in every game this season for the Aggies. He paved the way for the second leading scoring offense (30.0 avg/g) and second top rushing offense (178.2 avg/g). He did not allow a single sack through 11 games and was not called for a penalty all season. He shouldered the offensive line that accounted for 3,902 total offensive yards including 1,960 yards on the ground. The sophomore added 4.32 pancakes per contest.
North Carolina Central finished with 13 student-athletes to be recognized to the three MEAC post-season teams. South Carolina State finished with 12 with Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T State with 10 apiece. B-CU and N.C. A&T State received the most first-team honors with five student-athletes each.
First Team
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Quentin Williams | r-Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Tampa, Fla. |
| RB | Tarik Cohen | Jr.. | North Carolina A&T State | Bunn, N.C. |
| RB | Dorrel McClain | r-Fr. | North Carolina Central | Cary, N.C. |
| WR | Jawill Davis | r-So. | Bethune-Cookman | Miami, Fla. |
| WR | Twarn Mixon | r-Jr. | Hampton | Charlotte, N.C. |
| TE | Tammarrick Hemmingway | r-Sr. | South Carolina State | Loris, S.C. |
| C | Carl Jones | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Nashville, Tenn. |
| OL | Dariusz Bladek | Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Kissimmee, Fla. |
| OL | Brandon Parker | r-So. | North Carolina A&T State | Kannapolis, N.C. |
| OL | Torian White | Sr. | Hampton | Inglewood, Calif. |
| OL | Javarius Leamon | r-Jr. | South Carolina State | Woodruff, S.C. |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Javon Hargrave | Sr. | South Carolina State | Salisbury, N.C. |
| DL | Miles Grooms | Sr. | Hampton | Richmond, Va. |
| DL | Gabriel Sherrod | Jr. | Delaware State | Perryville, Md. |
| DL | Marquis Ragland | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Fayetteville, N.C. |
| LB | Deon King | Sr. | Norfolk State | Reston, Va. |
| LB | Darius Leonard | r-So. | South Carolina State | Lakeview, S.C. |
| LB | Robert Way | r-Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Belle Glade, Fla. |
| DB | Tony McRae | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Laurinburg, N.C. |
| DB | C.J. Moore | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Raleigh, N.C. |
| DB | Marquis Drayton | r-Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. |
| DB | D’Metrius Williams | Sr. | Norfolk State | Virginia Beach, Va. |
| P | Christian Kinney | r-Jr.. | Hampton | Williamsburg, Va. |
| PK | Nigel Macauley | Fr. | North Carolina Central | Fayetteville, N.C. |
| RS | Khris Gardin | So. | North Carolina A&T State | Morganton, N.C. |
Second Team
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | David Watford | Gr. | Hampton | Hampton, Va. |
| RB | Anthony Jordan | Gr. | Bethune-Cookman | Atlanta, Ga. |
| RB | Jalen Simmons | Sr. | South Carolina State | Charlotte, N.C. |
| WR | Taquan West | Sr. | South Carolina State | Lexington, S.C. |
| WR | Denzel Keyes | Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Kinston, N.C. |
| TE* | Nathan Scruggs | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| TE* | Myles Williams | r-Sr. | Howard | Perris, Calif. |
| TE* | Ja-Quan Lumas | r-So. | Bethune-Cookman | Orlando, Fla. |
| C | Michael Young | r-Jr. | Hampton | Atlanta, Ga. |
| OL | Clevonne Davis | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Miramar, Fla. |
| OL | Desmond Cooper | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Stafford, Va. |
| OL | Mike Phillips | Sr. | Norfolk State | Virginia Beach, Va. |
| OL | Toree Boyd | Jr. | Howard | Miami, Fla. |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Angelo Keyes | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Kinston, N.C. |
| DL | Reggie Owens | Sr. | South Carolina State | Statesboro, Ga. |
| DL | Richard Mitchell | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Southhaven, Miss. |
| DL | James Settles | r-Sr. | South Carolina State | McCormick, S.C. |
| LB | Denzel Jones | r-Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Greensboro, N.C. |
| LB | Donald Smith | r-Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Tampa, Fla. |
| LB | Jordan Miles | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Woodbridge, Va. |
| DB | Chris Pauling | Sr. | South Carolina State | High Point, N.C. |
| DB | Ryan Smith | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| DB | Antonio Hamilton | r-Sr. | South Carolina State | Johnston, S.C. |
| DB | Travon Hunt | Jr. | Howard | Lawndale, N.C. |
| P | Jack Fleck | Sr. | Howard | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| *PK | Jack Fleck | Sr. | Howard | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| RS | Ryan Smith | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Upper Marlboro, Md. |
Third Team
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Malcolm Bell | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Richmond, Va. |
| RB | Michael Jones | Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Sarasota, Fla. |
| RB | Christopher Dukes | r-Sr. | Hampton | Mobile, Ala. |
| WR | Isaac White | Sr. | Norfolk State | Portsmouth, Va. |
| WR | Montavious Williams | r-Jr. | Florida A&M | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| TE | N/A | |||
| C | Dominique Woods | Jr. | Morgan State | Skyline, Texas |
| OL | Zachary Giles | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Durham, N.C. |
| OL | Cooper Clarkin | Fr. | Morgan State | Middleton, Conn. |
| OL | Sean Fogarty | Fr. | Savannah State | Savannah, Ga. |
| OL | Devon Stainrod | Sr. | Savannah State | Baltimore, Md. |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Chris Lee | So. | Norfolk State | Woodbridge, Va. |
| DL | Michael Neal | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Greensboro, N.C. |
| DL | Charles Owens | r-Sr. | Hampton | Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| DL | Damon Gresham-Chisolm | Sr. | Howard | Covington, Ga. |
| LB | Joshua Thorne | Sr. | Hampton | Oxon Hill, Md. |
| LB | Malik Harris | So. | Delaware State | Washington, D.C. |
| *LB | Akil Blount | Sr. | Florida A&M | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| *LB | Dayshawn Taylor | r-So. | South Carolina State | Lincolnton, Ga. |
| DB | Marquis Boyan | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Columbia, S.C. |
| DB | Peterson Janvier | Sr. | Morgan State | Immokalee, Fla. |
| DB | Craig Johnson | Jr. | Howard | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| DB | Dalonte Hall | Sr. | Morgan State | Fort Washington, Md. |
| P | Jonathan Cagle | Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Pensacola, Fla. |
| PK | Tyler Scandrett | So. | South Carolina State | Barnesville, Ga. |
| RS | Darius Banks | So. | Hampton | Newport News, Va. |
