MEAC releases all-time football team, 50 of the greatest to ever play

NORFOLK, Va., – As the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary during the 2020-21 academic year, the conference announced Wednesday its all-time football team, comprised of 50 outstanding student-athletes throughout the conference’s history.

Nearly 2,500 votes were cast for the all-time football team, with fans, media representatives, institution sports information contacts and others taking part.

To be considered on the ballot, players must have been named to one of the following: First Team All-MEAC, MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive Lineman of the Year or be a MEAC, Black College Football or College Football Hall of Fame inductee.

The all-time team, listed in alphabetical order by players’ last names, features 20 MEAC Hall of Famers, four Black College Football Hall of Famers and two College Football Hall of Famers.

Related: Here is the complete 2021 MEAC spring football schedule

MEAC ALL-TIME FOOTBALL TEAM

–TOP 50 AS SELECTED BY FANS, MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES, SPORTS INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS —
(Listed Alphabetically by Last Name)

• Ray Alexander, Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Offensive Player of the Year 1983; MEAC Hall of Fame 1995)
• Steve Baggs, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Defensive Player of the Year 2003)
• Tristan Bellamy, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (Offensive Lineman of the Year 2013)
• Antoine Bethea, Howard, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015)
• Dwaine Board, North Carolina A&T State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1977, 1978; Defensive Player of the Year 1977; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993)
• John Bostic, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1983, 1984; Defensive Player of the Year 1984)
• Joe Burton, Delaware State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, 1986; Defensive Player of the Year 1986)
• Barney Bussey, South Carolina State, Defensive Back/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Defensive Player of the Year 1983)
• Dan Candeloro, Delaware State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, Defensive Player of the Year 1985)
• Harry Carson, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1974, 1975; Defensive Player of the Year 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 1981; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2012; College Football Hall of Fame 2002)
• Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; Rookie of the Year 2013; Offensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015, 2016)
• Alonzo Coleman, Hampton, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006; Rookie of the Year 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2005)
• Johnny Culbreath, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2008, 2009, 2010; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2009)
• Chartric Darby, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1996, 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018)
• Justin Durant, Hampton, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005, 2006; Defensive Player of the Year 2004, 2005, 2006; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015)
• David Erby, South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2009, 2010; Defensive Player of the Year 2010)
• William Ford, South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009; Rookie of the Year 2006; Offensive Player of the Year 2008)
• Carl Hairston, Maryland Eastern Shore, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1973, 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 2005)
• Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2014, 2015; Defensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015)
• Dwayne Harper, South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1986, 1987; MEAC Hall of Fame 2019)
• Gary Harrell, Howard, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1993)
• Demetrius Harrison, North Carolina A&T State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1987, 1988, 1989; Defensive Player of the Year 1988, 1989)
• Raymond Harrison, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2006, 2007, 2008; Rookie of the Year 2008; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2008)
• Michael Hicks, South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1993, 1994, 1995; Offensive Player of the Year 1995)
• Gene Lake, Delaware State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1983, 1984; Offensive Player of the Year 1984; MEAC Hall of Fame 2009)
• Darius Leonard, South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Rookie of the Year 2014; Defensive Player of the Year 2016, 2017)
• Rashean Mathis, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Defensive Player of the Year 2002; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017)
• Connell Maynor, North Carolina A&T State, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1990, 1991; Offensive Player of the Year 1990, 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2020)
• Shaheer McBride, Delaware State, Wide Receiver/Tight End (First Team All-MEAC 2005, 2006; Rookie of the Year 2004)
• Greg McGhee, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014; Rookie of the Year 2011; Offensive Player of the Year 2013, 2014)
• Rod Milstead, Delaware State, Offensive Guard (First Team All-MEAC 1989, 1990, 1991)
• Jacquay Nunnally, Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; Rookie of the Year 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010)
• Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2015, 2016, 2017)
• Charles Poplos, Delaware State, Punter (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1992, 1993)
• Robert Porcher, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1991; Defensive Player of the Year 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2017)
• Keith Pough, Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2010, 2011, 2012; Defensive Player of the Year 2012)
• Donnie Shell, South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2015; College Football Hall of Fame 1998; Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020)
• Eugene Sims, Morgan State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973, 1974; Defensive Player of the Year 1973)
• Tracy Singleton, Howard, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1980, 1981, 1982; Offensive Player of the Year 1981, 1982)
• Maurice Spencer, North Carolina Central, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986)
• Allen Suber, Bethune-Cookman, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2002, 2003)
• John Taylor, Delaware State, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985; Offensive Player of the Year 1985; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2019)
• Lyndon Trail, Norfolk State, Linebacker/Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Elsworth Turner, North Carolina A&T State, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1975, 1976, 1977; Offensive Player of the Year 1976; MEAC Hall of Fame 2007)
• James Vertuno, Florida A&M, Placekicker (First Team All-MEAC 1988, 1989, 1990)
• Jay Walker, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1992, 1993; Offensive Player of the Year 1993; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018)
• Ted White, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1996; Offensive Player of the Year 1996; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010)
• Tracy White, Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Defensive Player of the Year 2000, 2001; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017)
• Terrell Whitehead, Norfolk State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009)
• Vashon Winton, Delaware State, Quarterback (Rookie of the Year 2005)

Courtesy: MEAC