Football Announces Annual Team Awards
Jan 18, 2017
DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque football team announced the 2016 team awards as selected by the coaching staff and teammates after a successful 8-2 season and runner-up in Iowa Conference standings.
The 2016 Spartans returning from their undefeated 2015 IIAC season rolled up 398 points, 4,357 yards of offense, 21 interceptions, and 17 caused fumbles. Quarterback Conor Feckley (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska/Anchorage West HS) completed 222-390 pass attempts (56.9%) and threw for 3,129 yards and 37 touchdowns, rushed for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2016. In 10 games, Feckley finished with a quarterback effeciency of 151.5.
Twelve Spartans would catch at least one pass in 2016. Najee Toomer (Sr., Maywood, Ill./Walther Lutheran HS) led the receiving corps with 67 grabs for 1,183 yards (17.7 yards average), 13 touchdowns and a game average of 118.3 yards. The quartet of Austin Morgan (So., Henderson, Nev./Foothill HS) - 42 receptions, 384 yards, Dylan Schultz (Jr., Orion, Ill./Orion HS) - 40 receptions, 494 yards, Jonathan Duarte (Sr., Morton, Ill./Morton West HS) - 34 receptions, 528 yards, and Emmanuel Jenkins (Fr., Menasha, Wis./Menasha HS) - 25 receptions, 393 yards made up the majority of the remaining wide receiving statistics.
Maurece "Mo" Herrion (So., Elgin, Ill./Larkin HS) continued where he left off in 2015 and led the Spartans ground attack with 179 carries for 751 yards and eight touchdowns for an average 75.1 yards a game. Dwayne Allen Jr. (Fr., Hampshire, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic HS) carried the ball 66 times and finished 2016 with 323 yards and four touchdowns with his longest run being 67 yards. Allen Jr. led kick returns with 17 for 430 yards with his longest being a return of 62 yards.
Connor O'Malley (So., Pewaukee, Wis./ Pewaukee HS) punted 44 times and dropped the ball inside of the opponents 20 yard line 12 times with four punts finishing over 50 yards. His season average was 39.9 yards and booted the longest of the season of 65 yards on Oct. 22 at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Place kicker Brayden Neuendorf (Jr., Denver, Iowa/Denver HS) was near perfect in extra points making 46-48 attempts, he was 4-7 in field goals. He helped the Spartans win a three overtime thriller over the Buena Vista University Beavers when he connected on all three field goal attempts (35, 38, 27 yards) in a 45-37 victory. His clutch 35 yard field goal with just eight seconds remaining in the game, helped carry the momentum for the Spartans heading into overtime. He also helped pin the opponents deep on kick-offs with 66 kicks for 3,857 yards (58.4 yards a kick-off), nine for a touchback, keeping the opponents drive starts on the 24 yard line.
UD's defense collected 21 interceptions, Michael Joseph (Jr., Oswego, Ill./Oswego HS) led with four and return yardage of 86 yards. Derek Schambow (Jr., Platteville, Wis./Platteville HS) and Derek Trotter (Jr., Tripoli, Iowa/Wapsie Valley HS) both collected three interceptions each. Le'Devin Smith (Jr., Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South HS), Blaze Barista (Fr., Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) , Joseph McMahon (So., Leaf River, Ill./Rockford Christian HS) and Jacob Owens all picked a fumble and returned for a combined 135 yards. Smith and McMahon would score a touchdown on their recoveries.
The duo of Smith and Trotter led the defensive unit 95 tackles each. Smith had three tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. Joseph finished with 68 tackles, four for loss of 15 yards, one sack, eight pass break-ups, 12 pass deflections, and one blocked kick. Schambow ended 2016 with 54 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two pass break-ups, five pass delections, and a forced fumble. McMahon collected 52 tackles with five for loss, he had three quarterback hurries.
2016 Captains: Conor Feckley, Michael Joseph, Johnny Duarte, Pat Cusack
Defensive MVP: LeDevin Smith, Michael Joseph
Offensive MVP: Najee Toomer
Special Teams MVP: Conner O’Malley
Team MVP: Conor Feckley
Defensive Scout Team MVP: Brandon Dutkiewicz
Offensive Scout Team MVP: Keyshawn Carr, Jovanni Sanchez
Offensive Newcomer: Emanuel Jenkins
Defensive Newcomer: Ravon Woods, Blaze Barista
Inspirational Award: Greg Smith
Records:
Passing yards in a game: Conor Feckley 634 yards vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Total yards in a game: Conor Feckley 656 yards vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Most passing touchdowns in a game: Conor Feckley (8) vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Team Passing yards in a game: 634 yards vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Team Most yards gained in a game: 735 yards vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Team Most passing touchdowns in a game: 8 vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Receiving touchdowns in a game: Najee Toomer (5) vs. Bethel University on Sept. 3, 2016
Most extra points in a season: Brayden Neuendorf (46) in 2016
Season Awards:
Conor Feckley - IIAC Male Athlete of the Week (Sept. 5, 2016)
Conor Feckley - D3football.com Team of the Week - QB (Sept. 5, 2016)
Najee Toomer - D3football.com Team of the Week - WR (Sept. 5, 2016)
Conor Feckley - HERO Sports Hero of the Week (Sept. 5, 2016)
Dylan Schultz - IIAC Offensive Performer of the Week (Sept. 18, 2016)
Dylan Schultz - D3football.com Team of the Week - TE (Sept. 18, 2016)
Conor Feckley - HERO Sports Top QB in D3 (Sept. 28, 2016)
Derek Trotter - IIAC Defensive Performer of the Week (Oct. 24, 2016)
Derek Trotter - D3football.com Team of the Week - CB (Oct. 25, 2016)
Brayden Neuendorf - D3football.com Team of the Week - K (Oct. 25, 2016)
Blaze Barista - IIAC Male Student-Athlete of the Week (Oct. 3, 2016)
Blaze Barista - IIAC Def. Performer of the Week (Oct. 3,2016)
Blaze Barista- D3football.com Team of the Week- CB (Oct. 3, 2016)
All-Iowa Conference
First Team
Conor Feckley- Quarterback
Patrick Cusack- Offensive Line
Najee Toomer- Wide Receiver
Michael Joesph- Defensive Back
Second Team
Derek Trooter- Defensive Back
LeDevin Smith- Linebacker
Dylan Schultz- Tight End
Honorable Mention
Daniel Pike- Defensive Line
Greg Smith- Offensive Line
Maurece Herrion- Running back
Connor O'Malley- Punter
Academic All-Iowa Conference (Must be a sophomore or above, have a 3.5 cumulative G.P.A. or above, and been at current school at least one year)
Cameron Sorenson- Criminal Justice
Collin Steffanowski- Undecided
Conor Feckley- Criminal Justice
Derek Trotter- Sports Marketing
Jacob Britton- Human and Health Science
D3football.com All-West Region
Najee Toomer- Second Team Offense (WR)
Pat Cusack- Third Team Offense (Guard)
|
2018 Football Schedule |
|
|
|
|
Sept. 2 |
at Bethel University |
St. Paul, Minn. |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Sept. 9 |
vs. Pacific Univ. |
Dubuque, Iowa |
6:00 p.m. |
|
Sept. 16 |
vs. Loras College |
Dubuque, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Sept. 23 |
at Luther College |
Decorah, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Sept. 30 |
Bye Week – No Game |
|
|
|
Oct. 7 |
vs. Buena Vista Univ. |
Dubuque, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Oct. 14 |
at Nebraska Wesleyan Univ. |
Lincoln, Neb. |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Oct. 21 |
vs. Simpson College (HC) |
Dubuque, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Oct. 28 |
at Wartburg College |
Waverly, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Nov. 4 |
vs. Coe College |
Dubuque, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
|
Nov. 11 |
at Central College |
Pella, Iowa |
1:00 p.m. |
