Ohio senior Papi White (4) breaks a touchdown run, during the Bobcats’ victory over Bowling Green on Oct. 20 in Athens, Ohio.
Alex Hawley|OVP Sports
Ohio senior A.J. Ouellette (45) carries the ball, during the Bobcats’ victory over Akron on Nov. 23 in Athens, Ohio.
Alex Hawley|OVP Sports
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A fine nine.
The Ohio football team landed nine players — six from the offensive side of the ball — on the 2018-All-Mid-American Conference football teams, released on Wednesday.
The Bobcats earned six first team selections — the program’s most since picking up seven in 1968 — after having just one first teamer a year ago. Ohio’s other three selections on this year’s squad came on the second team.
On the all-conference team for a third time in his career is OU redshirt-junior defensive back Javon Hagan, who was a second team selection twice before moving up to first team this fall. In 11 games this season, Hagan finished with 72 tackles, half of which were solo, while intercepting two passes and recovering a fumble.
Joining Hagan on the first team defense is Bobcats redshirt-junior punter Michael Farkas, who was a third team selection in 2016. Farkas — a two-time MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week — earned 43.6 yards per punt this season, hitting his season-high of 59 on three occasions.
A quartet of seniors represented Ohio on the first team offense, running back A.J. Ouellette, wide receiver Papi White, left tackle Joe Lowery and left guard Joe Anderson, each moving up from second team last season.
Lowery and Anderson anchored the Bobcat line, which led the way to 470.6 yards per game, including 261.9 yards per game on the ground.
Ouellette carried the ball for 1,142 yards and 12 touchdowns this fall, while also catching a pair of touchdown passes. Ouellette is the fourth Bobcat running back in program history to hit the 1,000-yard milestone in multiple seasons. He’s third on Ohio’s all-time rushing yardage list, and fourth in all-time rushing touchdowns.
White — who appeared on the 2017 team as both a second team wide receiver and a third team punt returner — is the first Bobcat wide receiver to land on first team since 1983. The program’s all-time leader in receiving yards, White caught 58 passes for 897 yards and nine touchdowns this fall, while adding another touchdown on the ground.
On the all-conference second team for a second straight season is Ohio redshirt-junior quarterback Nathan Rourke, who finished the year completing 154-of-252 passes for 2,228 yards and 22 touchdowns. Rourke — responsible for 74 touchdowns in his career, second-most in program history — also carried the ball for 816 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
Earning their first-ever all-conference honors are right guard Durrell Wood and outside linebacker Evan Croutch. While Wood was helping Lowery and Anderson up front on offense, Croutch led the team with 79 tackles, including 54 solo. Croutch picked off two passes and came up for a quartet of sacks for the Bobcat defense, which was the second-best team in the conference against the ground attack.
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2018 All-Mid-American Conference Football
Specialty Awards
Coach of the Year: Lance Leipold, Buffalo
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
Special Teams Player of the Year: KR/PR Diontae Johnson, Toledo
Freshman of the Year: RB Jaret Patterson, Buffalo
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: DE Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
First Team Offense
QB – Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
OL – Max Scharping, Northern Illinois &@
OL – Luke Juriga, Western Michigan +
OL – Joe Lowery, Ohio +
OL – James O’Hagan, Buffalo %^
OL – Joe Anderson, Ohio +
TE – Tyler Mabry, Buffalo
WR – Anthony Johnson, Buffalo &
WR – Diontae Johnson, Toledo &
WR – Cody Thompson, Toledo @
WR – Papi White, Ohio +
RB – LeVante Bellamy, Western Michigan
RB – A.J. Ouellette, Ohio +
PK – Matt Trickett, Kent State
First Team Defense
OLB – Brad Koenig, Miami
OLB – Antonio Jones-Davis, Northern Illinois
ILB – Khalil Hodge, Buffalo &#
ILB – Malik Fountain, Central Michigan +@
DL – Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois &
DL – Maxx Crosby, Eastern Michigan &
DL – Michael Danna, Central Michigan
DL – Chuck Harris, Buffalo %
DB – Alvin Davis, Akron +
DB – Sean Bunting, Central Michigan
DB – Javon Hagan, Ohio +#
DB – Xavier Crawford, Central Michigan
P – Michael Farkas, Ohio ^
First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Maurice Thomas, Miami ^
Punt Return Specialist – Diontae Johnson, Toledo &
Second Team Offense
QB – Nathan Rourke, Ohio +
OL – John Keenoy, Western Michigan &#
OL – Bryce Harris, Toledo
OL – Luke Shively, Northern Illinois
OL – Durrell Wood, Ohio
OL – Evin Ksiezarczyk, Buffalo
TE – Reggie Gilliam, Toledo
WR – K.J. Osborn, Buffalo
WR – Scott Miller, Bowling Green %@
WR – Jayden Reed, Western Michigan
WR – Riley Miller, Ball State
RB – Tre Harbison, Northern Illinois
RB – Jaret Patterson, Buffalo
PK – Ryan Tice, Central Michigan
Second Team Defense
OLB – Evan Croutch, Ohio
OLB – Ulysees Gilbert III, Akron &@
ILB – Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois
ILB – Kyle Rachwal, Eastern Michigan
DL – Josh Corcoran, Northern Illinois %
DL – Jamal Davis, Akron %
DL – Kalil Morris, Kent State
DL – Doug Costin, Miami
DB – Cameron Lewis, Buffalo
DB – Kevin McGill, Eastern Michigan
DB – Mykelti Williams, Northern Illinois
DB – Kyron Brown, Akron
P – Jake Julien, Eastern Michigan
Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Diontae Johnson, Toledo +
Punt Return Specialist – Jayden Reed, Western Michigan
Third Team Offense
QB – Gus Ragland, Miami
OL – Jimmy Leatiota, Eastern Michigan +
OL – Danny Godlevske, Miami
OL – Steve Nielsen, Eastern Michigan
OL – Jack Kramer, Bowling Green
OL – Jordan Rigg, Miami %
TE – Giovanni Ricci, Western Michigan
WR – Blake Banham, Eastern Michigan
WR – Justin Hall, Ball State +
WR – Jon’Vea Johnson, Toledo #
WR – Jack Sorenson, Miami
RB – Andrew Clair, Bowling Green %
RB – Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan !
PK – Jameson Vest, Toledo &
Third Team Defense
OLB – John Lako, Akron
OLB – Christian Albright, Ball State
ILB – Brian Bell, Akron
ILB – Jacob White, Ball State
DL – Tuzar Skipper, Toledo
DL – Jack Heflin, Northern Illinois
DL – Jeremiah Harris, Eastern Michigan +^
DL – Nate Brisson-Fast, Central Michigan
DB – Marcus Milton, Bowling Green
DB – Vince Calhoun, Eastern Michigan %
DB – Brody Hoying, Eastern Michigan &
DB – Josh Teachey, Toledo
P – Kyle Kramer, Miami
Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Malik Dunner, Ball State %
Punt Return Specialist – K.J. Osborn, Buffalo
& — indicates 2017 First-Team All-MAC
+ — indicates 2017 Second-Team All-MAC
% — indicates 2017 Third-Team All-MAC
@ — indicates 2016 First-Team All-MAC
# — indicates 2016 Second-Team All-MAC
^ — indicates 2016 Third-Team All-MAC
= — indicates 2015 First-Team All-MAC
* — indicates 2015 Second-Team All-MAC
! — indicates 2015 Third-Team All-MAC
Alex Hawley can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2100.
