C-N Football places 11 on preseason All-SAC teams

Eien Jacob timed this interception perfectly in the Eagles' final regular season home game against Newberry.

Posted: Aug 05, 2014

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman placed a league high 11 selections on the South Atlantic Conference's all-league first and second teams, the conference office announced Tuesday afternoon.

The Eagles were only matched by Newberry's 11 preseason all-SAC selections. Three-time defending conference champion Lenoir-Rhyne put a league-best six players on the all-conference first team.

Longsnapper Dusty Nance, defensive end Javaris Neal and cornerbacks Eien Jacob and Dante Thomas all made the all-conference first team. Quarterback De'Andre Thomas, running back Andy Hibbett, offensive lineman Robby Ignagni, punter Charlie Rhea, defensive end William Alderman, wide receiver Anthony Eubanks and return specialist TraShaun Ward were lauded with second team honors.

Eien Jacob - Jacob has already been named a preseason All-American by both Lindy's and USA football. Jacob was second in the SAC with his five picks last year. With his two interceptions against Newberry (11/9), Jacob became the first Eagle with a multi-pick game since Oliver Davis had a pair against Tusculum in 2010. He finished the regular season with a career best seven-tackle day against Wingate (11/16). Jacob needed two more picks to break into the top 10 for most interceptions in a single season at C-N. He closed the year with 45 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Jacob led the team with 11 pass break ups. He returned an interception for a touchdown against Wayne State (9/5), also had a career high three pass breakups against the Warriors.

Javaris Neal – Neal was also selected to USA Football's preseason All-American team. The Columbia, Tenn.-native rumbled for a 41-yard interception return against Newberry (11/23) for a touchdown and also picked off a pass against Mars Hill (10/5). Neal was second in the league in tackles among defensive linemen. He was sixth in the league overall in sacks. He had a career best nine tackles against Brevard (9/21). Neal turned in season best 2.5 tackle for loss-performances against Brevard and Wingate (11/16) in the regular season and Newberry in the playoffs. He also took down the opposing quarterback 1.5 times in the Brevard and Newberry games. Neal produced a team high nine quarterback hurries, recovered two fumbles and forced another. He recovered his fumbles against Newberry (11/9) and Tusculum (10/19).

Dante Thomas – Thomas started in 12 of 13 games and was fifth on the team with 52 tackles. He also picked off two passes and broke up eight others. Thomas was responsible for two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He tallied a season best eight tackles against both Mars Hill (10/5) and Wingate (11/16). He had six tackles - five of which were solo stops - against Colorado Mines (9/14). Thomas picked off passes against Tusclum (10/19) and Catawba (9/28). He collected a fumble recovery against Brevard (9/21) with forced fumbles against Newberry (11/9) and Lenoir-Rhyne (11/30).

Dusty Nance – In 16 games as Carson-Newman's starting longsnapper, Nance has yet to have a field goal, point after attempt or punt blocked. He ends a three-year reign by Newberry Wolves earning first team all-SAC longsnapper honors.

De'Andre Thomas – Thomas, a 13-game starter at quarterback as a sophomore, set a Sparks-era single season record for completions with 118. He ded the nation with the fewest interceptions with just two and completed 55.7 percent of his passes - 118-212 - for 1,825 yards and nine passing touchdowns. On the ground, Thomas became the first Carson-Newman quarterback and the fourth player overall with 20 rushing touchdowns in a single season. He toted the ball 194 times for 985 yards with a long run of 73 yards which came against Colorado Mines (9/14). He set the single game pass efficiency record in the opener against Wayne State with a 357.92 efficiency rating. Thomas produced the third and fourth +200 QB efficiency ratings in C-N football history in his sophomore year. He had a 212.80 rating against Wingate (11/16). He had four, 200-yard passing games; they came against Wayne State (9/5) with 213 yards, North Greenville (10/26) with 231 yards, Newberry (11/9) with 200 and the Wolves again in the playoffs with 205 yards. He set a Sparks-era single game record with 15 completions against the Crusaders. Thomas had a trio of touchdown passes against Wayne State and a pair at Wingate. On the ground, Thomas produced three 10- yard games and finished second on the team in rushing. He had his high water mark against Tusculum (10/19) with 182 yards on 19 carries. Thomas also crested the century mark at Mines (9/14) with 166 yards and at Wingate with 123 yards. He had multiple rushing touchdowns in seven of 13 games for the Eagles, including three games with a hat trick of scores, a feat he accomplished that feat against Newberry (11/23), Wingate (11/16) and North Greenville (10/26). He finished the year with 11 TDs in C-N's final six games.

Andy Hibbett - Carson-Newman's fourth leading rusher in his junior season, Hibbett carried the ball 469 times for 837 yards to go along with nine touchdowns. He also caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Hibbett had two, 100-yard games, when he carried the ball 15 times to hit the century mark on the nose against North Greenville (10/26). He also set a career high with two catches for 52 yards that game. He also caught his first career touchdown pass against the Crusaders. Hibbett also crested the century mark against Mars Hill (10/5) with 14 carries for 132 yards. He had multiple touchdowns against Tusculum (10/19), Brevard (9/21) and Mars Hill. He set his career long for a run against Wingate (11/16) in the regular season finale with a 54-yard scamper for a score. Hibbett needs a little more than 600 yards rushing as a senior to break into Carson-Newman's top 15 all-time ground gainers.

Anthony Eubanks – Eubanks is Carson-Newman's first preseason All-SAC selection at receiver since Jason Brown in 2012. Eubanks became the first Carson-Newman wide receiver under Ken Sparks since Darren Hughes in 1990 to catch eight passes in a game, Eubanks did so against both North Greenville (10/26) and Shorter (10/12). He finished the year with 23 catches for 390 yards and two scores in an injury-shorted season. Both his touchdowns came in the opener against Wayne State (9/5). Eubanks set a career high and became the first C-N wideout with more than 100 yards receiving in two years with 138 yards through the air at North Greenville. He nearly had a trio of 100 yard receiving games; had 97 yards against Wayne State and 95 against Shorter. His long reception of 63 yards came against Wayne State. In spite of only playing in seven games because of injury, his 3.23 receptions per game ranks second among players in the Ken Sparks era.

Robby Ignagni – A year ago, Ignagni earned Daktronics All-Region honors, Earned Daktronics All-Region honors after clearing the way for a rushing attack that ranked fourth in the nation with 343 yards per game. With Ignagni's help, the Eagles scored 50 rushing touchdowns for a second consecutive year. Ignagni led Carson-Newman's offensive linemen with 26 knockdowns and was third in overall grade. He had a four-knockdown game against Shorter (10/12), the highest mark of any C-N o-lineman in 2013. The strongest member of C-N's offensive line, Ignagni had multiple knockdowns in all but three games of his junior year. He won the Hammer Award on three occasions, the most of any member of the line, which goes to the offensive lineman with the highest overall grade for a game who also impacts the game in a significant manner. He won his Hammer Awards for his efforts against Mars Hill (10/5), Wingate (11/16) and Newberry (11/23) in the playoffs. Ignagni finished the year spectacularly. His average grade over the final four weeks was a 75, which is considered a passing grade on o-line coach Mike Turner's ever challenging 80-point scale.

Charlie Rhea – Rhea earned preseason all-conference honors in part for his 2011 season. Rhea backed up Curt Duncan last year after tearing his ACL in 2012. He started all 11 games at punter in 2011 and averaged 38.3 yards per punt with three touchbacks, 11 punts inside the 20-yard-line and three punts over 50 yards. He had a long punt of 62 yards.

William Alderman – A AFCA Good Works Team nominees, Alderman started all 13 games at defensive end in his junior year. He was seventh on the team in total tackles with 46 and led Carson-Newman with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He also picked off a pass, forced and recovered a fumble and made four QB hurries. Alderman set his career high for tackles in the regular season against Lenoir-Rhyne (11/2) with eight. His career highs for sacks (1.5) came against Tusculum (10/19) and tackles for loss (2.0) against Shorter (10/12). He picked off his first career pass at North Greenville (10/26).

TraShaun Ward – Ward led Carson-Newman with 1,215 all-purpose yards, 91 of which came on the ground, 344 through the air, 75 on punt returns and 705 on kickoff returns. He reset his own school record for most return yards in a season with his 705 kickoff return yards. Should ward replicate his last season in kickoff return yards, he will take over first place on the all-time C-N football leaderboard for kickoff return yards in a career. His longest kick return of the year was an 81-yarder against Catawba (9/28).

All-SAC First Team Offense

QB – W.T. Murden, Newberry

RB – Shaikel Davis, Mars Hill

RB – Jarrod Spears, Lenoir-Rhyne

RB – Isiah Whitaker, Lenior-Rhyne

WR – Dimitri Holmes, Mars Hill

WR – Justin Houston, Tusculum

WR – Deon Hicks, Tusculum

OL – Denzell Goode, Mars Hill

OL – Joe Ray, Lenoir-Rhyne

OL – Taylor Fender, Catawba

OL – Will Poteat, Wingate