VIDEO: Andy Hibbett Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the second time in as many weeks, Carson-Newman football running back Andy Hibbett (Corryton, Tenn.) has been lauded as the Super Region II Offensive Player of the Year.
This week, the Beyond Sports Network presented Hibbett with the honor. In addition to Hibbett, offensive lineman Robby Igangni (Gallatin, Tenn.) earned first team all-region honors. Quarterback De'Andre Thomas (Milledgeville, Ga.) made the second team with return specialist Lonnie Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.). Safety Jerry Miclisse (Homestead, Fla.) was earned honorable mention All-Region accolades.
Hibbett is also a Harlon Hill Trophy Finalist and the Daktronics region Player of the Year honoree from Daktroniks; he became the third Carson-Newman player to make it the final round of the Harlon Hill Trophy voting. Quarterback Leonard Guyton was a finalists in 2002, while Tyrone Westmoreland was the first Harlon Hill finalists for C-N in 1997. Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph is the only South Atlantic Conference player to win the award – doing so in 2011.
Hibbett produced a season for the ages for the Eagles. Hibbett set a school record by rushing for more than 100 yards in eight consecutive games. His 1,394 yards on the season are the eighth highest tally in school history. Hibbett secured his spot in the Eagle record books. With 37 career rushing touchdowns, he moved past Brandon Baker and Antwon Oliver and into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time rushing TD list.
He also winds up with 3,208 career rushing yards. That mark is also the eighth best in school history. Hibbett scored multiple touchdowns in seven games, including a pair of four-touchdown days. He is a two-time SAC offensive Player of the Week, three-time Bojangles Male Athlete of the Week and earned Tennessee Sportswriters Association Offensive Player of the Week honors once. Following the season, he earned first team All-SAC honors.
Hibbett ranked sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game and 10th in scoring. He had 18 TDs in his senior season – 16 on the ground and two through the air.
Hibbett led C-N in rushing in six games and produced four games where he rushed for at least 180 yards. With 30 carries and 221 yards against Tusculum, Hibbett had the 14th-best single game rushing yard tally in school history and its 32nd 200-yard rushing performance.
Throughout the season, Hibbett credited his line.
Against Mars Hill, the senior only had 191 yards and three TDs on seven carries. His 27.3 yards per rush is the second highest total among running backs with more than five carries in a game.
Hibbett's three touchdowns all came in the second half and helped put the game out of reach.
His first score came on a 58-yard dive, his second on a 65-yard scamper and his third on a 55-yard pitch that started to the right and finished with Hibbett meandering his way back left across the field to the pylon for a score.
Ignagni finished his Carson-Newman career as the program's all-time leader in knockdowns with 45. Ignagni started 38 consecutive games at right guard for the Eagles and helped clear the way for Eagle offenses that ranked first, fourth and third in the nation in rushing in his three seasons as a starter.
Ignagni helped lead the way for three different 1,000-yard rushers. Carson-Newman averaged 38 points, 360 yards rushing and 479 yards of total offense with him starting.
The senior is also the strongest member of the team with the best squat and bench press numbers of anyone on the offense or defense.
Thomas continued to showcase his capabilities in his junior season by rushing for 850 yards with 12 touchdowns and passing for 1,170 yards with nine scores.
Thomas' best performance came in the Eagles 35-33 win over Catawba. He earned both SAC and TSWA offensive player of the week honors after passing for 173 yards and a score while rushing for four more touchdowns and 104 yards.
He passed for a season-high 208 yards against Mars Hill.
Williams led the nation in yards per kickoff return with 34.1 a touch and one was of ten players in the country to bring to kickoffs back for touchdowns. Williams' 34.1 yards per return is the third highest single season mark in Carson-Newman school history behind Kendall James (39.7) and Ques Rumph (34.7).
Williams was the fourth Carson-Newman player to return multiple kickoffs for scores in a single season.
He set the Carson-Newman single game record for kickoff return yards against Brevard – his first game returning kicks. Williams set a school record for kickoff return yards with 215. His first career kickoff return went 100 yards for a touchdown on the opening play of the game. The 100-yard kickoff return is the fourth in school history and the first since 1992.
Miclisse was Carson-Newman's leading tackler in three games. The safety produced a career high 15 tackles against Brevard. That tally was the third best tally by a Carson-Newman defensive back in school history and the 20th most among all players.
Miclisse led the team in breakups with seven. His 62 tackles were second on the team and he produced four tackles for loss to boot.
He had eight tackles or more in three games and had two tackles for loss against Newberry.
