WITCHITA FALLS, Texas - Carson-Newman football running back Andy Hibbett (Corryton, Tenn.) has found his way onto a second All-American team this season. Daktronics placed Hibbett on the second team.
Daktronics All-America is voted on by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America.
Hibbett is also a Harlon Hill Trophy Finalist and the Daktronics and Beyond Sports Network Super Region II Offensive player of the Year. 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.
Hibbett is Carson-Newman's 12th All-American running back. He joins Rodney Wampler (71), Van Williams (81), Hugh Rutledge (82), Kenneth Tyson (84 & 87), Robert Hardy (90), Floyd Mathis (91), Robert Thomas (91), Tyrone Westmoreland (97), Randy Bell (02), Buck Wakefield (09) and Brandon Baker (12)
Ron Lenz Players of the Year
Offensive Player of the Year
Jason Vander Laan, QB, Ferris State
Defensive Player of the Year
Darius Allen, DE, Colorado State-Pueblo
Offense
First Team
Pos Player School Class Ht. Wt. Hometown
TE Cole Spurgeon Colorado Mines Jr. 6-3 235 Gretna, Neb.
OL Josh Meeker Minnesota State-Mankato Sr. 6-2 290 Omaha, Neb.
OL Jacob VanderKlok Ferris State (Mich.) Sr. 6-6 306 Caledonia, Mich.
OL Justin Glover Ferris State (Mich.) Sr. 6-0 316 Grand Rapids, Mich.
OL Scotland Coyle Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 6-3 265 Longmont, Colo.
OL Joe Ray Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) Jr. 6-1 270 Atlanta, Ga.
WR Darius Davis Henderson State (Ark.) Sr. 5-11 212 Frisco, Texas
WR Tyler Slavin New Mexico Highlands Sr. 6-2 215 Corona, Calif.
QB Jason Vander Laan Ferris State (Mich.) Jr. 6-4 241 Frankfort, Ill.
RB Terrell Watson Azusa Pacific (Calif.) Sr. 6-2 240 Oxnard, Calif.
RB Anthony Bilal Lake Erie (Ohio) Jr. 5-7 170 Painesville, Ohio
RS Etauj Allen Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Sr. 5-9 185 San Antonio, Texas
PK Tom Obarski Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) Sr. 5-11 185 Burnsville, Minn.
Second Team
Pos Player School Class Ht. Wt. Hometown
TE Tim Brown West Chester (Pa.) Jr. 6-3 235 Clifton Heights, Pa.
OL Tyler Smith Pittsburg State (Kan.) Sr. 6-4 287 Sand Springs, Okla.
OL Andrew Muer Minnesota Duluth Sr. 6-3 275 Perham, Minn.
OL Jim Bayer Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) Sr. 6-1 275 Lawrenceville, Ga.
OL Perrin Cunningham Ohio Dominican Sr. 6-2 275 Cincinnati, Ohio
OL Tory Day Harding (Ark.) Sr. 6-1 255 Memphis, Tenn.
WR Marquise Cushon Pittsburg State (Kan.) Jr. 5-10 162 Kansas City, Mo.
WR Xavier Milton Florida Tech Sr. 6-0 190 Alameda, Calif.
QB Anthony Abenoja Pittsburg State (Kan.) Sr. 6-3 217 Overland Park, Kan.
RB LaVance Taylor Central Missouri Sr. 5-11 195 Raytown, Mo.
RB Andy Hibbett Carson-Newman (Tenn.) Sr. 6-0 200 Corryton, Tenn.
RS Danarius Appling West Georgia Sr. 5-7 155 Griffin, Ga.
PK Conner Hollabaugh West Texas A&M So. 5-10 181 Amarillo, Texas
Defense
First Team
Pos Player School Class Ht. Wt. Hometown
DL Joshua Gordon Minnesota State-Mankato Jr. 6-2 250 Milwaukee, Wisc.
DL Darius Allen Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 6-4 251 Pueblo, Colo.
DL Matt Longacre Northwest Missouri State Sr. 6-3 270 Omaha, Neb.
LB Nores Fradi Wayne State (Mich.) Sr. 6-1 216 Deerborn Heights, Mich.
LB Kole Kadavy Colorado Mines Sr. 5-11 205 Greeley, Colo.
LB Tanner Botts Lenoir Rhyne (N.C.) Sr. 6-2 215 Lawrenceville, Ga.
LB Tayler Henderson Minnesota State-Mankato Jr. 6-3 235 Mankato, Minn.
S Zack Mitchell Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Sr. 6-0 185 Vilonia, Ark.
S Colin Kimball Mercyhurst (Pa.) Sr. 5-11 180 Erie, Pa.
CB Stephan Dickens Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 5-9 172 Aurora, Colo.
CB Solomon St. Pierre Sioux Falls (S.D.) Jr. 5-11 171 Wagner, S.D.
P Patrick Carney New Mexico Highlands Sr. 6-0 215 Chico, Calif.
Second Team
Pos Player School Class Ht. Wt. Hometown
DL Marcus Martin Slippery Rock (Pa.) Fr-RS 6-3 235 West Mifflin, Pa.
DL Justin Zimmer Ferris State (Mich.) Jr. 6-3 258 Greenville, Mich.
DL Devin Benton Southwestern Oklahoma State Sr. 5-11 270 Arlington, Texas
LB Jared Koster New Mexico Highlands Sr. 6-1 210 Corona, Calif.
LB Justin Shirk Bloomsburg (Pa.) Sr. 6-0 240 Harrisburg, Pa.
LB Rush Seaver Angelo State (Texas) Sr. 6-3 250 Lampasas, Texas
LB Connor Harris Lindenwood (Mo.) So. 6-0 235 Lee's Summit, Mo.
S Deonte Hurst Grand Valley State (Mich.) Sr. 5-11 185 Kentwood, Mich.
S Charles Moore Tarleton State (Texas) Sr. 5-10 200 Carrollton, Texas
CB C.J. Roberts Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 6-0 180 Boynton Beach, Fla.
CB De'Vante Bausby Pittsburg State (Kan.) Sr. 6-2 179 Kansas City, Mo.
P Jake Medlock Valdosta State (Ga.) Sr. 6-3 226 Jacksonville, Fla.