Bo Cordell, Deonte’ Gist and Gareth Rowlands were named to the All-Region First Team, while Hannibal Ruiz, Michael Rodriguez and Terrence Smith garnered Second Team recognition. Tusculum’s six selections were the most in the region. Delta State and North Alabama had five selections each, while Albany State, Valdosta State, Wingate, Henderson State, Mars Hill and Newberry all had three honorees named to the All-Region squad.
Cordell was tabbed the First Team quarterback, along with Henderson State signal caller Nick Hardesty. Both Cordell and Hardesty are amongst the nine national finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which honors the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Cordell a 6-1, 195-pound sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio, has recorded one of the finest passing performances in NCAA history. The 2010 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year passed for a school and SAC record 4,657 yards, which are the most by any quarterback in the country (NCAA – all divisions). His passing yardage tally is also the third highest in NCAA II history. Cordell threw for 38 touchdowns, a new school single-season mark and the 20th most in NCAA II history. The Indian Hill High School graduate has also established school and SAC records with 394 completions (2nd in NCAA II history), 605 pass attempts (2nd in NCAA II history) and 702 total offensive attempts (2nd in NCAA II history).
In 2010, Cordell averaged 425.45 total offensive yards per game, which is currently the best in NCAA II. He passed for over 400 yards in nine consecutive games this season, which is a new TC, SAC and NCAA II record. He also leads the nation in completions per game (35.82 cpg) and points responsible for per game (26.00 ppg). Cordell has been named SAC Offensive Player of the Week four times this year and twice honored as national offensive player of the week by D2football.com and D2 Sports Insider.
For his young 21-game career, he is already second in school history with 8,115 passing yards and 61 touchdowns (6th in SAC history for both). His 386.4 career passing yards per game average is on pace to be a new NCAA II record.
Gist, a 5-9, 170-pound junior from Wellford, S.C., accounted for one of the greatest seasons for a receiver in league history. His 1,183 receiving yards are a new school record and the third most in conference history. The Byrnes High School graduate also established school records with his 96 receptions and 1,713 all-purpose yards. The 2010 All-SAC First Team honoree averaged a league-best 107.55 receiving yards per game, which are 17th best in the nation this year. His 8.73 receptions per contest were also tops in the league and fourth in the country. Gist tallied 10 or more catches in five games and posted over 100 receiving yards in seven of his 11 contests. He established a school single-game record with 279 all-purpose yards at Catawba, including a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Gist finished the year with nine touchdowns, including eight TD receptions.
Rowlands returns to the Daktronics All-Region Team for a second straight year, moving up from the Second Team. The two-time All-SAC First Team pick enjoyed one of the finest seasons ever by a league kicker. He established school and league single-season records with his 111 points and 21 field goals made. Rowlands leads the nation in field goals made per game (1.91) and is sixth in scoring (10.09 ppg). His 111 points are the most this season by a NCAA II kicker. He went 21-for-26 in field goals, including a string of 10 in a row towards the end of the season, which is a new school record. His streak of 53 consecutive made extra points is also a new school record. His 270 points are the most in school history by a kicker and second amongst all Pioneers. His 45 career field goals made are a new Tusculum record and tied for 25th most in NCAA II history. He is on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List, which recognizes the top kicker in the country. Rowlands is also a two-time ESPN Academic All-District selection.
Ruiz, a 6-2, 310-pound senior offensive lineman from Atlanta, Ga., earns All-Region honors for the first time in his career. The two-time All-Conference honoree graded out at 80 percent for the season, while recording 75 knockdown blocks and allowed just two sacks on the year. The 2010 All-SAC First Team pick anchored an offensive line that allowed just .056 sacks per pass attempt (641 total pass attempts).
Rodriguez also earns his inaugural All-Region honor, after garnering a spot as the All-SAC Second Team tight end. The 6-2, 190-pound junior from Columbia, S.C., finished third on the team with his 70 receptions, averaging seven catches per game, which is the 19th best average in the country this year. Rodriguez tallied 727 yards and a school single-season record nine TD receptions.
Smith rounds out the All-Region honorees for the Pioneers. The 6-6, 230-pound defensive end from Riverdale, Ga., led the Pioneers with 16 tackles for loss, which are tied for the third most in school history. The 2010 All-SAC Second Team selection finished with 48 tackles (5th on the team), including three sacks, four pass break-ups, forced two fumbles, recovered one and blocked an extra point.
Cordell, Gist and Rowlands now advance to the national ballot as the 2010 Daktronics All-America Team will be announced later this month.
Hardesty was named the Region’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Valdosta State linebacker Larry Dean was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year.
The Pioneers finished the year with a 6-5 record for the program’s 10 winning season in the last 12 years.
The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. Voting for the all-region and All-American teams is powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM, the official host site of TusculumPioneers.com.
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2010 Daktronics All-Super Region 2 Football Team
First Team Offense
QB – Bo Cordell, Tusculum
QB – Nick Hardesty, Henderson State
RB – Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill
RB – Kale Gelles, Harding
OL – Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Kyle Thornton, North Alabama
OL – Michael Tribue, Carson-Newman
OL – Matt Holmes, Newberry
OL – Michael Mavromichalis, Albany State
TE – Sean McGrath, Henderson State
WR – Deonte’ Gist, Tusculum
WR – Gerald Worsham, West Alabama
RS – Perry Floyd, Wingate
PK – Gareth Rowlands, Tusculum
First Team Defense
DL – Courtney Harris, North Alabama
DL – Cedric Thornton, Southern Arkansas
DL – Maurice Harris, Mars Hill
LB – Larry Dean, Valdosta State
LB – Harrison Bryant, North Alabama
LB – Rudy Cabral, Mars Hill
LB – Adam Deese, UNC Pembroke
CB – Stevie Harden, Valdosta State
CB – Chad Daniel, North Alabama
S – Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
S – Ron Parker, Newberry
P – Jack Fulford, Valdosta State
Second Team Offense
RB – Trevar Deed, Delta State
RB – Nate Inman, Carson-Newman
OL – Mike Arndt, Wingate
OL – Hannibal Ruiz, Tusculum
OL – Phillip Yandall, Delta State
OL – Mike Tuimavave, Henderson State
OL – LJ Tarrant, Harding
TE – Michael Rodriguez, Tusculum
WR – David Pressley, Newberry
WR – LJ Castile, Delta State
RS – LJ McCray, Catawba
PK – Jason Fowler, Ouachita Baptist
Second Team Defense
DL – Derrin Nettles, Morehouse
DL – Jacob Hardwick, Albany State
DL – Terrence Smith, Tusculum
LB – Xavier Triplett, Delta State
LB – Derrick Addai, Kentucky State
LB – Greg Harmon, Wingate
LB – Hilliard Foster, North Alabama
CB – Prathon Wilkerson, Albany State
CB – Jumal Rolle, Catawba
S – Garrett Williams, Delta State
S – Antonio Charles, Arkansas Tech
P – Derek Johnson, Arkansas-Monticello
Region Offensive Player of the Year: Nick Hardesty, Henderson State
Region Defensive Player of the Year: Larry Dean, Valdosta State
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