MAC Announces 2018 All-MAC First, Second, Third Teams and Postseason Awards



MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2018 POST SEASON AWARDS;

NIU DEFENSIVE END SUTTON SMITH NAMED MAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR & VERN SMITH LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER



Cleveland, Ohio – A total of 38 repeat selections from last year’s All-MAC teams highlight the 2018 postseason football awards in the Mid-American Conference as Buffalo, Northern Illinois and Toledo swept the annual awards.



Northern Illinois junior defensive end Sutton Smith was tabbed as the winner of the 37th Vern Smith Leadership Award as the top player in the MAC and was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Buffalo Head Coach Lance Leipold was selected as the MAC Head Coach of the Year, while Bulls junior quarterback Tyree Jackson was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and Bulls running back Jaret Patterson was selected as the MAC Freshman of the Year. Toledo junior kickoff returner and punt returner Diontae Johnson was named MAC Special Teams Player of the Year.



2018 MAC Specialty Award Winners

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



Leipold is in his fourth season in leading the Buffalo program and has the Bulls in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game for the first time since 2008. Leipold has led the program to its first-ever 10-win season since making the move to FBS and joining the MAC in 1999. Leipold has the Bulls bowl eligible for the second consecutive season as the program’s win total has increased from two wins in 2016, six wins in 2017 and 10 wins in 2018.



Smith, a native of St. Charles, Mo., exploded on the college football scene in 2017 and led the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss as a sophomore as he earned consensus All-American status. Smith responded once again with another special season as he has started in all 12 games this season and ranks fourth in the nation with 13.0 sacks and sixth in the country with 21.0 tackles for loss. He ranks sixth on the Huskies with 46 tackles and is tied for the lead in the MAC with four forced fumbles and three recovered fumbles. Smith has added two blocked kicks as well. Smith is part of a NIU defense that ranks first in the MAC in total defense (344.0 ypg), scoring defense (20.9 ppg) and rush defense (107.0 ypg) as the Huskies posted a 7-5 overall record and their first West Division title since 2015. NIU is now bowl eligible for the 10th time in the last 11 years.



Jackson, a native of Norton Shores, Mich., started all 12 games this season for Buffalo and led the Bulls offense with 2,605 yards passing and 25 touchdowns on his 187-337 passing for a 55.5 completion percentage. His 2,605 yards and 25 passing touchdowns both rank second in the MAC.



Patterson, a native of Glendale, Md., led Buffalo and ranked fifth in the MAC with 874 yards rushing and his 12 touchdowns were tied for third in the league. Patterson appeared in all 12 games as a freshman and averaged 5.8 yards per carry and averaged 72.8 yards per game.



Johnson, a native of Ruskin, Fla., led the MAC in punt return average with 18.3 yards per return on 12 returns for 220 yards and one touchdown, an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown at Kent State on Nov. 15. Johnson also ranked second in the league with a 25.8 kickoff return average on his 16 returns for 412 yards and one touchdown, a 98-yard kickoff return for a score. For his career, Johnson has four returns for touchdowns – two punt returns and two kickoff returns.



Buffalo and Ohio led the way in 2018 with six First-Team selections, followed by Central Michigan with four First-Team selections and Northern Illinois and Toledo with three First-Team honorees. Overall, Buffalo set the pace with 11 All-MAC honorees, followed by Eastern Michigan and Toledo with 10 All-MAC selections and NIU and Ohio with nine All-MAC honorees.



Northern Illinois senior offensive tackle Max Scharping was the only three-time First Team All-MAC honoree in this year’s honors. There were eight students named to their second First Team All-MAC selection: wide receiver Anthony Johnson (Buffalo), wide receiver and punt returner Diontae Johnson (Toledo), wide receiver Cody Thompson (Toledo), inside linebacker Khalil Hodge (Buffalo), inside linebacker Malik Fountain (Central Michigan), defensive end Sutton Smith (Northern Illinois) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (Eastern Michigan).



2018 MAC Specialty Award Winners

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



2018 FIRST TEAM ALL-MAC

2018 All-MAC First Team Offense

Position – Name - School

Quarterback – Tyree Jackson, Buffalo

Offensive Linemen – Max Scharping, Northern Illinois &@

Offensive Linemen – Luke Juriga, Western Michigan +

Offensive Lineman – Joe Lowery, Ohio +

Offensive Linemen – James O’Hagan, Buffalo %^

Offensive Linemen – Joe Anderson, Ohio +

Tight End – Tyler Mabry, Buffalo

Wide Receiver – Anthony Johnson, Buffalo &

Wide Receiver – Diontae Johnson, Toledo &

Wide Receiver – Cody Thompson, Toledo @

Wide Receiver – Papi White, Ohio +

Running Back – LeVante Bellamy, Western Michigan

Running Back – A.J. Ouellette, Ohio +

Placekicker – Matt Trickett, Kent State



2018 All-MAC First Team Defense

Position – Name - School

Outside Linebacker – Brad Koenig, Miami

Outside Linebacker – Antonio Jones-Davis, Northern Illinois

Inside Linebacker – Khalil Hodge, Buffalo

Inside Linebacker – Malik Fountain, Central Michigan +@

Down Lineman – Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois &

Down Lineman – Maxx Crosby, Eastern Michigan &

Down Lineman – Michael Danna, Central Michigan

Down Lineman – Chuck Harris, Buffalo %

Defensive Back – Alvin Davis, Akron +

Defensive Back – Sean Bunting, Central Michigan

Defensive Back – Javon Hagan, Ohio +#

Defensive Back – Xavier Crawford, Central Michigan

Punter – Michael Farkas, Ohio ^



2018 All-MAC First Team Specialists

Position – Name - School

Kickoff Return Specialist – Maurice Thomas, Miami ^

Punt Return Specialist – Diontae Johnson, Toledo &



2018 SECOND TEAM ALL-MAC

2018 All-MAC Second Team Offense

Position – Name - School

Quarterback – Nathan Rourke, Ohio +

Offensive Lineman – John Keenoy, Western Michigan

Offensive Lineman – Bryce Harris, Toledo

Offensive Lineman – Luke Shively, Northern Illinois

Offensive Lineman – Durrell Wood, Ohio

Offensive Lineman – Evin Ksiezarczyk, Buffalo

Tight End – Reggie Gilliam, Toledo

Wide Receiver – K.J. Osborn, Buffalo

Wide Receiver – Scott Miller, Bowling Green %@

Wide Receiver – Jayden Reed, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver – Riley Miller, Ball State

Running Back – Tre Harbison, Northern Illinois

Running Back – Jaret Patterson, Buffalo

Placekicker – Ryan Tice, Central Michigan



2018 All-MAC Second Team Defense

Position – Name - School

Outside Linebacker – Evan Croutch, Ohio

Outside Linebacker – Ulysees Gilbert III, Akron &@

Inside Linebacker – Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois

Inside Linebacker – Kyle Rachwal, Eastern Michigan

Down Lineman – Josh Corcoran, Northern Illinois %

Down Lineman – Jamal Davis, Akron %

Down Lineman – Kalil Morris, Kent State

Down Lineman – Doug Costin, Miami

Defensive Back – Cameron Lewis, Buffalo

Defensive Back – Kevin McGill, Eastern Michigan

Defensive Back – Mykelti Williams, Northern Illinois

Defensive Back – Kyron Brown, Akron

Punter – Jake Julien, Eastern Michigan



2018 All-MAC Second Team Specialists

Position – Name - School

Kickoff Return Specialist – Diontae Johnson, Toledo +

Punt Return Specialist – Jayden Reed, Western Michigan



2018 THIRD TEAM ALL-MAC

2018 All-MAC Third Team Offense

Position – Name - School

Quarterback – Gus Ragland, Miami

Offensive Lineman – Jimmy Leatiota, Eastern Michigan +

Offensive Lineman – Danny Godlevske, Miami

Offensive Lineman – Steve Nielsen, Eastern Michigan

Offensive Lineman – Jack Kramer, Bowling Green

Offensive Lineman – Jordan Rigg, Miami %

Tight End – Giovanni Ricci, Western Michigan

Wide Receiver – Blake Banham, Eastern Michigan

Wide Receiver – Justin Hall, Ball State +

Wide Receiver – Jon’Vea Johnson, Toledo #

Wide Receiver – Jack Sorenson, Miami

Running Back – Andrew Clair, Bowling Green %

Running Back – Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan !

Placekicker – Jameson Vest, Toledo &



2018 All-MAC Third Team Defense

Position – Name - School

Outside Linebacker – John Lako, Akron

Outside Linebacker – Christian Albright, Ball State

Inside Linebacker – Brian Bell, Akron

Inside Linebacker – Jacob White, Ball State

Down Lineman – Tuzar Skipper, Toledo

Down Lineman – Jack Heflin, Northern Illinois

Down Lineman – Jeremiah Harris, Eastern Michigan +^

Down Lineman – Nate Brisson-Fast, Central Michigan

Defensive Back – Marcus Milton, Bowling Green

Defensive Back – Vince Calhoun, Eastern Michigan %

Defensive Back – Brody Hoying, Eastern Michigan &

Defensive Back – Josh Teachey, Toledo

Punter – Kyle Kramer, Miami



2018 All-MAC Third Team Specialists

Position – Name - School

Kickoff Return Specialist – Malik Dunner, Ball State %

Punt Return Specialist – K.J. Osborn, Buffalo



& 2017 First-Team All-MAC

+ 2017 Second-Team All-MAC

% 2017 Third-Team All-MAC



@ 2016 First-Team All-MAC

# 2016 Second-Team All-MAC

^ 2016 Third-Team All-MAC



= 2015 First-Team All-MAC

* 2015 Second-Team All-MAC

! 2015 Third-Team All-MAC