Mid-American Conference

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