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Florida A&M quarterback Ryan Stanley was selected BOXTOROW Offensive Player of the Year and heads the list of the BOXTOROW Superlative Awards, part of the BOXTOROW All-America Team, which was released last week.
The redshirt senior from Pembroke Pines, Fla. led Florida A&M to a 9-2 record, the best in the MEAC. Stanley leads the MEAC in passing yards per game (256.6), is second in the MEAC in completion percentage (60.1), and his 23 touchdown passes are tied for the league in the MEAC. He also leads the MEAC in pass efficiency (146.6). Stanley threw for 2,566 yards and just seven interceptions and threw for 300 or more yards in a game three times, including a game of more than 400 yards. He was also named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and this year he became FAMU’s career leader in completions, attempts, passing yards, and touchdowns.
North Carolina Central defensive lineman Darius Royster was named BOXTOROW Willie Davis Defensive Player of the Year.
Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson and South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough were both voted BOXTOROW Coaches of the Year.
North Carolina A&T kicker Noel Ruiz was voted the BOXTOROW Special Teams Player of the Year.
Alcorn State quarterback Felix Harper was named Impact Player of the Year, an award given by BOXTOROW.
Alabama A&M wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Alabama A&M was named BOXTOROW Rookie of the Year.
Royster, a redshirt-senior from Chesapeake, Va., was also named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and is tied for the lead in the MEAC in sacks (9) and tackles for loss (16) and leads the league in forced fumbles (3). Royster also registered 75 tackles (44 solo).
Ruiz leads FCS in field goals made per game (1.9) and has connected on 21-of-25 field goals. He is fifth in FCS in field goal percentage (.840) and second in the MEAC in scoring (102 points).
Harper took over the reigns for the Braves in the third game of the season and led the Braves to their second straight SWAC championship. Harper is completing 63 percent of his passes, second in the SWAC and is also second in the SWAC in touchdown passes (29) and passing yards (2,387). His 169.2 pass efficiency leads the SWAC and is fifth in FCS. He has thrown for 300 or more yards in a game twice and has just five interceptions on the season. He was also named SWAC Offensive Player of the Year.
Ibrahim finished second in the SWAC in receptions (59) and receiving yards per game (91.3). His 1,004 yards receiving was third in the SWAC and his 11 receiving touchdowns was fourth. Ibrahim averaged 17.0 yards per reception. He was named SWAC Freshman of the Year.
Royster, Harper, and Ruiz were also selected to the BOXTOROW All-America Team.
Wilson, in his 11th season as head coach, led the Bowie State Bulldogs to an 11-1 record, including an undefeated regular season and second straight CIAA championship game victory. The Bulldogs also participated in the national playoffs for the second straight year. Pough, in his 18th season as the head coach of the South Carolina State Bulldogs, led the Bulldogs to a share of the MEAC title. This was Pough’s seventh MEAC title as head coach, as SCSU finished 8-3.
The voters of the BOXTOROW Superlative Awards are comprised of media members from around the country that cover HBCU football.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2019 Ryan Stanley, Florida A&M
2018 Amir Hall, Bowie State
2017 Amir Hall, Bowie State
2016 Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
2015 Johnathan Williams, Grambling State
2014 John Gibbs, Jr., Alcorn State
2013 Dray Joseph, Southern
2012 Kameron Smith, Winston-Salem State
2011 Casey Therriault, Jackson State
2010 Frank Warren, Grambling State
2009 Will Ford, South Carolina State
2008 Will Ford, South Carolina State
2007 Jacary Atkinson, Tuskegee
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2019 Darius Royster, North Carolina Central
2018 Darryl Johnson, North Carolina A&T
2017 Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
2016 Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
2015 Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
2014 Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
2013 Darnell Evans, Shaw
2012 Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
2011 Adrian Hamilton, Prairie View A&M
2010 Kenrick Ellis, Hampton
2009 Christian Anthony, Grambling
2008 Marcellus Speaks, Jackson State
2007 Zach East, Prairie View A&M
COACHES OF THE YEAR
2019 Buddy Pough, South Carolina State/Damon Wilson, Bowie State
2018 Sam Washington, North Carolina A&T
2017 Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T
2016 Broderick Fobbs, Grambling State and Jerry Mack, North Carolina Central
2015 Broderick Fobbs, Grambling State
2014 Jay Hopson, Alcorn State
2013 Rod Reed, Tennessee State
2012 Connell Maynor, Winston-Salem State
2011 Connell Maynor, Winston-Salem State
2010 Brian Jenkins, Bethune-Cookman
2009 Henry Frazier, Prairie View A&M
2008 Rod Broadway, Grambling State
2007 Al Lavan, Delaware State
ROOKIES/NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR
2019 Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Alabama A&M
2018 Dejuan Miller, Arkansas Pine Bluff
2017 Caylin Newton, Howard
2016 Jordan Bentley, Alabama A&M
2015 Dorrel McClain, North Carolina Central/Hakeem Holland, Virginia Union
2014 Austin Howard, Southern
2013 Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
2012 Damon Gresham Chisholm, Howard
2011 Greg McGhee, Howard
2010 Casey Therriault, Jackson State
2009 Ari Johnson, Grambling State
2008 Greg Dillon, Grambling State
2007 Frank Warren, Grambling State
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2019 Noel Ruiz, North Carolina A&T
2018 Malik Wilson, North Carolina A&T
2017 Trenton Cannon, Virginia State
2016 Willie Quinn, Southern
2015 Willie Quinn, Southern
IMPACT AWARD
2019 Felix Harper, Alcorn State
2018 De’Shawn Waller, Alcorn State
2017 Caylin Newton, Howard
2016 DeVante Kincade, Grambling
2015 Lenorris Footman, Alcorn State