Murrell2878
01-17-2007, 06:12 PM
Okay, so what. This may be a bit of a 'homer' pick.
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4 Mountaineers on All-America team
12/13/2006 2:52 PM
By: Ralph D. Russo, Associated Press
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Defensive end Marques Murrell
was one of 4 Mountaineers selected
to the Associated Press I-AA All-America
team.
NEW YORK -- No wonder Appalachian State is set to play for its second consecutive I-AA national championship. The Mountaineers have a roster dotted with All-Americans.
Appalachian State placed four players on The Associated Press I-AA All-America team released Wednesday, and had two more players make the third team.
Defensive end Marques Murrell, safety Jeremy Wiggins and offensive linemen Kerry Brown and Michael Isenhour were selected to the first team, and running back Kevin Richardson, who leads the nation with 27 touchdowns, and tight end Daniel Bettis were third-team picks.
No other school had more than two first-teamers or four players on the three teams.
The Mountaineers (13-1) face Massachusetts (13-1) in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Friday night.
Coastal Carolina's Tyler Thigpen, second in the nation in total offense with 3,952 yards, is the All-American quarterback in a backfield with two Gateway conference runners. Southern Illinois' Arkee Whitlock and Youngstown State's Marcus Mason each has run for more than 1,800 yards.
The receivers are New Hampshire's David Ball, who broke Jerry Rice's NCAA record for touchdown receptions this year, and Alex Watson of Northern Arizona.
Ball, Hampton linebacker Justin Durant and Murrell repeated as All-Americans.
Murrell has 12.5 sacks this season, and left a lasting impression in the 2005 national title game against Northern Iowa. He forced a fumble that linemate Jason Hunter returned for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 21-16 victory.
"He's got good foot speed and is a great competitor," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said of Murrell.
The senior forced six fumbles this season. Moore said NFL teams are looking at the 245-pound Murrell as a possible outside linebacker.
Wiggins holds down the back end of a defense allowing 14.7 points per game. The senior safety has 77 tackles, five interceptions and three recovered fumbles.
"He's undersized by Division I standards, but he's like a lot of guys that play in the NFL _ 5-9, 5-10 defensive backs who anticipate things well," Moore said. "He's been a key player all along for us. A great leader on and off the field."
Richardson leads the nation with 162 points, despite sitting out much of the second half in six Appalachian State blowouts this season. Bettis played both ways for the Mountaineers early in the season, also seeing time at defensive end.
"In the last month, he's really come on and had a really big year," Moore said. "He's such a team guy."
Joining Brown and Isenhour on the line is Alex Miller of UMass, one of three schools with two first-team All-Americans. Defensive back James Ihedigbo was the Minutemen's other All-American.
UMass running back Steve Baylark made the second team.
Portland State had offensive lineman Brennan Carvalho and linebacker Adam Hayward selected as All-Americans.
McNeese State had receiver/returner Steven Whitehead, the Southland Conference offensive player of the year, picked as the all-purpose player, and defensive end Bryan Smith, who had 12.5 sacks.
Offensive tackle Ed McCarthy of Yale was lone Ivy Leaguer to make first team and Montana's Dan Carpenter is the All-American kicker with 113 points and 24 field goals.
The rest of the defensive line features the nation's leaders in sacks per game. Southeast Missouri State's Edgar Jones averaged 1.20 sacks per game, and Maine's Matt King 1.05.
Cameron Siskowic of Illinois State is the other linebacker. He, Durant and Hayward were defensive players of the year in their respective conferences.
Joining Wiggins and Ihedigbo in the secondary is Dre Dokes of Northern Iowa, the nation's leader in interceptions, and Jonathan Brass, who had six picks for UC Davis.
All-American punter Breck Ackley of Southern leads the nation with a 45.47-yard average.
Northern Arizona's Jason Murrietta is the second team quarterback and San Diego's Josh Johnson, who leads the nation in total offense, is the third team QB.
Justice Hairston of Central Connecticut, the nation's leading rusher at 168 yards per game, made the third team.
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4 Mountaineers on All-America team
12/13/2006 2:52 PM
By: Ralph D. Russo, Associated Press
To view links in this forum your post count must be 10 or greater. Your post count is 0 momentarily.
Defensive end Marques Murrell
was one of 4 Mountaineers selected
to the Associated Press I-AA All-America
team.
NEW YORK -- No wonder Appalachian State is set to play for its second consecutive I-AA national championship. The Mountaineers have a roster dotted with All-Americans.
Appalachian State placed four players on The Associated Press I-AA All-America team released Wednesday, and had two more players make the third team.
Defensive end Marques Murrell, safety Jeremy Wiggins and offensive linemen Kerry Brown and Michael Isenhour were selected to the first team, and running back Kevin Richardson, who leads the nation with 27 touchdowns, and tight end Daniel Bettis were third-team picks.
No other school had more than two first-teamers or four players on the three teams.
The Mountaineers (13-1) face Massachusetts (13-1) in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Friday night.
Coastal Carolina's Tyler Thigpen, second in the nation in total offense with 3,952 yards, is the All-American quarterback in a backfield with two Gateway conference runners. Southern Illinois' Arkee Whitlock and Youngstown State's Marcus Mason each has run for more than 1,800 yards.
The receivers are New Hampshire's David Ball, who broke Jerry Rice's NCAA record for touchdown receptions this year, and Alex Watson of Northern Arizona.
Ball, Hampton linebacker Justin Durant and Murrell repeated as All-Americans.
Murrell has 12.5 sacks this season, and left a lasting impression in the 2005 national title game against Northern Iowa. He forced a fumble that linemate Jason Hunter returned for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 21-16 victory.
"He's got good foot speed and is a great competitor," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said of Murrell.
The senior forced six fumbles this season. Moore said NFL teams are looking at the 245-pound Murrell as a possible outside linebacker.
Wiggins holds down the back end of a defense allowing 14.7 points per game. The senior safety has 77 tackles, five interceptions and three recovered fumbles.
"He's undersized by Division I standards, but he's like a lot of guys that play in the NFL _ 5-9, 5-10 defensive backs who anticipate things well," Moore said. "He's been a key player all along for us. A great leader on and off the field."
Richardson leads the nation with 162 points, despite sitting out much of the second half in six Appalachian State blowouts this season. Bettis played both ways for the Mountaineers early in the season, also seeing time at defensive end.
"In the last month, he's really come on and had a really big year," Moore said. "He's such a team guy."
Joining Brown and Isenhour on the line is Alex Miller of UMass, one of three schools with two first-team All-Americans. Defensive back James Ihedigbo was the Minutemen's other All-American.
UMass running back Steve Baylark made the second team.
Portland State had offensive lineman Brennan Carvalho and linebacker Adam Hayward selected as All-Americans.
McNeese State had receiver/returner Steven Whitehead, the Southland Conference offensive player of the year, picked as the all-purpose player, and defensive end Bryan Smith, who had 12.5 sacks.
Offensive tackle Ed McCarthy of Yale was lone Ivy Leaguer to make first team and Montana's Dan Carpenter is the All-American kicker with 113 points and 24 field goals.
The rest of the defensive line features the nation's leaders in sacks per game. Southeast Missouri State's Edgar Jones averaged 1.20 sacks per game, and Maine's Matt King 1.05.
Cameron Siskowic of Illinois State is the other linebacker. He, Durant and Hayward were defensive players of the year in their respective conferences.
Joining Wiggins and Ihedigbo in the secondary is Dre Dokes of Northern Iowa, the nation's leader in interceptions, and Jonathan Brass, who had six picks for UC Davis.
All-American punter Breck Ackley of Southern leads the nation with a 45.47-yard average.
Northern Arizona's Jason Murrietta is the second team quarterback and San Diego's Josh Johnson, who leads the nation in total offense, is the third team QB.
Justice Hairston of Central Connecticut, the nation's leading rusher at 168 yards per game, made the third team.