Ohio senior De’Montre Tuggle (24) slips the grasp of an Akron defender, during the Bobcats’ Nov. 10 win at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio.
Alex Hawley|OVP Sports
Ohio redshirt senior Austin Conrad (47) pressures the Akron quarterback, during a Nov. 11 game at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio.
Alex Hawley|OVP Sports
ATHENS, Ohio — Three games, three honorees.
The Ohio University football team — which went 2-1 this season — had three players fill four spots on the 2020 Mid-American Conference teams, as voted on by the 12 league head coaches.
Senior De’Montre Tuggle was a double honoree for the Bobcats, being selected to the second team as a running back and as a kickoff return specialist. Tuggle carried the ball 53 times for a team-best 403 yards and six touchdowns, while returning four kickoffs for a total of 180 yards, 93 of which came on a touchdown to start the second half at Central Michigan.
On the second team defense as a down lineman for the Bobcats was redshirt senior Austin Conrad, who had 16 tackles, including 14 solo, three tackles for a loss, and one sack.
Senior center Brett Kitrell was named to the third team offensive line, helping Ohio rush for 216.7 yards per game this year.
All-three Bobcats are first-time all-conference selections.
Buffalo’s Lance Leipold was league Coach of the Year. Bulls’ running back Jaret Patterson was Offensive Player of the Year, and also won the Vern Smith Leadership Award.
Defensive Player of the Year was shared by Central Michigan defensive end Troy Hairston II, and Ball State linebacker Brandon Martin. Special Teams Player of the Year was Western Michigan kickoff returner D’Wayne “Dee” Eskridge. Freshman of the Year was Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan running back.
The 2020 MAC championship game between Buffalo and Ball State is slated to kickoff at 7:30 on Friday at Ford Field in Detroit.
2020 All-MAC Football Teams
First Team Offense
QB – Dustin Crum, Kent State
OL – Kayode Awosika, Buffalo +
OL – Mike Novitsky, Buffalo
OL – Tommy Doyle, Miami &
OL – Bryce Harris, Toledo #
OL – Mike Caliendo, Western Michigan +
TE – Quintin Morris, Bowling Green +
WR – Justin Hall, Ball State &^
WR – Isaiah McKoy, Kent State %
WR – Tyrice Richie, Northern Illinois
WR – D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
RB – Teon Dollard, Akron
RB – Jaret Patterson, Buffalo &#
PK – Marshall Meeder, Central Michigan
First Team Defense
OLB – Anthony Ekpe, Ball State
OLB – Troy Brown, Central Michigan &
ILB – Brandon Martin, Ball State
ILB – James Patterson, Buffalo
DL – Malcolm Koonce, Buffalo &
DL – Ralph Holley, Western Michigan
DL – Troy Hairston II, Central Michigan
DL – Mohamed Diallo, Central Michigan
DB– Bryce Cosby, Ball State
DB– Willie Reid, Central Michigan
DB– Noski LaFleur, Eastern Michigan
DB– Bricen Garner, Western Michigan
P – Luke Elzinga, Central Michigan
First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
Kickoff Return Specialist – Justin Hall, Ball State &
Special Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Lance Leipold, Buffalo
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Troy Hairston II, DE, Central Michigan; Brandon Martin, LB, Ball State
Special Teams Player of the Year: D’Wayne “Dee” Eskridge, WR/KOR, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
Second Team Offense
QB – Drew Plitt, Ball State
OL – Curtis Blackwell, Ball State %
OL – Jake Fuzak, Buffalo
OL – Derek Smith, Central Michigan
OL – Bill Kuduk, Kent State
OL – Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan +
TE – Daniel Crawford, Northern Illinois
WR – Antonio Nunn, Buffalo %
WR – Kalil Pimpleton, Central Michigan &
WR – Jack Sorenson, Miami ^
WR – Skyy Moore, Western Michigan &
RB – De’Montre Tuggle, Ohio
RB – La’Darius Jefferson, Western Michigan
PK – Chad Ryland, Eastern Michigan
Second Team Defense
OLB – Christian Albright, Ball State ^
OLB – Jamal Hines, Toledo %
ILB – Bubba Arslanian, Akron
ILB – Terry Myrick, Eastern Michigan
DL – Turan Rush, Eastern Michigan
DL – Weston Kramer, Northern Illinois
DL – Desjuan Johnson, Toledo
DL – Austin Conrad, Ohio
DB– Antonio Phillips, Ball State &
DB– Jordan Gandy, Northern Illinois
DB– Tycen Anderson, Toledo
DB– Nate Bauer, Toledo
P – Nathan Snyder, Ball State
Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois
Kickoff Return Specialist – De’Montre Tuggle, Ohio
Third Team Offense
QB – Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan
OL – Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan
OL – Nathan Monnin, Kent State
OL – Danny Godlevske, Miami %^
OL – Brayden Patton, Northern Illinois
OL – Brett Kitrell, Ohio
TE – Zac Lefebvre, Buffalo
WR – Yo’Heinz Tyler, Ball State
WR – Hassan Beydoun, Eastern Michigan
WR – Isaiah Winstead, Toledo
WR – Jaylen Hall, Western Michigan
RB – Caleb Huntley, Ball State +
RB – Kevin Marks, Buffalo
PK – Alex McNulty, Buffalo
Third Team Defense
OLB – Kholbe Coleman, Bowling Green %
ILB – Jaylin Thomas, Ball State %
ILB – Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois #
ILB – Treshaun Hayward, Western Michigan &
DL – Eddie Wilson, Buffalo
DL – Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
DL – Kam Butler, Miami +
DL – Lonnie Phelps, Miami
DB – A.J. Watts, Akron
DB – Devonni Reed, Central Michigan
DB – Emmanuel Rugamba, Miami %
DB – Devin Lafayette, Northern Illinois
P – Nick Mihalic, Western Michigan
Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Bryson Denley, Bowling Green
Kickoff Return Specialist – Ron Cook, Buffalo
& 2019 First-Team All-MAC
+ 2019 Second-Team All-MAC
% 2019 Third-Team All-MAC
@ 2018 First-Team All-MAC
# 2018 Second-Team All-MAC
^ 2018 Third-Team All-MAC
= 2017 First-Team All-MAC
* 2017 Second-Team All-MAC
! 2017 Third-Team All-MAC
© 2020 Ohio Valley Publishing, all rights reserved.
Alex Hawley can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2100.
