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VERN SMITH LEADERSHIP AWARD - CHANDLER HARNISH (NIU)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - CHANDLER HARNISH (NIU)
Northern Illinois senior quarterback Chandler Harnish (Bluffton, Ind.) was tabbed as the winner of the 30th Vern Smith Leadership Award, as voted on by the conference head coaches.  The award is presented annually to the conference’s top football player in honor of Vern Smith, the former University of Toledo Athletic Director. 
 
Harnish led the Huskies to a 7-1 conference record, 9-3 overall, as he has rushed for 1,351 yards and passed for another 2,692 yards this season.  Harnish ranks 15th in the country in rushing yards per game and also in passing efficiency.  He has totaled 2,955 career rushing yards and 8,420 career passing yards and needs only 45 rushing yards to become only the third quarterback in FBS history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 8,000 yards in a career.  

COACH OF THE YEAR - RON ENGLISH (EMU)
In other awards voted by the MAC News Media Association, Eastern Michigan head coach Ron English was named as the MAC Head Coach of the Year, while Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish was honored as the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF TEH YEAR - DREW NOWAK (WMU)
Western Michigan defensive lineman Drew Nowak was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Ohio kicker Matt Weller garnered Special Teams Player of the Year honors, and Bowling Green freshman running back Anthon Samuel was named MAC Freshman of the Year.
 
English, in his third year as head coach of Eastern Michigan, orchestrated a dramatic turnaround for the Eagles program with a 6-6 overall record, 4-4 in conference play.  In his previous two seasons at Eastern Michigan, the Eagles finished 2-10 in 2010 and were 0-12 in 2009.  Eastern Michigan, which had the third best defense in the MAC and the fourth best rushing offense in the conference, finished one game shy of being bowl eligible. 
 
Harnish, who set a school single-season record with 4,043 total yards of offense, will finish his career in DeKalb with 13 school career offensive records.  Earlier this year, Harnish became one of only ten players in FBS history to rush for over 200 yards and pass for over 200 yards in the same contest when he passed for 203 yards and rushed for 229 yards in a win over Western Michigan.
 
Nowak, a native of Green Bay, Wis., tied for the lead in the MAC with 8.5 sacks and ranked second with 20 tackles for loss.  In addition, Nowak totaled 83 tackles on the year, which ranked third on the team and also tied for 20th in the conference.
 
Weller, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, leads the conference with 22 field goals, and his long of 49 yards is tied for the longest field goal made by any kicker in the conference this season.  Weller set a career-high with five field goals in a 29-28 win at Bowling Green on Nov. 16 to help the Bobcats clinch the MAC East Division.
 
Samuel, a native of Opa Locka, Fla., rushed 144 times for 844 yards and five rushing touchdowns.  His 844 yards rushing set a school record for the most rushing yards by a freshman.  Samuel also had five games this season where he rushed for over 100 yards.
 
TOLEDO LEADS FIRST TEAM SELECTIONS, OHIO FIRST OVERALL
Toledo led the way with five first team selections, followed by Northern Illinois, Temple and Bowling Green with four first team selections.  Overall, Ohio set the pace with 11 honorees, followed by Temple with 10 honorees, while Northern Illinois added nine.  Ball State, Toledo and Western Michigan each had eight honorees.
 
THREE-TIME FIRST TEAMERS
Temple featured two student-athletes represented for their third consecutive first-team All-MAC selections.  Running back Bernard Pierce has garnered first team accolades since his freshman year in 2009, and has consistently responded with first-team All-MAC honors as a sophomore and now his junior season, along with his 25 rushing touchdowns. His Temple teammate, Adrian Robinson, was named a first team All-MAC selection as a sophomore in 2009 at defensive end.  Robinson was named first-team All-MAC in 2010 at outside linebacker as a junior, before once again being named first-team All-MAC as a defensive end as a senior. 
 
TWO-TIMER FIRST TEAMERS
There were a total of nine student-athletes named to their second consecutive first team selection:  QB Chandler Harnish (Northern Illinois), C Scott Wedige (Northern Illinois); OL Trevor Olson (Northern Illinois); OL Joe Flading (Ohio), TE Evan Rodriquez (Temple), WR Jordan White (Western Michigan), Eric Page as both wide receiver and kick returner (Toledo), WR Kamar Jorden (Bowling Green) and DT Roosevelt Nix (Kent State).
 
2011 MAC Specialty Award Winners

Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner:  QB Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year:  Ron English, Eastern Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year:  QB Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
Defensive Player of the Year:  DL Drew Nowak, Western Michigan
Special Teams Player of the Year: K Matt Weller, Ohio
Freshman of the Year:  RB Anthon Samuel, Bowling Green
 
2011 All-MAC First Team Offense

Position – Name - School
Quarterback – Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois @
Center – Scott Wedige, Northern Illinois @
Offensive Linemen – Mike VanDerMeulen, Toledo %
Offensive Lineman – Trevor Olson, Northern Illinois @
Offensive Lineman – Joe Flading, Ohio @&
Offensive Linemen – Pat Boyle, Temple
Tight End – Evan Rodriquez, Temple @
Wide Receiver – Jordan White, Western Michigan @
Wide Receiver – Eric Page, Toledo @!
Wide Receiver – Nick Harwell, Miami #
Wide Receiver – Kamar Jorden, Bowling Green @
Running Back - Bernard Pierce, Temple @ ^
Running Back –Branden Oliver, Buffalo
Placekicker –Mathew Sims, Northern Illinois
 
2011 All-MAC First Team Defense

Position – Name - School
Outside Linebacker –Aaron Morris, Ball State
Outside Linebacker – Khalil Mack, Buffalo
Inside Linebacker – Brian Wagner, Akron !
Inside Linebacker - Dwayne Woods, Bowling Green #
Down Lineman – Roosevelt Nix, Kent State @
Down Lineman – Adrian Robinson, Temple @ ^
Down Lineman – Chris Jones, Bowling Green %
Down Lineman – Drew Nowak, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Jahleel Addae, Central Michigan %
Defensive Back – Dayonne Nunley, Miami
Defensive Back – Desmond Marrow, Toledo
Defensive Back – Sean Baker, Ball State #
Punter – Brian Schmeidebusch, Bowling Green
 
2011 All-MAC First Team Specialists

Position – Name - School
Kickoff Return Specialist – Eric Page, Toledo @
Punt Return Specialist –Eric Page, Toledo
 
 
2011 All-MAC Second Team Offense

Position – Name - School
Quarterback – Alex Carder, Western Michigan %
Center – Zac Kerin, Toledo
Offensive Lineman - Brandon Brooks, Miami # !
Offensive Lineman – Jordan Hansel, Ball State
Offensive Lineman – Brian Winters, Kent State %
Offensive Lineman – Eric Herman, Ohio
Tight End – David Blackburn, Central Michigan
Wide Receiver – LaVon Brazill, Ohio !
Wide Receiver – Briggs Orsbon, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Perez Ashford, Northern Illinois
Wide Receiver – Marcus Rivers, Buffalo
Running Back – Adonis Thomas, Toledo #
Running Back – Jasmin Hopkins, Northern Illinois
Placekicker – Matt Weller, Ohio ^
 
2011 All-MAC Second Team Defense

 Position – Name - School
Outside Linebacker – C.J. Malauulu, Kent State
Outside Linebacker – Tahir Whitehead, Temple
Inside Linebacker – Travis Freeman, Ball State
Inside Linebacker – Noah Keller, Ohio ! +
Down Lineman – Sean Progar, Northern Illinois @
Down Lineman – Tremayne Scott, Ohio
Down Lineman – Nate Ollie, Ball State
Down Lineman – Brad Ohrman, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Johnnie Simon, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Josh Pleasant, Kent State
Defensive Back – Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Travis Carrie, Ohio
Punter – Brandon McManus, Temple
 
2011 All-MAC Second Team Specialists

Position – Name - School
Kickoff Return Specialist – BooBoo Gates, Bowling Green
Punt Return Specialist – Jamill Smith, Ball State
 
 
2011 All-MAC Third Team Offense

Position – Name - School
Quarterback – Tyler Tettleton, Ohio
Center – Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Dann O’Neill, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Wayne Tribue, Temple
Offensive Lineman – Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman – A.J. Strum, Ohio #
Tight End – Garrett Hoskins, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Nate Palmer, Northern Illinois
Wide Receiver – Titus Davis, Central Michigan
Wide Receiver – Cody Wilson, Central Michigan #
Wide Receiver – Chleb Ravenell, Western Michigan
Running Back – Donte’ Harden, Ohio
Running Back – Matt Brown, Temple #
Placekicker – John Potter, Western Michigan %
 
2011 All-MAC Third Team Defense

Position – Name - School
Outside Linebacker – Justin Cudworth, Eastern Michigan
Outside Linebacker – Jerrell Wedge, Miami
Inside Linebacker – Luke Batton, Kent State
Inside Linebacker – Ryan Kennedy, Miami
Down Lineman – Austin Brown, Miami #
Down Lineman – Morkeith Brown, Temple
Down Lineman – Freddie Bishop, Western Michigan
Down Lineman – T.J. Fatinikun, Toledo %
Defensive Back – Latarrius Thomas, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Kevin Kroboth, Temple
Defensive Back – Luke Wollet, Kent State
Defensive Back – Marlon Pollard, Eastern Michigan
Punter – Scott Kovanda, Ball State
 
All-MAC Third Team Specialists

Position – Name - School
Kickoff Return Specialist – Donte’ Harden, Ohio
Punt Return Specialist – Terrell Jackson, Buffalo @
 
 
@ 2010 First team All-MAC
# 2010 Second team All-MAC
% 2010 Third team All-MAC
 
^ 2009 First team All-MAC
! 2009 Second team All-MAC
& 2009 Third team All-MAC
 
~ 2008 First team All-MAC
+ 2008 Second team All-MAC