Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Lennon named MVFC Coach of the Year
12/01/2008 | 12:00:00 | Football
Dec. 1, 2008
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University head coach Dale Lennon was named the `Bruce Craddock' Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year, the league announced as part of its 2008 All-Conference Team Monday.
Lennon, a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award (given to the nation's top FCS coach), led SIU to a 9-3 record, share of the Valley Football title and NCAA postseason berth in his first year at the Saluki helm. A native of Knox, N.D., Lennon became only the third coach in league history to win the award in his first year in the conference. He is also the first head coach in Saluki Football history to garner the honor in his first season.
Lennon, Western Illinois RB Herb Donaldson and Northern Iowa DL James Ruffin highlight this year's specialty award-winners. Donaldson, the league's all-time leading rusher, led all of Division I in both rushing (162.2 ypg) and scoring (12.0 ppg), while Ruffin leads UNI with 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks as part of a Panther defense which tops the league and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring defense.
SIU's first-team selections include RB/RS Larry Warner, OL Aaron Lockwood, LB Brandin Jordan, DB Korey Lindsey and P Scott Ravanesi.
Warner (Vicksburg, Miss.) took first-team honors as both a running back and return specialist. He was the Salukis' leading rusher with 1,265 yards and 10 touchdowns on 213 carries. As a return man, Warner returned 19 kickoffs for 592 yards and a SIU career record three TDs. He led the Dawgs with 2,249 all-purpose yards. Warner ranked first in the conference and third in the nation in both all-purpose yardage and kick return average (31.2 ypr).
Lockwood (Topeka, Kan.) started every game at left guard as part of a SIU offense which ranked second in the league in passing (186.8 ypg) and fourth in scoring (29.6 ppg).
Jordan (Kenner, La.) ranked second on the team in tackles (81) and tackles for loss (7), and third in sacks (3). He also had one interception, a forced fumble and recovered a fumble which set up SIU's game-winning field goal against Northern Iowa. Jordan tied for 15th among MVFC leaders in tackles.
Lindsey (Baton Rouge, La.) led the MVFC with six interceptions and recorded 39 tackles in 12 starts. He also tied for second on the team with five pass breakups. Lindsey was one of three Salukis who returned an interception for a touchdown this year.
Ravanesi (Carol Stream, Ill.) earns first-team accolades for the second year in a row. He led the conference and ranked fifth in the nation with a 43.3 punting average. Ravanesi dropped 13 of his punts inside the 20 and had eight kicks of 50 or more yards.
The Salukis' second-team honorees are OL Mike Farrell, LB James Cloud, LB Chauncey Mixon and DB Marty Rodgers.
Farrell (Lake Bluff, Ill.) started every game at center. He was a key fixture of a Saluki offense that ranked among the MVFC's top-five in passing and scoring.
Cloud (Hackensack, N.J.) led the Salukis in tackles for loss (15) and sacks (7.5) for the second-straight season. He was the team's fifth-leading tackler with 57 takedowns in 11 starts. Cloud ranked second in the conference in tackles for loss and third in sacks.
Mixon (Mobile, Ala.) tied for first on the team in tackles for loss (15), ranked second in sacks (5) and was third in tackles (75). He also led the Salukis with three forced fumbles and seven quarterback hurries.
Rodgers (Webb City, Mo.) was a game-changer for the Salukis all year. He led the team with 82 tackles, including 6.5 for loss. Rodgers also had two interceptions, forced three fumbles and recovered one. He returned one of his picks 57 yards for a touchdown against South Dakota State and ranked 13th among league-leaders in tackles.
NT Chris Arthurs, WR Marc Cheatham, QB Chris Dieker, K Kyle Dougherty, FB John Goode and TE Ryan Kernes were tabbed honorable mention.
Arthurs (Wheaton, Ill.) had 17 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks in 12 starts at nose tackle.
Cheatham (Oakland, Calif.) was SIU's second-leading receiver with 29 catches for 369 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 12.7 yards per catch and made the game-winning 51-yard TD reception against Missouri State.
Dieker (Topeka, Kan.) completed 186-of-326 passes for 2,083 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first year as SIU's starting quarterback. He threw a touchdown pass in 11 of his 12 starts. Dieker's 16 TD passes rank sixth all-time in a single-season at SIU.
Dougherty (Merrit Island, Fla.) led the Salukis in scoring with 85 points on 15-of-23 field goals and 40-of-42 PATs. He kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired in SIU's win over Northern Iowa. Dougherty also had a career-long 52-yard FG against Illinois State.
Goode (Olive Branch, Miss.) caught eight passes for 58 yards in his first year as SIU's starting fullback.
Kernes (Bloomington, Ill.) caught 14 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked second on the team in TD receptions, including the game-winning catch in overtime against Illinois State.
