Hustle Belt - 2019 Top 25 MAC Football Players CountdownMAC Football, MAC Basketball, MAC Recruiting, MAC Baseball and all of the other #MACtion hijinks in between - hustlebeltblog@gmail.comhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50387/hustle-fav.png2019-08-31T10:45:00-04:00http://www.hustlebelt.com/rss/stream/205228572019-08-31T10:45:00-04:002019-08-31T10:45:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #1 Nathan Rourke, QB, Ohio
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<p>Air Canada is ready to take the MAC by storm once more.</p> <p id="qjIOlb">They call him “Air Canada.”</p>
<p id="Ki6DVZ">But what makes Nathan Rourke special is not just his playmaking through the air as a quarterback. The senior from Ontario has established himself as one of the best mobile quarterbacks in all of college football, and he has one more season of leading the Ohio Bobcats with dazzling playmaking.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">How bout these moves out of Ohio's <a href="https://twitter.com/nathan_rourke?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nathan_rourke</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BleedGreen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BleedGreen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MACtion?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MACtion</a> <a href="https://t.co/qMC9V390kj">pic.twitter.com/qMC9V390kj</a></p>— #MACtion (@MACSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/MACSports/status/904188579232059392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2017</a>
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<p id="Rj1w4v">The 6’1”, 210 pound quarterback first debuted in a 59-0 win over Hampton on opening day of 2017. On just six rushes in the game, he scored three times, foreshadowing what was to come. It was Rourke’s first of four rushing touchdown hat tricks that season. He finished with 21 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore, ranking third in the FBS and first among all quarterbacks.</p>
<p id="ceIR3W">As a runner, he nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark, finishing with 907 yards on 137 attempts — a strong 6.6 average. As a passer, Rourke managed to record 2,203 yards and 17 touchdowns through the air, leading Ohio to a 9-4 season.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Off To The Races! <a href="https://twitter.com/nathan_rourke?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nathan_rourke</a> finds <a href="https://twitter.com/Jr_Buck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jr_Buck</a> for the 60-yard TD! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MACtion?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MACtion</a> <a href="https://t.co/pfPm262Uil">pic.twitter.com/pfPm262Uil</a></p>— #MACtion (@MACSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/MACSports/status/1062871014311428097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2018</a>
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<p id="c9TWEb">While the rushing numbers slightly declined from 2017 to 2018, it was clear that Rourke improved his game overall. He continued to escape tackles on the regular while running the speed option down to a science. In the passing game, Rourke elevated his completion percentage from 55% to 60%. His yards per attempt increased from 7.5 to 8.9 and his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 17-7 in 2017 improved to 23-8. Lastly, Rourke threw for 231 additional yards on 18 fewer attempts. Throwing on the run is a strength of his and Rourke handles pressure as well as any other quarterback in the country.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nathan Rourke had no trouble dealing with pressure this season <a href="https://t.co/u6XzX9xGFg">pic.twitter.com/u6XzX9xGFg</a></p>— PFF College (@PFF_College) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1072909711354314752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a>
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<p id="deimsr">On the ground, he remained as lethal as ever, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and posting 860 yards. His 15 rushing touchdowns ranked 16th in the FBS and third among quarterbacks. Once again, with Rourke behind center, Ohio attained the 9-win mark, complete with a bowl victory. Rourke’s last outing was a 27-0 Frisco Bowl shutout over San Diego State, a game in which he produced three total touchdowns and 250 yards of offense.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Touchdown, Nathan Rourke! The Ohio dual threat QB picks up his 14th rushing TD of the season, 35th since 2017.<br><br>Ohio 10, San Diego State 0 <a href="https://t.co/1tEfPKJXxl">pic.twitter.com/1tEfPKJXxl</a></p>— Steve Helwick (@s_helwick) <a href="https://twitter.com/s_helwick/status/1075569685616361472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2018</a>
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<p id="KNzbGC">Rourke’s career-high passing performance is 294 yards in a 2017 win over Miami (OH). In the rushing department, he obtained 189 yards in a victory over UMass last fall. Against Bowling Green in 2018, Rourke threw for four touchdowns, and several weeks later versus Akron, he earned four touchdowns as a runner.</p>
<p id="uYW8BR">Rourke is a two-time Second Team All-MAC selection, finishing behind Logan Woodside in 2017 and Tyree Jackson in 2018 — both MAC Offensive Players of the Year. Perhaps 2019 is Rourke’s turn for the honor. He’s already designated as a Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien watch list honoree. One other award left to add to his expanding trophy case is a MAC Championship. Operating the conference favorite’s offense, he has a great shot at using his dual-threat abilities to lead Ohio to its first MAC title in 51 years.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If NCAA 19 actually was released, NCAA 19 Nathan Rourke would be comparable to Madden 04 Michael Vick. <a href="https://t.co/HGV55VBU5U">pic.twitter.com/HGV55VBU5U</a></p>— Hustle Belt (@HustleBelt) <a href="https://twitter.com/HustleBelt/status/1062873166115155968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2018</a>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/31/20841898/2019-top-25-mac-players-1-nathan-rourke-quarterback-ohio-bobcats-air-canadaSteve Helwick2019-08-30T17:00:00-04:002019-08-30T17:00:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #2 Antonio Jones-Davis, LB, NIU
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<figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>AJD has led one of the NCAA’s best defenses over the past few seasons and looks to do the same in 2019.</p> <p id="wqZuA0">The penultimate player in our list comes from the same unit that two other Top-25 players have come from - the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/northern-illinois-huskies">Northern Illinois Huskies</a> defense. And just like the #4 player on our list, <span>Kyle Pugh</span>, he’s a ball-hawking linebacker. </p>
<p id="tWvo8O"><span>Antonio Jones-Davis</span>, a redshirt senior, was a three-year starter at Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Florida. In those three seasons, he bulldozed ball carriers on his way to 291 total tackles. In his senior season he had 117 stops, 10.5 TFL, and five picks. </p>
<p id="dQjNXJ">He then traded in the warmth and sunshine for DeKalb wind and snow, where he redshirted in 2015. The next season he saw time in the final eight contests as a backup linebacker and on special teams. In his limited playing time, he was able to get eight tackles, 1.5 TFL, and break up a pass. </p>
<p id="tDtBbg">In 2017, he fared even better - seeing action in 12 games and finishing seventh on the team with 45 tackles and adding two tackles for a loss and a sack as well. </p>
<p id="jNmuq4">But last season he exploded, becoming one of the MAC’s best defensive players. </p>
<p id="uxOfhE"><span>Jones-Davis</span> amassed a team-high 130 tackles (fourth most in the MAC) which included 14.5 tackles for loss, six pass break ups, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, and QB hurry. His 76 solo tackles was tied for second in the MAC and <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/35">9th in the NCAA</a>.</p>
<p id="Amr8Ck">Last year, ADJ had 10 or more stops in six games and 15+ tackles in three games (CMU, Ball State, and Buffalo)! To opposing offenses, he was like Visa - “everywhere you want to be”. If you wanted to get any yardage, you had to go through him...and, most likely, you weren’t getting through. </p>
<p id="jjcCgk">In 2019, with <span>Sutton Smith</span> gone, Jones-Davis will likely be pushed into the spotlight of the Huskies defensive unit and become their leader. And there’s no reason to think he’ll slow down any this season. If anything, he might even be able to top his numbers from last year.</p>
<p id="Ag1btU">Between him, <span>Kyle Pugh</span>, and <span>Jack Heflin</span> the Huskies defense should be able to keep smothering their opponent’s offenses and, once again, lead the Huskies in their quest for another trip to Detroit. </p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-football/2019/8/30/20805998/2019-top-25-mac-players-2-antonio-jones-davis-lb-niuDave Drury2019-08-29T14:00:00-04:002019-08-29T14:00:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #3 LeVante Bellamy, RB, Western Michigan
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<figcaption>Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A longtime weapon in Western Michigan’s offense, the Maxwell Award candidate aims to string together consecutive 1,000 yard seasons.</p> <p id="X6MVA8"><span>LeVante Bellamy</span> arrived at Western Michigan in 2015 as a key contributor to the offense, and four years later, he continues to improve his game.</p>
<p id="64fjhn">The fifth-year senior recorded his first 1,000-yard rushing season in 2018, earning 1,228 yards on 205 carries. It marked his fourth consecutive season averaging a remarkable 6.0 yards per carry or greater. But what changed about Bellamy in 2018 was that the whole nation finally got to see how dominant he can be when healthy.</p>
<p id="yAfybh">Bellamy was granted a medical redshirt in 2016 after a season-ending injury struck in the third game of the year. In 2017, Bellamy lasted six games before another injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. In those seasons, he averaged 6.7 and 8.0 yards per carry, respectively, on 527 combined rushing yards.</p>
<p id="DfD9nQ">Entering his season season, Bellamy is a member of the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists. His speed separates him from the majority of running backs at the FBS level, and Bellamy is <a href="https://wmubroncos.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7801">reported to have clocked a 4.28-second 40-yard dash this past June</a>. That quickness is evident on the field as half of his rushing touchdowns last year involved outrunning defenders on 25+ yard carries.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There he GOES. LeVante Bellamy breaks two tackles to bring <a href="https://twitter.com/WMU_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WMU_Football</a> within striking distance. <a href="https://t.co/rk9fbOmeeM">pic.twitter.com/rk9fbOmeeM</a></p>— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/1035692431012913152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="z2utqt">Bellamy’s pursuit of gaps is impressive. Once he finds an opening created by Western Michigan’s offensive line, he flies past it in no time.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">See hole. Burst through hole. Touchdown Broncos. <br>LeVante Bellamy with his 7th career rushing touchdown and first of 2018. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsRide?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsRide</a> <a href="https://t.co/cfPkGiUduV">pic.twitter.com/cfPkGiUduV</a></p>— WMU Football (@WMU_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/WMU_Football/status/1035662839342657537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2018</a>
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<p id="BmWzRh">Bellamy reached the 120-yard rushing mark five times in 2018, maxing out at a career-high 213 at Ball State last November. His presence was vital in the screen game as well. Bellamy caught 30 passes to rank fourth on the Broncos, tallying 185 additional yards as a receiver.</p>
<p id="iSIklI">The senior should receive a higher concentration of the carries this season, as longtime sidekick Jamauri Bogan graduated (764 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns in 2018) from Western Michigan’s backfield.</p>
<p id="H25w4B">With over 1,400 yards from scrimmage, Bellamy finished as a First Team All-MAC selection, ranking second in the conference in rushing yards behind Ohio’s <span>A.J. Ouellette</span>. When healthy, Bellamy has proven to be the cream of the crop in the MAC, and Western Michigan will have one more season to use the Indianapolis native to gain an edge offensively.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/29/20838080/2019-top-25-mac-players-3-levante-bellamy-running-back-western-michiganSteve Helwick2019-08-28T17:00:00-04:002019-08-28T17:00:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #4 Kyle Pugh, LB, NIU
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<p>Pugh is one of stars of the MAC’s best defensive unit</p> <p id="koacQr">As we continue the countdown to the best player in the MAC, the fourth-best player comes from the defensive powerhouse that is NIU. </p>
<p id="JtbFpU">Yes, it’s weird to say, but for the past two seasons it has been the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/northern-illinois-huskies">Northern Illinois Huskies</a> defense, not offense, that has terrorized the MAC. Over that time, no unit has had more depth and skill than that of the Huskie linebackers. And <span>Kyle Pugh</span> is one of the best. </p>
<p id="UXRD7q">Pugh, now entering his senior season, grew up just 80 miles east of NIU in Chicago Heights, Illinois. In his final two seasons from Bloom Township High School, Pugh slaughtered this foes, en route to a combined 217 tackles. </p>
<p id="41HMok">After redshirting in 2015, he saw limited time in 2016, mostly as a back-up middle linebacker and on special teams, where he was unable to record any stats. </p>
<p id="tHnQ60">But that all changed in 2017 when he tore through the non-conference schedule before an injury sidelined him for the final nine games of the season. Despite playing just one third of the season, Pugh still managed to finish as the Huskies’ tenth leading tackler! He amassed 35 tackles, two QB Hurries, one TFL, and an interception in the four games he appeared, which included two amazing performances against P5 teams. </p>
<p id="pcLp72">Against the <a href="https://www.bcinterruption.com/">Boston College Eagles</a> he recorded a career-high 17 stops and snagged his only interception (so far). Then, when the Huskies took on the <a href="https://www.cornnation.com/">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a> two weeks later, he picked up 11 more tackles and had a pass break up. </p>
<p id="NTFtJ8">When Pugh finally returned to start the 2018 season, Huskie fans couldn’t wait. And he didn’t disappoint. </p>
<p id="3pRmdF">Last year, he played in 13 of the 14 games (missing the FSU game) and, despite playing through an injury for most of the year, was one of just two NIU players to record triple-digit stops. Pugh tallied 106 tackles, five TFL, four QB Hurries, two pass break ups, two fumble recoveries, and had 1.5 sacks which led to him being named a second team All-MAC linebacker.</p>
<p id="Czgyly">While he wasn’t much of a blitzer (he left that to <span>Sutton Smith</span> and <span>Josh Corcoran</span>), he roamed the middle of the field and always seemed to be wherever the ball was. In seven games last year Pugh had 9 or more tackles and he had *AT LEAST* six stops in every game he appeared!</p>
<p id="LqLd5E">If he stays healthy in 2019, Pugh will most likely continue his dominance and be one of the Huskies’ (and MAC’s) leading tacklers. He has an amazing ability to locate and bring down any ball carrier...once he locks in on you, there is no escape. </p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-football/2019/8/28/20805886/2019-top-25-mac-players-4-kyle-pugh-lb-niuDave Drury2019-08-27T11:00:00-04:002019-08-27T11:00:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #5 Evin Ksiezarczyk, OT, Buffalo
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<p>The 6’6”, 315 pound tackle remains the lead blocker on campus after leading Buffalo to a record season.</p> <p id="W9HPjp">The work done in the trenches often goes unnoticed in college football. Offensive linemen have no shot at a Heisman Trophy, a Maxwell Award, or any other honor bestowed upon the best overall player in college football. It’s time they get more recognition, and we’re starting that by ranking one in the Top 5 players in the MAC.</p>
<p id="yA1ynI">Buffalo enjoyed a program-high 10 wins last season, reaching new heights behind one of the nation’s top offenses of 2018. A lot of the Bulls’ success was contingent on the play of the offensive line, and the unit delivered time and time again. The leader of that unit was left tackle <span>Evin Ksiezarczyk</span>, who enters his senior season after a Second Team All-MAC season in 2018.</p>
<p id="R9vyJL">Ksiezarczyk guided a unit that allowed just 15 sacks in 14 games, marking a new school record despite the loaded schedule. Buffalo’s offensive line helped create other program records as well including most rushing yards and touchdowns. Freshmen Jaret Patterson and <span>Kevin Marks</span> rushed for 1,013 and 845 yards, respectively, behind Ksiezarczyk’s line and the pair scored a combined 27 touchdowns.</p>
<p id="W2cqVX">And here’s a stat from our friends at <a href="https://www.ubbullrun.com/2019/5/28/18641979/7-stats-that-prove-ub-should-be-1-in-the-nation">UB Bull Run, courtesy of their writer Zach Eaton</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="iCN7R6">The Buffalo OL unit was one of just two in the country last season that finished top 67 in Standard Downs Line Yards, top 27 in Power Success Rate, top 16 in Sack Rate, and top 25 in Passing Downs Sack Rate.</p></blockquote>
<p id="2mShlC">While Buffalo loses its starting quarterback <span>Tyree Jackson</span> and nearly the team’s entire receiving production from 2018, Ksiezarczyk, three other linemen, and the running backs will pick up where they left off to ignite Buffalo’s offense. The senior lineman has started all 26 games for Buffalo in the last two seasons and will return to the field when the Bulls battle Robert Morris on Thursday night.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/27/20834364/2019-top-25-mac-players-5-evin-ksiezarczyk-offensive-tackle-buffalo-bullsSteve Helwick2019-08-26T09:00:00-04:002019-08-26T09:00:00-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #6 Doug Costin, DT, Miami
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<p>Costin leads the way for a tough Miami defense in 2019.</p> <p id="O3eXu9">Good defensive tackles are hard to find but when you find one, it makes an incredible difference in your defense. Take a look at <span>Doug Costin</span> of the Miami RedHawks, for example: he has averaged 50 tackles and 5.5 sacks over the last two seasons in addition to posting a <a href="https://www.rotoworld.com/college-football/nfl-draft/player/52224/doug-costin">MAC-leading</a> 32 QB pressures and 10.5 TFLs in 2018. During that two-year span, Miami’s defense was third and fourth in the MAC in scoring defense as well as fourth and third in rushing defense. In 2015 (the year before Costin arrived in Oxford), the RedHawks were 11th in scoring defense and sixth in rushing defense. Having good defensive line play matters, especially in an age that puts such a high priority on the passing game.</p>
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<p id="ib17Rz">Before Costin became an elite defender in Oxford, he was a dominant high school player in Pennsylvania. At Bishop Shanahan High School in his senior year, he racked up 120 tackles and 14 sacks on his way to being named First Team All-State. As you can see in the above Hudl video, Costin was and is an outstanding athlete for his size as he terrorized quarterbacks and imposed his will on a handful of carries in the backfield. One of the things that you don’t really see in his high school film is his ability to use his hands to get rid of blockers (partly because he didn’t need to because he was so quick).</p>
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<p id="uFbhnm"> In the above YouTube video, you get to see Costin working with his hands a lot more than he did in high school, so kudos to the Miami coaching staff for taking the time to recognize needs and develop players. For the 2019 season, Costin and the defense will have to carry the load for the ‘Hawks until the team figures out its quarterback situation but the defense will not lack the talent to do so as he is the 24th-rated 3-technique defensive tackle in the 2020 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> <a href="https://www.drafttek.com/2020-NFL-Draft-Position-Rankings/Top-College-Defensive-Tackles-2020-NFL-Draft.asp">according to DraftTek.com</a>. </p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/26/20830917/top-25-mac-players-of-2019-6-doug-costin-defensive-tackle-miami-redhawksJordan Rinard2019-08-25T18:05:39-04:002019-08-25T18:05:39-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #7 Javon Hagan, DB, Ohio
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<figcaption>Ohio Bobcats’ safety Javon Hagan battles the Tennessee Volunteers on September 17, 2016 in Knoxville, TN | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Ohio Bobcats’ All-MAC safety looking to help deliver Ohio’s first MAC championship since 1968</p> <p id="PNLA3m">When I turned on the TV at noon on September 17, 2016 to watch the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/ohio-bobcats">Ohio University Bobcats</a> play the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com/">Tennessee Volunteers</a>, I had no idea what kind of college player Ohio redshirt freshman safety <span>Javon Hagan</span> was—but by the end of the afternoon, Hagan let me know.</p>
<p id="hyc1tu">It would be understandable for a redshirt freshman playing in one of his first college games, on the road, in front of more than 100,000 fans, against the 15<sup>th</sup> ranked team in the country, to resemble a deer in the headlights: wide-eyed and frozen. That wasn’t Hagan. Instead, he played with a physicality and toughness that seemed to say he was not intimated, that he was on the field for a reason: he came to win. Starting on special teams and eventually working his way into the defensive lineup, he made several stand-out plays. In the third quarter, Hagan chased down former Cleveland Brown Evan Berry from behind and made a strong tackle on kickoff coverage team. Later that game, Hagan made another big hit covering a punt, this time drilling New Orleans 3<sup>rd</sup> round selection and NFL pro bowler <span>Alvin Kamara</span>. He finished the day with 6 tackles and two forced fumbles.</p>
<p id="mtsvXU">Ohio didn’t win the game that day against Tennessee, but Ohio found a starter at safety for most of the next four years.</p>
<p id="8nX5dO">A few weeks after the Tennessee game, Hagan was in the starting lineup against rival Miami and started to make the big plays that would help lead Ohio to a 2016 MAC East title and Hagan to the MAC Freshman Player of the Year award. </p>
<p id="cZwJmi">The MAC Freshman of the Year is a significant award as it has been won by some of the best players in the MAC and/or the NFL since 2000, with the list of winners including Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Corey Davis, Bernard Pierce, Sean Baker and Roosevelt Nix. </p>
<p id="yBHt33">Hagan’s stat line his redshirt freshman year as only a part-time starter was filed with big plays: 53 tackles, 3 interceptions, 10 passes defensed, and 6 forced fumbles.</p>
<p id="N7NEo6">Since his freshman year, Hagan has become one of the most versatile, impactful safeties in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Ohio has lined up Hagan at about every spot on the field coaches have put a safety and he has made big plays against the run and pass. Hagan has played at both safety positions, he has played as an “extra defender in the box,” he has lined up against the slot receiver in coverage, etc. </p>
<p id="H9odzt">In 2018, Hagan created some big plays while displaying his versatility. Against 2018 MAC East Division winner Buffalo, he blanked the slot receiver and tipped the pass which was intercepted by a teammate (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1uVmDmdsVs">at 32 seconds</a>) In the same game, he chased down NFL sixth round draft pick QB <span>Tyree Jackson</span> and caused a fumble inside the 5 yard line <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1uVmDmdsVs">(at 52 seconds)</a>. Against Kent State, he preserved the win with an interception in the closing seconds from a one-deep safety position. </p>
<p id="pCElxs">Hagan helped Ohio’s 2018 defense finish strong as Ohio recorded the first shutout in MAC bowl history: 27-0 against San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl. </p>
<p id="z9j8wX">As Hagan enters his final season, he is looking to do the one thing he hasn’t accomplished at Ohio: win a MAC championship. Hagan spoke with Ohio football Color Analyst Rob Cornelius at 2019 MAC Media Day, sharing what it would mean to win a MAC championship for head coach Frank Solich: “It would be great. Coach Solich does a great job and his is very deserving of it…it would feel great as a player for me to make that happen and I’m sure my teammates feel the same way.”</p>
<p id="ZRiuAU">Should Ohio win the 2019 MAC championship, Hagan will be one of the reasons.</p>
<p id="S5UmZ4">Selected Awards and Award Nominations:</p>
<p id="HtOyEn">· Three-time Ohio Captain</p>
<p id="hPIOVZ">· 2019 Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List</p>
<p id="HGwPme">· 2019 Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List</p>
<p id="DKnag7">· 2018 First-Team All-MAC</p>
<p id="uuZfYy">· 2018 Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List</p>
<p id="OAAVBE">· 2017 and 2016 Second-Team All-MAC</p>
<p id="aySwP7">· 2016 MAC Freshman of the Year</p>
<p id="SFa0XB">· Hustle Belt Top 25 MAC Players of 2019, 2018</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/25/20810063/javon-hagan-ohio-bobcats-football-top-midamerican-conference-players-2019Keith Gregorski2019-08-23T17:07:54-04:002019-08-23T17:07:54-04:002019 Top 25 MAC Players: #8 Luke Juriga, C, Western Michigan
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<p>A steady presence </p> <p id="x7vnAe">You can almost bet that any time an interior offensive lineman is on a top player’s list, not only are they really special, they are probably under ranked. <span>Luke Juriga</span> is no exception. The 6’4, 298 pound product of Aurora, Illinois has been a steady presence on the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/western-michigan-broncos">Western Michigan Broncos</a> line since the nearly undefeated 2016 season. After red-shirting as a freshmen, Mr. <span>Juriga</span> has gone on to start every game over the next three seasons at guard. Over those three seasons, the Western Michigan Broncos have been effective running the football, finishing in the top 25 in YPG in two of those seasons.</p>
<p id="ILUcHY"> Not only is he durable, he is a great player. He is strong and fast, holds his blocks, and is intelligent. He is three time academic All-MAC, after all. <span>Juriga</span> has also been recognized for his on the field achievements, garnering First Team All-MAC honors as a junior after being named to the Second Team as a sophomore. He is also being noticed outside the MAC realm of influence, being named to the Outland and Remington watchlists, given to the nation’s best interior lineman and center, respectively. </p>
<p id="NyoqQU">While Juriga was not as highly touted as some Western Michigan recruits in that run, his success is hardly a shocker, given that his father played at Iowa before heading to the NFL. Given Luke’s size, speed, and durability, there is a really good chance we will see the younger Juriga playing on Sundays, as well.</p>
<p id="Yzd1Ce">He also just might have the coolest named bar in all the nation.</p>
<p id="496L2j">According to<a href="https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/sports/2019/02/27/luke-juriga-western-michigan-nfl-draft-college-football/3004686002/"> this article</a> by Nick Buckley of the Battle Creek Enquirer, he is also quite the woodworker. In <a href="http://picdeer.org/built_by_juriga">this link</a>, you can see some of his products. In the bar, a sign I presume he made has the name, “The 8th OT.” Well done, on the sign, and the name.</p>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/23/20827456/top-25-mac-players-of-2019-8-luke-juriga-center-western-michigan-broncos-season-nationJames Snyder