2012 CFN All-MAC Team & Roundup

2012 MAC Fearless Predictions, Game Stories, Game of the Week, Player of the Week, Roundup & Standings

CFN 2012 All-MAC Team 
 

2012 CFN All-MAC Offense
QB – Jordan Lynch, Jr. NIU
RB – Dri Archer, Jr. KSU
RB – Zurlon Tipton, Jr. CMU
WR – Martel Moore, Sr. NIU
WR – Bernard Reedy, Jr. Toledo
TE – Zane Fakes, Sr. Ball St
OL – Eric Fisher, Sr. CMU
OL – Zac Kerin, Jr. Toledo
OL – Dann O’Neill, Sr. WMU
OL – Tyler Loos, Soph. NIU
OL – Brian Winters, Sr. Kent St
PK – Steven Schott, Sr. Ball St
KR – Bernard Reedy, Jr. Toledo

2012 CFN All-MAC Defense
DL – Alan Baxter, Sr. NIU
DL – Chris Jones, Sr. BGSU
DL – Jonathan Newsome, Sr. BSU
DL – Sean Progar, Sr. NIU
LB – Luke Batton, Sr. KSU
LB – Khalil Mack, Jr. Buffalo
LB – Dan Molls, Sr. Toledo
DB – Jahleel Addae, Sr. CMU
DB – BooBoo Gates, Jr. BGSU
DB – Rashaan Melvin, Sr. NIU
DB – Dayonne Nunley, Jr. MU
P – Jay Karutz, Sr. EMU
PR – Bernard Reedy, Jr. Toledo

The Best MAC Players of 2012
1. QB Jordan Lynch, Jr. NIU
2. RB Dri Archer, Jr. KSU
3. LB Khalil Mack, Jr. Buffalo
4. DT Chris Jones, Sr. BGSU
5. LB Dan Molls, Sr. Toledo
6. OT Brian Winters, Sr. Kent St
7. RB Zurlon Tipton, Jr. CMU
8. DE Jonathan Newsome, Sr. BSU
9. RB David Fluellen, Jr. Toledo
10. DE Sean Progar, Sr. NIU
11. LB Luke Batton, Sr. KSU
12. OT Eric Fisher, Sr. CMU
13. DE Alan Baxter, Sr. NIU
14. RB Beau Blankenship, Jr. Ohio
15. OT Dann O’Neill, Sr. WMU
16. RB Beau Blankenship, Jr. Ohio
17. DE Roosevelt Nix, Jr. KSU
18. RB Jahwan Edwards, Soph. BSU
19. WR/KR Bernard Reedy, Jr. Toledo
20. RB Anthon Samuel, Soph. BGSU
21. RB Trayion Durham, Soph. KSU
22. S BooBoo Gates, Jr. BGSU
23. C Zac Kerin, Jr. Toledo
24. WR Martel Moore, Sr. NIU
25. S Jahleel Addae, Sr. CMU
26. OT Tyler Loos, Soph. NIU
27. QB Keith Wenning, Jr. BSU
28. DE Steven Means, Sr. Buffalo
29. CB Rashaan Melvin, Sr. NIU
30. LB Chris Wade, Jr. MU

2012 CFN MAC Off. Player of the Year
QB Jordan Lynch, Jr. Northern Illinois

How was NIU supposed to get by after losing Chandler Harnish? All Lynch did was set the NCAA record for rushing yards by an FBS quarterback with 1,771 yards and 19 touchdowns with over 100 rushing yards per game in every one but the blowout over UT Martin. He could throw a little bit, too, with 2,962 yards and 24 touchdowns while scattering five picks on the way to a MAC title and the Orange Bowl.

2012 CFN MAC Def. Player of the Year
LB Khalil Mack, Jr. Buffalo

There were several worthy candidates, but Mack was the best all-around defender in a good league for top playmakers with 94 tackles with eight tackles and 23 tackles for loss. A disruptive forces, he was great at getting to the quarterback and was a big hitter with four forced fumbles and consistent pressure in the backfield. His 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles against UMass was one of the best defensive performances of the MAC season.

3 Biggest Surprises

1. Kent State. Kent State? The BCS?! The Golden Flashes were in the hunt after a shocking 11-1 regular season with only a blowout loss to a bad Kentucky team to sour the fun. The offense was just okay and the defense wasn’t up to its normal snuff, but Dri Archer always seemed to come up with the big play and the team was always on the right side of the turnover margin. The loss to NIU in a thrilling MAC championship doesn’t take the luster off the breakthrough year, but losing head coach Darrell Hazell to Purdue was a disappointment.

2. Central Michigan. Head coach Dan Enos was on the hot seat after a rough start to his era and a 1-5 start, but the Chippewa schedule eased up and the team won the games it was supposed to closing out with four wins in the final five games to finish 6-6 with a bowl berth against Western Kentucky.

3. The total dominance of Northern Illinois. The defending MAC champs were supposed to be good, but this was also supposed to be a bit of a rebuilding season after losing star quarterback Chandler Harnish and a slew of key offensive players. Instead, NIU got better with Jordan Lynch setting the NCAA FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback as the team rolled to an 8-0 season, a MAC title and a trip to the Orange Bowl to face Florid State.

3 Biggest Disappointments

1. Western Michigan. With QB Alex Carder returning to lead a high-octane offense, and with a seemingly loaded defense in place, the Broncos were expected to be the star of the MAC. Everything appeared to set up perfectly, and a win over Connecticut early on made things look like they were on the right track. Instead, a blowout loss to Toledo in the MAC opener kicked off a 1-5 start and a stunning 2-6 conference campaign, bottoming out in the season finale against …

2. Eastern Michigan. After going 6-6 in 2011, the Eagles seemed like they were about to turn a corner under head coach Ron English. With enough talent returning to hope for another strong season, EMU was one of the most interesting teams coming into the season. Losing to Ball State to open the season was bad, but losing to Illinois State the week after was worse in an 0-6 start. EMU finished like EMU usually does going 2-10.

3. Ohio’s second half. The Bobcats had an easy schedule and appeared to be on the radar for a possible BCS game after opening up the season with a stunning win over Penn State on the way to a 7-0 start. The loss at Miami University might have been forgivable after getting back on track with a blowout over Eastern Michigan, but three straight losses to close out the year ended the dream of winning the East and getting to the MAC championship.

Best MAC Game of the Season
Nov. 30 – MAC Championship, Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37 2OT. The MAC season saved its best for last, and in hindsight, it might have been the biggest game in MAC history with the winner ending up going to the BCS. NIU was cruising along with a 27-13 lead late in the third quarter, and then came the craziness as Kent State rallied with 14 points in the fourth quarter helped by a fumble return for a 22-yard score by Zack Hitchens to tie it at 27. The Huskies gathered themselves and took the lead on a nine-yard scoring run from Jordan Lynch, but the Golden Flashes rallied with last gasp drive and a 19-yard Tim Erjavec touchdown catch with 44 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. After trading field goals in the first overtime, NIU needed just two plays to get into the end zone with another Lynch touchdown for a seven points lead. NIU’s Demetrius Stone intercepted a fourth down pass for a second straight MAC title and a trip to the Orange Bowl.

Second Best Game : Nov. 3: at Miami 27, Buffalo 24
Third Best Game : Sept. 29: Ohio 37, at Massachusetts 34

Coach of the Year
1) Darrell Hazell, Kent State
2) Dave Doeren, Northern Illinois
3) Pete Lembo, Ball State

Performances of the Year
1) Sept. 29 – QB Zac Dysert, Miami vs. Akron. 34-of-49, 516 yards, six touchdowns and 14 carries for 108 yards in the 56-49 win.
2) Nov. 14 – QB Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois. 25-of-36 for 407 yards and three touchdowns with a pick and 30 carries for 162 yards and one punt for 63 yards in the 31-24 win.
3) Oct. 13 – WR Bernard Reedy, Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan. 11 catches for 237 yards and a and two touchdowns, and six kickoff returns for 170 yards and a score in the 52-47 win.

Top Freshman
1) WR Alonzo Russell, Toledo
2) RB Devin Campbell, Buffalo
3) P Anthony Melchiori, Kent State