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Football
Ruffin Named MVFC Defensive Player of Year
Complete 2008 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Teams Release in PDF Format
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The University of Northern Iowa football team saw 15 members named to the 2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference's all-league squads, including junior defensive end James Ruffin being tabbed as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Ruffin (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) racked up a team-high 15 tackles-for-loss and eight quarterback sacks to go along with his 57 total tackles. Ruffin leads a UNI defense which ranks No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense (16.15 points/game). The Panther defense also led the league in rushing defense (105.3 yards/game) and pass efficiency defense (110.69 rating). Ruffin leads the squad with three forced fumbles. Ruffin tallied a season-high two sacks in a 42-0 win over Missouri State. He recorded a season-high eight tackles to go along with two tackles-for-loss and 1.5 quarterback sacks in a 34-20 win over South Dakota State. Ruffin was also a first-team all-MVFC selection in 2007. Ruffin becomes the sixth Panther player to win the league's top defensive award - Mark Farley (1985), William Freeney (1991, 1992), Andre Allen (1993, 1994), Adam Vogt (2001) and Brannon Carter (2007) all previously earned the same honor. UNI's first-team selections included Ruffin, senior defensive back Darrell Lloyd, junior linebacker Josh Mahoney, senior defensive lineman Everette Pedescleaux and junior offensive lineman Austin Steichen. Lloyd (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt HS/Iowa Central CC) has been UNI's starter at strong safety for all 13 games this season. He leads the Panthers with three blocked kicks. Lloyd ranks tied for third on the team with 83 total tackles (41 solos). He was named the league's defensive player of the week after registering nine tackles and blocking a punt in UNI's 30-6 win at Western Illinois. Lloyd also secured an interception in UNI's 34-14 win over Nicholls State. Lloyd has three games this season with at least 11 tackles. He was a second-team all-league pick in 2007. Mahoney (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman HS) is UNI's leading tackler with 116 stops and was named an Academic All-American in 2008. Mahoney secured a season-high 16 tackles in a win over Illinois State. He has six games of 10-plus tackles. Mahoney had 12 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in a victory over South Dakota ... Mahoney is a Presidential Scholar with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He was an academic all-conference pick in 2007. Pedescleaux (Plymouth, Minn./Armstrong HS/Univ. of Minnesota) is one of the biggest reasons the UNI defense ranks No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 20 in the nation in rush defense (105.3 yards/game). He has registered 54 tackles, 11.5 tackle-for-loss and 6.5 quarterback sacks for the Panthers in 2008. He secured a season-high nine tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss in a 34-14 win over Nicholls State. Pedescleaux earned the league's defensive player of the week honors after securing seven tackles, two tackles-for-loss, a sack and a forced fumble in a 21-20 win at Youngstown State. He is tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles. He ranks second on the team with two blocked kicks. Pedescleaux has blocked six kicks in his UNI career. Steichen (Remsen, Iowa/Saint Mary's HS) has started 11 games at center for the Panthers in 2008. Steichen injured his groin in the first series of the game against BYU, but only missed one week of action. UNI is averaging nearly 200 yards per game on the ground and has helped limit the opposition to only 12 sacks of UNI quarterbacks this season. The Panthers' second team picks included junior quarterback Pat Grace, senior linebacker De'Veon Harris, junior offensive lineman Austin Howard, senior running back Corey Lewis, sophomore fullback Ryan Mahaffey, senior cornerback Terrell McMoore and senior defensive lineman Jeremy Robertson. Grace (Sioux City, Iowa/Bishop Heelan HS) leads the Panthers with 1,562 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes. He ranks second on the squad with nine rushing touchdowns. Grace ranks third on the team with 519 rushing yards. Grace was a two-time MVFC offensive player of the week this season. Grace was responsible for all four UNI touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) in a 34-20 win over South Dakota State. He was again responsible for all four UNI touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) in a 31-17 win over Illinois State. He rushed for a season-high 99 yards on 13 carries against Illinois State. Grace came back from a knee injury and rushed for two scores and led UNI to a 42-0 win over Missouri State. Harris (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Ely HS/Univ. of Toledo/North Iowa Area CC) ranks second on the team with 89 total tackles (37 solos). He leads the team with nine pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. Harris has registered 8.0 tackles-for-loss and four quarterback sacks. He had a tremendous game against South Dakota State as he tallied nine tackles, two tackles-for-loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in helping UNI to a 34-20 win over the Jackrabbits. Harris registered 10 tackles against BYU and vs. Illinois State. This marks the second-straight season that Harris was named as a second-team all-league performer. Howard (Davenport, Iowa/Central HS) has been UNI's starter left tackle all season. He has helped pave the way for the UNI running game to average nearly 200 yards per game. UNI quarterbacks have been sacked the least in the conference (12 sacks on the season). Howard was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping UNI to a 42-0 win over Missouri State. Lewis (St. Paul, Neb./St. Paul HS) is UNI's top rusher with 1,197 yards. Lewis leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns. He also leads the team with 1,415 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns. Lewis ranks fourth on the team with 21 receptions and 218 receiving yards. He ran for a season-high 190 yards against Southern Illinois. Lewis rushed for 188 yards and two scores in a 42-0 win over Missouri State. He also gained 154 yards and a score in a 23-13 victory over South Dakota. Lewis scored a season-high three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in a 28-0 win at Indiana State. Lewis became the Panthers' all-time leading rusher in UNI's 40-15 playoff win over Maine. Lewis has rushed for 3,886 yards in his UNI career. Lewis was a first-team all-league pick in 2007. Mahaffey (Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS) is the Panthers' starter at fullback/tight end. Mahaffey has caught 10 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a 33-yard touchdown pass in a win over South Dakota State. Mahaffey caught a season-high four passes for 43 yards and a touchdown in a win over Illinois State. Mahaffey was named as an honorable mention all-conference pick in 2007. McMoore (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) leads the league in interceptions (conference games only) with four. He is tied for the team lead with four picks. McMoore secured nine tackles and two interceptions in leading UNI to a 23-13 win over North Dakota State. McMoore ranks second on the team with six pass breakups. Robertson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS/North Iowa Area CC) ranks third on the squad with 5.5 quarterback sacks. Robertson also ranks third on the team with 10 tackles-for-loss. He ranks ninth on the team with 46 total tackles. Robertson has registered at least one tackle-for-loss in eight of UNI's last 10 games. He is part of a UNI defense that ranks No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense. UNI's honorable mention picks went to freshman return specialist Jarred Herring, senior offensive lineman Bob Swift and sophomore linebacker Jamar Thompson. Herring (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington HS) ranks first in the MVFC in kick return average (26.3 yards/return). He registered a season-long return of 70 yards in a 23-13 win over North Dakota State. Herring returned four kicks for 150 yards against the Bison. He leads the Panthers with 18 kick returns for 473 yards. Herring caught a 36-yard touchdown pass in a 34-14 win over Nicholls State. Herring nabbed three pass receptions for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the opening-round playoff win over Maine. Herring ranks fourth on the team with 693 all-purpose yards. Swift (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware HS) has started every game this season for the Panthers, including six games at right tackle and seven games at left guard. UNI is averaging nearly 200 yards per game on the ground and has helped limit the opposition to only 12 sacks of UNI quarterbacks this season. Swift was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping UNI to a 31-17 win over Illinois State. Thompson (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) has started all 13 games at outside linebacker and third on the team with 83 total tackles. Thompson is also tied for the team lead with four interceptions. He tallied a season-high 10 tackles against BYU. Thompson was credited with at least four tackles in every game. He returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown in UNI's regular season finale at Southern Utah. UNI will be in action again this Saturday against New Hampshire in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 FCS playoffs at 6 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.
UNI'S 1ST TEAM ALL-MVFC PICKS UNI'S 2ND TEAM ALL-MVFC PICKS UNI'S HONORABLE MENTION ALL-MVFC PICKS
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