SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- South Dakota All-American running back and Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Stefan Logan and defensive back Jordan Davis were named North Central Conference MVPs at their respective positions and are among USD's five first-team selections on the all-league football team, the conference office announced on Tuesday. A total of 10 Coyotes were named to the first or second all-conference teams. In addition, three other student-athletes from USD were named honorable mention All-NCC. The 31-member All-NCC first team included 21 seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.
"Our team is well-represented," said third-year head coach Ed Meierkort, who has directed the Coyotes to a 9-3 mark in 2006 and a first-round win in the playoffs. "Because of the nature of the voting, it is hard to get everyone you think deserves to be on the all-league team. But, I am very happy that the student-athletes that we nominated were well-thought of across the league," said Meierkort, who has directed his nationally ranked (16th, AFCA poll, 12th, d2football.com poll) team to a 27-7 record over the past three seasons. "We appreciate the respect that the other coaches showed our student-athletes," he said.
Logan, who was selected the NCC's Most Valuable Offensive Back, is the third player in league history to earn All-NCC honors for all four seasons of his career. He is the second straight Coyote (Wesley Beschorner, 2005) named the league's Most Valuable Back. A native of Miami, Fla., Logan has been named to the All-NCC team a total of five times, including four times as a running back and one as a return specialist (2005). Richard Ryan of North Dakota (1951-54) and Vance Lechman of Northern Colorado (1986-89) were also four-time selections. Davis, a senior from San Antonio, Texas, is a three-time all-league selection and he was named the NCC's Most Valuable Defensive Back.
The other Coyotes named first team All-NCC included junior offensive center Christian Morton of Norfolk, Neb., as well as defensive tackle John Barker of Sioux City, Iowa, and defensive back Chris Reid of Hills, Minn. Second-team selections included three more members of the Coyotes' offense and two USD defenders. The USD honorees included junior offensive tackle Tim Schneider (6-7, 286, Adams, Minn.); junior offensive guard Nick Walters (6-5, 290, Parkersburg, Iowa); senior fullback Tyler Evans (6-1, 235, Stewart, Minn.); sophomore linebacker Blake Hojer (6-2, 241, Lake Preston, S.D.) and junior linebacker Justiss Scales (6-3, 218, Columbus, Ohio.).
Senior tight end/wide receiver Desmond Allison (6-5, 231,Tampa, Fla.), redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Shepard (6-2, 213, Thornton, Colo.) and senior punter Lucas Mikkelsen (6-4, 218, Gregory, S.D.) were honorable mention honorees.
Logan, who was named to four All-American teams in 2005 and three preseason All-American teams in 2006, has rushed for 1,612 yards on 219 carries or 7.4 yards per carry. He has scored 13 TDs, including nine by rush, has a 17.8 yard punt return average and a 26.9 kickoff return average. Logan's single season total of 2,492 all purpose yards ranks second in Division II this season and is the 13th-best single season total ever in Division II. He ranks in the top-10 in four NCAA Division II statistical categories (rushing, punt returns, kickoff returns and all purpose yards). He owns or has tied three NCAA Division II records. Logan broke the 1,000-yard mark for fourth straight season, tying an NCAA record held by many and becoming first back ever in the North Central Conference to accomplish feat. Last weekend in USD's 31-28 overtime win over Northwood, Logan tied the NCAA Division II record with his 34th 100-yard rushing game (Damian Beane, Shepherd, 1996-99. He ranks third in the NCAA in all purpose yards at 207.7 yards per game and averages an NCC-best 134.3 yards per game (top 10 nationally). Logan ranks seventh in all-time in NCAA Division II with 7,685 all purpose yards and 12th all-time in Division II rushing charts with 5,863 yards.
Davis, a preseason All-American, has been a main cog for a Coyote defense that ranks third in rush defense nationally and first in the NCC at 68.8 yards per game. Davis and his teammates have held 10 of 12 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing per game. The Coyotes finished the season as the league's top scoring defense, and led the NCC in total defense and rushing defense. Davis, who recorded a career-high 11 tackles against Northwood, had 49 tackles this season, including two tackles for loss, three interceptions, a forced fumble, blocked kick and six pass breakups.
Barker and Reid were also cogs on the Coyote defense. Barker had 40 tackles, including 18 solo stops, 7.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, a pass breakup, two forced fumbles and several quarterback hurries. Reid was third on the Coyotes with 52 tackles, including 31 solo stops. He had 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception return for a TD, forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Morton, a nominee for the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year National Award, was one of three Coyote offensive lineman named to the first or second all-league squad. Morton, along with second-team selections Schneider and Walters, helped the Coyote offense lead the NCC with 429.8 yards in total offense. The Coyotes were second in the NCC and fourth nationally in rushing yards at 259.0 per game. The Morton, Schneider and Walters have led an offensive line that has allowed just 12 sacks in 12 games.
Hojer and Scales played prominent roles on the Coyotes' defense. Hojer led the Coyotes with 60 tackles, including 33 solo stops, eighth tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks and a fumble recovery. Scales, who had a big interception against Northwood last weekend, finished with 43 tackles, including 21 solo stops. He had 3.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback sack, interception, fumble recovery, blocked kick and three pass breakups.
Shepard completed 98-of-180 passes for 1,724 yards, which is a new freshman record (passing yards) and the sixth-best total in school history. He had 19 TD passes which is the second-highest total in school history and his total offense mark of 2,066 yards ranks third all-time at USD. He has done all that in just six starts for the Coyotes, going 4-2 and leading the Coyotes to a playoff win over Northwood with four TD throws which was a career-best. Allison tied a school-record with his three TD receptions on Saturday. Heading into the Grand Valley State game, Allison has 28 catches for 471 yards and eight TDs. Mikkelsen averaged 38.1 yards per kick (32 punts for 1,218 yards) with nine kicks placed inside the 20-yard line.
16th-ranked South Dakota will meet top-ranked Grand Valley State (11-0) in a noon start (CST) on Saturday in Allendale, Mich.
