Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football Announces 2018 Award Winners
12/9/2018 9:00:00 PM | Football
The 2018 individual award nominees were honored at the 56th annual football banquet
Bowl Game Information | EMU Updated Record Book.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University football team hosted its 56th annual football banquet Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest. The banquet served as the celebration of the team's 2018 individual award winners, which were announced by members of the EMU football coaching staff.
For the second straight season, junior defensive lineman Maxx Crosby (Colleyville, Texas, Colleyville Heritage) was named the team's Most Valuable Player as well as the Harold E. Sponberg Down Lineman Award. Crosby joined former NFL Draft picks Ron Johnson and Lional Dalton as the only EMU defensive players to ever earn back-to-back First Team All-MAC selections. Opposing quarterbacks have gotten to know Crosby more than they would like over the past three seasons, as the Colleyville, Texas native has wreaked havoc in opponents' backfields. Crosby ranks sixth nationally in forced fumbles per game (0.36), as well as 10th in tackles-for-loss per game (1.6). He is also fifth in the MAC in sacks (0.68), a mark that ranks 36th in the FBS ranks.
Former walk-on and now team captain senior wide receiver Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn.-Cretin-Derham Hall) was honored with the James M. "Bingo" Brown award, given to the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player. Banham, who moved from running back to wide receiver for his senior season, led the pass-heavy 2018 Eagles in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and all-purpose yardage. Appearing in all 12 games for the Green and White, Banham has hauled in 54 catches for 714 yards, including five touchdowns. The St. Paul, Minn. product has posted 100+ yards receiving three times this season, including a season-best 159 at Buffalo, Sept. 15, and ranks ninth in the league in receiving yards per game (59.5). Recently named a Google Cloud Academic All-District® honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Banham added to his accolades by also taking home the Committed to Excellence award and Team Player award.
Earning the team's John E. Borowiec Most Valuable Defensive Player award was senior linebacker Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer East), adding to his postseason honors that also include a Second Team All-MAC selection. Rachwal notched 115 tackles, 10 TFLs, five quarterback hurries, and a pair of interceptions for the EMU defense. He became just the 25th player in school history to record more than 115 stops in a single season, while ranking fifth in the MAC in tackles per game at 9.6. In addition to his success in 2018, Rachwal joined the 300 career tackles club against Army West Point, Oct. 27. The senior became just the 17th player in school history to record 300-or-more tackles in a career. Overall, the Lapeer, Mich. native has 335 (143 solo, 192 assist) tackles, the 11th-most by any Eagle. In addition, Rachwal earned the team's Theme award as the player who best represented the team's 2018 motto of "Focus, Fight, Finish".
The Special Teams Most Valuable Player honor went to fellow Second Team All-MAC honoree sophomore punter Jake Julien (Barrie, Ontario, Canada-North Collegiate). Julien was named MAC West Division Special Team Player of the Week a school-record five times in 2018, and is only EMU player in records that date back to 1959 to have recorded two punts of 70-or-more yards in their career. Ranked 23rd nationally with an average of 43.6 yards per punt, the Barrie, Ontario product recorded 12 punts of 50-or-more yards with 22 downed inside the 20-yard line. Furthermore, 15 of those 22 have actually been whistled dead inside the 10-yard line with three having traveled more than 68 yards.
The E-Gridiron group's newcomers of the year honors went to freshman Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) for his offensive efforts and to junior transfer defensive lineman Ty Eddington (Bakersfield, Calif.-East-Bakersfield College) for his season performance on defense.
Freshmen Brian Dooley (Bowling Green, Ohio-Toledo St. John's Jesuit), Carter Stagner (Birmingham, Mich.-Seaholm), and Joey Hiser (Dexter, Mich.-Dexter) earned the team's Scout Team Player of the Year award for their efforts preparing the team for competition each week on offense, defense, and special teams, respectively.
Taking home the Hammer Awards on offense, defense, and special teams were senior offensive lineman Jimmy Leatiota (San Jose, Calif.-Wilcox-College of San Mateo), junior Vince Calhoun (Middletown, Ohio-Middletown), and freshman kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest). Leatiota and Calhoun earned the honor for the second straight season, while both also earned Third Team All-MAC honors for their efforts in 2018. Ryland tabbed an impressive freshman campaign, including the game-winning field goal make at Purdue University, Sept. 8, for Eastern Michigan's second-ever win over a "Power 5" opponent.
Meanwhile, the Helmet Stickers Award was given to Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) and the Elton J. Rynearson Scholar Athlete Award was awarded to Mike VanHoeven (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw). The sophomore exercise science major currently holds a team-high 3.94 grade point average.
Completing the awards handed out by Head Coach Chris Creighton and his staff was the Torchbearer Leader Award, given to senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior) for the second season in a row. A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris racked up 58 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks. His five sacks are tied for 11th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks.
With the 2018 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl just six days away, the end of the Eastern Michigan careers of 18 program-defining student-athletes were honored at the event: Ka'John Armstrong (Detroit, Mich.-Loyola), Chris Bukoski (Dewitt, Mich.-Dewitt), Ikie Calderon (Neptune, N.J.-Neptune-College of the Desert), Ian Eriksen (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston), Lemar Harris (Raleigh, N.C.-Millbrook), Jeremy Hickey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), Jesse Kelly (Ventura, Calif.-St. Bonaventure-Oregon-Ventura College), Tyler LaBarbera (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-James B. Conant-DuPage), Justin Moody (Richmond, Va.-Monacan), Jaylen Pickett (Zephyrhills, Fla.-Zephyrhills), Dakota Tallman (Elyria, Ohio-Elyria Catholic), Ville Valasti (Helsinki, Finland-Itakeskuksen Iukio-Diablo Valley College), Tyler Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Iowa), Ross Williams (Southfield, Mich.-Groves), as well as the previously mentioned Banham, Harris, Leatiota, and Rachwal.
Eastern Michigan wrapped up the regular season with a 7-5 record to become bowl eligible for the second time in three years and continues one of the best three-year stretches in program history. Eastern's 19 wins over the past three years are the most since EMU won 23 from 1987-89. The Eagles closed out the season strong, winning five straight MAC games for their first winning record in conference play since 1995.
The Green and White turned in another stout season on the defensive side of the ball in 2018, as it posted one of the most successful defensive campaigns in program history. EMU's 22.0 points allowed per game tied for the fifth-best mark in school history in the modern era (since 1976), and the best since 1993. Eastern's 352.9 yards of offense allowed are the second-best mark since 1998, as well as the best since 2011. Furthermore, the Eagles intercepted 13 passes, the most since 2007, and forced 24 total turnovers.
On the national scale, the Eagles were one of the top defenses in the country. Eastern currently owns the fourth-best redzone defense in the NCAA, while holding opponents to 160.0 passing yards per game, the fifth-fewest in the nation. EMU ranked 10th in turnover margin, 12th in turnovers gained, 12th in passing efficiency defense, 17th in fumbles recovered, 17th in fourth down conversion defense, 28th in interceptions, 32nd in scoring defense, and 35th in first-down defense.
Furthermore, defensive coordinator Neal Neathery's crew proved to be very stingy late in the year, as EMU's defense only allowed one offensive touchdown over the final 12 quarters of the season. Moreover, Eastern is ranked 14th nationally for fewest second-half points allowed at just 8.9 per game.
The Eagles travel to Montgomery, Ala. to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles in the Raycom Camellia Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 15. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. CT).
Eastern Michigan University 2018 Football Awards
Team MVP
Maxx Crosby
James M. "Bingo" Brown Most Valuable Offensive Player Award
Blake Banham
John E. Borowiec Most Valuable Defensive Player Award
Kyle Rachwal
Special Teams MVP Award
Jake Julien
Elton J. Rynearson Scholar-Athlete Award
Mike VanHoeven
Harold E. Sponberg Lineman Award
Maxx Crosby
E-Gridiron Group Offensive Newcomer of the Year
Dylan Drummond
E-Gridiron Group Defensive Newcomers of the Year
Ty Eddington
Scout Team Player of the Year
OFFENSE: Brian Dooley
DEFENSE: Cartner Stagner
SPECIAL TEAMS: Joey Hiser
Helmet Stickers Winner
Freddie McGee III
Hammer Award
OFFENSE: Jimmy Leatiota
DEFENSE: Vince Calhoun
SPECIAL TEAMS: Tyler Lyle
Theme Award - "Focus, Fight, Finish"
Kyle Rachwal
Committed to Excellence Award
Blake Banham
Team Player Award "Game Ball"
Blake Banham
Torch Bearer Leader Award
Jeremiah Harris
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University football team hosted its 56th annual football banquet Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest. The banquet served as the celebration of the team's 2018 individual award winners, which were announced by members of the EMU football coaching staff.
For the second straight season, junior defensive lineman Maxx Crosby (Colleyville, Texas, Colleyville Heritage) was named the team's Most Valuable Player as well as the Harold E. Sponberg Down Lineman Award. Crosby joined former NFL Draft picks Ron Johnson and Lional Dalton as the only EMU defensive players to ever earn back-to-back First Team All-MAC selections. Opposing quarterbacks have gotten to know Crosby more than they would like over the past three seasons, as the Colleyville, Texas native has wreaked havoc in opponents' backfields. Crosby ranks sixth nationally in forced fumbles per game (0.36), as well as 10th in tackles-for-loss per game (1.6). He is also fifth in the MAC in sacks (0.68), a mark that ranks 36th in the FBS ranks.
Former walk-on and now team captain senior wide receiver Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn.-Cretin-Derham Hall) was honored with the James M. "Bingo" Brown award, given to the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player. Banham, who moved from running back to wide receiver for his senior season, led the pass-heavy 2018 Eagles in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and all-purpose yardage. Appearing in all 12 games for the Green and White, Banham has hauled in 54 catches for 714 yards, including five touchdowns. The St. Paul, Minn. product has posted 100+ yards receiving three times this season, including a season-best 159 at Buffalo, Sept. 15, and ranks ninth in the league in receiving yards per game (59.5). Recently named a Google Cloud Academic All-District® honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Banham added to his accolades by also taking home the Committed to Excellence award and Team Player award.
Earning the team's John E. Borowiec Most Valuable Defensive Player award was senior linebacker Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer East), adding to his postseason honors that also include a Second Team All-MAC selection. Rachwal notched 115 tackles, 10 TFLs, five quarterback hurries, and a pair of interceptions for the EMU defense. He became just the 25th player in school history to record more than 115 stops in a single season, while ranking fifth in the MAC in tackles per game at 9.6. In addition to his success in 2018, Rachwal joined the 300 career tackles club against Army West Point, Oct. 27. The senior became just the 17th player in school history to record 300-or-more tackles in a career. Overall, the Lapeer, Mich. native has 335 (143 solo, 192 assist) tackles, the 11th-most by any Eagle. In addition, Rachwal earned the team's Theme award as the player who best represented the team's 2018 motto of "Focus, Fight, Finish".
The Special Teams Most Valuable Player honor went to fellow Second Team All-MAC honoree sophomore punter Jake Julien (Barrie, Ontario, Canada-North Collegiate). Julien was named MAC West Division Special Team Player of the Week a school-record five times in 2018, and is only EMU player in records that date back to 1959 to have recorded two punts of 70-or-more yards in their career. Ranked 23rd nationally with an average of 43.6 yards per punt, the Barrie, Ontario product recorded 12 punts of 50-or-more yards with 22 downed inside the 20-yard line. Furthermore, 15 of those 22 have actually been whistled dead inside the 10-yard line with three having traveled more than 68 yards.
The E-Gridiron group's newcomers of the year honors went to freshman Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) for his offensive efforts and to junior transfer defensive lineman Ty Eddington (Bakersfield, Calif.-East-Bakersfield College) for his season performance on defense.
Freshmen Brian Dooley (Bowling Green, Ohio-Toledo St. John's Jesuit), Carter Stagner (Birmingham, Mich.-Seaholm), and Joey Hiser (Dexter, Mich.-Dexter) earned the team's Scout Team Player of the Year award for their efforts preparing the team for competition each week on offense, defense, and special teams, respectively.
Taking home the Hammer Awards on offense, defense, and special teams were senior offensive lineman Jimmy Leatiota (San Jose, Calif.-Wilcox-College of San Mateo), junior Vince Calhoun (Middletown, Ohio-Middletown), and freshman kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest). Leatiota and Calhoun earned the honor for the second straight season, while both also earned Third Team All-MAC honors for their efforts in 2018. Ryland tabbed an impressive freshman campaign, including the game-winning field goal make at Purdue University, Sept. 8, for Eastern Michigan's second-ever win over a "Power 5" opponent.
Meanwhile, the Helmet Stickers Award was given to Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) and the Elton J. Rynearson Scholar Athlete Award was awarded to Mike VanHoeven (Paw Paw, Mich.-Paw Paw). The sophomore exercise science major currently holds a team-high 3.94 grade point average.
Completing the awards handed out by Head Coach Chris Creighton and his staff was the Torchbearer Leader Award, given to senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior) for the second season in a row. A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris racked up 58 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks. His five sacks are tied for 11th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks.
With the 2018 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl just six days away, the end of the Eastern Michigan careers of 18 program-defining student-athletes were honored at the event: Ka'John Armstrong (Detroit, Mich.-Loyola), Chris Bukoski (Dewitt, Mich.-Dewitt), Ikie Calderon (Neptune, N.J.-Neptune-College of the Desert), Ian Eriksen (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston), Lemar Harris (Raleigh, N.C.-Millbrook), Jeremy Hickey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Brother Rice), Jesse Kelly (Ventura, Calif.-St. Bonaventure-Oregon-Ventura College), Tyler LaBarbera (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-James B. Conant-DuPage), Justin Moody (Richmond, Va.-Monacan), Jaylen Pickett (Zephyrhills, Fla.-Zephyrhills), Dakota Tallman (Elyria, Ohio-Elyria Catholic), Ville Valasti (Helsinki, Finland-Itakeskuksen Iukio-Diablo Valley College), Tyler Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Iowa), Ross Williams (Southfield, Mich.-Groves), as well as the previously mentioned Banham, Harris, Leatiota, and Rachwal.
Eastern Michigan wrapped up the regular season with a 7-5 record to become bowl eligible for the second time in three years and continues one of the best three-year stretches in program history. Eastern's 19 wins over the past three years are the most since EMU won 23 from 1987-89. The Eagles closed out the season strong, winning five straight MAC games for their first winning record in conference play since 1995.
The Green and White turned in another stout season on the defensive side of the ball in 2018, as it posted one of the most successful defensive campaigns in program history. EMU's 22.0 points allowed per game tied for the fifth-best mark in school history in the modern era (since 1976), and the best since 1993. Eastern's 352.9 yards of offense allowed are the second-best mark since 1998, as well as the best since 2011. Furthermore, the Eagles intercepted 13 passes, the most since 2007, and forced 24 total turnovers.
On the national scale, the Eagles were one of the top defenses in the country. Eastern currently owns the fourth-best redzone defense in the NCAA, while holding opponents to 160.0 passing yards per game, the fifth-fewest in the nation. EMU ranked 10th in turnover margin, 12th in turnovers gained, 12th in passing efficiency defense, 17th in fumbles recovered, 17th in fourth down conversion defense, 28th in interceptions, 32nd in scoring defense, and 35th in first-down defense.
Furthermore, defensive coordinator Neal Neathery's crew proved to be very stingy late in the year, as EMU's defense only allowed one offensive touchdown over the final 12 quarters of the season. Moreover, Eastern is ranked 14th nationally for fewest second-half points allowed at just 8.9 per game.
The Eagles travel to Montgomery, Ala. to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles in the Raycom Camellia Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 15. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. CT).
Eastern Michigan University 2018 Football Awards
Team MVP
Maxx Crosby
James M. "Bingo" Brown Most Valuable Offensive Player Award
Blake Banham
John E. Borowiec Most Valuable Defensive Player Award
Kyle Rachwal
Special Teams MVP Award
Jake Julien
Elton J. Rynearson Scholar-Athlete Award
Mike VanHoeven
Harold E. Sponberg Lineman Award
Maxx Crosby
E-Gridiron Group Offensive Newcomer of the Year
Dylan Drummond
E-Gridiron Group Defensive Newcomers of the Year
Ty Eddington
Scout Team Player of the Year
OFFENSE: Brian Dooley
DEFENSE: Cartner Stagner
SPECIAL TEAMS: Joey Hiser
Helmet Stickers Winner
Freddie McGee III
Hammer Award
OFFENSE: Jimmy Leatiota
DEFENSE: Vince Calhoun
SPECIAL TEAMS: Tyler Lyle
Theme Award - "Focus, Fight, Finish"
Kyle Rachwal
Committed to Excellence Award
Blake Banham
Team Player Award "Game Ball"
Blake Banham
Torch Bearer Leader Award
Jeremiah Harris
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