Ball State University Athletics
MAC Football Awards; Secor Special Teams POY
December 03, 2014 | Football
Scott Secor, a senior placekicker on the 2014 Ball State football team, has been named the Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and to the all-league first team, while Eric Patterson was named to the All-MAC First Team as a kickoff return specialist.
In addition, Jordan Williams was named to the All-MAC Second Team as a wide receiver, while Jahwan Edwards (RB), KeVonn Mabon (WR), Patterson (DB), Jacob Richard (C) and Darnell Smith (DL) were named to the all-league third team.
Secor, who was named to the All-MAC Third Team last season, led all MAC kickers with 109 points and ranks 20th in the nation in scoring. He connected on 25-of-30 field goal attempts in 2014, which tied the MAC and Ball State record for field goals made in a single season. Secor ranks second nationally with 2.08 field goals per game and 13th in the nation with a .833 field goal percentage, while his 25 made field goals ranks as the second highest total in the country this season. In his career, Secor finished sixth on Ball State's all-time scoring list with 226 career points, while his 109 this season is the sixth highest single-season total in Cardinals' history. He made 44-of-54 field goals in his career for a .815 percentage, which ranks as the fourth best career mark in MAC history.
Patterson was a first-team choice as a kickoff return specialist and a third-team selection as a defensive back, despite missing the final three games of the season due to injury. Patterson ranks 18th in the nation with a 25.7 average on kickoff returns and is 35th in the nation with 0.3 interceptions per game. He managed 23 kick returns for 590 yards, including a career long of 61 yards vs. Indiana State in 2014. He led the Cardinals with three interceptions and added one sack, one forced fumble, three tackles for loss and 49 tackles in his injury shortened season.
Williams led the Cardinals with 753 receiving yards, six touchdown receptions and a 13.4 yards-per-catch average, while ranking second on the team with 56 catches. An All-MAC Third-Team choice in 2013, Williams will enter his final season ranked 10th in Ball State history with 1,803 career receiving yards and 11th on the school's all-time list with 128 receptions. His 16 career TD catches ranks him seventh on the Cardinals' career chart.
Edwards completed his Ball State career as the school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,558), rushing touchdowns (51), total touchdowns (51) and rushing attempts (884). He ranks fifth in MAC history in career rushing yards and rushing TDs, while ranking sixth in rushing attempts. Edwards rushed for 100 or more yards six times in 2014 and 18 times in his career. Edward tallied 262 rushes for 1,252 yards and 12 TDs in 2014 and averaged 104.3 rushing yards a game in his 12 starts. He became only the second player in Ball State history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in three consecutive seasons after rushing for 1,410 in 2012, 1,110 in 2013 and 1,252 in 2014.
Mabon led the Cardinals with 59 catches plus tallied 717 receiving yards and five touchdown catches in 2014. In the season finale at Bowling Green, Mabon had six catches for a career best 119 receiving yards and his 62-yard TD reception marked the longest pass play of the year for the Cardinals.
Richard anchored an offensive line that blocked for Edwards' record-setting season and helped Ball State rank 11th in the nation for fewest sacks allowed per game (1.08) and 26th for fewest tackles for loss per contest (4.83). In addition, the offensive line was a key factor in Ball State ranking second in the nation with a .846 fourth down conversion percentage and 20th in the NCAA with a .891 red zone offense.
Smith started all 12 games and managed 37 tackles, including a team high four sacks. He ranked fourth for Ball State with 5.5 tackles for loss plus added three quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Ball State completed the 2014 season with a 5-7 overall record and a 4-4 MAC mark. The Cardinals won their final two games of the season and four of the last six outings, including a season finale victory over MAC East Division Champion Bowling Green.
