North Texas Thomas named Sun Belt Player of the Year
NCAA rushing leader picks up three pieces of hardware - Player, Offensive Player and Freshman
Troy DE Demarcus Ware named Defensive Player of the Year
North Texas Darrell Dickey named Coach of the Year, again
NEW ORLEANS North Texas running back Jamario Thomas has been named the 2004 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. The freshman phenom from Longview, Texas, also picked up Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors to go along with his first team all-conference selection. Thomas is the third North Texas student-athlete to earn Sun Belt Player of the Year recognition (Brandon Kennedy, 2002 and 2003), the second to earn Offensive Player of the Year (Patrick Cobbs, 2003) and Freshman of the Year (JaMel Branch, 2001).
Thomas leads NCAA Division I-A in rushing with 189.9 yards per game, is third in all-purpose running with 191 ypg, and is fourth in scoring at 11.3 points per game. Thomas earned his first start of the season against Colorado on Sept. 18 after last years national rushing leader Patrick Cobbs was injured. Thomas proceeded to rush for 1,709 yards in nine games, including five consecutive games of 200 or more yards, tying the NCAA record held by Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders. Thomas was a four-time Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honoree in 2004. It is also the fourth year in a row that the Mean Green have place a running back on the all-Sun Belt first team (Kevin Galbreath, 2001 and 2002; Patrick Cobbs, 2003).
Troy senior defensive end Demarcus Ware earned Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors, ending a three-year hold by North Texas on the honor. Ware is a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award for defensive end of the year. The Auburn, Ala., native is sixth in the nation in sacks with 1.00 per game and tied for ninth in tackles for loss at 1.59 per game.
North Texas offensive lineman Dylan Lineberry became the second North Texas student-athlete to earn Newcomer of the Year honors (Kevin Galbreath, 2001). Lineberry graded out as the Mean Greens second-best overall offensive lineman. Along with his teammates, including first team All-Sun Belt offensive lineman Andy Brewster, the Houston, Texas, native led the Sun Belt in sacks allowed with a low of nine, just five in conference games.
North Texas head coach Darrell Dickey was selected by his peers and a media panel for a fourth Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year honor. Dickey led the Mean Green to its fourth consecutive Sun Belt Conference championship and Wyndham New Orleans Bowl appearance with a 7-0 conference record. The Mean Green also extended its conference game winning streak to 25, the longest in the nation.
Other significant notes on the 2004 All-Sun Belt Conference Football Teams:
North Texas defensive back Jonas Buckles becomes the Sun Belts first-ever four-time all-conference honoree. Buckles was a first team selection in 2001, 2003 and 2004. He earned second-team honors in 2002.
North Texas defensive lineman Adrian Awasom and Louisiana-Monroe defensive back Chris Harris become the fifth and sixth three-time all-conference honorees. Harris is the first non-North Texas three-time all-Sun Belt selection. Previous three-time honorees (all from North Texas) OL Nick Zuniga, DL Brandon Kennedy, LB Cody Spencer, and DB Craig Jones.
For the third time in three seasons, New Mexico State has had a quarterback receive all-Sun Belt recognition K.C. Enzminger (2001, second team); Paul Dombrowski (2002, second team; and Buck Pierce (2004, first team).
For the fourth year in a row, Arkansas State has had an offensive lineman named to the first team all-Sun Belt Garry Johnson (2001 and 2002), Kimani Jones (2003) and Steven Gibbs (2004).
Seven student-athletes are receiving all-Sun Belt honors for the second time in their career OL Andy Brewster, NT; OL Bruce Hampton, ULM; OL Steve Subia, NMSU; WR Kerry Wright, MT; DB C.C. Brown, ULL; P Joel Stelly, ULM; and QB Scott Hall, NT.
2004 Sun Belt Conference Football All-Conference Teams
First Team Offense
Offensive Line: ^Andy Brewster, Sr., North Texas; Steven Gibbs, Sr., Arkansas State; ^Bruce Hampton, Sr., Louisiana-Monroe; Junior Louissaint, Sr., Troy; ^Steve Subia, Sr., New Mexico State Tight End: Andy Blount, Sr., North Texas Wide Receivers: Bobby Bernal-Wood, Sr., Idaho; ^Kerry Wright, Sr., Middle Tennessee Quarterback: Buck Pierce, Sr., New Mexico State Running Backs: DeWhitt Betterson, Sr., Troy; Jamario Thomas, Fr., North Texas
First Team Defense
Defensive Line: #Adrian Awasom, Sr., North Texas; Aubrey Dorisme, Sr., New Mexico State; Brandon Guillory, Sr., Louisiana-Monroe; Demarcus Ware, Sr., Troy Linebackers: Jimmy Cottrell, Jr., New Mexico State; Cole Snyder, Jr., Idaho; Josh Williams, Fr., Arkansas State Defensive Backs: Derrick Ansley, Sr., Troy; ^C.C. Brown, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette; !Jonas Buckles, Sr., North Texas; #Chris Harris, Sr., Louisiana-Monroe
First Team Special Teams
Kicker: Nick Bazaldua, Jr., North Texas Punter: ^Joel Stelly, Jr., Louisiana-Monroe Return Specialist: Kevin Robinson, Fr., Utah State All-Purpose: Johnny Quinn, So., North Texas
Second Team Offense
Offensive Line: Lonnie Chambers, Sr., North Texas; Nick Cole, Jr., New Mexico State; Dylan Lineberry, So., North Texas; Quinton Staton, Jr., Middle Tennessee; Henry Tellis, Sr., Troy Tight End: Andrew Mooney, Fr., New Mexico State Wide Receivers: Johnny Quinn, So., North Texas; Bill Sampy, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette Quarterback: ^Scott Hall, Sr., North Texas Running Backs: Jayson Bird, Fr., Idaho; Antonio Warren, Sr., Arkansas State
Second Team Defense
Defensive Line: Evan Cardwell, Sr., North Texas; Michael Pruitt, Sr., North Texas; Eric Thomas, Sr., Troy; Ronald Tupea, Sr., Utah State Linebackers: Bernard Davis, Jr., Troy; Robby Farmer, Sr., Troy; John Winchester, Sr., Louisiana-Monroe Defensive Backs: Johnny Faulk, Jr., Troy; Matt Griebel, Jr., New Mexico State; Tyrell Johnson, Fr., Arkansas State; Markeith Knowlton, Sr., North Texas
Second Team Special Teams
Kicker: Colby Smith, So., Middle Tennessee Punter: Thomas Olmsted, Jr., Troy Return Specialist: Leodis McKelvin, Fr., Troy All-Purpose: Kevin Robinson, Fr., Utah State
Player of the Year: Jamario Thomas, RB, Fr., North Texas
Offensive Player of the Year: Jamario Thomas, RB, Fr., North Texas
Defensive Player of the Year: Demarcus Ware, DE, Sr., Troy
Newcomer of the Year: Dylan Lineberry, So., OG, North Texas
Freshman of the Year: Jamario Thomas, RB, Fr., North Texas
Coach of the Year: Darrell Dickey, North Texas (fourth consecutive year)
! = four-time All-Sun Belt honoree
# = three-time All-Sun Belt honoree
^ = two-time All-Sun Belt honoree