ST. LOUIS - The 2010 Illinois State football team featured several new faces that made significant contributions on the field and five of those players were recognized for their efforts by being named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team Wednesday. Wide receiver Marvon Sanders, running backs Ashton Leggett and Erik Smith, defensive end Shelby Harris and safety Bo Flowers were each named to the squad in vote by league head coaches, sports information directors and media.
The five selections are the most for the Redbirds since having six named to the squad in 2002. The MVFC All-Newcomer Team is comprised of players who participated for the first time in their respective programs. Junior college transfers and Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) transfers are eligible, as are redshirt freshmen. All of the players must be starters or important reserves, with the top 11 vote-getters on offense (plus ties) and the top 11 vote-getters on defense (plus ties) named to the team.
Sanders made an immediate impact in the passing game for the Redbirds after transferring from Eastern Michigan. The junior from Ypsilanti, Mich., was named as an All-MVFC Honorable Mention selection after leading the Redbirds with 73 catches, the fourth-highest single-season mark in school history. Sanders finished the season with 754 yards receiving, caught a pair of touchdowns and averaged 6.6 receptions per game, which led the conference and ranked 10th in the country. He recorded a career-high 167 yards receiving against Missouri State to go along with 12 catches and was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week, after recording 10 catches and a touchdown on the road at No. 20 South Dakota State.
Leggett combined with Smith to form a solid stable of runners in the backfield for the Redbirds. In his first season after transferring from Michigan State, the junior rushed for 599 yards on 139 carries and led the team with eight rushing touchdowns. The Muskegon, Mich., native also caught 17 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. Leggett recorded his first career 100-yard rushing performance at ISU when he rushed for 100 yards and touchdown in a win at No. 20 South Dakota State and followed that up by rushing for four touchdowns in a win over Missouri State. He earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors, after rushing for a season-high 146 yards and a touchdown against No. 14 North Dakota State, joining forces with Smith to become one of just four duos in the conference to rush for over 100 yards in the same game.
Smith led the Redbirds with 656 yards rushing on 142 carries and scored four touchdowns on the ground, including two in the season finale against Eastern Illinois. A sophomore transfer from Wisconsin, Smith also caught 27 passes for 192 yards out of the backfield to show his versatility. The Bolingbrook, Ill., native rushed for a career-high 113 yards rushing on 16 carries in a win over No. 14 North Dakota State and recorded the team's longest rush of the season at 73 yards against the Bison. He and Leggett became one of four duos in the conference to rush for over 100 yards in the same game.
Harris blossomed late in the season and finished the season ranked seventh on the team with 39 tackles, including 19 solo stops. A redshirt freshman transfer from Wisconsin, Harries tallied a sack and four tackles-for-loss in 2010 and was credited with a team-high six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and blocked a punt on special teams. The Milwaukee, Wis., native tied a career-high with six tackles in wins against No. 20 South Dakota State and Missouri State and recorded five tackles, with four solo stops, and a tackle-for-loss at No. 19 UNI. He finished the season strong with five solo tackles, two tackles-for loss and his first career sack in the season finale against Eastern Illinois.
The latest addition to the Redbird roster in 2010, Flowers played in eight games and started the last five at strong safety after transferring from Illinois. The senior from Maywood, Ill., tallied 33 of his 37 tackles over the final five games of the season and added 1.5 tackles-for-loss, an interception, one pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Flowers posted six solo tackles and a tackle-for-loss at No. 19 UNI and later set a career-high with 10 tackles in a win over Youngstown State. He ended his collegiate football career by picking off a pass on the final play in a victory over Eastern Illinois.
Northern Iowa junior quarterback Tirrell Rennie was named the league's Newcomer of the Year, while Youngstown State freshman quarterback Kurt Hess was named the Freshman of the Year to round out the postseason awards.
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