PHILADELPHIA - A pair of Illinois State freshmen football standouts were recognized on the first College Sports Journal All-Freshman Team, when tight end James O'Shaughnessy and wide receiver/kick returner Donovan Harden were named to the inaugural list from CSJ released this week.
The squad of 40 newcomers were selected for making significant national-scale contributions in their first year of playing college football. The 2011 team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of FCS experts put together by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton.
Illinois State was one of six teams with two players named to the list, which also included offensive tackle Zach Cooley and free safety Mike Crutcher of fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference member Missouri State.
O'Shaughnessy, who was recruited to Illinois State as a receiver, settled in at tight end and caught five passes for 76 yards (15.2 avg.) and two touchdowns in his first season in a Redbird uniform. The Naperville, Ill., native was named to MVFC All-Newcomer Team and was also instrumental in blocking for the Redbird running game that averaged 183.4 yards per game and was a standout on special teams with 14 tackles.
Harden played in 10 games for the Redbirds and led the team with 13 punt returns for 119 yards (9.2 avg.). The Rialto, Calif., native ranked 24th in the country in yards per punt return (9.15) and also had 10 kick returns for 235 yards for a team-leading 23.5 yards per return average. The true freshman returned five punts for 83 yards, including a long of 45 yards, and recorded 117 all-purpose yards in a win at Missouri State and also caught six passes for 47 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown catch, against Western Illinois.
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