Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Newton, Johnson Named MEAC Offensive, Defensive Players of Year


NEW YORK CITY  -- Howard University quarterback Caylin Newton and North Carolina A&T State defensive end Darryl Johnson were named the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. The players were named officially at the 61st annual National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame press conference on Tuesday morning in New York City, which was streamed live on Facebook.

 After winning the 2017 MEAC Rookie of the Year award, Newton ended his sophomore campaign ranking among the nation's leaders in several categories, including passing yards per completion (1st/16.85) and total offense (7th/313.3). The Atlanta product was named to the 2018 Walter Payton Award Watch List after winning MEAC Offensive Player of the Week twice and is a finalist for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award. In the season opener against Ohio (Sept. 1), he posted 532 total yards, which was the third-highest output in program history. Newton completed his sophomore campaign as the MEAC's top passer with 2,629 yards and 22 touchdowns in 10 games.

 Newton is Howard's first MEAC Offensive Player of the Year since Greg McGhee's back-to-back honors in 2013 and 2014. He is the younger brother of NFL superstar Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and the first MEAC Offensive MVP as a sophomore since Tarik Cohen in 2014. As a freshman, Newton made national headlines as he led Howard to the largest upset vs. the spread in college football history. Howard was a 45-point underdog against UNLV.

 Johnson, N.C. A&T State's first MEAC Defensive Player of the Year since Chris McNeil in 1997, leads the MEAC in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (18.5). He is a two-time first-team All-MEAC performer for the nationally ranked Aggies and is also a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award for the best FCS defensive player in the nation. The 6-5 standout from Kingsland, Ga. is also a finalist for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award as he has had at least a half-sack in every game played this season with a high of two versus Gardner-Webb. With Johnson the anchor of the defensive line, North Carolina A&T State ranks second nationally in total defense amongst FCS teams and first in rush defense.

 This year’s honorees are both underclassmen as this marks the first time since 2014 that the Player of the Years are both underclassmen (Tarik Cohen / Javon Hargrave). The Aggies have also had at least one student-athlete earn either MEAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year for the fifth straight year.




MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS 
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