Co-Champion NDSU Places Four on All-MVFC First Team - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Co-champion North Dakota State University placed four players -- defensive end Coulter Boyer, offensive tackle Paul Cornick, cornerback Marcus Williams and linebacker Chad Willson -- on the 2011 all-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team and 12 players were honored overall in a vote of league coaches, media and sports information directors announced Monday.

Boyer, a 6-foot-4 1/2, 245-pound senior from Hurley, S.D. (Hurley H.S.) has started last 35 games played. He recorded 36 tackles including 16 solo stops. Boyer Led team with 10 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and seven sacks. He added two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Boyer recorded 2.5 sacks in win at Minnesota and made a career-high nine tackles at Western Illinois.

Williams, a 5-foot-11, 186-pound sophomore from Minneapolis, Minn. (Hopkins H.S.) leads the Valley and tied for 3rd nationally with 7 interceptions. He is one away from school record of eight. Scored three times on interceptions and once on kickoff return this season. Williams has 21 of 25 games in career with at least one pass defended. He had career-high nine tackles vs. Illinois State and vs. Youngstown State. Heecorded two interceptions vs. Missouri State and at Western illinois.

Cornick, a 6-foot-6, 309-pound senior from Orono, Minn. (Orono H.S.), is a three-year starter for the Bison. He has started in 26 of 44 games played and moved back to right tackle this season. Cornick is a three-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week during his career incluidng once this season. He only allowed two sacks this season.

Willson, a 5-foot-11, 221-pound senior from Layton, Utah (Layton H.S./Snow JC) currently leads the Bison with 65 tackles including 36 solos. He has five tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and one interception. Willson has forced one fumble and one fumble recovery.  He had two games this season with double-figure tackles including 10 including nine solos at Southern Illinois and 12 vs. Youngstown State.

Named to the Valley Football second team were tight end Matt Veldman, offensive lineman Austin Richard, strong safety Colten Heagle, wide receiver/return specialist Ryan Smith and kicker Ryan Jastram. Wide receiver Warren Holloway, quarterback Brock Jensen and punter Matt Voigtlander were honorable mention.

Indiana State RB Shakir Bell, a Walter Payton Award finalist and the nation's leading rusher, has been named the Missouri Valley Football Offensive Player of the Year. Bell is the first Sycamore to win the top offensive honor since 1991 (Derrick Franklin) and the first-ever sophomore to win the award in league history. Bell had a nation's best 1,670 rushing yards and broke the Indiana State single-season rushing record.

L.J. Fort of UNI has earned the league's Defensive Player of the Year honor. He's the fourth Panther in five seasons to win the league's top individual award on defense. He ranks second in the nation with 151 total tackles and second in the nation with six forced fumbles.

North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl is the league's Bruce Craddock Coach of the Year. A finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, he led the Bison to a conference co-championship, 10-1 overall record, and a No. 2 overall seed in this year's NCAA Division I Football Championship. NDSU spent all 12 weeks ranked in the Top 8 nationally, and achieved a No. 1 ranking for two weeks.

Named to the Valley Football second team were tight end Matt Veldman, offensive lineman Austin Richard, strong safety Colten Heagle, wide receiver/return specialist Ryan Smith and kicker Ryan Jastram. Wide receiver Warren Holloway, quarterback Brock Jensen and punter Matt Voigtlander were honorable mention.

2011 all-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team
(selected by coaches, sports information directors and media panel)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: LB L.J. Fort, UNI
‘BRUCE CRADDOCK' VALLEY FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: Craig Bohl, North Dakota State

FIRST TEAM
QB -- Kurt Hess, Youngstown State 6-3 235 So. Dayton (Ohio) Chaminade-Julienne High
Tirrell Rennie, UNI 6-0 201 Sr. North Lauderdale (Fla.) Coconut Creek High / Ellsworth CC
RB -- Shakir Bell, Indiana State 5-8 185 So. Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central High
Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State 5-9 205 Jr. Cleveland (Ohio) Midpark High
FB -- Brock Lough, Indiana State 6-0 220 Jr. Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High
WR -- Terriun Crump, Western Illinois 6-3 220 Sr. Country Club Hills (Ill.) Rich Central High / College of DuPage
Jermaine Saffold, Missouri State 6-1 198 Sr. Grandview (Mo.) High / Univ. of Central Missouri
TE -- Alex Jones, Indiana State 6-3 235 Sr. Centerville (Ind.) High
OL -- Bryan Boemer, Southern Illinois 6-2 317 Sr. St. Louis (Mo.) St. John Vianney High
Paul Cornick, North Dakota State 6-6 309 Sr. Orono (Minn.) High
FN Lutz, Indiana State 6-3 290 Jr. West Lafayette (Ind.) Lafayette Harrison High
Cal McCarthy, Illinois State 6-2 285 Sr. Shorewood (Ill.) Minooka High
Jay Teply, UNI 6-7 328 Sr. Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Xavier
PK -- Tyler Sieversten, UNI 6-2 185 So. Cedar Rapids (Iowa) C.R. Kennedy High
DL -- Ben Boothby, UNI 6-0 280 Sr. Clinton (Iowa) High
Colter Boyer, North Dakota State 6-4 245 Sr. Hurley (S.D.) High
Eric Brunner, Illinois State 6-2 285 Sr. Greendale (Wis.) High
Ben Obaseki, Indiana State 6-3 235 Jr. Washington (Ind.) High
LB -- Aaron Archie, Indiana State 6-0 235 Jr. Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech
L.J. Fort, UNI 6-1 232 Sr. Waynesville (Mo.) High
Evan Frierson, Illinois State 6-2 230 Jr. Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson High / Univ. of Illinois
Chad Willson, North Dakota State 5-11 221 Sr. Layton (Utah) High / Snow (Utah) Junior College
DB -- Mike McElroy, Southern Illinois 6-1 212 Sr. Lowell (Mich.) High
Alex Sewall, Indiana State 6-1 210 Sr. Western Springs (Ill.) Lyons Township High
Varmah Sonie, UNI 5-9 166 Jr. Burnsville (Minn.) Apple Valley High
Marcus Williams, North Dakota State 5-11 190 So. Minneapolis (Minn.) Hopkins High
P -- Jason Schlautman, South Dakota St. 6-2 195 Sr. Columbus (Neb.) High / Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha
RS -- Steve Strother, Southern Illinois 5-8 170 Sr. Culpepper (Va.) Eastern View High

SECOND TEAM
QB -- Matt Brown, Illinois State 6-4 215 Jr. Marion (Ill.) High
RB -- Jewel Hampton, Southern Illinois 5-9 210 Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central / Univ. of Iowa
Ashton Leggett, Illinois State 5-11 230 Sr. Muskegon (Mich.) High / Michigan State Univ.
FB -- Jordan Neukirch, Illinois State 6-2 235 So. Algonquin (Ill.) Huntley High
WR -- Dale Moss, South Dakota State 6-4 210 Sr. Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley High
Tyrone Walker, Illinois State 5-11 200 Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Cardinal Ritter High
TE -- Matt Veldman, North Dakota State 6-7 257 Sr. Becker (Minn.) High
OL -- Nick Bledsoe, Illinois State 6-1 295 Sr. Wheeling (Ill.) High
Ben Geffert, Indiana State 6-3 310 Sr. Griffith (Ind.) High
David Pickard, Southern Illinois 6-5 306 Sr. Oak Park (Ill.) High
Mark Pratt, Youngstown State 6-3 320 Jr. Tooele (Utah) High / Snow Junior College
Austin Richard, North Dakota State 6-3 314 Sr. Fargo (N.D.) South High
PK -- Ryan Jastram, North Dakota State 6-1 200 Sr. Sioux Falls (S.D.) Roosevelt High / New Mexico State
DL -- Nate Palmer, Illinois State 6-3 220 Jr. Chicago (Ill.) Simeon High / Univ. of Illinois
Mikel Ruder, Missouri State 6-5 280 Sr. Lawrence (Kan.) Free State High
Kayon Swanson, Southern Illinois 6-1 282 Jr. Southfield (Mich.) High
Andrew Johnson, Youngstown State 6-3 285 Sr. Detroit (Mich.) Southeastern / Bowling Green
LB -- Mike Lien, South Dakota State 6-0 220 Sr. Castaic (Calif.) Valencia High
Kevin Palermo, Western Illinois 6-1 225 Sr. West Chicago (Ill.) Driscoll Catholic High
Jordan Smith, UNI 6-2 223 Sr. Humboldt (Iowa) High
Jacolby Washington, Indiana State 6-1 235 Jr. Deltona (Fla.) Deltona Trinity Christian High
DB -- Colten Heagle, North Dakota State 5-11 195 So. Appleton (Wis.) Kimberly High
Otis Merrill, Illinois State 5-11 185 Sr. Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville High / Univ. of Wisconsin
Jimmie Strong, Missouri State 5-10 190 Sr. Texarkana (Texas) Texas High
Winston Wright, South Dakota State 5-10 185 So. Lee's Summit (Mo.) Blue Springs South High / Univ. of Missouri
P -- Lucas Hileman, Indiana State 6-1 195 Jr. Anna (Ill.) Jonesboro High / Baylor Univ.
RS -- Ryan Smith, North Dakota State 5-7 174 So. Wahpeton (N.D.) High

Honorable Mention

 Illinois State: LB Josh Howe, DL Colton Underwood, OT Cody White • Indiana State: QB Ronnie Fouch, DL Rod Hardy, LB Ryan Roberts Missouri State: P Jordan Chiles, TE Matt Thayer, QB Trevor Wooden • North Dakota State: WR Warren Holloway, QB Brock Jensen, P Matt Voigtlander • UNI: DL Darren Branch, RB David Johnson, RS Jarred Herring • South Dakota State: WR Aaron Rollin, FB Kyle Sheehan, OL Bryan Witzmann • Southern Illinois: DL Kenneth Boatright, PK Jackson MacLachlan, TE MyCole Pruitt • Western Illinois: DE Dwight Harris, OG Jimmy Holtschlag, DB Kieron James • Youngstown State: WR Christian Bryan, OL Chris Elkins, LB Teven Williams