Hofstra junior linebacker Luke Bonus has been voted to the first team and sophomore receiver Aaron Weaver was named to the second team as the Colonial Athletic Association announced its 2008 All-CAA Football Teams this afternoon.
The awards, voted on by the 12 CAA Football head coaches, were handed out after the league advanced a record-tying five squads into postseason play for the second-straight season and had seven programs log seven or more wins.
Bonus, who was the Atlantic 10 Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006 before the CAA absorbed its members in 2007, earns his second all-conference honor after being named to the All-Atlantic 10 third team as a freshman. The Medford Lakes, New Jersey native led the Pride in tackles this season with 96, just two short of his career-best set as a freshman. He also equaled his career-best with 42 solo stops. Bonus ranked seventh in the CAA and was tied for 71st in the FCS in total tackles this year. He recorded eight or more tackles in a game seven times during the 2008 season including a season-best 14 stops against Delaware.
Bonus, who earned CAA Academic All-Conference honors in each of his first two seasons, also recorded 2.5 sacks for losses of 20 yards, 6.5 tackles for losses of 31 yards, both forced and recovered two fumbles, and had one pass deflection.
Weaver, who led the Pride in receptions, kickoff returns and all-purpose yards, earned his first All-CAA honor in this, his first full season with the Pride. He recorded 70 receptions for 595 yards and four touchdowns in 2008. His 70 catches tied him for eighth place, with Marques Colston and Kahmal Roy, on the Pride's single season reception list. Weaver finished the regular season second in the CAA and tied for 22nd in reception average. The Freeport, New York native was also eighth in the conference and 98th in the nation in receiving yards per contest. Weaver tallied five or more receptions in eight games this season including nine grabs at top-ranked James Madison (47 yards) and against top-10 Richmond (132 yards).
Weaver also returned 21 kickoffs for 557 yards and a team-high 26.5 average. He broke the 17-year old school record with 254 yards in eight returns at New Hampshire on November 1. In addition, Weaver returned three punts for 16 yards, and carried the ball 19 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns. His 1,229 all-purpose yards were the most on the team and ranked 10th in the CAA.
The CAA also announced its special award winners along with the All-CAA teams. James Madison senior quarterback Rodney Landers was chosen as the 2008 CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year, while Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Maine defensive lineman Jovan Belcher. James
Madison head coach Mickey Matthews was named the league's Coach of the Year, after guiding the Dukes to the nation's No. 1 ranking over the final 10 weeks of the regular season.
The Dukes also logged two other major awards as junior return man Scotty McGee was named Special Teams Player of the Year and freshman defensive back Pat Williams was named one of two Defensive Rookies of the Year. William and Mary's freshman running back Jonathan Grimes was the overwhelming choice for CAA Football Offensive Rookie of the Year, while New Hampshire defensive lineman Brian McNally shared the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor with Williams.
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2008 All-CAA Football First Team
(as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | Rodney Landers | James Madison | Senior |
RB | Tony Nelson | Massachusetts | Junior |
RB | Josh Vaughan | Richmond | Senior |
FB/HB | Jared Turcotte | Maine | Freshman |
WR | Mike Boyle | New Hampshire | Senior |
WR | Victor Cruz | Massachusetts | Junior |
WR | Kevin Grayson | Richmond | Sophomore |
TE | Scott Sicko | New Hampshire | Junior |
OL | Ryan Canary | Maine | Senior |
OL | Vladimir Ducasse | Massachusetts | Junior |
OL | Ben Ijalana | Villanova | Sophomore |
OL | Scott Lemn | James Madison | Senior |
OL | Matthew McCracken | Richmond | Junior |
PK | Brian Pate | William and Mary | Junior |
KR | Jonathan Grimes | William and Mary | Freshman |
PR | Scotty McGee | James Madison | Junior |
DEFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Jovan Belcher | Maine | Senior |
DL | Greg Miller | Villanova | Senior |
DL | Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. | Richmond | Senior |
DL | Adrian Tracy | William and Mary | Junior |
LB | Luke Bonus | Hofstra | Junior |
LB | Josh Jennings | Massachusetts | Junior |
LB | Eric McBride | Richmond | Sophomore |
LB | Osayi Osunde | Villanova | Junior |
CB | Evan McCollough | James Madison | Senior |
CB | Courtney Robinson | Massachusetts | Senior |
CB | Justin Rogers | Richmond | Sophomore |
S | Charles Graves | Delaware | Junior |
S | Marcus Haywood | James Madison | Senior |
S | Jeromy Miles | Massachusetts | Junior |
P | Brett Arnold | Massachusetts | Senior |
2008 All-CAA Football Second Team
(as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | Liam Coen | Massachusetts | Senior |
QB | R.J. Toman | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
RB | Aaron Ball | Villanova | Sophomore |
RB | Jonathan Grimes | William and Mary | Freshman |
RB | Eugene Holloman | James Madison | Senior |
FB/HB | John Crone | Richmond | Senior |
WR | Marcus Lee | Towson | Senior |
WR | Matt Szczur | Villanova | Sophomore |
WR | Aaron Weaver | Hofstra | Sophomore |
TE | Brian Mandeville | Northeastern | Senior |
TE | Rob Varno | William and Mary | Junior |
OL | Terrence Apted | James Madison | Senior |
OL | Izzy Bauta | Villanova | Senior |
OL | Dorian Brooks | James Madison | Junior |
OL | Josh Droesch | New Hampshire | Senior |
OL | Kheon Hendricks | Delaware | Senior |
OL | Michael Silva | Richmond | Junior |
PK | Andrew Howard | Richmond | Junior |
KR | Scotty McGee | James Madison | Junior |
PR | Derek Hatcher | Richmond | Junior |
DEFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Hassan Abdul-Wahid | James Madison | Senior |
DL | Tim Kukucka | Villanova | Junior |
DL | Sherman Logan | Richmond | Senior |
DL | Matt Marcorelle | Delaware | Junior |
LB | Andrew Downey | Maine | Senior |
LB | Matt Hansen | Rhode Island | Sophomore |
LB | Marquis Kirkland | Villanova | Sophomore |
LB | Matt Parent | New Hampshire | Senior |
CB | Derek Cox | William and Mary | Senior |
CB | Dino Vasso | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
S | John Clements | New Hampshire | Senior |
S | Drew Mack | Towson | Senior |
P | Tom Bishop | New Hampshire | Senior |
2008 All-CAA Football Third Team
(as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | Jake Phillips | William and Mary | Senior |
QB | Sean Schaefer | Towson | Senior |
RB | Alex Broomfield | Northeastern | Senior |
RB | Jhamal Fluellen | Maine | Senior |
FB/HB | Griff Yancey | James Madison | Sophomore |
WR | Phil Atkinson | Villanova | Senior |
WR | Jeremy Horne | Massachusetts | Junior |
WR | D.J. McAulay | William and Mary | Junior |
TE | Robbie Agnone | Delaware | Senior |
OL | Christopher Arnao | Maine | Senior |
OL | Brian Brannigan | Villanova | Junior |
OL | Sean Calicchio | Massachusetts | Senior |
OL | Kevin Newhall | Northeastern | Junior |
OL | Theo Sherman | James Madison | Sophomore |
PK | Joe Marcoux | Villanova | Senior |
KR | Angelo Babbaro | Villanova | Sophomore |
PR | Brandon Johnson-Farrell | Rhode Island | Freshman |
DEFENSE
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Dave Dalessandro | Villanova | Senior |
DL | Sam Daniels | James Madison | Junior |
DL | Kyle Harrington | Massachusetts | Junior |
DL | Arthur Moats | James Madison | Junior |
LB | Phil Higgins | Northeastern | Junior |
LB | Jordan Manning | Towson | Senior |
LB | Collin McConaghy | Richmond | Junior |
LB | Josh Rutter | William and Mary | Senior |
CB | Salim Koroma | Villanova | Senior |
CB | Lionel Nixon, Jr. | Maine | Senior |
S | Nate Thellen | Northeastern | Sophomore |
S | Darrel Young | Villanova | Senior |
P | David Miller | William and Mary | Sophomore |