Nov. 16, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. - Junior Ladarius Webb became the first player in school history to be named to the mid-season Buck Buchanan Watch List, and continued to write new pages in the record books when he was named a finalist for the award on Friday afternoon by the Sports Network.

"It is a great honor, and he (Webb) has played hard enough to get the recognition," said head coach Jay Thomas.

Webb is one of 16 players to be named a finalist for the Buchanan Award, and joining him on the list is McNeese State defensive end Bryan Smith.

The release from the Sports Network is below.

Lynch, Smith, Biermann head up final Buchanan watch list

Philadelphia (Sports Network) - Appalachian State free safety Corey Lynch, McNeese State defensive end Bryan Smith and Montana defensive end Kroy Biermann are among the 16 players on the final Buck Buchanan Award watch list, announced Friday by the Sports Network.

Lynch has won two games for Appalachian State on the final play of the game this season. His blocked field goal and against Michigan on the opening weekend has been voted as the play of the year in college football. He had an interception at the goal line and a 47-yard return to preserve a victory over Furman on Oct. 27.

Lynch also had a blocked punt and interception on Sept. 29 to help Appalachian State hold off Elon for another key road victory and intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown in a 79-35 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday. He is current the active career leader nationally with 21 interceptions, including three this year for 112 yards in returns and has five career blocked kicks.

Lynch has helped the two-time defending national champion move within a game of winning a share of its third straight Southern Conference title. He has 76 tackles to lead the Mountaineer defense, three tackles for loss and five pass break-ups.

Smith has been a force on defense for McNeese State as the Cowboys have gone 10-0 and clinched a share of the Southland Conference championship. He is tied for third nationally with 10.5 sacks for 81 yards in losses and has 25.5 sacks for his career.

Smith also has piled up 51 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and has forced four fumbles. He recovered a fumble and returned it six yards for a touchdown to help McNeese State to a 49-20 victory over Sam Houston State on Nov. 3 to wrap up a playoff berth for the Cowboys.

Biermann has been the catalyst on defense for a Montana team that is 10-0 and has won the Big Sky Conference title. He has 58 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, five forced fumbles and two blocked kicks.

Biermann is second nationally to San Diego's Eric Bakhtiari with 1.5 sacks per game. Those sacks have accumulated 100 yards in losses.

The award, which has been presented annually since 1995 by the Sports Network, goes to the player voted by a panel of sports information directors, media members and other college football experts to the top player in FCS. Ballots will be sent to voters next Sunday, with voting ending before the start of the FCS playoffs on Nov. 21.

The winner of the 13th Buck Buchanan Award will be announced at the annual Sports Network awards banquet on Dec. 13 in Chattanooga, Tenn. at the Marriott Hotel. The Walter Payton Award, the Eddie Robinson Award and the Sports Network Cup will also be awarded.

The winner of the 21st Walter Payton Award, the 21st Eddie Robinson Award and the Sports Network Cup will also be awarded.

The Buchanan Award goes to the top defensive player annually in FCS, while the Robinson Award is given to the top coach in FCS. The Sports Network Cup, which will be awarded for the seventh time, is awarded to the No. 1 Mid-Major team in FCS.

Joining Lynch, Smith and Biermann on the ballot are San Diego defensive end Eric Bakhtiari, Montana State linebacker Bobby Daly, linebacker Mike Gallihugh of Colgate, free safety Jarmaul George of Southern, linebacker Jason Hatchell of Massachusetts, defensive end Brian Johnston of Gardner-Webb, free safety Tony LeZotte of James Madison, linebacker Joe Mays of North Dakota State, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of Tennessee State, linebacker Kye Stewart of Illinois State, linebacker Donald Thomas of Eastern Illinois, Nicholls State safety Ladarius Webb and free safety Bobby Williams of Bethune- Cookman.

Albany linebacker Colin Disch, Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford and Youngstown State linebacker James Terry were on the original preseason Buchanan watch list, but were replaced by Bakhtiari, Daly and Webb.

Here are updates on the other 13 candidates not profiled above:

Eric Bakhtiari, San Diego, senior, defensive end - Bakhtiari has helped San Diego to a 9-1 record and a tie for the Pioneer Football League championship and the No. 2 ranking in the Sports Network Mid-Major poll. He played a major role in San Diego's 59-19 victory over Drake this season, tying a single-game FCS record with three forced fumbles. Bakhtiari had two quarterback hurries, one that resulted in a 99-yard interception return. He finished with eight solo tackles and six of those for losses. For the year, he is leading the country in sack with 18.5 for 125 yards of losses (1.85 per game) and is third in tackles for loss with 22 for 143 yards (2.2 per game). Bakhtiari has 66 tackles (43 solo), three forced fumbles, six quarterback hurries, two blocked kicks and two passes defended.

Bobby Daly, Montana State, junior, linebacker - Daly has double figure games in tackles for eight straight games and nine of 10 this season. He is fifth nationally in tackles (12.3), with 123 total (62 solo). Daly has 13.5 tackles for loss (60 yards) and four sacks for 33 yards of losses. He also has three passes defended and two forced fumbles. Daly has helped his unit to 16th in pass efficiency defense, 22nd in socring defense and 30th in rushing defense.

Mike Gallihugh, Colgate, senior, linebacker - Gallihugh has helped his team to a 7-3 record and into talk of an at-large playoff berth heading into Saturday's game. He is ninth nationally in tackles with an average of 11.7 (56 solo, 117 total) per game. He has nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four passes defended, three interceptions for 40 yards in returns, four passes defended and one quarterback hurry.

Jarmaul George, Southern, senior, safety - George has been a catalyst for Southern on the way a 7-3 record and second place in the SWAC West Division and to a No. 15 ranking nationally in scoring defense (17.6 points). George has 61 (33 solo) tackles, four interceptions for 65 yards in returns, 1.5 tackles for loss and four passes defended. George also has one pass reception for five yards.

Jason Hatchell, Massachusetts, senior, linebacker - Hatchell has followed up on a great junior year, where he led the Minutemen to the national championship game, with a solid senior season. UMass is ranked eighth nationally and is 8-2, with a chance to earn a share of the CAA title on Saturday. Hatchell has helped UMass rank 13th nationally in total defense and 14th in scoring defense (17.5 points). The linebacker has 93 tackles (40 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, six passes defended, two interceptions for 11 yards and one forced fumble.

Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb, senior, defensive end - Johnston has been a solid part of a defense that ranks 34th nationally and 22nd against the pass. His team is 5-5 this season and plays for the Big South title on Saturday. Johnston is fifth nationally in tackles for loss (20.5 for 100 yards) and is 34th in sacks (six), despite almost always seeing double and triple-team blocking schemes. He also has 67 tackles (34 solo), three passes defended, 17 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Johnston has also seen action at tight end, with one reception for three yards and a touchdown.

Tony LeZotte, James Madison, senior, safety - LeZotte, who is expected to become a four-time All-American, has helped the Dukes to a 7-3 record and the verge of the playoffs. He has been part of a unit that ranks 23rd in total defense and 13th in passing efficiency. LeZotte has 79 tackles (41 solo), three tackles for loss, eight passes defended and two interceptions for 15 yards. He has also returned two punts for 21 yards.

Joe Mays, North Dakota State, senior, linebacker - Mays has been the defensive leader for a team that is 10-0 and playing for the Great West Conference title on Saturday. His unit has allowed just 121 yards rushing and 334 yards of total defense. Mays has 79 tackles (42 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, six passes defended, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State, senior, cornerback - Rodgers- Cromartie has been the player teams avoid when they play the Tigers. He has 36 tackles (28 solo), 11 passes defended, two tackles for loss and two interceptions for 140 yards and touchdowns. Rodgers-Cromartie has also been a force on special teams with four blocked kicks, 28 kickoff returns for 635 yards (22.7) and four punts for 16 yards. He has also played on offense with two carries for 16 yards and one catch for 38 yards.

Kye Stewart, Illinois State, senior, linebacker - While Illinois State has struggled this season, it hasn't been because of Stewart. The speedy senior is seventh in tackles (11.9), with 131 total (57 solo). He has 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, three passes defended, one forced fumble, one interception for 21 yards and a touchdown and two fumble recoveries for 61 yards and a touchdown.

Donald Thomas, Eastern Illinois, senior, linebacker - Thomas has overcome injuries to record 70 tackles (38 solo), four tackles for loss, one pass defended and one quarterback hurry. He has helped his team to a 7-3 record, a No. 21 national ranking and a probable playoff berth if they win on Saturday.

Ladarius Webb, Nicholls State, junior, strong safety - Webb has had a remarkable season in helping Nicholls State rise as high as 13th in the national rankings and a 6-4 record. Webb became the first player in NCAA history to win conference player of the week honors on defense, offense and special teams in separate weeks. He had three interceptions in an opening week 16-14 win over Rice and two more interceptions that he ran back for touchdowns in a win over Northwestern State. In that game, Webb and teammate Kareem Moore had four interceptions combined for an NCAA-record four TD interception returns in one half. Webb also started at quarterback and rushed eight times for 120 yards against Azusa Pacific. Webb has 43 tackles (32 solo), one tackle for loss, eight passes defended and five interceptions for 148 yards and three TDs. He is second nationally in punt returns (21-567, 17.5), 19th in kickoff returns (15-262, 27.0). He has averaged 110 all-purpose yards per game and has played two games at quarterback with nine carries for 126 yards.

Bobby Williams, Bethune-Cookman, senior, safety - Williams has played exceptionally well for a defense that has held together in the midst of a tough season. His defense ranks 10th against the pass and 17th in total defense. The hard-hitting Williams has 75 tackles (34 solo), four tackles for loss, three passes defended, one forced fumble and two interceptions for 41 yards. He also has seven kickoff returns for 132 yards and two punt returns for 11 yards.