Scott Earns Special Teams Player of the Year Award
1/9/2012 10:57:00 PM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - Laron Scott, who ranked third in the FCS with 30.59 yards per kickoff return, was named the Special Teams Player of the Year by College Sporting News and the College Football Performance Awards Kickoff Returner of the Year.
Scott returned 34 kicks for 1,040 yards and two touchdowns while setting the school record for career kickoff yardage with 2,257 yards. The Warner Robins, Ga., native posted the top-two single season yardage marks of 1,161 in 2010 and 1,040 in 2011. In the season opener, he posted the second-longest return in school history with a 99-yard touchdown.
Joining Scott on the College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team were Brett Moore (Warner Robins, Ga.) and Brent Russell (Cormer, Ga.). Moore was one of two offensive tackles on the list and finished the regular season with 44 knockdowns in 11 starts at right tackle. Russell was fourth on the team with 67 tackles and led the squad with 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Russell and Monken finished in top-10
Russell appeared along with Head Coach Jeff Monken in the top-10 of the voting from the Buck Buchanan Award and the Eddie Robinson Award, respectively. Russell received six first-place votes and finished in sixth place with 105 total points, while Monken received two first-place votes and finished eighth with 86 points.
Monken compiled the second best record in the FCS since becoming head coach of the Eagles before the 2010 season. He has led the Eagles to two semifinal appearances and a 21-8 record in just two seasons. Among former head coaches, only Paul Johnson posted more wins in their first two seasons at the helm. Johnson went 24-4 reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in 1997 and the title game in 1998.
Matt Evans of New Hamphshire won the Buck Buchanan Award with 45 first-place votes, while Rob Ambrose was the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award with 59 first-place votes. The Buchanan Award is awarded to the top defensive player of the year and the Robinson Award is handed out to the top FCS head coach. Both awards are presented by The Sports Network and sponsored by Fathead.com.
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