Three named AP FCS All-America
12/15/2011 4:36:00 PM | Football
Flanders, a sophomore from Midwest City, Oklahoma, was the Southland Conference "Player of the Year" and joined Swanson, a junior from Waco, on the all-league squad.
Flanders, Taylor and Swanson teamed to lead Sam Houston to the only 13-0 regular season record in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Bearkats rolled 7-0 through league action, out-scoring their opponents 309 to 67 as Sam Houston earned its fourth Southland Conference championship.
Sam Houston ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in the Sports Network FCS national poll and received the No. 1 seed in the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Playoffs.
Flanders, a sophomore running back from Midwest City, Okla., ranks 21st in the nation and first in the Southland in rushing this season with 103 yards per game.
In his two years as a Bearkat he already has set eight Sam Houston school records and two Southland Conference marks including most points (138) and most touchdowns (23) in one season.
Taylor, a junior safety from Mesquite, is the leading tackler for a Bearkat defense that ranks No. 1 in the nation in rushing defense, total defense, scoring defense and pass efficiency defense and stands No. 2 in turnover margin.
The kinesiology major has totaled 100 tackles (69 solo, 31 assists) in 12 games including eight tackles for losses and three quarterback sacks.
Swanson, sophomore quarterback from Waco, ranks No. 3 in NCAA Division I FCS football and leads the Southland Conference with eight interceptions this season. He has returned the interceptions for 117 yards including a run-backs of 64 and 37 yards that set up a touchdowns in the Lamar and Montana State victories.
With his interception in the Montana State playoff victory, Swanson set the school record for most interceptions in one year (8). Swanson intercepted two passes in 2010, bringing his career total to nine. That ties him with Charles Stanley (1975-77) for sixth place in Sam Houston career interceptions. Ronnie Choate (1955-59) holds the Bearkat career record with 13.
Flanders, Taylor and Swanson become the ninth, 10th and 11th Bearkats in Sam Houston's 24-years of NCAA Division I FCS competition to earn either first, second or third team selection to the AP FCS All-America squad.
Sam Houston State meets Montana Friday at 7 p.m. in the NCAA Division I Playoff Semifinals at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville.
2011 ASSOCIATED PRESS FCS ALL-AMERICA SQUAD
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Bo Levi Mitchell, senior, 6-2, 210, Eastern Washington.
Running backs - Shakir Bell, sophomore, 5-8, 185, Indiana State; Eric Breitenstein, junior, 5-11, 225, Wofford.
Linemen - J.C. Oram, senior, 6-4, 300, Weber State; George Bias, senior, 6-3, 305, Stephen F. Austin; Paul Cornick, senior, 6-6, 309, North Dakota State; Brett Moore, senior, 6-3, 255, Georgia Southern; Tom Compton, senior, 6-6, 314, South Dakota.
Receivers - Rodrick Rumble, junior, 6-2, 201, Idaho State; Aaron Mellette, junior, 6-4, 212, Elon; Ryan Spadola, junior, 6-3, 205, Lehigh.
All-purpose - Jonathan Grimes, senior, 5-10, 201, Williams & Mary.
Kicker - Zach Brown, junior, 6-1, 200, Portland State.
DEFENSE
Linemen - Ben Boothby, senior, 6-0, 280, Northern Iowa; Zack Nash, senior, 6-4, 260, Sacramento State; Ben Obaseki, junior, 6-3, 260, Indiana State; Adrian Hamilton, senior, 6-3, 255, Prairie View A&M.
Linebackers - Tyler Holmes, senior, 6-0, 224, Massachusetts; Kadarron Anderson, senior, 6-1, 234, Furman; Caleb McSurdy, senior, 6-1, 242, Montana.
Defensive backs - Marcus Williams, sophomore, 5-11, 190, North Dakota State; Trumaine Johnson, senior, 6-3, 210, Montana; Ryan Steed, senior, 5-11, 188, Furman; Josh Norman, senior, 6-2, 190, Coastal Carolina.
Punter - David Harrington, senior, 6-2, 1985, Idaho State.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Chris Lum, senior, Lehigh.
Running backs - Terrance West, freshman, Towson; Tim Flanders, sophomore, Sam Houston State.
Linemen - Bryan Boerner, senior, Southern Illinois; Gino Gradowski, senior, Delaware; Nate Page, senior, Wofford; Blake Matthews, senior, Norfolk State; Joe Faiella, senior, Stony Brook.
Receivers - Brian Quick, senior, Appalachian State; Mario Louis, senior, Grambling; Nicholas Edwards, junior, Eastern Washington.
All-purpose - Brock Jackloski, senior, Stony Brook.
Kicker - Ryan Estep, senior, Norfolk State.
DEFENSE
Linemen - Brent Russell, junior, Georgia Southern; Blake Olijaro, sophomore, San Diego; Andrew Schaetzke, senior, Georgetown; Ronnie Cameron, senior, Old Dominion.
Linebackers - Matt Evans, junior, New Hampshire; Blake Peiffer, junior, Southeast Missouri State; A.J. Storms, senior, Idaho State.
Defensive backs - Kejuan Riley, junior, Alabama State; Justin Bethel, senior, Presbyterian; Darnell Taylor, junior, Sam Houston State; Bryce Robertson, senior, Bucknell.
Punter - Jonathan Plisco, junior, Old Dominion.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Casey Brockman, junior, Murray State.
Running backs - Nick Schweiger, senior, Dartmouth; Matt Denham, junior, Eastern Kentucky.
Linemen - Scott Schweitzer, senior, Tennessee Tech; Jon Apperud, senior, Montana; Malcolm Boyd, junior, Liberty; Jeff Adams, senior, Columbia; Troy McKenna, junior, Lehigh.
Receivers - Shane Savage, senior, Cornell; Tre Gray, senior, Richmond; Elvis Akpla, senior, Montana State.
All-purpose - Gralyn Crawford, junior, Stephen F. Austin.
Kicker - Tyler Sievertsen, sophomore, Northern Iowa.
DEFENSE
Linemen -Ryan Davis, senior, Bethune-Cookman; Tyler Osborne, senior Southern Utah; Josue Ortiz, senior, Harvard; Joseph Lebeau, junior, Jackson State.
Linebackers - L.J. Fort, senior, Northern Iowa; Derek Rose, junior, Northwestern State; Keith Pough, junior, Howard.
Defensive backs - Serge Kona, junior, Duquesne; Asa Jackson, junior, Cal Poly; Jeremy Caldwell, senior, Eastern Kentucky; Daxton Swanson, junior, Sam Houston State.
Punter - Patrick Murray, junior, Fordham
