Midseason NESCAC Awards
At this point in the season, we usually see a couple of teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Through six games, Amherst is the only undefeated team remaining (although their strength of schedule to date is nothing to scream about). Trinity and Tufts loom in the background with just one loss. The parity at the top of the table allows for some exciting MVP predictions, so without further ado, here they are:
Coach of the Year: Jeff Devanney, Trinity
Initially, I penciled in Mark Raymond of Williams, but after last Saturday’s hiccup against Middlebury and this past week’s loss to Tufts, I’m siding with Jeff Devanney of Trinity. After securing NESCAC Championships in 2016 and 2017, Coach Devanney has his side right in the thick of things in 2018. There were some questions surrounding Trinity’s offensive identity heading into their 2018 campaign: how would Coach Devanney utilize Rhode Island transfer Jordan Vazzano ‘21? Could Vazzano gel quick enough with star running back Max Chipouras ‘19 and the wide receivers? Through five games, it’s safe to say the Bantams are having no problem moving the ball and finding the end zone. The offense is by far the most effective in the league, averaging 38.4 ppg. Despite Vazzano’s completion percentage ranking dead last in the NESCAC, his passing yards/game and throwing yards per attempt lead all starting quarterbacks. In addition, Chipouras is the only running back in the NESCAC to average over 100 ypg. The defense isn’t too shabby either, stifling opposing rushers to a mere 71.4 ypg. The 13-year head coach has things rolling again in Hartford, and they have the personnel to secure their third straight NESCAC Championship.
Defensive Player of the Year:
- TJ Rothmann ‘21, LB, Williams
Rothmann is the heart and soul on defense for this young Eph squad. He had a fantastic freshman season at Williams, landing on the All-NESCAC 2nd Team Defense. The Massachusetts native is third in the NESCAC in tackles and has both an INT and a forced fumble/fumble recovery. His Defensive MVP stock took a slight hit, however, after suffering a broken jaw in the Ephs 21-10 loss to Middlebury two weeks ago. Rothmann was questionable all week before being ruled out for Sunday’s game against Tufts and if his season isn’t over he could improve his stock here. I have absolutely no idea how this is possible, but props to the kid for doing everything to help his team.
2. Taj Gooden ‘21, DL, Wesleyan
Gooden had an immediate impact as a freshman defensive lineman for Wesleyan last season, finishing third on the team in tackles for loss. The sophomore from Brooklyn, New York has taken a huge leap this season and cemented himself as one of the league’s dominant interior forces. He ranks second in the conference in both sacks (5) and tackles for loss (11). His best performance of the year came against Colby, where he racked up four tackles for loss along with two sacks. If Wesleyan gets hot and finishes in the top third of the table while Gooden keeps performing at this level, the sophomore could sneak his way up to the top spot.
- Andrew Yamin ‘19, DL/LB, Amherst
There’s no sugarcoating it: this dude is an absolute unit. The reigning DPOY isn’t quite on pace to match last season’s ridiculous numbers (13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss) but he still leads the NESCAC in both those categories (6.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss). The senior from Cheshire, Connecticut is a huge reason why the Mammoths allow a league-best 7.8 ppg, in addition to limiting opponents to a mere 43.3 ypg on the ground. Yamin had a quiet game for his standards two weeks ago at Colby (two tackles, one tackle for loss), but came back strong with a sack against Wesleyan.
Honorable Mentions: Greg Holt ‘20 (Tufts), Jared Ahsler ‘19 (Tufts), Corey Jean-Jacques ‘19 (Trinity)
Offensive Player of the Year:
- Jonathan Girard ‘21, WR, Trinity
Girard is the best wide receiver in the ‘CAC, and it’s not even close. He blows away his competitors in yards per game and averages a ridiculous 24.2 yards per catch. His six touchdowns leads the NESCAC; in fact, the only category in which he isn’t at the top is in receptions, and even there he’s third. If Girard continues on this torrid pace, Trinity will be extremely tough to defend; opposing defenses will have to respect the Bantam passing game, leaving holes for Max Chipouras to exploit.
- Bobby Maimaron ‘21, QB, Williams
Maimaron took the league by storm last season, leading the Ephs to a remarkable 6-3 record after the team finished the 2016-2017 campaign winless. The sophomore wonderkid led Williams to a huge victory against Trinity, vaulting them to the top of the table. Could Maimaron actually engineer one of the craziest turnarounds in NESCAC football history – leading a team who finished 0-8 two years ago to their first NESCAC Championship since 2010? The answer to that question will have to wait (probably until next year), because the Middlebury and Tufts defenses showed that Maimaron is indeed human. After accounting for twelve total touchdowns/zero turnovers in his first four games, the Ephs’ QB turned the rock over three times in their first defeat of the 2018 season. Maimaron didn’t really bounce back against Tufts, throwing for 0 TDs and barely over 100 yards. He needs to end the year on a very strong note to really be in the conversation.
Ryan McDonald ‘19, QB, Tufts
While the second and third place spots in both the DPOY and OPOY are underclassmen, it’s the seniors who take the top slots – for now. In this case, Tufts quarterback Ryan McDonald has led the Jumbo attack with both his arm and legs. McDonald is first in the ‘CAC with 16 total touchdowns, and averages just under 260 total yards per game. In their 38-24 loss to Trinity two weeks ago, McDonald outdueled Jordan Vazzano, throwing for nearly 300 yards combined with three total touchdowns. He had a strong performance in the Tufts win against Williams which was pivotal for the OPOY race. With 3 games left, McDonald is definitely the frontrunner.
Honorable Mentions: Ollie Eberth ‘20 (Amherst), Max Chipouras ‘19 (Trinity), Mark Piccirillo ‘19 (Wesleyan)