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JMU'S LEZOTTE ADDS AP AWARD TO ALL-AMERICA HONORS
12/11/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va., Dec. 13, 2007 – James Madison senior free safety Tony LeZotte (Augusta, Ga./Westside) has been named an All-America performer by Associatied Press, adding the award to other first-team All-America recognition he received from the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Foundation for his play during the 2007 season.
LeZotte, a JMU captain and the defensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletics Association, was among 25 players recognized in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) by the coaches' group and 28 recognized by the Walter Camp Foundation. The Associated Press named first-, second- and third-team All-America squads.
Reception of this season's honors gives LeZotte All-America recognition during each of his four playing seasons at JMU. As a freshman in 2004 he was first team All-America by I-AA.org, second-team by Associated Press and third team by The Sports Network. As a sophomore in 2005 he was first team by Associated Press, The Sports Network, the Walter Camp Foundation and Sports XChange and second team by CollegeSportsReport.com. In 2006 as a junior he second team by The Sports Network and Associated Press.
LeZotte's 2007 conference defensive player of the year award was his second -- he also received the honor in 2005 -- and he was the league's 2004 co-freshman of the year. In 2007, LeZotte led JMU in tackles with 95 and became the conference's first player to receive first-team all-league recognition four times. He had 51 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and eight pass deflections.
LeZotte, who started each of JMU's 50 games from 2004-07, completed his career with 416 tackles, No. 6 on the Dukes' all-time tackles list and first among defensive backs in program history. He took part in 144 tackles in 2004, 95 in 2005, and 82 in 2006.
JMU compiled a 37-13 record during LeZotte's four playing seasons. The Dukes won the NCAA championship during a 13-2 season in 2004 and also made playoff appearances in 2006 when they were 9-3 and 2007 when they were 8-4. JMU was 7-4 in 2005.
2007 AFCA COACHES' ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Offense
Pos., Name, Ht., Wt., Cl., School
WR, Ryan Maher, 6-1, 184, Sr., Holy Cross
WR, Ramses Barden, 6-6, 228, Jr., Cal Poly
OL, Jesse Padilla, 6-5, 310, Sr., Lafayette
OL, David Hale, 6-6, 305, Sr., Weber State
OL, Chad Rinehart, 6-5, 308, Sr., Northern Iowa
OL, Mitch Erickson, 6-6, 285, Sr., South Dakota State
OL, Kerry Brown*, 6-6, 310, Sr., Appalachian State
QB, Ricky Santos, 6-2, 215, Sr., New Hampshire
RB, Chad Simpson, 5-10, 210, Sr., Morgan State
RB, Omar Cuff, 5-10, 195, Sr., Delaware
RB, Mike McLeod, 5-11, 200, Jr., Yale
Defense
Pos, Name, Ht., Wt., Cl., School
DL, Bryan Smith, 6-3, 230, Sr., McNeese State
DL, Kroy Biermann, 6-3, 241, Sr., Montana
DL, Brian Johnston, 6-5, 280, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL, Kendall Langford, 6-6, 294, Sr., Hampton
LB, Jason Williams, 6-3, 225, Jr., Western Illinois
LB, Brian Bradford, 6-2, 235, Sr., Towson
LB, Zach East, 6-2, 230, Sr., Prairie View A&M
DB, Tony LeZotte, 6-0, 200, Sr., James Madison
DB, Steven Williams, 5-11, 190, Sr., Harvard
DB, Derrick Huff, 5-11, 188, Sr., Eastern Kentucky
DB, Al Donaldson, 5-10, 170, Jr., Alabama A&M
Specialists
Pos, Name, Ht., Wt., Cl., School
P, Chris MacDonald, 6-4, 215, Sr., Texas State
PK, Piotr Czech, 6-5, 210, Sr., Wagner
AP, Jayson Foster, 5-9, 164, Sr., Georgia Southern
*-2006 AFCA All-America
2007 WALTER CAMP ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Offense
Pos, Name, School, Cl., Ht., Wt.
WR
, Terrell Hudgins, Elon, So., 6-2, 226
WR, Ramses Barden, Cal Poly, Jr., 6-6, 228
TE, Matt Champa, Dayton, Sr., 6-2, 219
OL, Kerry Brown, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-6, 310
OL, Mike Byrne, Delaware, Sr., 6-6, 295
OL, Matt Austin, Massachusetts, Sr., 6-5, 285
OL, Nate Safe, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-5, 310
OL, Chad Rinehart, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-5, 308
C, Brennan Carvalho#, Portland State, Sr., 6-1, 310
QB, Ricky Santos%, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 215
RB, Omar Cuff, Delaware, Sr., 5-10, 195
RB, Tim Hightower, Richmond, Sr., 6-1, 225
PK, Dan Carpenter, Montana, Sr., 6-2, 207
Defense
Pos, Name, School, Cl., Ht., Wt.
DL
, Kroy Biermann#, Montana, Sr., 6-3, 241
DL, Bryan Smith#, McNeese State, Sr., 6-3, 230
DL, Brian Johnson, Gardner-Webb, Sr., 6-5, 280
DL, Eric Bakhtiari, San Diego, Sr., 6-4, 260
LB, Kye Stewart, Illinois State, Sr., 6-0, 210
LB, Bobby Daly, Montana State, Jr., 6-1, 215
LB, Jason Hatchell, Massachusetts, Sr., 6-0, 240
LB, Joe Mays, North Dakota State, Sr., 5-11, 243
DB, Corey Lynch, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-0, 205
DB, Tony LeZotte@, James Madison, Sr., 6-0, 200
DB, Ladarius Webb, Nicholls State, Jr., 5-11, 205
DB, Derrick Huff, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 5-11, 188
P, Chris MacDonald, Texas State, Sr., 6-4, 215
KR, Jeremy Gilchrist, Hampton, Jr., 5-10, 174
# 2006 Walter Camp FCS All-America
% 2005 and 2006 Walter Camp All-America
@ 2005 Walter Camp All-America
2007 ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team
Offense
Pos, Name, Cl., Ht., Wt., School
QB
, Ricky Santos, Sr., 6-2, 215, New Hampshire
RB, Omar Cuff, Sr., 5-10, 195, Delaware
RB, Jayson Foster, Sr., 5-9, 164, Georgia Southern
WR, Ramses Barden, Jr., 6-6, 228, Cal Poly
WR, Terrell Hudgins, Jr., 6-2, 226, Elon.
OL, Kerry Brown, Sr., 6-6, 290, Appalachian State
OL, Chad Rinehart, Sr., 6-5, 310, Northern Iowa
OL, Mitch Erickson, Sr., 6-6, 290, South Dakota State
OL, Brennan Carvalho, Sr., 6-1, 310, Portland State
OL, Demetrius Bell, Sr., 6-5, 263, Northwestern State
TE, Blake Martin, Sr., 6-3, 235, Sam Houston State
All-Purpose, Jeremy Gilchrist, Jr., 5-10, 174, Hampton
PK, Jon Striefsky, Jr., 6-1, 185, Delaware
Defense
Pos, Name, Cl., Ht., Wt., School
DL
, Kroy Biermann, Sr., 6-3, 241, Montana
DL, Eric Bakhtiari, Sr., 6-4, 260, San Diego
DL, Bryan Smith, 6-2, 230, McNeese State
DL, Brian Johnston, 6-5, 280, Gardner-Webb
LB, Bobby Daly, Jr., 6-1, 215, Montana State
LB, Brian Bradford, Sr., 6-2, 235, Towson
LB, Brannon Carter, Sr., 6-3, 233, Northern Iowa
DB, Tony LeZotte, Sr., 6-0, 200, James Madison
DB, Corey Lynch, Sr., 6-0, 205, Appalachian State
DB, Bobbie Williams, Sr., 6-1, 210, Bethune-Cookman
DB, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Sr., 6-2, 180, Tennessee State
P, Chris MacDonald, Sr., 6-4, 215, Texas State
Second Team
Offense
Pos, Name, Cl., School
QB
, Josh Johnson, Sr., San Diego
RB, Tim Hightower, Sr., Richmond
RB, Tyler Roehl, Jr., North Dakota State
WR, Eddie Cohen, Sr., Western Carolina
WR; Aaron Boyce, So., Eastern Washington
OL, Nate Safe, Sr., North Dakota State
OL, Matt Austin, Sr., Massachusetts
OL, Jesse Padilla, Sr., Lafayette
OL, David Hale, Sr., Weber State
OL, Brad Samsa, Jr., Youngstown State.
TE, Matt Champa, Sr., Dayton.
All-Purpose, Larry Shipp, Sr., Tennessee Tech
PK, Dan Carpenter, Sr., Montana
Defense
Pos, Name, Cl., School
DL, Kendall Langford, Sr., Hampton
DL, Rudolph Hardie, Sr., Howard
DL, Jovan Belcher, Jr., Maine
DL, Greg Peach, Jr., Eastern Washington
LB, Mike Gallihugh, Sr., Colgate
LB, Zach East, Sr., Prairie View A&M
LB, Jason Williams, Jr., Western Illinois
DB, Kareem Moore, Sr., Nicholls State
DB, Derrick Huff, Sr., Eastern Kentucky
DB, LaDarius Webb, Jr., Nicholls State
DB, Al Donaldson, Jr., Alabama A&M
P, Benjamin Dato, Sr., Fordham
Third Team
Offense
Pos, Name, Cl., School
QB
, Eric Sanders, Sr., Northern Iowa
RB, Herb Donaldson, Jr., Western Illinois
RB, Mike McLeod, Sr., Yale
WR, Tremayne Kirkland, Sr., Portland State
WR, Andre Roberts, Fr., Citadel
OL, Mike Byrne, Sr., Delaware
OL, Stephen Field, Jr., Cal Poly
OL, Matt Alfred, Sr., Eastern Washington
OL, James Lee, Sr., South Carolina State
OL, Brandon Keith, Sr., Northern Iowa
TE, Clay Harbor, So., Missouri State
All-Purpose, J.T. Rogan, Jr., San Diego
PK, Gavin Halliford, Jr., Jacksonville State
Defense
Pos, Name, Cl., School
DL
, Marcus Dixon, Sr., Hampton
DL, Pierre Walters, Jr., Eastern Illinois
DL, Robert Brown, Jr., Wagner
DL, Gary Tharrington, So., Appalachian State
LB, Joe Mays, Sr., North Dakota State
LB, Jason Hatchell, Sr., Massachusetts
LB, Ronnie McCullogh, Sr., Bethune-Cookman
DB, Steven Williams, Sr., Harvard
DB, Tyler Koch, Sr., South Dakota State
DB, David Hyland, Jr., Morehead State
DB, K.J. Gerard, Jr., Northern Arizona
P,Tyson Johnson, Sr., Montana
#
Players Mentioned
FS
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