University of Richmond Athletics
Maurice Jackson Named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Daniel Jones Preseason All-CAA
07/23/2019 | Football
BALTIMORE, Md. – University of Richmond senior defensive lineman Maurice Jackson (Levittown, Pa.) was named the preseason Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year Tuesday morning at the CAA Media Day at M&T Bank Stadium, while senior safety Daniel Jones (Williamsburg, Va.) was named honorable mention preseason All-CAA by a vote of the league head coaches and media relations directors.
This marks the second time in the last four years a Spider has earned the honor (David Jones, 2016) and the third Spider since 2009 to earn the preseason accolade (Eric McBride, 2009). Jackson earned First Team All-CAA honors last fall in his first year as a full-time starter on the defensive line. The Third Team All-American, Jackson moved to defensive end in 2018 and made the most of his opportunity, leading the CAA in sacks with 1.0 per game, finishing the regular season with 10 sacks in 10 games.
Jackson finished the year ranked eighth overall in the nation in sacks per game (1.0) and enters 2019 sixth in the nation among the top sack getters from last year. Additionally, only one other returning defensive lineman in the country averaged more sacks per game last season than Jackson. He led the CAA in tackles for loss at 15.0 and forced fumbles at 4.0. He finished his year with a stellar showing in the Spiders' Capital Cup victory over William & Mary, posting 2.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles against the Tribe. Even more impressive, Jackson accomplished all of this in his first season as a defensive end. He was originally recruited as a linebacker and moved to defensive tackle his sophomore season before shifting out to the edge last fall.
Jones earns his first-ever CAA accolade by being named Honorable Mention All-CAA preseason. He started all 11 games for the Spiders, leading the team with 86 tackles, including 51 solo. He has recorded seven interceptions over the past two seasons, including a team-high three picks in 2018. Over the past two seasons, he has appeared in 20 games, including 16 starts and has recorded 154 tackles.
The Spiders were picked to finish 10th overall in the preseason poll in a vote of league head coaches and media relations directors. The Spiders return 13 starters on offense and defense, including eight on the defensive side of the ball. Richmond picked up 62 total votes in the poll. James Madison was picked to win the regular season title with 20 first place votes and 238 total points. Towson was second with 217 votes (3 first place) and defending champion Maine was third with 201 votes (1 first place). Elon was fourth with 164 points, followed by Delaware (162), Stony Brook (151), New Hampshire (109), Rhode Island (104) and Villanova (84). The two teams below the Spiders in the poll is William & Mary in 11th (58 votes) and Albany in 12th with 34 votes. Both the Tribe and Great Danes accounted for the two Spiders' CAA wins last year.
2019 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
OFFENSE
Name, School, Cl., Pos.
Tom Flacco, Towson, Sr., QB
Shane Simpson, Towson, Sr., RB
Jaylan Thomas, Elon, So., RB
Tyler Crist, William & Mary, Jr., FB
Earnest Edwards, Maine, Sr., WR
Shane Leatherbury, Towson, Sr., WR
Aaron Parker, Rhode Island, Sr., WR
Matt Foster, Elon, Sr., TE
Liam Dobson, Maine, Jr., OL
Mario Farinella, Delaware, Gr., OL
Liam Fornadel, James Madison, Jr., OL
Kyle Murphy, Rhode Island, Sr., OL
Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook, So., OL
DEFENSE
Name, School, Cl. Pos.
Ron'Dell Carter, James Madison, Sr., DL
Maurice Jackson, Richmond, Sr.,DL
Sam Kamara, Stony Brook, Sr., DL
Kayon Whitaker, Maine, Sr., DL
Robert Heyward, Towson, Sr., LB
Dimitri Holloway, James Madison, Sr., LB
Taji Lowe, Maine, Sr., LB
Deshawn Stevens, Maine, Jr., LB
Pop Lacey, New Hampshire, Sr., S
Isaiah Laster, William & Mary, Sr., S
Adam Smith, James Madison, Sr., S
Manny Patterson, Maine, Sr., CB
Rashad Robinson, James Madison, Sr., CB
SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School, Cl., Pos.
Earnest Edwards, Maine Sr. KR
D'Angelo Amos, James Madison Jr. PR
Aidan O'Neill, Towson Sr. PK
Nick Pritchard, Delaware Sr. P
Isaiah White, Stony Brook Sr. SPEC
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tom Flacco, QB, Towson
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maurice Jackson, DL, Richmond
Honorable mention: Davis Cheek, QB, Elon; Chris Ferguson, QB, Maine; Dejoun Lee, RB, Delaware; Carlos Washington, RB, New Hampshire; Joey Kenny, FB, Rhode Island; Owen Tyler, FB, Delaware; Jabari Allen, WR, Towson; Dev Holmes, WR, UAlbany; Simon Bengelis, TE, Villanova; Aaron Grzymkowski, OL, Towson; Mac Patrick, OL, James Madison; Mark Williamson, OL, William & Mary; Bryce Carter, DL, Towson; John Daka, DL, James Madison; Brandon Ginnetti, DL, Rhode Island; Charles Mitchell, DL, Maine; Bill Murray, DL, William & Mary; Levi Metheny, LB, UAlbany; Keon Paye, LB, Towson; Drew Wiley, LB, Villanova; Augie Contressa, S, Stony Brook; Daniel Jones, S, Richmond; Corey Parker, S, William & Mary; Jaquan Amos, CB, Villanova; Gavin Heslop, CB, Stony Brook, Greg Liggs, CB, Elon; Ahmere Dorsey, KR/PR, Rhode Island; Drew Sanborn, P, New Hampshire; Eli Mencer, SPEC, UAlbany
2019 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
This marks the second time in the last four years a Spider has earned the honor (David Jones, 2016) and the third Spider since 2009 to earn the preseason accolade (Eric McBride, 2009). Jackson earned First Team All-CAA honors last fall in his first year as a full-time starter on the defensive line. The Third Team All-American, Jackson moved to defensive end in 2018 and made the most of his opportunity, leading the CAA in sacks with 1.0 per game, finishing the regular season with 10 sacks in 10 games.
Jackson finished the year ranked eighth overall in the nation in sacks per game (1.0) and enters 2019 sixth in the nation among the top sack getters from last year. Additionally, only one other returning defensive lineman in the country averaged more sacks per game last season than Jackson. He led the CAA in tackles for loss at 15.0 and forced fumbles at 4.0. He finished his year with a stellar showing in the Spiders' Capital Cup victory over William & Mary, posting 2.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles against the Tribe. Even more impressive, Jackson accomplished all of this in his first season as a defensive end. He was originally recruited as a linebacker and moved to defensive tackle his sophomore season before shifting out to the edge last fall.
Jones earns his first-ever CAA accolade by being named Honorable Mention All-CAA preseason. He started all 11 games for the Spiders, leading the team with 86 tackles, including 51 solo. He has recorded seven interceptions over the past two seasons, including a team-high three picks in 2018. Over the past two seasons, he has appeared in 20 games, including 16 starts and has recorded 154 tackles.
The Spiders were picked to finish 10th overall in the preseason poll in a vote of league head coaches and media relations directors. The Spiders return 13 starters on offense and defense, including eight on the defensive side of the ball. Richmond picked up 62 total votes in the poll. James Madison was picked to win the regular season title with 20 first place votes and 238 total points. Towson was second with 217 votes (3 first place) and defending champion Maine was third with 201 votes (1 first place). Elon was fourth with 164 points, followed by Delaware (162), Stony Brook (151), New Hampshire (109), Rhode Island (104) and Villanova (84). The two teams below the Spiders in the poll is William & Mary in 11th (58 votes) and Albany in 12th with 34 votes. Both the Tribe and Great Danes accounted for the two Spiders' CAA wins last year.
2019 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
OFFENSE
Name, School, Cl., Pos.
Tom Flacco, Towson, Sr., QB
Shane Simpson, Towson, Sr., RB
Jaylan Thomas, Elon, So., RB
Tyler Crist, William & Mary, Jr., FB
Earnest Edwards, Maine, Sr., WR
Shane Leatherbury, Towson, Sr., WR
Aaron Parker, Rhode Island, Sr., WR
Matt Foster, Elon, Sr., TE
Liam Dobson, Maine, Jr., OL
Mario Farinella, Delaware, Gr., OL
Liam Fornadel, James Madison, Jr., OL
Kyle Murphy, Rhode Island, Sr., OL
Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook, So., OL
DEFENSE
Name, School, Cl. Pos.
Ron'Dell Carter, James Madison, Sr., DL
Maurice Jackson, Richmond, Sr.,DL
Sam Kamara, Stony Brook, Sr., DL
Kayon Whitaker, Maine, Sr., DL
Robert Heyward, Towson, Sr., LB
Dimitri Holloway, James Madison, Sr., LB
Taji Lowe, Maine, Sr., LB
Deshawn Stevens, Maine, Jr., LB
Pop Lacey, New Hampshire, Sr., S
Isaiah Laster, William & Mary, Sr., S
Adam Smith, James Madison, Sr., S
Manny Patterson, Maine, Sr., CB
Rashad Robinson, James Madison, Sr., CB
SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School, Cl., Pos.
Earnest Edwards, Maine Sr. KR
D'Angelo Amos, James Madison Jr. PR
Aidan O'Neill, Towson Sr. PK
Nick Pritchard, Delaware Sr. P
Isaiah White, Stony Brook Sr. SPEC
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tom Flacco, QB, Towson
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maurice Jackson, DL, Richmond
Honorable mention: Davis Cheek, QB, Elon; Chris Ferguson, QB, Maine; Dejoun Lee, RB, Delaware; Carlos Washington, RB, New Hampshire; Joey Kenny, FB, Rhode Island; Owen Tyler, FB, Delaware; Jabari Allen, WR, Towson; Dev Holmes, WR, UAlbany; Simon Bengelis, TE, Villanova; Aaron Grzymkowski, OL, Towson; Mac Patrick, OL, James Madison; Mark Williamson, OL, William & Mary; Bryce Carter, DL, Towson; John Daka, DL, James Madison; Brandon Ginnetti, DL, Rhode Island; Charles Mitchell, DL, Maine; Bill Murray, DL, William & Mary; Levi Metheny, LB, UAlbany; Keon Paye, LB, Towson; Drew Wiley, LB, Villanova; Augie Contressa, S, Stony Brook; Daniel Jones, S, Richmond; Corey Parker, S, William & Mary; Jaquan Amos, CB, Villanova; Gavin Heslop, CB, Stony Brook, Greg Liggs, CB, Elon; Ahmere Dorsey, KR/PR, Rhode Island; Drew Sanborn, P, New Hampshire; Eli Mencer, SPEC, UAlbany
2019 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
- James Madison (20 first-place votes), 238
- Towson (3 first-place votes), 217
- Maine (1 first-place vote), 201
- Elon, 164
- Delaware, 162
- Stony Brook, 151
- New Hampshire, 109
- Rhode Island, 104
- Villanova, 84
- Richmond, 62
- William & Mary, 58
- UAlbany, 34
Players Mentioned
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