Leftwich Again Named MAC Offensive Player Of The Year

12/5/2002

Byron Leftwich

CLEVELAND, OH ? Marshall University quarterback Byron Leftwich, a graduate of H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C., became the first repeat winner as Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 10 years as he was awarded the league honor today. Voting was conducted among members of the MAC News Media Association.

Leftwich received 31 of the 54 ballots cast with Northern Illinois running back Michael Turner earning the other 23 votes. No other MAC player received a vote.

Leftwich, a senior, is having a record setting season in leading the Thundering Herd to a 9-3 record and to a sixth consecutive MAC Championship game.

Leftwich ranks third nationally and second in the MAC in passing efficiency at 157.3. He has completed 277-of-405 attempts for 3,615 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Leftwich has recovered from a serious high ankle sprain injury sustained Nov. 2 at Akron to lead the Herd to late-season wins over Ohio and Ball State to clinch the East Division title.

Leftwich is 517 passing yards shy of the MAC single season record of 4,132 yards he set last year. With 50 more passing yards, he will become the league?s all-time leader as he has 11,250, just behind the 11,299 of Western Michigan?s Tim Lester from 1996-99. Last week, Leftwich became the league?s career leader in total of-fense with 11,408 yards.

Leftwich was a semifinalist for three of the top awards in college football - the Johnny Unitas Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Davey O?Brien Quarterback Award. He is also a candidate for the Heisman Trophy Award with finalists yet to be announced.

Marshall will play Toledo Saturday afternoon at 2:30 in the sixth MAC Championship game, to be televised on ESPN2. Marshall has already accepted a berth in the GMAC Bowl, with Louisville as the opponent, to be held Dec. 18 in Mobile, Ala.

Tickets for both the MAC Championship game at the GMAC Bowl are available through the Marshall Athletic Ticket Office. Call 1-800-THE-HERD for more information.

MAC Offensive Player of the Year Winners
2002 - Byron Leftwich, Marshall
2001 - Byron Leftwich, Marshall
2000 - Robert Sanford, Western Michigan
1999 - Chad Pennington, Marshall
1998 - Travis Prentice, Miami
1997 - Randy Moss, Marshall
1996 - Kareem Wilson, Ohio
1995 - Wasean Tait, Toledo
1994 - Brian Pruitt, Central Michigan
1993 - Mike Neu, Ball State
1992 - Erik White, Bowling Green
1991 - Erik White, Bowling Green
1990 - Jeff Bender, Central Michigan
1989 - David Riley, Ball State
1988 - Tony Kimbrough, Western Michigan
1987 - Erik Wilkerson, Kent State
1986 - Terry Morris, Miami
1985 - Brian McClure, Bowling Green
1984 - Brian McClure, Bowling Green
1983 - Brian McClure, Bowling Green
1982 - Curtis Adams, Central Michigan
1981 - Sam Shon, Ohio
1980 - Mark O?Connell, Ball State
1979 - Gary Hogenboom, Central Michigan
1978 - Jerome Persell, Western Michigan and Dave Petzke, Northern Illinois
1977 - Jerome Persell, Western Michigan
1976 - Jerome Persell, Western Michigan
1975 - Gene Swick, Toledo
1974 - Gene Swick, Toledo
1973 - Paul Miles, Bowling Green
1972 - Bob Hitchens, Miami
1971- Chuck Ealey, Toledo
1970 - Chuck Ealey, Toledo
1969 - Chuck Ealey, Toledo
1968 - Cleve Bryant, Ohio
1967 - John Schnieder, Toledo
1966 - Bruce Matte, Miami
1965 - Willie Asbury, Kent State

Marshall University Athletics

Leftwich Again Named MAC Offensive Player Of The Year

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