Marshall University Athletics
Marshall's Goddard Named MAC Defensive Player of the Year
11/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Marshall's Goddard Named MAC Defensive Player of the Year
11/30/2004
Cleveland, Ohio --The 2004 All-Mid-American Conference football specialty awards were announced today with Marshall University senior defensive end Jonathan Goddard being named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
"This is a great honor," Goddard said. "To have the coaches select you out of all the great defensive players in the conference this season is really humbling."
Goddard wreaked havoc on opponents to the tune of leading the nation in sacks (16) and tackles for a loss (28) this season. Goddard is a finalist for the prestigious Bronko Nagurski Award that recognizes the nation's best defensive player. He led a Marshall defense that led the MAC for much of the year. The Herd defenders limited Georgia to just 13 points on Sept. 18, the Bulldogs lowest point total against a non-SEC foe since the opening game of the 1996 season (7 vs. Southern Miss).
"I put in a lot of hard work this summer to be the best that I could be in the film room, the weight room, and on the field," Goddard said. "I also have to give credit to my teammates and coaches for helping me get to this point. I have been blessed."
Goddard played what may have been his best game on national television Sept. 29 in a 33-25 win over Miami when he had four sacks, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble. The senior from Jacksonville, Fla., set a MAC single season record with his 16 sacks. He joins former Marshall player Max Yates (2001) as a winner of the award.
Also recognized with the specialty awards were Coach of the Year J.D. Brookhart of Akron; Vern Smith Leadership Award winner Charlie Frye of Akron; Offensive Player of the Year Omar Jacobs of Bowling Green; Special Teams Player of the Year Ryne Robinson of Miami; and Freshman of the Year Adell Givens of Ball State.
Vote Totals: (minimum five votes received)
Vern Smith (head coaches and select panel of media voters): Frye 13, Jacobs 12, Goddard 9.
All other awards voted by MAC News Media Association; 61 total votes cast. Offensive POTY: Jacobs 40, Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo, 11; Defensive POTY: Goddard 53, Keon Newson, Bowling Green 8; Coach: Brookhart 21; Tom Amstutz, Toledo 16; Terry Hoeppner, Miami 9; Joe Novak, Northern Illinois 9; Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green, 5; STPOTY: Robinson 26, Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan 16; FOTY: Givens 26; Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall, 16; Chris Nendick, Northern Illinois 7.