2011 Liberty League Football Awards:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Mike Hermann, Jr., QB, RPI
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior quarterback Mike Hermann was selected as Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in both total offense (300.2 yards per game) and scoring (10.2 points per game). Hermann also ranked 14th in the NCAA in both categories. He ranked second in the league in passing yards per game (228.2) and was also the league's sixth-leading rusher (72.0). Hermann had six 200+ yard passing games, three 100+ yard rushing games and a league-leading 15 rushing touchdowns. He earned Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week honors on three occasions.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Devin Worthington, So., LB, Hobart
Hobart College sophomore linebacker Devin Worthington, who earned Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors in 2010, was selected as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Worthington led a Statesmen defense that led the Liberty League in scoring defense (14.9 points per game allowed), passing defense (149.9 yards per game) and rushing defense (109.5 yards per game). Worthington ranks second in the Liberty League in sacks, third in tackles for loss, third in forced fumbles and second in fumbles recovered. He currently ranks seventh in career sacks at Hobart after just two seasons.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Ernie Mello, Sr., KR, WPI
Worcester Polytechnic Institute senior Ernie Mello was selected as Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year. Mello blocked three kicks on the season and also returned blocked punts for touchdowns in Liberty League games against Union and St. Lawrence. Mello returned a league-leading 28 kicks for an average of 23.4 yards per return. He led the league in all-purpose yards (185.1 yards per game) while ranking second in rushing yards per game (103.4) and third in total touchdowns (13).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Tyre Coleman, Fr., DE, Hobart *
Hobart College freshman Tyre Coleman was a unanimous selection as Liberty League Rookie of the Year. Coleman currently leads the nation in sacks per game (1.56). He leads the league in sacks (12.5), tackles for loss (17.5) and forced fumbles (5). His sack total is more than double the next-highest total in the league. Coleman, who earned Liberty League Rookie of the Week honors on four occasions, enters the NCAA playoffs just 1.5 sacks shy of the Hobart single-season record of 14.
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR:
Hobart, Head Coach: Mike Cragg; Assistant Coaches: Kevin DeWall, Scott Yoder, Aaron Backhaus, Jon Drach, John Manley, Terry Muffley, Ryan Robinson, Marc Tapscott.
Hobart head coach Mike Cragg led the Statesmen to a share of their seventh Liberty League championship and their sixth NCAA Playoff appearance. At 7-1, Hobart posted the best record in the league. The Statesmen paced the conference in 15 statistical categories including scoring offense and scoring defense.
| 2011 Liberty League First Team Offense |
| QB |
Mike Hermann |
 |
RPI |
JR |
Hardeeville, S.C. |
| RB |
Marcus Washington * |
 |
St. Lawrence |
SR |
Pahokee, Fla. |
| RB |
Ernie Mello |
 |
WPI |
SR |
Wilmington, Mass. |
| RB |
Steven Webb |
 |
Hobart |
SO |
Dundee, N.Y. |
| FB |
Manny Cambra |
|
WPI |
SR |
Bethel, Conn. |
| WR |
Justin Gallo * |
 |
Union |
SR |
Troy, N.Y. |
| WR |
Ethan Sutton |
|
St. Lawrence |
SR |
South Paris, Maine |
| TE |
Thomas Norman |
 |
Rochester |
SR |
Harrisburg, Pa. |
| OL |
Brendan Hatlee |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Horseheads, N.Y. |
| OL |
Jake Margrey |
 |
Merchant Marine |
FR |
Baldwinsville, N.Y. |
| OL |
Dan Smith * |
|
Union |
SR |
Ridgefield Park, N.J. |
| OL |
Joe Stenz |
|
RPI |
SR |
Gulfstream, Fla. |
| OL |
John Whiting * |
|
Rochester |
SR |
LeRoy, N.Y. |
| * Unanimous Selection |
| 2011 Liberty League First Team Defense |
| DL |
Chris Bickford * |
|
Rochester |
SR |
Willits, Calif. |
| DL |
Bill Campi |
|
Rochester |
SR |
Flemington, N.J. |
| DL |
Tyre Coleman * |
|
Hobart |
FR |
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. |
| DL |
Doug Geraghty |
|
St. Lawrence |
SR |
Selden, N.Y. |
| DL |
Peter Gill |
|
WPI |
SR |
Franklin, Mass. |
| LB |
Steve Modliszewski |
|
Union |
SR |
Syracuse, N.Y. |
| LB |
Tony Ortega |
|
Rochester |
SO |
Rochester, N.Y. |
| LB |
Trevor Saunders |
|
St. Lawrence |
SR |
Mount Vernon, N.Y. |
| LB |
Devin Worthington * |
|
Hobart |
SO |
Rochester, N.Y. |
| DB |
Nick Herrera |
|
RPI |
SR |
Miami, Fla. |
| DB |
Mike Mitchell |
|
Merchant Marine |
SR |
Mount Pleasant, S.C. |
| DB |
John Perron |
|
WPI |
SR |
Worcester, Mass. |
| DB |
Drake Woodard * |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Marcy, N.Y. |
| * Unanimous Selection |
| 2011 Liberty League First Special Teams |
| K |
Adam Henry |
|
Union |
SR |
Hightstown, N.J. |
| P |
Mike Grubbs |
|
RPI |
SR |
Hampton, N.J. |
| RS |
Ernie Mello |
|
WPI |
SR |
Wilmington, Mass. |
| 2011 Liberty League Second Team Offense |
| QB |
Drew Connolly |
|
Union |
SR |
Foxboro, Mass. |
| RB |
Bobby Dougherty |
|
Hobart |
JR |
Bellrose, N.Y. |
| RB |
Clarence Onyiriuka |
|
Rochester |
SR |
Painted Post, N.Y. |
| FB |
Tim Hersey |
|
Union |
JR |
Tonawanda, N.Y. |
| WR |
Austin Caswell |
|
RPI |
JR |
Round Rock, Texas |
| WR |
Garth Muratori |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. |
| TE |
Eric Zavadsky |
|
Union |
SR |
Trumbull, Conn. |
| OL |
Victor Coker |
|
St. Lawrence |
SO |
Syracuse, N.Y. |
| OL |
Anthony Coletta |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Freeport, N.Y. |
| OL |
Tyler Lapierre |
|
WPI |
SR |
Burrillville, R.I. |
| OL |
Pete Meile |
|
Union |
SO |
Ramsey, N.J. |
| OL |
Don Rohauer |
|
St. Lawrence |
JR |
Alden, N.Y. |
| OL |
Kyle Sandy |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Truxton, N.Y. |
| 2011 Liberty League Second Team Defense |
| DL |
Ted Abriel |
|
RPI |
SO |
Slingerlands, N.Y. |
| DL |
Gianni Contro |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Binghamton, N.Y. |
| DL |
Kevin Quillinan |
|
Union |
SR |
Yorktown, N.Y. |
| DL |
Ed Logan |
|
Merchant Marine |
SR |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| LB |
Matthew Day |
|
RPI |
JR |
Claremont, N.H. |
| LB |
Barry Preusch |
|
Merchant Marine |
SR |
Tampa, Fla. |
| LB |
Reggie Robinson |
|
Hobart |
SR |
Amityville, N.Y. |
| LB |
Kevin Stapf |
|
Merchant Marine |
SR |
Fort Pierce, Fla. |
| DB |
Jafar Johnson |
|
Union |
SR |
Albany, N.Y. |
| DB |
Brendan McCarthy |
|
St. Lawrence |
SR |
Fairport, N.Y. |
| DB |
Zach Scruggs |
|
RPI |
SR |
Auburn, Ga. |
| DB |
Jon Stidd |
|
Union |
SR |
Scarborough, Maine |
| 2011 Liberty League Second Special Teams |
| K |
Alex Antonucci |
|
Rochester |
JR |
New York, N.Y. |
| P |
Mike Pettiglio |
|
WPI |
SR |
Westwood, Mass. |
| RS |
Willie Roberson |
|
Rochester |
SO |
Monmouth Jct., N.J. |
Honorable Mention Offense: Mark Caulfield, OL (WPI); Joe Cicero, FB (Rochester); Gavin Class, OL (Rochester), Joe Cozzolino, TE (RPI); Elias Damouni, OL (Union); Dominique Ellis, FB (Hobart); T.J. Franzese, RB (Union); Thomas Hayes, WR (Rochester); Joe Luks, OL (RPI); Nick Strang, QB (Hobart); Junior Woodard, WR (Hobart).
Honorable Mention Defense: Jon Campbell, DB (Union); Nick Chambers, DL (WPI); Zach Cicero, LB (Rochester), Shaine Grogan, LB (WPI); Phil Hamilton, LB (St. Lawrence); Cody Hinrichs, DL (RPI); Noah Joseph, LB (Union); Bill Meile, DL (Union); Ramon Mignott, LB (St. Lawrence); Oraene Morgan, DL (St. Lawrence); Cainaan Webb, DL (Rochester); Hussein Yatim, LB (WPI).
Honorable Mention Special Teams: Andrew Franks, K (RPI); Richard Grennen, K/P (Merchant Marine); Austin Caswell, RS (RPI).