The CAA Football conference announced that Villanova head coach Andy Talley was it's 2012 Coach of the Year after his Wildcats bounced back from a 2-9 season in 2011 to win a share of the 2012 CAA title and land a playoff bid. Villanova's six win increase from last season was the best improvement of any FCS team. The 'Cats earned at least a share of the CAA title for the sixth time in his coaching tenure and became the league's automatic postseason qualifier for the first time since 2009 when the Wildcats went on to win the national championship.
Talley was also named as a finalist for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Award, for the best coach in FCS football. He won the award in 1997.
Redshirt freshman quarterback John Robertson was a major factor in the Wildcats' turnaround. He passed for 1,830 yards, which was good for the third-most in the league, and he rushed for another 936 yards — more than 250 rushing yards ahead of any other CAA quarterback this fall. He scored 27 total touchdowns in the 2012 regular season and ranked fifth in the league with 13 rushing touchdowns.
Robertson won the CAA Rookie of the Week award five times this season, and can now add CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year to his list of honors. He is also a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the nation's top freshman in FCS football.
2012 CAA Football Major Awards (as voted on by the head coaches)
Coach of the Year: Andy Talley, Villanova
Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, Soph., Quarterback
Defensive Player of the Year: Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Jr., Linebacker
Special Teams Co-Player of the Year: B.W. Webb, William and Mary, Sr., Punt Returner
Special Teams Co-Player of the Year: Albert Wilson, Georgia State, Jr., Kick Returner
Offensive Rookie of the Year: John Robertson, Villanova, R-Fr., Quarterback
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jeff Williams, Delaware, R-Fr., Linebacker
2012 All-CAA Football First Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
OFFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | Taylor Heinicke | Old Dominion | Sophomore |
RB | Kevin Monangai | Villanova | Sophomore |
RB | Terrance West | Towson | Sophomore |
FB/HB | Kendall Gaskins | Richmond | Senior |
WR | Ben Edwards | Richmond | Junior |
WR | R.J. Harris | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
WR | Nick Mayers | Old Dominion | Senior |
TE | Justin Perillo | Maine | Junior |
OL | Randall Harris | Towson | Junior |
OL | Chris Howley | Maine | Senior |
OL | Seamus O'Neill | New Hampshire | Junior |
OL | Eric Pike | Towson | Junior |
OL | Earl Watford | James Madison | Senior |
PK | Jarod Brown | Old Dominion | Junior |
KR | Albert Wilson | Georgia State | Junior |
PR | Ryan Smith | James Madison | Senior |
DEFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Frank Beltre | Towson | Senior |
DL | Chris Burnette | Old Dominion | Senior |
DL | Rakim Cox | Villanova | Junior |
DL | Antoine Lewis | Villanova | Junior |
DL | Jared Smith | New Hampshire | Senior |
LB | Donte Dennis | Maine | Senior |
LB | Matt Evans | New Hampshire | Senior |
LB | Stephon Robertson | James Madison | Junior |
LB | Paul Worrilow | Delaware | Senior |
CB | Eric Loper | Villanova | Senior |
CB | B.W. Webb | William and Mary | Senior |
S | Jordan Dangerfield | Towson | Senior |
S | Dean Marlowe | James Madison | Sophomore |
S | Cooper Taylor | Richmond | Senior |
P | Jonathan Plisco | Old Dominion | Senior |
2012 All-CAA Football Second Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
OFFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | Grant Enders | Towson | Senior |
RB | Dae'Quan Scott | James Madison | Junior |
RB | Nico Steriti | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
FB/HB | Brian Barlow | James Madison | Senior |
WR | Tre McBride | William and Mary | Sophomore |
WR | Antonio Vaughan | Old Dominion | Sophomore |
WR | Nihja White | Delaware | Senior |
TE | Kevin Finney | Richmond | Senior |
OL | David Born | Old Dominion | Junior |
OL | Josh Bucci | Villanova | Junior |
OL | Bobby Kennedy | Delaware | Junior |
OL | Mike Salazar | William and Mary | Senior |
OL | Doug Shaw | Towson | Junior |
OL | Josh Spearin | Maine | Senior |
PK | Cameron Starke | James Madison | Junior |
KR | Justin Grant | Richmond | Sophomore |
PR | B.W. Webb | William and Mary | Senior |
DEFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Marlon Johnson | Villanova | Senior |
DL | Evan Kelly | Richmond | Sophomore |
DL | Zach Kerr | Delaware | Junior |
DL | Romale Tucker | Towson | Senior |
LB | Devon Bridges | Villanova | Senior |
LB | Monte Gaddis | Towson | Junior |
LB | Darius McMillan | Richmond | Senior |
LB | Jabrel Mines | William and Mary | Senior |
LB | Craig Wilkins | Old Dominion | Senior |
CB | Darlos James | Maine | Senior |
CB | Jordan Love | Towson | Junior |
CB | Dontra Peters | New Hampshire | Senior |
S | Manny Asam | New Hampshire | Junior |
S | Brian Thompson | William and Mary | Senior |
P | Matt Hubbard | Georgia State | Sophomore |
2012 All-CAA Football Third Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
OFFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
QB | John Robertson | Villanova | Freshman |
RB | Andrew Pierce | Delaware | Junior |
RB | Donald Russell | Georgia State | Senior |
WR | Stephen Barnette | Richmond | Sophomore |
WR | Brandon Johnson-Farrell | Rhode Island | Senior |
WR | Tom Ryan | Towson | Senior |
WR | Norman White | Villanova | Senior |
WR | Albert Wilson | Georgia State | Junior |
TE | Harold Spears | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
OL | Mike Coccia | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
OL | Brandon Heath | Delaware | Junior |
OL | Vince Kowalski | Villanova | Sophomore |
OL | Jack Lowney | Old Dominion | Junior |
OL | Nick Ritcher | Richmond | Sophomore |
OL | Chris Zarkoskie | New Hampshire | Senior |
PK | Mike MacArthur | New Hampshire | Junior |
KR | Derrick Joseph | Towson | Sophomore |
PR | Poppy Livers | Villanova | Sophomore |
DEFENSE | |||
Position | Player | School | Class |
DL | Dominique Guinn-Bailey | Old Dominion | Sophomore |
DL | Matt Morgan | Towson | Senior |
DL | Tyler Snow | James Madison | Junior |
DL | Nick Zaremba | William and Mary | Senior |
LB | Andrew Bose | Rhode Island | Sophomore |
LB | Luke Rhodes | William and Mary | Freshman |
LB | Jeff Williams | Delaware | Freshman |
LB | Eric Wright | Richmond | Sophomore |
CB | Jamaal Bess | Rhode Island | Junior |
CB | Darryl Hamilton | Richmond | Senior |
CB | Tye Smith | Towson | Sophomore |
S | Jerome Couplin | William and Mary | Junior |
S | Jakarie Jackson | James Madison | Senior |
S | Joe Sarnese | Villanova | Sophomore |
P | Drake Kuhn | William and Mary | Junior |
P | David Skahn | James Madison | Senior |