Injuries wreaked havoc on the 2018 FCS season. Teams like Villanova, Albany, North Dakota and Eastern Washington were snakebit with injuries to key players. Even the two teams in the national title game, James Madison and North Dakota State, had a long list of season-ending injuries.
And it’s not just that there were a lot of injuries. Several of the guys sidelined were All-Americans. It's not a stretch to say some of these names would be in the NFL right now if not for getting hurt. Thankfully, their college careers didn't end in street clothes and a bounce-back season is coming in 2018.
Here are 10 big-time players looking to do just that.
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Zach Bednarczyk, Villanova
Bednarczyk started the first five games of the season on a tear at quarterback. The junior had more than 1,000 yards passing with six touchdowns and zero interceptions to go along with two rushing scores. On Sept. 30, he went down with a knee injury that ended his season. By that point in the year, the Wildcats already had a long list of injuries. “We seem to be a little snake-bitten there,” head coach Mark Ferrante said after the game.
Now a senior, Bednarczyk will be determined to lead Villanova back to the playoffs. He started all 13 games in 2016 and was the CAA Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year the season prior. Having that veteran leadership behind center is a positive sign for the Wildcats entering 2018.
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Emmanuel Butler, Northern Arizona
Butler is currently the No. 19 ranked wide receiver for the 2019 NFL Draft. That shows just how much scouts love his abilities even when coming off an injury. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he's been dominating Big Sky competition for years, but has also played well against FBS opponents. As a sophomore in 2015, Butler had five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown against Arizona. The next season at Arizona State, he put up 118 yards on seven receptions.
Butler's total numbers those two years were 133 receptions, 2,211 yards and 24 touchdowns. His anticipated senior year ended two games into the season with a shoulder injury. With Case Cookus back at quarterback as well, Butler is eyeing a few more school records. Butler is on the Third Team of HERO Sports' Preseason All-American list.
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Deion Harris, North Dakota
UND was decimated with season-ending injuries all across the board last season, resulting in a losing record after winning the Big Sky title. And it started before the first fall practice even began. Last May, Harris was the third best FCS prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-3, the senior was ranked the No. 14 cornerback in all of college football and a projected third round draft pick. But in July, Harris suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during a conditioning workout.
A redshirt allowed him to return in 2018, where Harris hopes to continue his game-changing play. He started all 11 games in 2015, but really took off in 2016. Harris led the Big Sky with five interceptions and the FCS with three picks returned for touchdowns. He was named to the All-Big Sky First Team and a HERO Sports Third Team All-American. Entering 2018, Harris is on our preseason All-American First Team.
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Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, Albany
Ibitokun-Hanks' breakout sophomore season at running back in 2016, which resulted in First Team All-CAA and Third Team STATS All-American honors, ended on a sour note when he tore his ACL in the season finale. He expected to be back to full speed by the start of the 2017 season, but a non-contact injury in August set him back. Ibitokun-Hanks missed the first two games of the season and returned to action against Monmouth.
He looked strong, rushing for 63 yards and a score on 17 touches. His knee problems lingered, though, and Albany decided to sit him for the rest of the season. Albany now hopes Ibitokun-Hanks can bring back his 2016 magic. In that season, he ran for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns.
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Cardon Johnson, James Madison
Johnson is one of the most gifted running backs in the FCS and has been for years. He just doesn't have the sample size to show for it. His time with the Dukes has looped back and forth from excitement to frustration. His first year on campus was way back in 2013 when Johnson redshirted. The next year he saw zero action with a season-ending knee injury in the spring. In 2015, Johnson played in all 12 games, earning All-CAA Second Team honors after rushing for more than 1,000 yards.
The Dukes won the national title in 2016, but Johnson was on the sidelines after suffering an Achilles injury nine games into the season. He was off to an electric start last year, running for 265 yards in a win against FBS East Carolina. But he was only able to start three games before another Achilles injury occurred. Johnson was granted a sixth year of eligibility for this year. If he can avoid the injury bug, he'll remind us how special he can be.
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Greg Menard, North Dakota State
Entering 2017, many expected Menard to take the same route after his senior season as former Bison Kyle Emanuel: continue to put up huge sack numbers at defensive end, gain NFL Draft interest and convert to outside linebacker in the pros. But that plan was put to a halt in the first week of fall practice when Menard tore his ACL doing a routine drill. The preseason All-American was coming off a 2016 campaign where he posted 11 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.
With a full year of recovery, Menard should be back to full strength. He's proven to be difficult to block at 6-foot-2 and good speed. Despite having a strong rotation of defensive ends, Menard is going to have an opportunity to put up big numbers. He currently sits at 28 career sacks. The NDSU school record is 41, which Emanuel is tied for. HERO Sports named Menard a 2018 preseason First Team All-American.
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Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky
The defensive end picked up right where he left off to start 2017. In the first three games as a junior, Patrick had nine tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. The previous year, he led the team with 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks in a season where Patrick picked up All-OVC First Team Honors and was named to the HERO Sports All-Sophomore team.
But after suffering a neck injury, Patrick was doubtful for the next couple games before taking a redshirt season. His return will spark the defense with his tenaciousness. Patrick is all over the field, and one would think he's going to have an extra gear after sitting on the sidelines for most of last season. He's recognized on our preseason All-American Third Team.
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Joe Protheroe, Cal Poly
The season dove into a tailspin quickly for Cal Poly. Having its First Team All-American fullback get sidelined with a knee injury for the remainder of the season during nonconference play hurts, especially when you run an option offense. Protheroe had huge expectations for his senior season and was getting NFL looks for his size (6-foot, 230 pounds) and breakaway speed.
He earned Big Sky First Team and All-American honors in 2015 and 2016. As a junior, Protheroe ran for 1,334 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Mustangs made the playoffs. His presence will certainly help Cal Poly improve its 1-10 record last year. Protheroe is on HERO Sports' preseason Third Team.
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Rob Rolle, Villanova
Rolle was the 2017 CAA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after being named to the conference's First Team in 2016. That year, the junior safety recorded 63 total tackles and led the FCS with seven interceptions while scoring two defensive touchdowns. Rolle was considered one of the best defenders in the subdivision entering his senior year. But his season ended prematurely in September with a torn ACL.
A fifth year of eligibility was granted and Rolle is recognized on our preseason All-American Second Team. If he returns to his old form, the NFL is certainly a possibility. Rolle is currently considered the 17th best free safety in college football.
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Jay-Tee Tiuli, Eastern Washington
The Eagles had a "down" year in 2017 even though they went 7-4, but ultimately were left out of the playoffs. EWU endured some tough injuries to guys like wide receiver Terence Grady and offensive linemen Kaleb Levao and Matt Meyer, who return this season and should be big contributors. But the big name was Tiuli. The defensive lineman injured his shoulder in the second game of the season and was out the rest of the year.
Tiuli was coming off his best season, being named a 2016 All-Big Sky First Team member. He had 33 tackles and four sacks that year. But it's merely his presence at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, that brings value in plugging up the middle of the run defense. The Eagles need to improve on that side of the ball to get back to the playoffs and make a run. Having their big guy up front is going to make that easier.
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