Eleven Ohio Dominican football players earned Preseason All-American recognition by USA College Football today.
First team selections were juniors Di’Andre Harrison (Columbus, Ohio) and Cody Culbertson (Galloway, Ohio). Juniors Sydney Omameh (Columbus, Ohio), Dez Stewart (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Warren Shields (Richwood, Ohio) were second team picks, while seniors Abe Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Perrin Cunningham (Cincinnati, Ohio) were third team selections.
Senior Mark Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio) and juniors Billy Eakins (Pickerington, Ohio) and Brandon Schoen (Olentangy, Ohio) were honorable mention selections, and junior Brent Wahle (Pataskala, Ohio) was included on the Special Teams All-American list.
Harrison set a school single-season record with 8.0 sacks last year and was named a First Team All-GLIAC pick. Despite missing two games with injury, he finished with 41 tackles (12.0 for loss), forced three fumbles, recovered two fumbles, and blocked a kick. He had three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss at Malone and had two sacks against both Georgetown and Lake Erie.
Culbertson had one of the best all-around seasons by a defensive player in the GLIAC last year and was a first team all-conference pick. He finished the year with 73 tackles (11.5 for loss), 5.0 sacks, two interceptions and four pass break ups. Culbertson had 13 tackles (2.0 for loss) at Ashland and 12 tackles against West Texas A&M.
Omameh was a Second Team All-GLIAC pick, setting ODU’s school-record with 13.5 tackles for loss in 2013. He finished with 40 tackles and 7.0 sacks on the year and blocked three kicks as well. He had one sack in each of the first three games and notched 2.5 more against Tiffin with 3.5 tackles for loss in that game as well.
Stewart authored the top receiving game in school history against Georgetown and would be a First Team All-GLIAC pick last year. He finished with a team-best 842 yards on 50 receptions and pulled in five touchdowns. He started the year with the 187-yard performance against Georgetown and had a huge game against Lake Erie with 174 yards and two scores as well.
Shields earned All-American, All-Region and First Team All-GLIAC awards in his first year as a starter for the Panthers. He ranked second on the team with 99 tackles (11.0 for loss), along with 5.0 sacks. He also broke up three passes and forced two fumbles. He had 10 or more tackles in five games, including 12 stops against both Georgetown and Walsh.
Johnson, a team captain, was also a Second Team All-GLIAC pick after leading the Panthers with 60 catches last year. He tallied 657 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns and was a threat in the kick return game, averaging 27.8 yards on his returns, including a 93-yard score against Grand Valley. He had four games of 90 or more receiving yards last year.
Cunningham was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection in 2013 at left guard for the Panthers. Entering his third year as a starter, Cunningham helped the Panthers offense rank amongst the nation’s best in rushing offense, scoring offense and sacks allowed. ODU averaged 5.3 yards per carry and 234.2 yards rushing per game and allowed just five sacks in 11 games.
Miller was an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC pick after completing 67.5 percent of his passes (218-of-323) for 2,648 yards and 24 touchdowns. He had just seven interceptions in leading ODU’s balanced attack and threw for a career-high 370 yards with four touchdowns against Lake Erie. He also threw for 347 yards with three TDs against Georgetown (Ky.).
Eakins picked up Second Team All-GLIAC honors after totaling 69 tackles and a team-best three interceptions last year. He also broke up five passes and had three tackles for loss. Eakins had an interception in three straight games, against Northern Michigan, Grand Valley and Walsh, and tallied 10 tackles at Ashland.
Schoen enters the 2014 season with 2,112 career rushing yards, which is third on ODU’s all-time list, and he ranks fourth with 18 career rushing touchdowns. The only player in school history with consecutive 1,000 yard season, Schoen tallied 1,105 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He set a school-record with an 85-yard touchdown run at Northern Michigan and had six 100-yard games.
Wahle put forth one of the best seasons in all of college football last season as he drilled 21-of-25 field goals on the season. He was also an All-Region, All-American and First Team All-GLIAC performer who went 7-of-8 from kicks longer than 40 yards. He set school and GLIAC records for field goals made and his 51-yarder was also a school-record. Wahle also made 45 PATs as well.
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