JMU roundup: Sherando's Barlow named to VaSid All-State team

Daily Staff Report - sports@nvdaily.com

HARRISONBURG -- Former Sherando standout and James Madison University senior tight end Brian Barlow has been named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors University Division All-State Football Team.

Old Dominion's sophomore quarterback Taylor Heinicke and Virginia's senior linebacker Steve Greer were voted the 2012 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors. Fellow quarterback, freshman Josh Woodrum of Liberty, was selected as the Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail joined in on the honors as the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Old Dominion head coach Bobby Wilder was chosen as Coach of the Year for the University Division.

Virginia Tech led the state in honorees to the VaSID University Division All-State Football team with nine total. Three schools tied for second-most team members, with Old Dominion, Virginia and James Madison each producing seven athletes. The Cavaliers saw six of its seven honorees garner First Team All-State honors while the Hokies and Monarchs boast five apiece.

Heinicke, the 2011 VaSID Rookie of the Year, was honored as the 2012 Walter Payton Award winner as the best player at the Football Championship Subdivision level as well as the Dudley Award winner for the best NCAA Division I football player in Virginia. This season, the sophomore set FCS records for single-season passing yardage (5,076) and completions (398). He also set single-game records at the NCAA Division I level with 730 passing yards and 791 yards of total offense in ODU's 64-61 rally over New Hampshire.

A 2012 First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree, Greer led Virginia with 122 tackles this season, including 45 solo takedowns. He finished his career with 376 tackles, ranking sixth all-time for the Cavaliers. This is his third season on the VaSID University Division All-State Football team, having been named to the First Team defensive unit in 2011 and the Second Team defensive unit in 2009.

Woodrum anchored the Liberty offense on its way to a share of the Big South Conference title, the fifth time the Flames have claimed the crown in the last six seasons. He earned 2012 Big South Freshman of the Year honors and finished 13th for the Jerry Rice Award while setting a Liberty record with 1,963 total offensive yards by a freshman.

In his first season of play for the Spartans, Trail led the third-ranked team in the country in total defense with 70 tackles. Of those 70 total tackles, 17 were for a loss of yards, tying him for ninth-best nationally. He was named to the All-MEAC first team as well as to the Beyond Sports Network FCS All-America team.

Wilder was named VaSID Coach of the Year after leading the Monarchs to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the quarterfinal round of the 2012 FCS playoffs as a No. 4 seed. Old Dominion finished the season as the No. 6 team in the country, according to the FCS Coaches' Poll and FCS The Sports Network Poll. The team also led the country in scoring offense, passing offense and total offense for the season.

Major Award Winners

VaSID Offensive Player of the Year - Taylor Heinicke, So., QB, Old Dominion

VaSID Defensive Player of the Year - Steve Greer, Sr., LB, Virginia

VaSID Offensive Rookie of the Year - Josh Woodrum, Fr., QB, Liberty

VaSID Defensive Rookie of the Year - Lynden Trail, Fr., LB, Norfolk State

VaSID Coach of the Year - Bobby Wilder, Old Dominion

First Team

Offense

QB - Taylor Heinicke, So., Old Dominion

RB - Aldreakis Allen, Jr., Liberty

RB - Jeremiah Schwartz, Sr., Hampton

WR - Nick Mayers, Sr., Old Dominion

WR - Ben Edwards, Jr., Richmond

TE - Jake McGee, So, Virginia

OL - Oday Aboushi, Sr., Virginia

OL - Nick Becton, Sr., Virginia Tech

OL - Aaron Lundy, Sr., Liberty

OL - Morgan Moses, Jr., Virginia

OL - Earl Watford, Sr., James Madison

Defense

DL - Chris Burnette, Sr., Old Dominion

DL - James Gayle, Jr., Virginia Tech

DL - Derrick Hopkins, Jr., Virginia Tech

DL - George Riddick, So., Norfolk State

LB - Steve Greer, Sr., Virginia

LB - Stephon Robertson, Jr., James Madison

LB - Jack Tyler, Jr., Virginia Tech

CB - Antone Exum, Jr., Virginia Tech

CB - Demetrious Nicholson, So., Virginia

S - Cooper Taylor, Sr., Richmond

S - Brent Vinson, Sr., Liberty

Special Teams

PK - Jarod Brown, Jr., Old Dominion

P - Jonathan Plisco, Sr., Old Dominion

RET - Khalek Shepherd, So., Virginia

Second Team

Offense

QB - Logan Thomas, Jr., Virginia Tech

RB - Dae-Quan Scott, Jr., James Madison

RB - Kendall Gaskins, Sr., Richmond

WR - Pat Kelly, Sr., Liberty

WR - Tre McBride II, So., William & Mary

TE - Brian Barlow, Sr., James Madison

OL - David Born, Jr., Old Dominion

OL -Michael Kay, Sr., Norfolk State

OL - Vinston Painter, Sr., Virginia Tech

OL - Nick Ritcher, So., Richmond

OL - Mike Salazar, Sr., William & Mary

Defense

DL -Cory Freeman, Jr., Liberty

DL - Charlie Jones, Sr., VMI

DL - Tyler Snow, Jr., James Madison

DL - Kerry Wynn, Jr., Richmond

LB - Nick Sigmon, So., Liberty

LB -Lynden Trail, Fr., Norfolk State

LB - Craig Wilkins, Sr., Old Dominion

CB - Darryl Hamilton, Sr., Richmond

CB - B.W. Webb, Sr., William & Mary

S - Anthony Harris, So., Virginia

S - Dean Marlowe, So., James Madison

Special Teams

PK - Cody Journell, Jr., Virginia Tech

P - A.J. Hughes, Fr., Virginia Tech

RET - Ryan Smith, Sr., James Madison