Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award

Written by: David Mika on Friday, January 8th, 2010. Follow David Mika on Twitter.

January 7, 2010

Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award

Sponsored by the Manheim Touchdown Club

www.manheimtouchdownclub.com

BEN STAGGS

NAMED AS WINNER OF SIXTH ANNUAL

GENE UPSHAW DIVISION II LINEMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

MANHEIM, Pa. – The Manheim Touchdown Club announced today that Ben Staggs, a senior offensive tackle from West Liberty (W. Va.) University has been named as the recipient of the Sixth Annual Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award.

The award is sponsored by the Manheim Touchdown Club and voted upon by the nation’s NCAA Division II sports information directors.

Staggs, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound native of Wooster, Ohio (Northwestern High School), helped lead West Liberty to a best-ever 11-2 final record, the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Super Region One playoffs and an appearance in the Super Region championship game.

He started every game at the all-important left tackle position for the top-ranked NCAA Division II offense in the nation (549.7 yards per game total offense, 48.3 points per game). Ben was team captain and leader of the first offensive line in college football history to clear the path for a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,500-yard rusher and three 1,000-yard receivers. Staggs Protected the blind side of Harlon Hill Trophy runner-up Zach Amedro, who led the nation with 49 TD passes and whose 4,945 passing yards this season was the second-highest total in Division II history. Ben was a three-year starter and a four year letter winner for West Liberty said head coach Roger Waialae and one of three first-team All-WVIAC performers on the Hilltoppers’ offensive line.

Staggs’ on-field efforts also earned him second-team Associated Press Little All-America and second-team Daktronics, Inc. All-America honors.

“Ben has been a rock on our offensive line for the last four seasons,” Coach Waialae said in his nomination of Staggs for the Upshaw Award. “He’s helped clear the way for a 1,000-yard rusher every year and has done a great job protecting our quarterback’s back as our starting left tackle for the past three seasons. Ben had his best season as a senior and that’s the way every coach wants his players to go out.”

2009 Key Statistics

The West Liberty offense led the nation with an average of 7.44 yards per snap. …With Staggs anchoring the line from his left tackle spot, Amedro passed for more than 300 yards in all 13 games – an NCAA Division II record. …The Hilltoppers scored 48 or more points 8 times, highlighted by an 84-point explosion against Edinboro (Pa.) in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. …Staggs and his linemates cleared the way for 106 plays of more than 20 yards from scrimmage – 76 passes and 30 runs.

2009 Team Awards and Honors

West Liberty was the No. 1-seed in the Super Region One playoff field and advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first time in school history. …The Hilltoppers were ranked No. 9 in the final NCAA Division II coaches’ poll (AFCA). …West Liberty’s 11 wins set a school record and equaled the West Virginia Conference record. …The Hilltoppers won the school’s 16th WVIAC championship with a perfect (8-0-0) league mark.

Additional Information

Staggs has been a 3-year starter and 4-year letterman on the Hilltopper offensive line. … Ben overcame injuries and illness to earn All-WVIAC honorable mention as a sophomore and junior. …He is a Criminal Justice major and was an All Ohio standout at West Salem (Ohio) Northwestern High School. …Ben is the son of Mike and Barbie Staggs of Wooster, Ohio.

2009 Individual Awards and Honors

q First-Team All-West Virginia Conference (unanimous)

q First-Team All-Super Region One (leading vote-getter among offensive linemen)

q Led Super Region One balloting for Gene Upshaw Award (16 of 22 first-place votes)

q Second-Team AP Little All-America Team (NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA)

q Second-Team Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Team

q Invited to play for East Team in 85th annual East-West Shrine Game

q 2009 winner of the “Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award”

The 2009 voting was the closest in the history of the Upshaw Award. Staggs nipped second-place finisher Tony Washington, a senior offensive tackle for Abilene Christian (Texas) University.

Jack Hiett, a senior offensive center for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, finished third in this year’s voting, followed by junior offensive guard Brett Grozinger for Division II national champion Northwest Missouri State University, and senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer of Hillsdale College (Mich.).

The other finalists for the 2010 Upshaw Award included Montrell Craft, a senior defensive end for the University of North Alabama; Michael Tribue, a junior offensive tackle for Carson-Newman College (Tenn.); and Willie Walker, a senior defensive end for California University of Pennsylvania.

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