A School-Record 12 Bulls Named to All-MAC Football Team
12/4/2019 10:44:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – A school-record 12 University at Buffalo football players were named All-Mid-American Conference on Wednesday, the league announced. The 12 All-MAC selections are a school record, eclipsing the 10 from a season ago.
Five Bulls named to the All-MAC First Team, including running back Jaret Patterson, offensive tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk, safety Joey Banks and defensive ends Taylor Riggins and Malcolm Koonce.
Buffalo also placed five on the second team, including offensive linemen Kayode Awosika and Paul Nosworthy along with linebacker Kadofi Wright, defensive end Ledarius Mack and safety Tyrone Hill.
The third team included wide receiver Antonio Nunn and defensive tackle Chibueze Onwuka.
Patterson was named All-MAC for the season straight season after being named MAC Freshman of the Year and All-MAC Second Team last year. The sophomore running back leads the MAC and ranks fifth in the nation in rushing with a school-record 1,626 yards. He has also set a new single-season school record with 17 rushing touchdowns.
Ksiezarczyk is also a two-time All-MAC selection after being named All-MAC Second Team last season. The West Seneca, NY native has started all 12 games at left tackle and is an anchor of an offensive line that has only eight sacks on the season – the second fewest in the nation.
Banks leads the Bulls in tackles with 76, including 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack on the season. His three interceptions are also a team best. The senior safety was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week three times this year. The only other UB player to ever win MAC East Player of the Week three times in the same season was Khalil Mack in 2013.
Both starting defensive ends Riggins and Koonce were also named to the first team. Riggins leads the team and the MAC in sacks with 8.5 to go along with 44 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He also has a team-best three fumble recoveries on the season. Koonce is tied for second in the MAC in sacks with seven and had has 29 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
Awosika, the Bulls' right tackle, and Nosworthy, UB's left guard, were both named to the second team. The pair have been part of an offensive line that has paved the way for a rushing attack that has rushed for a school-record 3,241 yards on the season.
Mack has also been a standout on the defensive line this year. The senior defensive end has a team-best 11 tackles for loss and is tied for second in the MAC with seven sacks. He also leads the team with three forced fumbles.
Wright has 28 tackles, two sacks and a pair of interceptions on the season. He has scored two defensive touchdowns on the year, including a fumble recovery at Akron and a pick six against Central Michigan.
Hill ranks third on the team with 65 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. He is also tied for the team lead with nine pass breakups on the year.
Nunn has been the Bulls' leading wide receiver. He has 44 catches for 634 yards and five touchdowns on the season – all team highs. Six of his receptions have gone for 30 or more yards.
Onwuka has had a strong season on the defensive line. The junior tackle has 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. He has been a key contributor to a Buffalo rush defense that ranks sixth in the nation.
The Bulls finished the regular season 7-5 and will next play Charlotte in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl on December 20.
Click here for the entire All-MAC football team.
Five Bulls named to the All-MAC First Team, including running back Jaret Patterson, offensive tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk, safety Joey Banks and defensive ends Taylor Riggins and Malcolm Koonce.
Buffalo also placed five on the second team, including offensive linemen Kayode Awosika and Paul Nosworthy along with linebacker Kadofi Wright, defensive end Ledarius Mack and safety Tyrone Hill.
The third team included wide receiver Antonio Nunn and defensive tackle Chibueze Onwuka.
Patterson was named All-MAC for the season straight season after being named MAC Freshman of the Year and All-MAC Second Team last year. The sophomore running back leads the MAC and ranks fifth in the nation in rushing with a school-record 1,626 yards. He has also set a new single-season school record with 17 rushing touchdowns.
Ksiezarczyk is also a two-time All-MAC selection after being named All-MAC Second Team last season. The West Seneca, NY native has started all 12 games at left tackle and is an anchor of an offensive line that has only eight sacks on the season – the second fewest in the nation.
Banks leads the Bulls in tackles with 76, including 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack on the season. His three interceptions are also a team best. The senior safety was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week three times this year. The only other UB player to ever win MAC East Player of the Week three times in the same season was Khalil Mack in 2013.
Both starting defensive ends Riggins and Koonce were also named to the first team. Riggins leads the team and the MAC in sacks with 8.5 to go along with 44 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He also has a team-best three fumble recoveries on the season. Koonce is tied for second in the MAC in sacks with seven and had has 29 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
Awosika, the Bulls' right tackle, and Nosworthy, UB's left guard, were both named to the second team. The pair have been part of an offensive line that has paved the way for a rushing attack that has rushed for a school-record 3,241 yards on the season.
Mack has also been a standout on the defensive line this year. The senior defensive end has a team-best 11 tackles for loss and is tied for second in the MAC with seven sacks. He also leads the team with three forced fumbles.
Wright has 28 tackles, two sacks and a pair of interceptions on the season. He has scored two defensive touchdowns on the year, including a fumble recovery at Akron and a pick six against Central Michigan.
Hill ranks third on the team with 65 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. He is also tied for the team lead with nine pass breakups on the year.
Nunn has been the Bulls' leading wide receiver. He has 44 catches for 634 yards and five touchdowns on the season – all team highs. Six of his receptions have gone for 30 or more yards.
Onwuka has had a strong season on the defensive line. The junior tackle has 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. He has been a key contributor to a Buffalo rush defense that ranks sixth in the nation.
The Bulls finished the regular season 7-5 and will next play Charlotte in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl on December 20.
Click here for the entire All-MAC football team.
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