Oilers Lead G-MAC with 21 All-Conference Picks | Keys Named Coach of the Year
Findlay, Ohio – On Monday, Nov. 22, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) announced its' football all-conference awards following the conclusion of the 2021 fall season. The University of Findlay, the 2021 G-MAC Champions, received seven first-team awards, four second team awards, and ten third team awards to go along with earning one Player of the Year honor and the Coach of the Year award.
In total, the Oilers picked up 21 all-conference selections, the most in the conference. Since joining the league in 2017, Findlay has earned 110 all-conference awards, more than any team in the conference, and is averaging 22 all-G-MAC selections per season. With five seasons in the G-MAC completed, the Oilers have led the league in total all-conference selections four times.
Coach of the Year
Head Coach Rob Keys earned his first Coach of the Year award of his career after guiding Findlay to an 8-3 regular season record with a 6-1 mark in the G-MAC. Keys led the Oilers to the program's first conference championship since the school joined the NCAA in 2000, led Findlay to its fourth eight-win season in his tenure, and took the program to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second time in five seasons.
In 11 seasons with Findlay, Keys has led the Oilers to 75 wins and has a winning percentage of 64%. After eight more wins this season, Keys is the all-time winningest coach in the G-MAC, currently with 37 victories. His win total of 75 is second all-time at Findlay, trailing only Dick Strahm who won 183 games from 1975-1998. Coach Keys is the first conference Coach of the Year at Findlay since 2002 when Dan Simrell picked up the award in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Picking up the G-MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year award is senior Logan Bailey who has been one of the most consistent forces on the Findlay Oilers football team over the past five seasons. The left tackle from Defiance, Ohio has started in 45 consecutive games for Findlay and has now been named first team all-G-MAC for the fourth straight season.
This year, Bailey, who is a two-time all-region selection, blocked for an offense that scored more than 30 points per game and rushed for nearly 200 yards per game, as well. During his career, the Oilers offense has averaged 37 points per game with Bailey on the offensive line. This season, the 6-6, 325 lineman is a nominee for the Gene Upshaw award which is given to the nation's top offensive or defensive lineman.
Bailey is the second player to earn G-MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. The first was Andrew Alten who picked up the honor in 2017.
First Team All-Great Midwest
Earning his fourth consecutive first team all-conference selection is running back Brian Benson who had another good year out of the Oilers backfield, including an all-time performance in the G-MAC Championship. This season, Benson rushed the ball 96 times for 494 yards and scored six touchdowns. His final game of the regular season was one for the ages. In that contest against Tiffin, Benson rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns, helping solidify Findlay's spot atop the conference standings. With one year of eligibility remaining, Benson now has 2,710 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career. This is the fifth consecutive season Findlay has placed a running back on the all-conference first team.
Along with Logan Bailey earning first team on the offensive line, senior Ben Farrar has earned a spot on the first team for the second consecutive year. Along with Bailey, Farrar was a staple on the offensive line, starting in all 11 games for the Oilers and helping block for a rushing offense that put up almost 200 yards per game. The pass protection was good, as well, as the Oilers allowed just 12 sacks in 12 games this season, the least in the conference despite having played one more contest.
Earning first team all-conference for the first time in his career is wide receiver Marlin Richardson who proved to be one of the most dangerous wide outs in the conference this season. The Warren, Ohio native finished the year ranked eighth in the conference with 49 receptions and was second with 804 receiving yards. He also had four touchdowns this season, all of which were scored in the final four games of the year. Richardson had three 100-yard games this season including 102 yards against Ashland in week ten and 101 yards against #8 Shepherd in the NCAA Playoffs. His 79-yard reception against Lake Erie in the G-MAC opener this season was the second-longest reception in the conference this season.
At tight end, Mike Rigerman has earned his second first team all-G-MAC award after a big time sophomore season for the Oilers. The Arcade, NY native finished the year with 40 receptions for 493 yards and six touchdowns, the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in the conference. Rigerman capped his season with a game to remember, picking up 178 yards and a touchdown against Shepherd last Saturday. Just a sophomore, Rigerman is poised to become one of the all-time great tight ends at Findlay and is the first tight end in the NCAA era of the program to earn first team all-conference in back-to-back seasons.
Defensive lineman Ervin Besingi put together a monster season and has earned first team all-conference for the first time in his career after being a second team honoree this spring. Besingi tied for the G-MAC lead this season with 8.5 sacks and was tied for second in the league with 13.5 tackles-for-loss. He was consistent all year, picking up at least one tackle-for-loss in seven of 12 games this season. His best performance came when the Oilers needed it most, a two sack, four TFL game against Tiffin in the G-MAC Championship for which he earned Defensive Player of the Week.
Despite missing the last three games of the season, linebacker Grey Brancifort has earned first team all-G-MAC after spending the year as one of the top tacklers in the conference this season. The Pickerington, Ohio native ended the year with 89 tackles which ranked seventh in the conference and ranked fourth in the G-MAC with 9.9 tackles per game. His 89 tackles in a season are the most in a year at Findlay since linebacker Myles Alexander had 101 in 2016.
Second Team All-Great Midwest
Sophomore offensive lineman Matt Iliff has been named second team all-G-MAC for the second consecutive season after starting all 11 games at center for Findlay. Iliff helped orchestrate and offense that put up almost 200 yards per game and allowed a conference-low 12 sacks this season.
Junior linebacker Jack Trombetti picked up his third all-conference award of his career, earning second team all-G-MAC in the fall of 2021. Trombetti was seventh in the conference at 7.1 tackles per game and finished the year with 85 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions.
Junior Kijana Caldwell has picked up his second all-conference award this year, earning second team all-G-MAC after taking first team honors in the spring. Caldwell finished the season with 49 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and three pass breakups.
Proving to be a special teams force for years to come, freshman Austin Snyder has earned second team all-conference for the second time. This season the Findlay kicker made 11-of-13 field goals including a conference record 51-yard field goal against Shepherd last Saturday. Snyder also hit on 43-of-46 extra points this season. Along with kicking, Snyder averaged 38 yards a punt this season and on kickoffs, recorded 21 touchbacks, the most in the conference.
Third Team All-Great Midwest
Quarterback Matt Winzeler picked up third team honors giving him three consecutive seasons with an all-conference honor. This year he threw for 2,759 yards and 22 touchdowns while completed 58% of his passes. In the same backfield, freshman Garret Clark has earned his second all-conference honor of his career after third team status this season after Freshman of the Year and second team status in the spring. This year Clark rushed for 544 yards and five scores.
Offensive lineman Michael Jerrell, a first team performer last season, has earned third team status this season, giving the Oilers four offensive lineman on the all-conference team.
Ruben Flowers, a wide receiver, has earned third team all-G-MAC after 30 receptions, 371 yards, and four scores this season.
On defense, Charles Omameh and Logan Speyer each earned third team all-conference. Omameh had 26 tackles and four tackles for loss while Speyer had 26 tackles and 3.5 TFL.
Linebacker Colin Robertson picked up his second consecutive third team all-conference award after making 26 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, and fumble recovery this season while Marqis Stokes earned third team with 86 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, a 99-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, and two interceptions.
Defensive back Jeremiah Jackson led the Oilers with 12 pass breakups, making 50 tackles including 2.5 tackles-for-loss to earn third team all-conference.
As a kick returner, Derek Lynch has earned third team status after posting 356 return yards on 17 kick returns this season. It's the second consecutive season in which Lynch has been named all-conference as a kick returner.