NORFOLK, Va. (Nov.22) - The FAMU Rattlers got good news from the conference office today as eight Rattlers earned All-MEAC honors. The diversity of the players on the squad represents all three phases of play as offensive, defensive and special teams players made the squad.
One of coach Joe Taylor's keys to success is having special teams at the beginning of practice. That attention to special teams allowed for three specialists to make All-MEAC.
Taylor was happy to hear the good news about all of his players and said it was not by accident that these gentlemen were honored. "Hard work does not go unnoticed. These young men were early to practice and drills and stayed late. I feel very proud of them and what they were able to do for the year. This is a fitting tribute to them and their hard work," Taylor said.
FAMU punter Brandon Holdren made the first team, with a 40.7 yards-per-punt average. He amassed 2,481 yards on 61 attempts. His longest punt of the year was a booming 78 yard blast against North Carolina Central University. He also had five punts for fair catches, 14 punts inside the 20-yard line and seven punts over 50 yards. Holdren is a junior from Jacksonville, Fla., who attended First Coast High School.
Edmond Baker made the first team as a kick returner. Though Baker didn't start the season as the kick returner, he added a spark for the Rattlers once he took over duties. He gained 537 yards on 24 attempts. His longest return was for 35 yards, while he averaged 22.4 yards per kick. Baker is a senior from Miami, Fla., and he attended Miramar High School.
On the defensive side of the ball, John Oye Ojo made the first team as defensive back. The safety nabbed four interceptions and returned them for 56 yards. The Rattlers' team 22 interceptions topped the MEAC. Ojo also had 30 solo tackles and 12 assists as the safety for the Rattlers. Ojo is a junior from Tallahassee. He attended Florida State High School.
Rounding out the players on the first team were offensive linemen Steve Robinson and center Shelly Anthony. Robinson is a 6'3", 300 lb. offensive guard from Tallahassee. He attended Lincoln High School. Anthony is a 6'2" 292 lb. senior from Atlanta, Ga. Anthony was a transfer from Western Kentucky University.
The Rattlers also had three players to make the second team. Wide receiver Kevin Elliott, tackle Branden Curry and kicker Trevor Scott all made the second squad.
Elliott had 41 receptions for 720 yards. He had an average of 17.6 yards per catch, scored five touchdowns and averaged 65.5 yards per game. Elliott is a senior from Orlando, Fla. where he attended Colonial High School.
Curry was the starting right tackle for the Rattlers. He was a towering figure at 6'6" and 310 lbs. He is a senior from Hollywood, Fla., who transferred from Marshall University.
Scott tied a school record for PAT percentage with a 100 percent success rate. He also went 13-16 on field goals for the year. He had three games where he made at least three field goals this season. His longest field goal this season was 44 yards and he had a 81.2 percent success rate. The accuracy of his field goals contributed to the Rattlers toppinfg the MEAC in red zone offense.
