McGhee, Thomas headline MEAC honors

Norfolk, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Howard quarterback Greg McGhee and South Carolina State linebacker Joe Thomas were named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's offensive and defensive player of the year, respectively, on Friday.

McGhee, a junior, leads the MEAC in total offense (272.9 yards per game) and ranks second in passing yards per game (198.2) while throwing for 16 touchdowns in 12 games. He is third in the MEAC in rushing yards with 896.

Thomas, a redshirt senior, has 116 total tackles (84 solo) and a conference- best 19 tackles for loss as South Carolina State gets set for an FCS playoff game on Saturday.

The MEAC's head football coaches and sports information directors also chose North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen as the rookie of the year, South Carolina State's Tristan Bellamy as the offensive lineman of the year and Bethune-Cookman's Brian Jenkins as the coach of the year.

2013 ALL-MEAC FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

(As voted on by MEAC head football coaches and sports information directors)

OFFENSE

QB - Greg McGhee, Jr., Howard

RB - Tarik Cohen, Fr., North Carolina A&T

RB - Rolandan Finch, Graduate, Norfolk State

WR - Tyler McDonald, Sr., South Carolina State

WR - Milton Williams III, Jr., Delaware State

TE - Joseph Hawkins, R-Sr., Norfolk State

C - Andrew Edourad, Jr., Bethune-Cookman

OL - Karim Barton, Sr., Morgan State

OL - Alex Monroe, Sr., Bethune-Cookman

OL - Domanic Wilson, R-So., South Carolina State

OL - Rashard Brown, Sr., Bethune-Cookman

DEFENSE

DL - Miles Groom, So., Hampton

DL - Andrew Carter, R-Jr., South Carolina State

DL - Alex Glover, Jr., South Carolina State

DL - Rodney Gunter, Jr., Delaware State

LB - Lynden Trail, R-Jr., Norfolk State

LB - Jarkevis Fields, Sr., Bethune-Cookman

LB - Joe Thomas R-Sr., South Carolina State

DB - Nick Addison, Jr., Bethune-Cookman

DB - Darrin Marrow, R-Jr., Norfolk State

DB - Justin Blake, R-Sr., Hampton

DB - Ademola Olatunji, Jr., Howard

P - Lawrence Forbes, R-Fr., Morgan State

PK - Anthony Prevost, Fr., Hampton

RS - Adrian Wilkins, R-So., North Carolina Central