Three Scarlet Knights Garner Midseason All-America Honors
Oct 14 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (October 14, 2011) – Rutgers senior DT Justin Francis (Opa-Locka, Fla.), sophomore CB Logan Ryan (Berlin, N.J.) and junior WR Mohamed Sanu (South Brunswick, N.J.) have been named honorable mention midseason All-Americans by Phil Steele. In addition, seven other Scarlet Knights were named to Steele’s midseason All-BIG EAST teams.
Francis, who was named Rivals.com BIG EAST Player of the Week last Sunday, has played the best football of his career as a senior for the Scarlet Knights. He totaled a career-high eight tackles to go along with four tackles-for-loss and two sacks as he wreaked havoc all day in the Pitt backfield. On the season, Francis leads the BIG EAST and ranks 14th nationally in sacks.
Ryan, this week’s BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week, leads the conference in pass breakups and is tied for the conference lead in fumbles recovered. He is second on the team in tackles (26), first in pass breakups (six), tied for first in fumble recoveries (two) and tied for second in interceptions (two).
Sanu has been one of the nation’s elite wide receivers in 2011, ranking sixth nationally in receptions per game (9.0) and 36th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (91.0). The conference leader in receptions per game, Sanu broke the BIG EAST single-game reception record with 16 catches for 176 yards and two scores earlier in the season vs. Ohio.
All three players garnered midseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors by Steele, along with junior LB Steve Beauharnais.
Rutgers also had the following players named to Steele’s midseason all-conference team: senior OL Desmond Wynn (second team), junior LB Khaseem Greene (second team), junior SS Duron Harmon (second team), junior DT Scott Vallone (third team) and junior P Justin Doerner (third team).
