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2017 All-OVC Football Team

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois football posted its third straight winning season wrapping up the 2017 campaign last Saturday.  On Tuesday the Panthers had seven players earn All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as the league released its post-season awards list.

Senior guard Austin Askin earned first team All-OVC honors while Louis Vailopa, Isaiah Johnson, David Johnson, Nick Horne and Bradley Dewberry all were named to the OVC second team.  Alexander Hollins was an All-OVC Newcomer Team selection.

Askin started all 11 games at left guard and wrapped up his third straight season as a starter on the offensive line.  Askin became the first EIU offensive lineman since 2014 to earn first team All-OVC honors. 

???????Vailopa started all 11 games at center marking the third straight year the Hawaiian native has started at that position for EIU.  He became the first EIU center to make the All-OVC team since the 2013 season.

Isaiah Johnson rushed for 683 yards on the season finishing the year with five touchdowns.  He ranked fifth in the OVC in total rushing yards with two games of more than 100 yards.  His season high was 236 yards against Murray State.

David Johnson earned second team All-OVC honors for the second straight season.  The senior defensive end finished the year with 51 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.  He ranked 11th in the OVC in sacks and 12th in tackles for loss.

Horne earned second team All-OVC honors at linebacker after leading the Panthers in tackles with 71 to rank 14th in the OVC.  He finished the year with 11.5 tackles for loss which fell one shy of making the EIU career top ten.  Horne was seventh in the OVC in TFL.  He added a sack, an interception and three pass break-ups.

Dewberry finished the year with 68 tackles as he earned second team All-OVC honors as a defensive back.  The senior safety was tied for fourth in the league with three interceptions.  He added two tackles for loss and three pass break-ups.

???????Hollins was named to the All-OVC Newcomer team after a solid season at wide receiver.  He led the Panthers with 47 catches for 694 yards and seven touchdowns.  He ranked fourth in the OVC in both receiving yards and touchdown receptions.  He had four 100 yard receiving games during the season with a high of 125 yards against Tennessee Tech.