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Football

VaSID All-State Football Team Honors Eight Keydets

HARRISONBURG, Va. – After its breakout 2020-21 season, the VMI football team was recognized by the Commonwealth's sports communications professionals as eight Keydets were named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State football teams announced Tuesday.
 
The team was highlighted by Stone Snyder being named the Defensive Player of the Year, Seth Morgan as the Offensive Rookie of the Year and head coach Scott Wachenheim as the Coach of the Year.
 
Junior wide receiver Jakob Herres was named to the First Team Offense, while Jordan Ward, A.J. Smith and Snyder were named to the First Team Defense.
 
Junior left tackle Marshall Gill was named to the Second Team Offense, while junior long snapper Robert Soderholm was named to the Second Team Special Teams unit.
 
The eight honored is the highest number in program history for the annual VaSID awards. It also marks
the first time that a VMI coach or player have been selected as VaSID state coach and/or players of the year.
 
Wachenheim was named the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year as well as the AFCA FCS Coach of the Year (AFCA Region 2 Coach of Year). He was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year for a second straight season after leading the Keydets to a 6-2 overall record for the year, the program's first SoCon title in 43 years (1977) and the program's first-ever FCS playoff appearance. Wachenheim was named the Touchdown Club of Richmond's Bobby Ross Coach of the Year given to the top Division I college football coach in the commonwealth of Virginia.
 
The Keydets earned the program's first winning season since 1981 and were nationally ranked as high as No. 10 in both the coaches' and media polls after defeating Wofford on March 27 to move to 5-0 on the year, its best start since 1960. VMI finished season ranked #12 by both Stats Perform and the AFCA - prior to this season, VMI had never been nationally ranked since joining the FCS ranks in 1982. VMI triumphed in all three road tests to finish the regular season road record undefeated for the first time since 1922. All three road wins (Western Carolina, Samford, and Wofford) occurred where VMI had never won before, and the Keydets' win over #10 Furman to open the season marked VMI's first over a nationally ranked team since the 2002.
 
Jakob Herres was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and finished fourth in voting for the Walter Payton FCS offensive Player of the Year award. Stone Snyder was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and finished third in voting for the Buck Buchanan FCS defensive Player of the Year honor. Redshirt freshman Seth Morgan received the SoCon's Freshman Player of the Year designation.
 

2020-21 VaSID University Division Football All-State Team
 
Offensive Player of the Year: Malik Willis, Liberty
Defensive Player of the Year: Stone Snyder, VMI
Special Teams Player of the Year: Ethan Ratke, James Madison
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Seth Morgan, VMI
Defensive Rookie of the Year: James Carpenter, James Madison
Coach of the Year: Scott Wachenheim, VMI
 
First Team – Offense
QB          Malik Willis          Liberty
RB           Percy Agyei-Obese          James Madison
RB           Khalil Herbert    Virginia Tech
WR         Lavel Davis Jr.    Virginia
WR         Jakob Herres      VMI
WR         Billy Kemp IV      Virginia
WR         Antwane Wells Jr.            James Madison
TE           Tony Poljan        Virginia
OL           Christian Darrisaw            Virginia Tech
OL           Raymond Gillespie           James Madison
OL           Olusegun Oluwatimi       Virginia
OL           Thomas Sargeant             Liberty
OL           Truvell Wilson    James Madison
 
First Team – Defense
DL           Mike Greene     James Madison
DL           Durrell Johnson Liberty
DL           Kobie Turner      Richmond
DL           Jordan Ward       VMI
LB           Charles Snowden             Virginia
LB           Stone Snyder     VMI
LB           Tristan Wheeler Richmond
CB           Chamarri Conner              Virginia Tech
CB           Wesley McCormick          James Madison
S              Javon Scruggs    Liberty
S              A.J. Smith            VMI
 
First Team – Special Teams
PK           Ethan Ratke        James Madison
P             Harry O'Kelly      James Madison
RET         Demario Douglas              Liberty
SPEC      Kyle Davis            James Madison
 
 
Second Team – Offense
QB          Brennan Armstrong        Virginia
RB           Jawon Hamilton                James Madison
RB           Malachi Imoh    William & Mary
RB           Joshua Mack      Liberty
WR         Kevin Shaa          Liberty
WR         DJ Stubbs            Liberty
WR         Kris Thornton     James Madison
TE           John Fitzgerald  Richmond
OL           Tim Coleman     Richmond
OL           Marshall Gill       VMI
OL           Chris Glaser        Virginia
OL           Clayton McConnell          Richmond
OL           Brendan Schlittler            Liberty
 
Second Team – Defense
DL           Amare Barno      Virginia Tech
DL           TreShaun Clark  Liberty
DL           Jarrod Hewitt     Virginia Tech
DL           Darius Reynolds Richmond
LB           Anthony Butler Liberty
LB           Tyler Dressler    Richmond
LB           Nick Jackson       Virginia
LB           Zane Zandier      Virginia
CB           Tyrek Funderburk            Richmond
CB           Greg Ross            James Madison
S              Divine Deablo    Virginia Tech
S              MJ Hampton      James Madison
 
Second Team – Special Teams
PK           Alex Barbir          Liberty
SPEC      Robert Soderholm           VMI
 





 
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Players Mentioned

Marshall Gill

#74 Marshall Gill

OL
6' 4"
Junior
Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

WR
6' 4"
Junior
Seth Morgan

#4 Seth Morgan

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
A.J. Smith

#4 A.J. Smith

DB
6' 2"
Senior
Stone Snyder

#5 Stone Snyder

LB
6' 3"
Sophomore
Robert Soderholm

#30 Robert Soderholm

LS
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jordan Ward

#0 Jordan Ward

DL
6' 1"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Marshall Gill

#74 Marshall Gill

6' 4"
Junior
OL
Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

6' 4"
Junior
WR
Seth Morgan

#4 Seth Morgan

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
QB
A.J. Smith

#4 A.J. Smith

6' 2"
Senior
DB
Stone Snyder

#5 Stone Snyder

6' 3"
Sophomore
LB
Robert Soderholm

#30 Robert Soderholm

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
LS
Jordan Ward

#0 Jordan Ward

6' 1"
Senior
DL