Hohlbein and Gray Highlight TU's Postseason All-MSFA Awards
FINDLAY, Ohio – The Taylor University football program claimed seven postseason honors recently, as the Mid-States Football Association announced its All-MSFA Mideast League Teams.
Grant Hohlbein and Cameron Gray topped the list for the Trojans as First-Team All-MSFA standouts, while Austin Garde and Dovi Gamble were named Second-Team All-MSFA and the trio of Everett Pollard, Logan Ball and Tyler Gerig were selected as Honorable Mention All-MSFA performers.
Hohlbein earned his first postseason accolade with the First-Team All-MSFA nod. Hohlbein turned in a career year as one of the most productive receivers in the league, by hauling in a team-leading 66 passes for 623 yards and five touchdowns during his junior campaign.
Gray joined Hohlbein as a First-Team All-MSFA choice, capping his career in Upland with a third All-MSFA honor in as many years. The linebacker closed with 44 tackles, 5.5 hits for negative yardage, 10 quarterback hurries and two interceptions in his final go-around with the Trojans.
Garde claimed Second-Team All-MSFA attention for the first All-MSFA award of his career. The senior left guard helped Taylor rush for 109.8 yards per game, while anchoring a front line that ranked No. 21 in the NAIA by allowing only 14 sacks during the regular season.
Gamble also closed his career at Taylor with a Second-Team All-MSFA honor, picking up his fourth All-MSFA award after posting 52 tackles and leading the team with 35 solo hits and three interceptions from his safety position.
Pollard was named an All-MSFA Honorable Mention performer for the second time in three seasons under center for Taylor. Pollard continued his ascent up the TU career record books with 200 completions for 1,913 yards and 16 touchdowns to pace the Trojan offense in 2017.
Ball followed his First-Team All-MSFA award from one year ago with an All-MSFA Honorable Mention nod to close his collegiate career. The right tackle bolstered TU's offensive line and helped the Trojans eclipse 100 yards rushing in five contests during the regular season.
Gerig rounded out TU's list of award winners with an All-MSFA Honorable Mention selection. The junior cornerback rated sixth among Taylor defenders with 36 total tackles and third with 29 solo stops, while adding a pair of interceptions and netting 9.3 yards per punt return on special teams.
Taylor capped its 70th season with a 4-6 mark in 2017, going 4-1 inside Turner Stadium but failing to secure a win on the road against a five-game slate that included NCAA Division I FCS Butler and four teams ranked 16th or higher in the NAIA Top-25 Poll.
The Trojans will graduate 20 seniors off the 2017 squad, but are poised to bring back 62 players, including All-MSFA standouts Hohlbein, Pollard and Gerig among a group of 12 returning starters.
TU will open its 2018 slate with its first-ever meeting on the gridiron against cross-county rival, Indiana Wesleyan, in Marion on September 1 and will open its home schedule the following week with Butler inside Turner Stadium.