Seven Named To All-NEC Football Teams
Toatley, Clark and Barnum tabbed to All-NEC First Team
Seven Central Connecticut State football players were honored by the Northeast Conference coaches with all-NEC honors, announced Wednesday afternoon by the league office.
Junior Dan Toatley (Trenton, NJ) and sophomores Kimal Clark (Lackawanna, NY) and Jack Barnum (Southington, CT) were named to the All-NEC First Team. Seniors Reis Spicer (Cicero, NY) and Luquay Washington (Waldorf, MD), junior Aidan Clark (Tolland, CT) and sophomore Elijah Howard (Knoxville, TN) were named to the All-NEC Second Team.
Clark finished the 2023 season with 89 total tackles. His 8.9 tackles per game was second in the NEC and 32nd amongst FCS players. Clark finished the year with 53 solo tackles, which was 5.3 a game – tops in the NEC and 17th in the nation. He had a season-high 15 tackles, 10 solo, in the season-finale and finished the campaign with four double-digit tackle games.
Toatley was a force on the defensive line all season long and finished as the NEC leader at 0.55 sacks per game. His 1.1 tackles for loss a game was second in the league and 47th nationally. Toatley finished the season with 52 total tackles, 31 solo, good for 23rd in the NEC.
Barnum tied the school's single-season record by booting 13 field goals over the course of the campaign. He was good on 72.2 percent of his attempts, which led the league, and he ranked second at 1.18 field goals per game. Barnum accounted for 6.3 points per game, tops in the NEC this season.
Spicer anchored an offensive line that ranked 10th in the nation, first in the NEC, by allowing just 1.27 sacks per game. The Blue Devils posted 186.8 yards per game on the ground, that included a school-record 498 yards rushing versus Delaware State. The Blue Devils offense finished the year third in the NEC with 352 yards of total offense per game. The All-NEC Second team selection is the second in as many seasons for Spicer.
Washington missed the first four games of the year with injury, but made his presence felt immediately upon his return. He accounted for 30 tackles and 4.5 TFL in his seven games played, to go along with three hurries and two pass break ups. In the final game of his career, he intercepted a pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown; his second pick six in as many years.
Howard made an immediate impact for the Blue Devils offense, accounting for 119.5 all-purpose yards per game, which is the 19th best number in FCS football this season. He averaged 90 yards per game on the ground, with four games over 100 yards that was highlighted by a 257-yard rushing effort against Delaware State. Howard carried the ball 170 times for 990 yards this fall, caught 15 passes for 165 yards and had eight returns for 159 yards.
Clark averaged 39.8 yards per punt during the season, ranking second in the NEC and 47th in the nation. His season-long was 64 yards, the second longest of his career, and he finished with eight punts of 50 or more yards. Clark placed 13 punts inside the 20 and had five touchbacks. He also completed a pass this season, for 27 yards, at Sacred Heart.
