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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Faulk and Pinnick Highlight SBC Selections
12/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 6, 2006
BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University's football team saw senior Nello Faulk and junior Josh Pinnick headline seven individuals on the 2006 Sun Belt All-Conference football teams, announced the SBC office Wednesday.
The All-Sun Belt team is comprised of a first team, second team and an honorable mention team and is voted upon by the eight Sun Belt head coaches and selected media from each institution.
Faulk served in a leadership as a senior and returned as the team's elder. As a true freshman he was a member of the squad that advanced to the NCAA I-AA semifinal game. His sophomore campaign saw the 6-7 Tampa native serve as the team's center in the Owls' milestone victory over Hawaii and was a member of the only team in 2004 to defeat Hawaii at home. His junior season was the year the program first became eligible to compete in the Sun Belt conference and as a senior in 2006 he lined up on opening day across from potential All-American and NFL draftee Gaines Adams before 70,000 Clemson fans. By games end he had not allowed a sack. Faulk led a unit that reduced its sacks per game by a full sack in 2006 despite playing Clemson, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and South Carolina in its first four games. He ended his career with a game that saw FAU quarterbacks complete 15-22 passes for 219 yards against the nation's seventh best pass defense. The iron man did not miss a game in four seasons.
On the defensive side of the ball, Pinnick carried the same burden as the team's leader both emotionally and vocally. The three-year starter recorded 33 tackles in 2006 which surpassed his previous two seasons combined (32). He entered his junior campaign with just one career sack and ended the season with five sacks to challenge for the league lead. Pinnick is currently listed no. 92 nationally in sacks per game at .42. Of his 33 tackles, 11.5 were for a loss of 46 yards which led the squad and was sixth in the league at .92 per game. He also tossed in a break-up, two forced fumbles and a recovered fumble. His most productive games came against Clemson (7 TT), South Carolina (6 TT), Arkansas State (2 sacks for a loss of 18) and Troy (4 TT). The Satellite Beach product was part of a defensive line that improved its sack total by 88% and totaled 12 defensive line sacks compared to two a year ago, despite a more difficult schedule.
Three players earned second-team all-conference honors, all three were defensive players. Sophomore Jervonte Jackson earned as spot on the defensive line while juniors Taheem Acevedo and Kris Bartels earned second-team honors as defensive backs.
Jackson, a Miami native, has played in every game since 2005. He recorded 46 total tackles to place him sixth in team total tackles and he led all defensive linemen in that category. Twenty six of his 46 tackles were solo tackles , and six were for a loss of 28 yards, which was second on the squad. Jackson recorded three sacks (South Carolina, Troy and FIU) for a loss of 23 yards, broke up three passes and forced two fumbles (Clemson and South Carolina). Jackson along with Pinnick was part of a defensive line that improved its sack total by 88%, from 2 to 12 despite playing six teams that will play in bowl games. The duo was instrumental in FAU's no. 20 national rank in pass defense. He will play his junior season in 2007 and will enter the season ranked second all-time among defensive lineman with 84 total tackles.
Taheem Acevedo returned to the squad after sitting out the 2005 season due to a horrific ankle break during a spring game. He finished fourth on the 2006 squad with 56 tackles, tied for the team lead in interceptions, second in pass break-ups and tied for second in FF. His junior campaign saw him end the year tied for no. 50 with teammate Corey Small with .33 INTs per game. Acevedo's season may be remembered for his interception at UNT with the Mean Green within game-winning field goal range, to preserve the victory for the Owls. His four INTs were part of a team record setting 18 INTs.
Kris Bartels was a true walk on in 2004 who has become an important part of the team's line-up and starting SS. He ended the year second on the squad in total tackles, recorded two INTs for a return of 89 yards. The 89-yard team leading interception changed the momentum of the UNT game. The interception was just before the half and allowed FAU to take the lead. Maybe more importantly, he asked to return kicks against Oklahoma State did so with power and ended the year with 16 returns for 345 yards an average of 21.6 per return which lists him no. 62 nationally and no. 7 among the SBC. Bartels led FAU in returns for a single season and is third all-time in number of returns and yards returned. He finished the season with 434 all-purpose yards.
Charles Pierre and Cergile Sincere rounded out the FAU honorees as honorable mention selections.
Charles Pierre played in every game in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns. In 2006 he had three games with 100 or more yards to capture FAU's all-time single-season and career record. The Orlando native tallied 756 yards for an average of 3.7 yards per carry and 63 yards per game and he led all offensive players with five touchdowns. Pierre had double-digit carries in all but the opening game and that was at Clemson. He recorded a season high 122 yards against Arkansas State in a pivotal Sun Belt Conference game and then followed it up at North Texas in a game that could have swung the season either way. He also had six receptions for 51 yards.
Cergile Sincere played in every game since 2005 when he took over for a four-year starter and a future NFL team member. Since that time he has averaged 74 tackles a season and a team leading 78 in 2006. He also finished with a team-leading two forced fumbles. He finished the year second in tackles for a loss with 5.5 for 17 yards, second in sacks (3), tied for second in solo tackles and third in interceptions. Sincere recorded double-digit tackles in three games Clemson, Lafayette and Troy. The Belle Glade native recorded a season high 12 at Clemson and was among the top two team tacklers in six of the team's 12 games in 2006.
In all, the Owls finished the 2006 campaign with a 5-7 record. Six of the team's seven losses came against bowl teams. FAU will open the 2007 season at Oklahoma State and its 2007 home schedule versus Minnesota. The Owls are also scheduled to face Kentucky, USF and Florida as well as a balanced Sun Belt Conference schedule. The current 2007 schedule has seven teams who will play in bowl games prior to the end of 2006.
For a complete listing of the Sun Belt Conference Team please visit www.sunbeltsports.org.
Players Mentioned
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