Football 10/22/2019 12:56:00 AM MWSU Athletic Communications

A New Standard; Griffon Football in the 2000s

The fourth decade of Griffon Football brought new heights and set new expectations

ST. JOSEPH – As the 50^th Griffon Football team turns its attention to Emporia State, the celebration of five decades for the program focuses on the most successful 10-year period for the team: the 2000s.

Each week of the home season, we'll review a decade in Griffon Football history along with in-depth information on each concurrent All-Decade team as selected by Griffon Football alumni. All five home games this season will also bring blasts to the past as alumni from each decade enter Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium with the 2019 Griffons along with other historical recognitions and exciting throwback elements.

HONORING THE 2000s
The first season of the 2000s took Missouri Western back into the postseason and set the tone for what would become the most successful decade in program history, to date. Winning 78 games overall and 59 in the MIAA, the program was among the best in the nation for throughout the decade.

Four years in, the Griffons set a program record with nine wins and would do it four more times in the '00s. That season the team also shared the program's first-ever conference title, an MIAA
Co-Championship. From 2003 on, the team missed the postseason just one time, winning eight games or more seven times in the decade and making the postseason in each of those seven years. The 2005 season marked the beginning of eight-straight postseason appearances and in 2006 the program received its first-ever berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Griffons in the decade received more than 80 All-MIAA honors and more than 30 All-American awards. The 2000s All-Decade team also has the distinction of having the most Chris Faros Scholarship winners of any other All-Decade team, with six members who were recognized as leaders on and off the field.

Quarterback Drew Newhart would become the program's all-time leading passer, breaking Kasey Waterman's record. The '00s also featured electric playmakers like Pierre Thomas, who broke an MIAA record and remains tied for the NCAA DII record with 14 interceptions in 2003. Speedsters Cedric Houston and Jarrett Brooks were a threat to score every time they touched the ball, be it catching a pass, punt or kick. Roger Allen became the first and still the only offensive lineman to be named MIAA Freshman of the Year. Gijon Robinson cut his teeth at MWSU before catching passes from Peyton Manning for four seasons with the Colts. To date, five members of the 2000s All-Decade team have been elected to the MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame with more surely to come.

THE 2000s ALL-DECADE TEAM

QB Drew Newhart (2007-10)

#1 Passing Yards – 10,691
#1 Pass Completions – 817
#1 Completion Percentage – 60.6
#1 Total Offense – 10,594
#2 Passing Touchdowns – 95
2007 MIAA Freshman of the Year
2007 2nd team All-MIAA
2009 H.M. All-MIAA
2010 H.M. All-MIAA
2010 3rd team CoSIDA All-District
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner

RB Jeremiah White (2005-06)

#5 Rushing Yards – 2,973
#1 Single Regular Season Rushing Yards – 1,669
#7 Rushing Attempts – 534
#9 Rushing Touchdowns – 20
#1 Rushing Yards/Game – 123.9
2005 1st team All-MIAA
2005 1st team AFCA All-American
2006 2nd team All-MIAA
2006 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
2006 H.M. Don Hansen All-American

RB Thomas Hodges (2006-10)

#4 Rushing Yards – 2,988
#3 Rushing Attempts – 693
T-#5 Rushing Touchdowns – 27
#9 All-Purpose Yards – 3,260
T-#9 Points Scored – 174
T-#8 Touchdowns – 29
2008 H.M. All-MIAA
2009 H.M. All-MIAA

WR Adam Ziesel (1999-02)

#3 Receptions – 140
#6 Receiving Yards – 2,154
#7 Receiving Touchdowns – 24
2000 H.M. All-MIAA
2001 H.M. All-MIAA
2002 2nd team All-MIAA
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner

WR Andrew Mead (2005-10)

#2 Receptions – 180
#5 Receiving Yards – 2,335
T-#5 Receiving Touchdowns – 25
#4 Receptions/Game – 3.83
2007 H.M. All-MIAA
2008 2nd team All-MIAA

TE Gijon Robinson (2003-06)

2004 H.M. All-MIAA
2005 1st team All-MIAA
2006 2nd team All-MIAA
2007 Texas vs the Nation participant
Played in the NFL for six years
Played in Super Bowl XLIV for the Colts
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017

OL Brett Mingee (2000-03)

2001 2nd team All-MIAA
2002 2nd team All-MIAA
2003 1st team All-MIAA
2003 H.M. D2football.com All-American
Missouri Western's first-ever 3-time All-MIAA Offensive Lineman

OL Nathan Martin (2006-09)

2008 H.M. All-MIAA
2009 1st team All-MIAA
2009 2nd team All-Region
2009 1st team Don Hansen All-Region
2009 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
2010 Valero Cactus Bowl participant

OL Justin Montgomery (2002-05)

2004 H.M. All-MIAA
2005 1st team All-MIAA
2005 1st team All-Region
2005 H.M. All-American

OL Roger Allen (2005-08)

2005 MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year
2005 H.M. All-MIAA
2006 1st team All-MIAA
2006 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
2006 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
2007 1st team All-MIAA
2007 2nd team All-Region
2007 1st team Don Hansen All-Region
2007 H.M. D2Football.com All-American
2007 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
2008 1st team All-MIAA
2008 1st team D2Football.com All-American
2008 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
2008 1st team AP Little All-America
2008 1st team AFCA All-America
Spent four seasons in NFL

OL Earl Jack (2001-04)

2004 1st team All-MIAA
2005 Cactus Bowl participant

K Dustin Strickler (2005-08)

#1 Field Goals – 40
#1 Extra Points – 122
#3 Points – 242
2006 2nd team All-MIAA
2006 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
2006 3rd team AP Little All-America
2006 H.M. Don Hansen All-America
2007 H.M. All-MIAA
2008 2nd team All-MIAA
2008 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
2008 1st team Academic All-America
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner

KR/PR Cedric Houston (2007-10)

#1 Receiving Touchdowns - 33
#5 Receptions – 131
#3 Receiving Yards – 2,485
#3 All-Purpose Yards – 4,499
T-#4 Points – 216
T-#3 Touchdowns – 36
#5 Punt Return Yards – 495
#3 Kick Return Yards – 1,485
#1 Punt Return Touchdowns – 3
MWSU Record 87-yard Punt Return in 2007
2007 2nd team All-MIAA WR
2008 H.M. All-MIAA WR
2009 2nd team All-MIAA Returner
2009 1st team All-MIAA WR
2009 2nd team All-Region WR
2009 H.M. D2Football.com All-American WR

All-Purpose Jarrett Brooks (2003-06)

#7 Receiving Yards – 2,099
#8 Receiving Touchdowns – 21
#4 Receptions – 133
#4 All-Purpose Yards – 4,408
#10 Touchdowns – 27
#3 Punt Return Yards – 541
#2 Kick Return Yards – 1,675
2004 H.M. All-MIAA KR
2005 2nd team All-MIAA WR & KR
2006 1st team All-MIAA WR & KR
2006 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019

DL Michael Cobbins (2003-06)

#3 Tackles for Loss – 213
#6 Sacks – 20.5
2004 1st team All-MIAA
2005 1st team All-MIAA
2006 1st team All-MIAA
2006 1st team Daktronics All-Region
2006 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
2006 H.M. Don Hansen All-American
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016

DL Jason Chancellor (2001-02)

2001 2nd team All-MIAA
2002 1st team All-MIAA
2002 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region
2002 H.M. D2Football.com All-American

DL Soane Etu (2007-08)

#8 Sacks – 17.5
#1 Forced Fumbles – 7
T-#2 Blocked Kicks – 4
2007 2nd team All-MIAA
2008 1st team All-MIAA
2008 H.M. Don Hansen All-American

DL Eric McDowell (2000-03)

#5 Tackles for Loss – 38.5
#2 Sacks – 24.5
2001 1st team All-MIAA
2001 2nd team CoSIDA All-Regio n
2001 2nd team Don Hansen All-American
2002 2nd team All-MIAA
2003 1st team All-MIAA
2003 2nd team Don Hansen All-American
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016

LB Eric Walker (1999-02)

#6 Tackles for Loss – 36
#7 Forced Fumbles – 5
2000 2nd team All-MIAA
2001 1st team All-MIAA
2001 1st team CoSIDA All-Region
2002 1st team All-MIAA
2002 1st team CoSIDA All-Region
2002 2nd team CoSIDA All-American
2002 3rd team AP Little All-American
2002 2nd team D2Football.com All-American
2002 3rd team Don Hansen All-American
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015

LB Shawn Whiters (2007-10)

2008 2nd team All-MIAA
2009 2nd team All-MIAA
2009 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region
2010 1st team All-MIAA
2010 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region
2010 H.M. D2Football.com All-American

LB John Matthew Fisher (2003-06)

2005 2nd team All-MIAA
2006 1st team All-MIAA
2006 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region

DB Pierre Thomas (2000-03)

#1 Interceptions – 23
#1 Interception Return Yards – 528
#1 Fumbles Recovered – 6
T-#3 Passes Defended – 41
#7 Punt Return Yards – 464
Holds MIAA record & tied for NCAA DII record with 14 interceptions in 2003
2000 H.M. All-MIAA
2001 H.M. All-MIAA
2003 1st team All-MIAA
2003 1st team Daktronics All-American
2003 1st team Don Hansen All-American
2003 1st team AP Little All-American
2003 1st team AFCA All-American
Inducted into MWSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013

DB Desmond Polk (2000-03)

#8 Kick Return Yards – 871
#9 Interception Return Yards - 180
2001 2nd team All-MIAA
2002 2nd team All-MIAA

DB Greg Carbin (2003-06)

#10 Kick Return Yards – 794
2005 1st team All-MIAA
2006 2nd team All-MIAA
2006 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region

DB J.R. Graham (2005-07)

2006 1st team All-MIAA
2006 3rd team Don Hansen All-Region
2007 1st team All-MIAA

*P Jamie Hanson (2005-08)

#2 Punt Average – 41.87
#2 Punt Yards – 5,569
2006 1st team All-MIAA
2007 1st team All-MIAA
2007 2nd team Don Hansen All-Region
2008 1st team All-MIAA
2008 2nd team D2football.com All-American
2008 H.M. Don Hansen All-American

*P Jay White (2004-05)

#4 Punt Average – 40.97
#7 Punt Yards – 3,646
2004 2nd team All-MIAA
2005 1st team All-MIAA

SPECIAL MENTION

LB Tony Matzke (2002-05)

2004 2nd team All-MIAA
2005 H.M. All-MIAA
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner

RB Derrick Pitts (2000-03)

#10 Rushing Yards – 2,248
#6 Rushing Attempts – 536
2002 H.M. All-MIAA
2003 H.M. All-MIAA

DB Andre Burns (2001-06)

2005 1st team All-MIAA

OL Patrick St Louis (2004-07)

2006 H.M. All-MIAA
2007 2nd team All-MIAA

DL Leon Douglas (2002-06)

2005 H.M. All-MIAA
2006 2nd team All-MIAA
2006 Academic All-American
Chris Faros Scholarship Winner

Look for more information on the final All-Decade team, the 2010s on Nov. 5.

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