November 20, 2009
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Coe College sophomore quarterback Brad Boyle (New Sharon, Iowa/North Mahaska) has been named the 2009 IIAC Football Most Valuable Player and Coe head coach Steve Staker has been named the 2009 IIAC Football Coach of the Year.
Boyle threw for 2,478 yards and 17 touchdowns in ten games, setting new single-season school records for passing completions (198) and total offense by a quarterback (2,807). His 2009 passing yardage total ranks third all-time in school history and could possibly move up on the chart. He also threw only one interception during the regular season. Boyle opened the season with an NCAA Division III-record 305 consecutive passing attempts without an interception before being picked off by Cornell’s Cody Backhaus in the regular-season finale.
He threw for 300-plus yards three times this season, including a season-high 373 against Gustavus Adolphus, and nearly hit the mark again with 295 against Wartburg. Boyle also rushed for 329 yards on 126 carries with 14 touchdowns. He led the IIAC in total offense (280.7 ypg) while ranking second in passing (247.8 ypg) and third in scoring.
Boyle is the first Coe player since Joe Brannen in 2004 to be named Iowa Conference MVP. Fred Jackson also captured back-to-back MVP honors in 2001 and 2002. He is also the first sophomore to be named MVP since Central running back Vance Schuring captured the first of his back-to-back MVP honors in 2005.
Staker led the Kohawks to a 9-1 mark overall, a runner-up finish in the Iowa Conference with a 7-1 mark, and a berth in the 2009 NCAA Division III Football Championship. Under his guidance this year, Coe ranks among the top-three in the Conference in 20 statistical areas including leading the IIAC in scoring defense (14.3 ppg), total defense (300.2 ypg), sacks (34), and turnover margin (+1.7). The Kohawks also led the league in red zone defense, holding opponents to scores on only 60 percent (18 of 30) of red zone chances. This is the second time a Coe coach has been named Iowa Conference Coach of the Year. Erik Raeburn was named IIAC Coach of the Year in 2002.
The IIAC also announced today the 2009 All-Conference Football Team. The 54-member Team includes eight repeat All-Conference honorees, including two individuals – Central punter Kurtis Brondyke and Coe linebacker Tate Harrison – who become three-time All-Conference performers. Brondyke is a three-time First Team performer. In addition, Coe’s Tyler Takes received Second Team honors at both wide receiver and return specialist.
Iowa Conference champion Central College had an IIAC-best 14 All-Conference players, including a league-high nine First Team members, while runner-up Coe College each had 11 All-Conference players and Wartburg College and Buena Vista University each had seven. The Kohawks had five players selected to the First Team, second only to Central, while the Beavers had four. Luther received five All-Conference honors followed the University of Dubuque (4), Loras College (3), Cornell College (2), and Simpson College (1).
