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Ten Leathernecks Earn All-Conference Honors

Taylor, Acklin, Judd, Saunders each named to All-MVFC First Team

MACOMB, Ill. – Led by First-Teamers Brett Taylor, Jaelon Acklin, Jacob Judd and Khalen Saunders, 10 different Western Illinois Leathernecks were named to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference team, the conference office announced Monday (Nov. 27).
 
The quartet of First-Teamers was joined by Second Team honorees Justin Fitzpatrick and Steve McShane, as well as Honorable Mentions Sean McGuire, Quentin Moon, Max Norris and Josh Baldus.
 
The Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor led the entire nation with 162 tackles, 13.5 stops per game and 96 assisted tackles, which are the second-most in a single season in program history. The senior linebacker also recorded 13.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, four breakups, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry. On Sept. 30 against South Dakota, he matched a program-record with 28 tackles in one contest. His 18 assisted tackles in that game are the second-most in a single game in WIU history.
 
Named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the FCS' top defensive player, Taylor concludes his career as a three-time All-MVFC selection, earning First Team honors in each of the last two seasons. His 469 career tackles and 266 solo stops are each the third-most in school history, respectively. The Macomb, Ill., native's 203 career assisted tackles place fourth in WIU history.  

After entering the 2017 campaign with 21 career catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns, Acklin set school single-season records in 2017 with 84 receptions for 1,369 yards. The senior wide receiver's five 100-yard receiving games matched a program record, while his 10 receiving touchdowns tied for fifth. Against South Dakota on Sept. 30, Acklin set school records with 19 catches (MVFC record) for 343 yards (fourth-most in FCS history), scoring three touchdowns.
 
A native of Mountain View, Mo., Acklin finished the campaign second in the nation in receiving yards (1,369), fifth in receiving yards per game (114.1), seventh in total touchdowns (14), ninth in all-purpose yards per game (135.33), 11th in receptions per game (7.0) and 14th in receiving scores (10). He concludes his career eighth in WIU history with 1,733 receiving yards and tied for 10th with 12 receiving touchdowns.
 
Judd earned his third consecutive all-conference accolade, including his first on the top squad. The senior center from Clinton, Iowa helped the Leatherneck offense finish among the nation's top 30 in team passing efficiency (10th, 154.36), red zone offense (15th, 87.8), turnovers lost (18th, 13), scoring offense (19th, 34.2), time of possession (20th, 31:43), first downs (23rd, 241), third down conversions (24th, 42.2) and passing offense (29th, 241.3).
 
A 2016 Honorable Mention all-conference selection, Saunders ranked fifth in the conference in both forced fumbles (three, 41st nationally) and sacks (7.5, 54th nationally). The junior defensive lineman from St. Louis' 12.0 tackles for loss placed sixth in the MVFC. Saunders also collected 57 tackles, four quarterback hurries, three breakups and a fumble recovery while scoring a touchdown on offense in the season-opening contest at Tennessee Tech.
 
A native of O'Fallon, Mo., Fitzpatrick's five interceptions tied for the conference lead. The junior defensive back finished the season with 57 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, six breakups, two forced fumbles and two quarterback hurries. He picked off two passes in Western Illinois' 52-10 throttling at FBS-school Coastal Carolina.
 
A Second Team All-MVFC honoree as both a running back and return specialist, McShane finished fifth in the conference in all-purpose yards per game (103.82, 56th nationally). The junior from Freeport, Ill., ran 138 times for 582 yards (4.2 average), registering a team-best seven rushing touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 307 yards and three scores.
 
In the return game, McShane averaged 18.5 yards per punt return. He took a punt 81 yards for a touchdown at Indiana State - the seventh-longest return in school history and the longest punt return by a Leatherneck since 2009. McShane also scored three touchdowns, matching a career-high with two on the ground with the other coming on a 47-yard catch and run, on Oct. 28 at South Dakota State.
 
An Honorable Mention All-MVFC quarterback for the second consecutive season, McGuire ranks 12th in the FCS in passing efficiency (154.1), 14th in both passing touchdowns (25) and yards (2,852), 16th in completion percentage (64.0), 18th in yards per attempt (8.34) and 23rd in passing yards per game (237.7). The junior's 25 touchdowns are tied for the second-most in a single season by a Western Illinois signal caller.
 
A native of Franklin, Wis., McGuire places third in school history in career passing touchdowns (51), His career passing yards (6,925) and total offense (7,244) rank fourth.
 
An honorable mention selection at linebacker a year ago, Moon finished second on the team with 70 tackles this year. The Indianapolis native tied for third on the Leathernecks with 11.0 tackles for a loss while also adding two sacks, two interceptions, three quarterback hurries, three breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The junior returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown at North Dakota State and also was named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after a 10-tackle game in Western Illinois' season-opener at Tennessee Tech.
 
Norris finished as the Leathernecks' leading rusher by compiling 656 yards, which placed ninth in the conference. The sophomore running back from Greenwood, Ind., averaged 5.61 yards per carry, third-best in the MVFC. Norris' 59.6 rushing per game was the seventh-most in the conference. He also finished with five rushing touchdowns on the campaign, which began with back-to-back 100-yards rushing games.
 
A senior left tackle from Palatine, Ill., Baldus guided the Western Illinois offense to national top-30 rankings in team passing efficiency (10th, 154.36), red zone offense (15th, 87.8), turnovers lost (18th, 13), scoring offense (19th, 34.2), time of possession (20th, 31:43), first downs (23rd, 241), third down conversions (24th, 42.2) and passing offense (29th, 241.3).
 
The Leathernecks, who finished the season ranked in the Top 10 in the polls for the first time since 2003, earned their second playoff berth in three years and finished the 2017 campaign with an 8-4 record. Western Illinois set a program-record with six road wins, and their eight regular season victories was the program's most since 2003. 
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Players Mentioned

Jaelon Acklin

#17 Jaelon Acklin

WR
6' 2"
Senior
Liberty
Josh Baldus

#55 Josh Baldus

OL
6' 5"
Senior
Palatine
Justin Fitzpatrick

#30 Justin Fitzpatrick

DB
6' 1"
Junior
Fort Zumwalt North
Jacob Judd

#66 Jacob Judd

OL
6' 3"
Senior
Clinton
Sean McGuire

#18 Sean McGuire

QB
6' 3"
Junior
Franklin
Steve McShane

#5 Steve McShane

RB
5' 8"
Junior
Freeport
Quentin Moon

#39 Quentin Moon

LB
6' 2"
Junior
Pike
Max Norris

#36 Max Norris

RB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Center Grove
Khalen Saunders

#99 Khalen Saunders

DL
6' 2"
Junior
Parkway Central
Brett Taylor

#44 Brett Taylor

LB
6' 2"
Senior
Macomb

Players Mentioned

Jaelon Acklin

#17 Jaelon Acklin

6' 2"
Senior
Liberty
WR
Josh Baldus

#55 Josh Baldus

6' 5"
Senior
Palatine
OL
Justin Fitzpatrick

#30 Justin Fitzpatrick

6' 1"
Junior
Fort Zumwalt North
DB
Jacob Judd

#66 Jacob Judd

6' 3"
Senior
Clinton
OL
Sean McGuire

#18 Sean McGuire

6' 3"
Junior
Franklin
QB
Steve McShane

#5 Steve McShane

5' 8"
Junior
Freeport
RB
Quentin Moon

#39 Quentin Moon

6' 2"
Junior
Pike
LB
Max Norris

#36 Max Norris

5' 10"
Sophomore
Center Grove
RB
Khalen Saunders

#99 Khalen Saunders

6' 2"
Junior
Parkway Central
DL
Brett Taylor

#44 Brett Taylor

6' 2"
Senior
Macomb
LB