A league championship and NCAA berth has earned 14 members of Monmouth College’s football team All-Midwest Conference honors, including MVP and Coach of the Year honors.
Head coach Chad Braun picked up the South Division Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time in his five-year head coaching career. With the hashtag #FindAWay, Braun has directed the Fighting Scots to their third MWC title in five years after losing last season’s starting quarterback, leading rusher and bookend defensive ends, among others, to graduation. Braun moved to 42-9 in his career with three league crowns and three NCAA tournament appearances to his credit. Seven members of his defensive unit were voted all-conference performers.
Preseason All-American lineman Joe Krall (New Berlin, Ill./New Berlin) and linebacker Clark Gaden (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood) – both seniors and first team All-MWC selections – received the league’s highest all-conference honors. Krall was voted the MWC’s Offensive Lineman MVP and Gaden was awarded the Defensive Skill MVP.
A right tackle who earned his third all-MWC honor, Krall was a key member of the offensive line that allowed the offense to grind out 163 rushing yards per game. The unit also provided pass protection as Scots quarterbacks threw for over 1,000 yards and had a cumulative pass efficiency rating of 99.82. A business major, he is the son of Connie Krall and Michael and Kathi Krall.
Gaden led Monmouth with 87 tackles, which included 45 assists, also a team-high. A three-time All-MWC selection, he also recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, tops on the team excluding linemen. A business and accounting double major, he is the son of Kevin and Jodi Gaden.
Nine other Scots joined Krall and Gaden on the first team.
Senior Joey Biel (Spokane, Wash./Northwest Christian) – who earned the nod as a punter and kicker – was named all-conference for the third time. Monmouth’s jack-of-all-trades special teamer averaged over 40 yards on 58 punts, bombing six more than 50 yards with a long of 64 yards, and landing 16 inside the 20-yard line. As a kicker, Biel hit nine of his 15 field goal attempts and was 21-for-22 on PATs. He averaged just under 60 yards on his 37 kickoffs, with 10 touchbacks. A business major, he is the son of Rick and Bethany Biel.
Sophomore running back Devin Lawrence (Hawthorne, Fla./Hawthorne) and freshman offensive lineman Derek Brown (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) each earned all-league status for the first time.
Lawrence scored seven touchdowns and churned out 800 rushing yards on 136 carries, averaging 100 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry – all team highs. An exercise science major, he is the son of Demetrious and Patricia Lawrence.
Brown was a starter at left guard for Monmouth’s offense, which averaged over 20 points per game. A kinesiology major, he is the son of Gary and Rachael Brown.
Nick Miyler (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) – a two-time all-league honoree – was joined by first-timers Naulon Simms (Tremont, Ill./Tremont), Aubrey Vaughan (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradely-Bourbonnais), Carter Lewis (Mount Sterling, Ill./Brown County) and Connor Graeff (Murphysboro, Ill./Murphysboro) as first team all-conference defenders with Gaden.
A senior defensive back, Miyler was second on the team with 53 tackles. He led the Scots with four pass breakups and picked off a pair of passes. The exercise science major is the son of Adam and Cassy Miyler.
A senior defensive lineman, Simms recorded 39 total tackles with 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. A business major, he is the son of Inga Lelm and Larry Simms.
A junior defensive lineman, Vaughan totaled 40 tackles which included 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The exercise science major is the son of Johnell Vaughan.
A junior linebacker, Lewis recorded 36 tackles and pair of interceptions. A business and economics major, he is the son of Kenneth and Crystal Lewis.
Graeff was named to the team as a defensive back. The junior was third in total tackles with 44 and was among five Scots with a pair of interceptions. A biochemistry major, Graeff is the son of Robert and Jennifer Graeff.
Junior return specialist Nathan Graham (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) was selected to the All-MWC team for the first time. He averaged 23 yards per kickoff return. The exercise science major is the son of James and Susan Graham.
Two second team selections – senior Brad Buchner (Poplar Grove, Ill./North Boone) and sophomore Jake Uryasz (Farmington, Ill./Farmington) – rounded out Monmouth’s 14 honorees.
A defensive lineman, Buchner’s 35 tackles included the team lead of 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. His trio of forced fumbles was also tops on the team. The business major is the son of Bob and Kim Buchner.
Uryasz turned in 37 catches for 505 yards and four TDs – all team highs for receivers. An exercise science major, he is the son of Michael and Debra Uryasz.
This marks the sixth consecutive year Monmouth has had double-digit all-conference honorees. The Scots’ 14 honorees are the most since their last league championship team of 2017.
