Zeke DPOY

Total Red

Total Red

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MadBird said:
Zeke is the MVFC Defensive Player of the Year. Very deserving.

Not much love on the All-Valley team - Zeke and Bones first team, zero second team, Lamont, Bryson Demming and Taula honorable mention.
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Great for Zeke, well earned. I think Taula could/should be higher than HM but splitting time with Deming cost him. I'm a little surprised Drew Bones got 1st team. Seems like a lifetime achievement award.
 
Virginia Redbird

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Total Red said:
Great for Zeke, well earned. I think Taula could/should be higher than HM but splitting time with Deming cost him. I'm a little surprised Drew Bones got 1st team. Seems like a lifetime achievement award.
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Bones was a solid force in the middle of the line all year long. I am not surprised at all he was first team. He earned it. Look around the conference at the other centers, he was the best.

Zeke was just a raging hurricane on opposing offenses all year long. I cant think of anyone on any other team that had the impact he had.

Taula missed some playing time with injury too if I recall correctly.

Congrats to all the Redbirds recognized.!
 
fourthandshort

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MadBird said:
It's worth repeating - we've had some good QB discussions here - Zach Annexstad was second place vote-getter for MVFC Newcomer of the Year. Missed 3 games. He was doing something right, noticed by the other teams.
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Agreed, and his overall stats don't do him justice at all. Couple observations ..

- Thinking his 1st half stats are way better than his 2nd half stats fro most part .. except SIU.

- Plus he/we got off to slow start offesnsively

- Then he got injured at end of NDSU game and missed last 3.

- But Wisconsin, EIU, UNI, ISUb, and NDSU got to see him in very strong first half performances, whule we struggled to figure out who we had at WR and RB ... one other bright spot was SIU 2nd half.
 
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fourthandshort

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MadBird said:
Good story in Prairie State Pigskin touting Zeke's chances for Buchanan award. Also a comment he accepted a Hula Bowl invite? I didn't see that anywhere, did I miss the announcement?

prairiestatepigskin.com

ISU’s Vandenburgh primed for strong run at Buchanan Award, national experts say

Sixth-year Redbird star stands a solid chance of being named one of three Buck Buchanan finalists.
prairiestatepigskin.com prairiestatepigskin.com
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This is great to hear about Zeke. And couldn't help but note what they said about our postseason chances (in an admittedly sporadically weak year).

National FCS writers Sam Herder and Brian McLaughlin both told Prairie State Pigskin they each have Vandenburgh No. 1 on their Buchanan ballots.

“The Buck seems to usually go to a linebacker who has a ton of tackles, or an edge player with a lot of tackles for loss and sacks,” Herder said. “Vandenburgh has all of those things checked off. I think he was the most disruptive defensive player in the FCS this year.”

“Zeke was No. 1 on my Buchanan ballot. How could he not be?” McLaughlin said. “Monster season, awesome league he plays in, team was on the verge of being a playoff team. And who are we kidding, if Illinois State is in about 90 percent of the other conferences, the Redbirds are in the FCS postseason.”
 
crazzymark

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according to the FCS website yes Zack is the number one pick for the Buchanan award
 
fourthandshort

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Brick said:
Holy cow! Zeke 1st team All American today and not a peep here? Well for
Me congrats Zeke!!!!
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This is fantastic news for Zeke ... didn't he briefly consider not coming back for his 5th year, partly due to the pandemic disruption then changed his mind ?

Or am I thinking of someone else ?
 
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DaveBird10

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fourthandshort said:
This is fantastic news for Zeke ... didn't he briefly consider not coming back for his 5th year, partly due to the pandemic disruption then changed his mind ?

Or am I thinking of someone else ?
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www.videtteonline.com

Vandenburgh rejoins Redbirds after stint in transfer portal

A pandemic delayed the season unexpectedly. Players dropped off the roster one by one. The season appeared somber to Illinois State University football junior linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh, pushing him to
www.videtteonline.com www.videtteonline.com

He entered the transfer portal for a little bit and then came back. Goes to show what many people think that grass isnt always greener and hard plays off.
-MVFC defensive player of the year
-AP 1st team All American
-HERO Sports All American
-Final 3 for Buck Buchanan award

What more can this guy do? Excited to see where his career ends and where it could go.
 
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fdbird83

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