The Aggie Minute
EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T continued to accumulate postseason honors as BoxToRow and HERO Sports released their All-American teams.
Jah-Maine Martin (5-10, 214, JR, running back, Conway, S.C.) and
Marcus Pettiford (6-4, 286, SR, left tackle, Durham, N.C.) earned a spot from both organization.
Noel Ruiz (5-11, 187, JR, placekicker, Wilson, N.C.) earned All-American honors from BoxToRow. There will be more All-American honors to come for the Aggies. The Associated Press will release their All-American team Tuesday along with HERO Sports releasing their freshman and sophomore All-American teams on Tuesday.
The Athletics Directors Association (ADA) will release their FCS All-American team on Wednesday and FCS STATS will release their team on Thursday. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) will announce their All-American team on Friday. Walter Camp and Phil Steele have not announced a date for their respective All-American teams.
Martin was the only player in the MEAC this season to rush for 1,000 yards. His 7.81 yards per carry leads the nation. He had nine touchdown runs of 50 yards or more and scored a single-season school record 21 touchdowns. His 21 touchdowns rank him fourth in the nation and his 1,336 yards ranks him sixth. He finished seventh in the voting for the Walter Payton Award and he is a finalist for Black College Football Player of The Year, which is named the Deacon Jones Award. He earned a helmet sticker from Joey Galloway of ESPN College Gameday for rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries in the Aggies win over Howard. He was named first-team All-MEAC in 2019.
Pettiford was named MEAC offensive lineman of the year after the Aggies led the conference in scoring, total offense and rushing offense. The Aggies also ranked among the top teams in the country in all three categories. Pettiford played 521 snaps, had a year-end grade of 88 percent, missed only five assignments, committed only one penalty (false start) and was credited with 27 knockdown blocks. He is a three-time first-team All-MEAC performer with one of those years coming at right tackle.
Ruiz proved to be the best kicker in the MEAC in 2019 earning first-team All-MEAC honors. He made a single-season school record 21 field goals while also attempting a single-season school record 25 FG's. Ruiz led the conference in field goal percentage (.840), field goals per game (1.91) and scoring among kickers (102 pts). He was second in the conference in overall scoring behind Martin. He booted a game-winning and school-record 52-yard field goal to defeat Elon as time expired, 24-21. Ruiz missed two kicks in that game and missed only two other kicks the rest of the season. He was 8-for-8 from 29 yards or closer, 7-for-8 from 39 yards or closer, 5-for-8 from 49 yards or closer and 1-for-1 from 50 yards or more. He was 39-for-44 in extra points.
