Joe Rollins recently received the first of what could be many preseason honors as McDaniel College’s star running back gets ready for his junior year.
Rollins earned a Beyond College Sports Network Division III Preseason All-America second-team nod Monday after the organization chose Rollins as a third-team selection following last season. He’s focused on making sure he’s worthy of such an honor once the season is complete.
“It’s just motivation to make me work harder,” he said.
Rollins was a unanimous first-team All-Centennial Conference selection and second-team d3football.com all-region nod after leading the Green Terror and conference with 1,401 rushing yards in 2011.
His 140.1 yards per game on the ground was nearly 33 yards a game better than any other back in the league. He carried the ball a conference-high 254 times and scored 11 touchdowns. He had seven 100-yard rushing games, including a program record-tying 311 yards against Moravian on Sept. 10.
Yet, Rollins said he could have done better last season.
“I had some pretty good games but the way I look at it, if you’re not on top, the best, then you’re not good enough,” said Rollins, a Surrattsville native. “I know it’s going to be a big season for us. There’s a whole lot we’re looking forward to.”
Rollins finished the season with 1,744 all-purpose yards, tops in the Centennial Conference, which is part of the reason why he was already tabbed as a preseason all-American by one D-III football outfit.
McDaniel and longtime coach Tim Keating parted ways after a 2-8 record last fall, and the Terror hired Mike Hoyt as their new coach in the offseason.
Rollins said he’s excited to get started with a new regime, new system and new players joining the roster, and that he’s more focused on getting wins than accumulating individual honors.
“It’s all on how the team is and how well we do,” he said. “We can all shine together as long as we’re on the same page.”