TWO BULLDOGS PICK UP D2FOOTBALL.COM All-REGION LAURELS

Jake Visser and Jim Skodak Receive Northwest Region Second-Team Honors

The 2006 Ferris State University football team continues to reap the benefits of its most successful season since 1996 as a pair of Bulldog defensive standouts, sophomore tackle Jake Visser (Coopersville) and senior cornerback Jim Skodak (Lennon/Corunna) have been named to the 2006 D2Football.com All-Northwest Region Second Team as announced recently by D2Football.com, an online news service and the only national media source devoted entirely to promoting and covering Division II football.

A total of 52 student-athletes comprised the the Northwest Region's First and Second Teams. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) featured 17 individuals from conference-member institutions, including 12 on the first team. The D2Football.com All-Region Teams were selected by the staff of D2Football.com, utilizing the input of coaches and sports information directors across the country. Members of the all-region teams will now advance to be considered for the D2Football.com All-America Team.

Both Visser and Skodak attained first-team All-GLIAC recognition for the 2006 season.

Visser placed second among Ferris State's tackles leaders for the 2006 season with 86 stops (52 solos) as an 11-game starter. He registered a team-leading 16.0 tackles for minus 74 yards, which included a conference-high 10.5 pass sacks for a loss of 62 yards. Visser posted a season-best 12 tackles (seven solos) against Michigan Tech (10/7) while garnering nine stops apiece (five solos) in road encounters versus Kentucky State (9/2) and Mercyhurst (9/9). The 2006 Daktronics, Inc. All-Northwest Region First-Team honoree preserved the Bulldogs' 26-23 conference win over then nationally fifth-ranked Saginaw Valley State (9/16) with a fumble recovery in the final half minute of Ferris' home opener and concluded the contest with eight tackles (four solos).

A two-time (2005-06) FSU Most Valuable Defensive Lineman, Visser's sacks total this fall represented the sixth-highest number on the Bulldogs' all-time single-season leaders list. The 6-2, 265-pound lineman finished ninth among the final 2006 NCAA Division II statistical leaders in pass sacks (1.0 avg.), 30th in solo tackles (4.7 avg.), and 35th in tackles for loss (1.5 avg.).

In 23 career games to date, Visser has accumulated 184 tackles (95 solos) with 24 tackles for a loss of 103 yards to go with three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, and three pass breakups. He's currently 16th on the school's all-time pass sacks leaders chart with 14.5 total for a minus 84 yards.

Skodak started all 11 contests this fall and finished seventh in team tackles with 41 stops (30 solos) to go along with a team-high three pass interceptions for 33 yards. He also blocked two kicks, forced one fumble and had eight pass break ups en route to being named the Bulldogs' Most Valuable Defensive Skill Player Award recipient. The 6-0, 202-pound defensive back posted a season-best six tackles in a 17-14 league win at Northwood (11/4). He paced Ferris in punt returns this season with 18 for 221 yards (12.3 avg.) while his 10 kickoff returns for 236 yards (23.6 avg.) ranked second on the squad.

Among this season's final national statistical leaders, Skodak was 23rd in punt returns (12.3 avg.) and 66th in passes defended (1.0 avg.).

The three-time (2003-05) All-GLIAC Honorable Mention performer concluded his four-year career at Ferris State ranking sixth all-time on the school's charts in punt returns with 37 for 432 career yards (11.7 avg.) and also in kickoff returns with 48 for 938 yards (19.5 avg.). The two-time (2005-06) FSU defensive co-captain totaled 10 career pass thefts for 59 yards which ties him for 10th place among the Bulldogs' career leaders.

Ferris State concluded the 2006 gridiron campaign at 8-3-0 overall, which included a third-place 7-3-0 GLIAC mark.