Staff Report
James Madison senior defensive end Arthur Moats (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) was named conference defensive player of the year and Dukes’ redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe (Richmond, Va./Varina) league rookie of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association Monday.
Moats during the 2009 season led JMU in tackles with 90. He tied for the CAA lead in quarterback sacks with 11 and is the national Football Championship Subdivision leader in tackles for loss with an average of 2.14 per game.
Thorpe this season ran for a team-leading 654 yards and five touchdowns, threw for 1,260 yards and six scores and compiled 1,914 yards of total offense.
JMU’s first-team all-league honorees included Moats on the defensive line and senior offensive guard Dorian Brooks (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) on the offensive line.