BRIDGEWATER, N.J. -- Duquesne head football coach Jerry Schmitt has been named the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year and 10 Dukes were represented on the all-conference list announced today by the league office.

Quarterback Darius Perrantes and wide receiver DJ Powell were both named first-team All-NEC offense, while defensive lineman Noah Palmer and defensive back Ayden Garnes took home first-team honors on the defensive side.

Freshman running back Edward Robinson, wide receiver Keshawn Brown, and center Michael Dorundo all claimed second team offense. Defensive lineman Ryan Lopez, linebacker Gianni Rizzo, and defensive back Dayvia Gbor also earned second team selections.

The 10 honorees are the most of any team in the conference.

Schmitt, who was recently tabbed as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award (National Coach of the Year), garners his second career NEC Coach of the Year honor, along with 2018, and fourth coach of the year selection at the helm of the Dukes (2x MAAC Coach of the Year). He led the Dukes to a three-win improvement both overall and in NEC action from a year ago leading to a sixth NEC title, which is tied for the most in conference in history. Schmitt is the all-time winningest coach in program history and enters his third postseason appearance with a 120-82 (.594) record at Duquesne, one of 12 active FCS coaches to have at least 100 wins at their current school. Over 24 seasons as a collegiate coach, Schmitt has racked up 148 career wins.

The Dukes have now had a .500 or better record in 15 of his 19 seasons, while claiming nine conference titles under his leadership between the MAAC and NEC. Finishing this season with a 6-1 NEC record, it was the second-most NEC wins in a season in program history behind a 7-1 league record in 2011, while the Dukes' 5-0 start in NEC play was the best start as members of the conference (since 2008).

A Walter Payton Award Finalist (National Offensive Player of the Year), Darius Perrantes leads the entire FCS in passing yards per completion (17.90) and is the NEC leader in passing TDs (21), yards (2,291 / 208.3 per game), points responsible for (138), yards per attempt (9.13), and is third in completions per game (11.64) with a 51% completion percentage. He has four games with three passing touchdowns - all of which NEC games - and threw for multiple TDs seven times this season. Perrantes accumulated 200+ yards in every conference game and eight times overall. The junior from Los Angeles, Calif. was a six-time NEC Prime Performer this season and took home the most recent NEC Offensive Player of the Week honor.

DJ Powell leads the NEC and is 6th in the FCS with nine receiving touchdowns. Powell is also atop the NEC and 6th in the FCS averaging 21.27 yards per catch and is second in the league with 702 receiving yards averaging 63.8 per game. The graduate transfer has snagged multiple catches in every game this season with touchdowns in seven different outings. Powell, a native of Deerfield Beach, Fla., recorded two TDs twice and racked up over 100 yards in the win at Wagner, which led to an NEC Prime Performer selection.

Noah Palmer paces the Dukes with 4.5 sacks, all of which came in NEC games - tied for the most in league play. He had a season-high 2.0 sacks in the win over defending NEC champion Saint Francis. Palmer, a graduate student out of Jefferson Hills, Pa., is second on the team with 8.0 TFLs and had 7.5 of them come in conference action. Palmer also has charted two forced fumbles along side a team-high six quarterback hurries.

Redshirt sophomore Ayden Garnes is tied for 1st in pass break ups (11) in the NEC - nine of which came in conference play, which is also the most in the league. He ranks 15th in the FCS in passes defended and is a key factor of the Dukes secondary ranking top-20 nationally in passing yards allowed per game. Garnes, a Philadelphia product, recorded a pair of interceptions, a pick-six on the second play of the season and an interception inside the endzone at Delaware. He also has 44 tackles and 5.0 TFLs - 4.5 of which came in conference play. 

Edward Robinson ranks eighth in the NEC as a freshman in rushing yards with a team-high 631 (57.4 per game) and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He was a three-time NEC Rookie of the Week, also a Prime Performer in Week 9. Robinson finished the regular season third in the NEC in rushing touchdowns with seven - six of which were in league play. He finished the regular season with a touchdown in four straight games, including a two-TD effort in the win at Wagner. The Maple Heights, Ohio product posted an early career best 120 yards in the win at Sacred Heart and rushed for 70+ yards six times, including five of the seven conference games. Robinson is the ninth freshman in program history to earn NEC all-conference honors. 

Keshawn Brown, a redshirt sophomore out of Hallandale, Fla., finished the regular season second in the NEC with seven TD catches, third in receiving yards (660) and fourth in yards per catch (18.9). He had multiple catches in all but one game and leads the team with 35 on the year. Brown scored three touchdowns over the final two games and posted five of his seven touchdowns in league play.

Michael Dorundo is the center on an offensive line that ranks top 25 nationally and second in the NEC in sacks allowed (1.36). He earns his second all-conference honor after helping to protect the pocket for the top passing offense in the NEC, which featured the most passing yards per completion (17.33) in the FCS. Dorundo and company paved the way for 100+ rushing yards in eight games with three 200+ games. A local product out of Gibsonia, Pa., he has started 37 straight games for the Dukes entering the FCS playoffs, the longest active streak.

Ryan Lopez recorded 31 tackles over 10 starts and 11 games played on the defensive line in the regular season. A graduate student out of Jamaica, N.Y., Lopez is a major part in the Dukes defense ranking first in the NEC in takeaways (19). He scored a defensive touchdown on a scoop and score at Wagner and leads the conference in fumble recoveries with three and is tied for second with two forced fumbles. Lopez also had 2.5 sacks, all in conference play. 

Gianni Rizzo paces Duquesne with 10.0 tackles for loss, ranking third in the conference. The local North Huntingdon native finished the regular season with back-to-back double-digit tackle games (11 vs. Stonehill / 10 at Merrimack), 14 of the 21 tackles came in solo fashion. Rizzo posted a TFL in six of the seven conference games, charting 8.5 of his 10 in league action. He is third on the Dukes with 57 tackles and had 3.5 sacks with three pass breakups and a forced fumble. Rizzo was named the Week 12 NEC Defensive Player of the Week and was a two-time Prime Performer.

Dayvia Gbor leads the DU secondary with three interceptions, which tied for second in the NEC in the regular season. All three of his INTs came in conference play, as he is a major part of the Dukes secondary ranking top-20 in nationally in passing yards allowed per game. Gbor also broke up three passes so far and has 41 tackles (22 solos) on the season. 

UP NEXT
Duquesne, who is receiving votes in both national polls, will take on No. 21/23 Youngstown State in the first round of the NCAA Division I FCS Championship on Saturday at 5 pm in Youngstown. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and tickets can be purchased here.

FCS CHAMPIONSHIP LINKS
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