November 26, 2001

FURMAN'S LITTLEJOHN NAMED SOCON
JACOBS BLOCKING AWARD RECIPIENT

GREENVILLE -- Furman senior offensive tackle Donnie Littlejohn has been named Southern Conference Jacobs Blocking Award recipient for the 2001 season, it was announced today by the league.

In balloting conducted by the conference's nine head coaches, Littlejohn became the third straight Paladin to garner the award, succeeding offensive guard Ben Hall (1999) and tackle Josh Moore (2000) ‹ both former teammates. His selection marks a league leading 11th time a Furman player has been accorded the conference's highest blocking honor, which is presented annually by the Jacobs Family of Clinton, S.C., to the outstanding blocker in the Southern Conference and state, as well as in the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Conferences.

"This is a tremendous honor for Donnie and for Furman football," said Paladin head coach Bobby Johnson. "It's an award that could have gone to any of our offensive linemen based on their work this season. Donnie has certainly played a key role in what we've been able to accomplish this year and over the last four years."

Littlejohn, 6-foot-3, 274-pound product of Gaffney, S.C. (Gaffney H.S.), has started in 44 of 46 games during his career and has been instrumental in Furman's success since 1998, helping the Paladins to a 32-14 record and a pair of conference championships. Over the last two seasons he has helped clear the way for the league's top rusher, senior All-America tailback Louis Ivory, who has run for 3,571 yards and 37 touchdowns over that span.

Littlejohn's selection as Jacobs Blocking Award winner was one of several major awards announced by the league, which also tabbed Georgia Southern's Adrian Peterson as offensive player-of-the-year, Freddy Pesqueira as defensive player-of-the-year, and VMI's Titus Green as freshman-of-the-year. Western Carolina's Bill Bleil was named conference coach-of-the-year.

Furman, which finished the regular season 9-2 and with a share of the 2001 league championship, hosts Western Kentucky in NCAA I-AA first round playoff action this Saturday at Paladin Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.