Saint-Dic Named Walter Camp All-American

 

Ted Hendricks Award finalist earns second-team honors from the nation’s oldest All-America lineup.

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State fifth-year senior defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic, one of eight finalists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, has been named to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team, as selected by NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. The Walter Camp All-America Team, the nation’s oldest all-star lineup, has been selected annually since 1889.

A first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, Saint-Dic ranks fourth in the conference and 16th (tied) in the NCAA in sacks (10 for 75 yards), averaging 0.83 per game. His 10 sacks rank sixth (tied with Greg Taplin, 2003; Julian Peterson, 1998; and Kelly Quinn, 1983) on Michigan State’s single-season chart.

Saint-Dic also ranks among the Big Ten (tied for sixth) and national (tied for No. 38) leaders in tackles for loss (14.5 for 85 yards), averaging 1.21 per game. In addition, he leads the NCAA in forced fumbles (8).

Through 12 games, he ranks second on the Spartan defense in production points with 196. Saint-Dic has registered 47 total tackles, with 14.5 of those resulting in losses (31 percent).

"Jonal Saint-Dic really bought into what we asked him to do this season," Spartan defensive line coach Ted Gill said. "He understood what we were trying to do and he really worked on his technique. It’s amazing how much he progressed in this scheme.

"This defensive scheme gave him opportunities to make plays. We freed him up to do more and Jonal did a great job of executing the game plan. He has great desire and an eagerness to improve. Jonal worked extremely hard in practice, and he invested the time each week to study the opponent. We asked him to be a different type of player every week and he responded to each and every challenge. We’re proud of what he accomplished in his senior season."

He made six tackles against No. 15 Michigan, with two resulting in losses (7 yards) including a 3-yard sack.

Saint-Dic set the Big Ten single-season record with his eighth forced fumble against top-ranked Ohio State, breaking the mark previously held by Penn State’s Michael Haynes (7 in 13 games in 2002). The fumble came on a 7-yard sack in the third quarter that SirDarean Adams picked up and returned 25 yards for a score as the Spartans pulled within 24-14. His eight forced fumbles rank as the second-best single-season total in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history, trailing only Louisville’s Elvis Dumervil (10 caused fumbles in 2005).

In MSU’s 52-27 victory over Indiana, Saint-Dic forced a fumble while recording a 9-yard sack in the third quarter that Ervin Baldwin scooped up and returned 12 yards for a touchdown.

The Elizabeth, N.J., native recorded a career-best 10 tackles (3 solos, 7 assists), including one for a 2-yard loss, in Michigan State’s 48-41 overtime loss to Northwestern.

He recorded at least one sack in four consecutive games (vs. Bowling Green, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Wisconsin), tying the school record held by Courtney Ledyard (1996 vs. Louisville, Eastern Michigan, Iowa and Illinois) and Julian Peterson (1999 vs. Ohio State, Northwestern, Penn State and Florida).

Late in the first quarter while recording an 11-yard sack against Wisconsin’s Tyler Donovan, Saint-Dic forced his sixth fumble of the season, breaking MSU’s single-season record of five previously held by Rob Fredrickson (1993) and Broderick Nelson (2001). He was credited with four tackles and three quarterback hits against the ninth-ranked Badgers.

He compiled a career-best 35 production points in Michigan State’s 31-14 victory at Notre Dame, registering four tackles including two for losses (18 yards). Early in the second quarter, Saint-Dic sacked Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen for a 17-yard loss while stripping the ball from him and recovering the fumble at the Irish 14. Four plays later, Brett Swenson converted a 27-yard field goal as the Spartans built a 17-7 lead.

Saint-Dic shared Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors (with Ohio State’s linebacker James Laurinaitis) after recording five tackles, including three for losses (13 yards), and forcing two fumbles in MSU’s 17-13 victory over Pittsburgh. Two of Saint-Dic’s three tackles for losses resulted in sacks (11 yards). He accumulated 34 production points against the Panthers. It marked the second-straight week that Saint-Dic recorded at least two sacks and forced two fumbles. With MSU leading 14-13 with 4:04 to play, Saint-Dic stripped the ball from Pitt’s T.J. Porter on a reverse that Ogemdi Nwagbuo recovered at the Panther 22. Five plays later, Swenson connected on a 23-yard field-goal attempt to extend MSU’s lead to 17-13 with 2:54 remaining.

Despite being a last-minute scratch from MSU’s starting lineup against Bowling Green, Saint-Dic enjoyed one of his most productive games in a Spartan uniform, recording four solo tackles including a career-best three sacks (17 yards). His three sacks tied the sixth-best single-game total in Spartan history. Overall, MSU produced seven sacks against the Falcons – its highest single-game total since registering eight sacks against Northwestern in 1999. Saint-Dic tallied 32 production points against the Falcons, forcing two fumbles and registering three quarterback hits.

Born in Haiti, Saint-Dic impressed his teammates with his relentless pursuit of quarterbacks in practice, earning himself the nickname "Sackmaster." He has recorded 13 career sacks (116 yards) and his 10 career forced fumbles rank as the seventh-best total in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history.

Saint-Dic will play his final game in a Spartan uniform on Dec. 28 against No. 14 Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.