Roach, Taraboi Receive All-WIAC Honors
UW-Oshkosh return specialist Jeremy Roach (So. • Deerfield) and linebacker James Taraboi (Jr. • Grafton) have earned All-WIAC football honors for their performance during the 2008 season.
Roach and Taraboi were both named to the squad as second team selections. The Titans also had punter Kyle Calhoun (Fr. • Waukesha) and cornerback Nate Heard (So. • Milwaukee) receive honorable mention recognition.
Roach came on strong at the end of the season after missing the first two games of the year with an injury. He ranked second in the WIAC with an average of 24.5 yards per kickoff return while also listing third in the league with 134.1 all-purpose yards per contest. Against UW-Stevens Point, Roach took back four kickoffs for 139 yards, including one 90 yards for a touchdown.
Roach also contributed to the Titans' late-season success on offense. He lined up at tailback and rushed for at least 60 yards in each of the last three games. Also in UW-Oshkosh's game with UW-Stevens Point, Roach pulled in a pass and took it 71 yards for a touchdown.
In 2007, Roach rushed 47 times for 355 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned 12 kickoffs for 385 yards and one touchdown, with his 32.1-yard average ranking second in the NCAA Division III. Roach returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against eventual NCAA Division III champion UW-Whitewater.
Taraboi put together an impressive season as the leader of the Titans' defense, recording a team-best 73 tackles. His mark of 8.1 stops per contest ranked fourth in the WIAC. Taraboi finished with 39 solo tackles, including five for a loss and two quarterback sacks. He posted double-digit tackles on five occasions, including 12 against both UW-La Crosse and UW-Platteville. During the 2007 campaign, Taraboi totaled 46 tackles, including 30 solo with seven for a loss and two quarterback sacks. In 2006, Taraboi compiled three tackles, one quarterback sack and one forced fumble.
Taraboi not only prevented teams from scoring, but he also put points on the scoreboard for UW-Oshkosh. He served as the team's placekicker for the first eight games of the year, making all three of his field goal attempts and connecting on 8-of-10 extra points. Taraboi converted a 26-yard field goal with no time remaining to defeat Ohio Dominican University, the NAIA's fifth-ranked team, by a score of 17-16.
Calhoun received honorable mention status after listing third in the WIAC with a punting average of 37.6 yards. He placed 10 punts inside the 20-yard line and blasted three punts of 50 yards or more, including a season-long of 56 yards against UW-La Crosse. In the Titans' game against UW-Eau Claire, Calhoun booted the ball eight times for an average of 45.5 yards per punt.
The conference's leader in passes defended, Heard was selected as an honorable mention recipient. He broke up 12 passes while intercepting one in 2008. Heard finished the year with 29 tackles, including 19 solo. In UW-Oshkosh's bout with UW-Stevens Point, Heard tallied nine solo tackles and 11 overall. In 2007, Heard notched 25 tackles and four pass interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
UW-Stevens Point had eight players named to the All-WIAC first team, while UW-Whitewater had six and UW-Eau Claire five. Receiving first team accolades from UW-Stevens Point were quarterback Jared Beckwith, wide receiver Jared Jenkins, tight end Brad Kalsow, punter Luke Frisch, defensive linemen Matt Lunder and Brad Vickroy, linebacker Brandon Stremkowski and free safety Bryan Blum. Vickroy was named the league's Player of the Year.
UW-Stevens Point head coach John Miech was voted the WIAC's Coach of the Year, while UW-Stout's Jake Pomputis received the WIAC's Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
UW-Oshkosh's Matt Haass (So. • Brownsville) earned a spot on the eight-member All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team.
The Titans finished the year with a 4-5 record, including a sixth-place 2-5 mark in WIAC play.