The University of Northern Iowa football team saw 15 members named to the 2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference's all-league squads, including junior defensive end James Ruffin being tabbed as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
Ruffin (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) racked up a team-high 15 tackles-for-loss and eight quarterback sacks to go along with his 57 total tackles. Ruffin leads a UNI defense which ranks No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense (16.15 points/game). The Panther defense also led the league in rushing defense (105.3 yards/game) and pass efficiency defense (110.69 rating). Ruffin leads the squad with three forced fumbles. Ruffin tallied a season-high two sacks in a 42-0 win over Missouri State. He recorded a season-high eight tackles to go along with two tackles-for-loss and 1.5 quarterback sacks in a 34-20 win over South Dakota State. Ruffin was also a first-team all-MVFC selection in 2007.
Ruffin becomes the sixth Panther player to win the league's top defensive award - Mark Farley (1985), William Freeney (1991, 1992), Andre Allen (1993, 1994), Adam Vogt (2001) and Brannon Carter (2007) all previously earned the same honor.
UNI's first-team selections included Ruffin, senior defensive back Darrell Lloyd, junior linebacker Josh Mahoney, senior defensive lineman Everette Pedescleaux and junior offensive lineman Austin Steichen.
