NORFOLK, Va. – Former North Carolina Central University and NFL standout
Maurice Spencer has been announced as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Football All-Time Team, comprised of 50 outstanding student-athletes throughout the league's history as the conference celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Spencer was an All-MEAC safety in the 1972 and 1973 seasons, and was named to the Pittsburgh Courier All-American Team (First Team) in 1973 as a defensive back. Roaming the NCCU secondary from 1970-73, he is second in career interceptions in school history with 20 interceptions for 113 yards, and eighth in career punt return average with 37 returns for 474 yards.
He was a third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1974 NFL Draft, and played four seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals (1974) and New Orleans Saints (1974-78). He was twice named team captain for the Saints, was selected as the Saints' 1976 defensive MVP, and was announced in 1976 as New Orleans Athlete of the Year.
Spencer was inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in 1986, and the NCCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987.
Nearly 2,500 votes were cast for the MEAC Football All-Time Team, with fans, media representatives, institution sports information contacts and others taking part.
To be considered on the ballot, players must have been named to one of the following: First Team All-MEAC, MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive Lineman of the Year or be a MEAC, Black College Football or College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
The All-Time Team, listed below in alphabetical order by players' last names, features 20 MEAC Hall of Famers, four Black College Football Hall of Famers and two College Football Hall of Famers.
MEAC 50th Anniversary All-Time Football Team
(Top 50 as selected by fans, media representatives, sports information professionals and others.)
Ray Alexander, Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Offensive Player of the Year 1983; MEAC Hall of Fame 1995)
Steve Baggs, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Defensive Player of the Year 2003)
Tristan Bellamy, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (Offensive Lineman of the Year 2013)
Antoine Bethea, Howard, DefensiveBack (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015)
Dwaine Board, North Carolina A&T State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1977, 1978; Defensive Player of the Year 1977; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993)
John Bostic, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1983, 1984; Defensive Player of the Year 1984)
Joe Burton, Delaware State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, 1986; Defensive Player of the Year 1986)
Barney Bussey, South Carolina State, Defensive Back/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Defensive Player of the Year 1983)
Dan Candeloro, Delaware State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, Defensive Player of the Year 1985)
Harry Carson, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1974, 1975; Defensive Player of the Year 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 1981; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2012; College Football Hall of Fame 2002)
Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; Rookie of the Year 2013; Offensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015, 2016)
Alonzo Coleman, Hampton, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006; Rookie of the Year 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2005)
Johnny Culbreath, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2008, 2009, 2010; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2009)
Chartric Darby, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1996, 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018)
Justin Durant, Hampton, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005, 2006; Defensive Player of the Year 2004, 2005, 2006; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015)
David Erby, South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2009, 2010; Defensive Player of the Year 2010)
William Ford, South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009; Rookie of the Year 2006; Offensive Player of the Year 2008)
Carl Hairston, Maryland Eastern Shore, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1973, 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 2005)
Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2014, 2015; Defensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015)
Dwayne Harper, South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1986, 1987; MEAC Hall of Fame 2019)
Gary Harrell, Howard, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1993)
Demetrius Harrison, North Carolina A&T State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1987, 1988, 1989; Defensive Player of the Year 1988, 1989)
Raymond Harrison, South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2006, 2007, 2008; Rookie of the Year 2008; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2008)
Michael Hicks, South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1993, 1994, 1995; Offensive Player of the Year 1995)
Gene Lake, Delaware State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1983, 1984; Offensive Player of the Year 1984; MEAC Hall of Fame 2009)
Darius Leonard, South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Rookie of the Year 2014; Defensive Player of the Year 2016, 2017)
Rashean Mathis, Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Defensive Player of the Year 2002; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017)
Connell Maynor, North Carolina A&T State, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1990, 1991; Offensive Player of the Year 1990, 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2020)
Shaheer McBride, Delaware State, Wide Receiver/Tight End (First Team All-MEAC 2005, 2006; Rookie
of the Year 2004)
Greg McGhee, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014; Rookie of the Year 2011; Offensive Player of the Year 2013, 2014)
Rod Milstead, Delaware State, Offensive Guard (First Team All-MEAC 1989, 1990, 1991)
Jacquay Nunnally, Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; Rookie
of the Year 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010)
Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2015, 2016, 2017)
Charles Poplos, Delaware State, Punter (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1992, 1993)
Robert Porcher, South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1991; Defensive Player of the Year 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2017)
Keith Pough, Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2010, 2011, 2012; Defensive Player of the Year 2012)
Donnie Shell, South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2015; College Football Hall of Fame 1998; Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020)
Eugene Sims, Morgan State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973, 1974; Defensive Player of the Year 1973)
Tracy Singleton, Howard, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1980, 1981, 1982; Offensive Player of the Year 1981, 1982)
Maurice Spencer, North Carolina Central, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986)
Allen Suber, Bethune-Cookman, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2002, 2003)
John Taylor, Delaware State, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985; Offensive Player of the Year 1985; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2019)
Lyndon Trail, Norfolk State, Linebacker/Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2012, 2013, 2014)
Elsworth Turner, North Carolina A&T State, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1975, 1976, 1977; Offensive Player of the Year 1976; MEAC Hall of Fame 2007)
James Vertuno, Florida A&M, Placekicker (First Team All-MEAC 1988, 1989, 1990)
Jay Walker, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1992, 1993; Offensive Player of the Year 1993; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018)
Ted White, Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1996; Offensive Player of the Year 1996; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010)
Tracy White, Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Defensive Player of the Year 2000, 2001; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017)
Terrell Whitehead, Norfolk State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009)
Vashon Winton, Delaware State, Quarterback (Rookie of the Year 2005)
