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University of Massachusets Athletics
Ducasse, Miles Named 2009 Football Captains
August 10, 2009 | Football
Aug. 10, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - With the start of preseason football camp on Sunday night, UMass football coach Kevin Morris announced that senior All-Americans Vladimir Ducasse and Jeromy Miles have been named team captains for 2009. The Minutemen begin practices on Monday afternoon.
Both Ducasse, an offensive tackle, and Miles, a safety, have been showered with preseason honors this summer.
Ducasse has been named a preseason All-American by The Sports Network, Phil Steele and Consensus Draft Services. He is also a preseason All-CAA pick. Ducasse was a first-team All-CAA pick in 2008, Ducasse also garnered an Honorable Mention All-America nod from the Sports Network this past January.
In his 24 career starts, UMass has had a 100-yard rusher in 16 of those contests. In his games, UMass has allowed just 22 sacks, less than one per game. Ducasse was the only lineman to start every game last season and each game at the same position (right tackle). He was part of an offensive line that allowed just six sacks, the fewest in the CAA (0.5 per game) and second in the NCAA. UMass allowed ZERO sacks in final five games of the season.
With Ducasse leading the way last fall, the offense had five games of more than 400 yards of total offense including season-best 593 yards vs. Bryant (10/25). He also led for Tony Nelson's six 100-yard games in 2008, including career-best 204 vs. Hofstra (11/22).
Miles was a Sports Network All-America Team second team and an All-CAA first team selection as a junior after pacing the Minutemen with 104 tackles to go with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He sealed a win at Northeastern on Oct. 11 with a late fumble recovery, only one week after clinching the victory over Delaware with a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown.
The safety was a preseason All-American by Draft Consensus and was also a Sporting News Honorable Mention All-American after his freshman year at Navy.
UMass will kick off its 2009 campaign on Sept. 5, at 7:10 p.m. in Manhattan, Kansas, against Kansas State.