Football

C-USA Announces Football All-Conference Teams

Dec. 8, 2015

AllConferenceRelease Get Acrobat Reader

Conference USA announced its 2015 All-Conference football teams today, as selected by the league's 13 head football coaches. Eight different schools placed at least one player on the first team, with C-USA champion WKU producing a league-high six selections. West Division champion Southern Miss had the most combined first and second-team members with 10, followed by Louisiana Tech with nine and WKU with eight.

WKU's six first-team selections include four from the league's top scoring offense, one on defense and one from the special teams unit. Highlighting the Hilltopper players are QB Brandon Doughty (FBS-leading 71.5 completion percentage and 45 TD passes, with 4,504 passing yards), WR Taywan Taylor (second in the FBS in touchdowns (17) and fourth in receiving yards (1,363)) and LB Nick Holt (84 total tackles). Offensive lineman Forrest Lamp joins TE Tyler Higbee as the other offensive first-team selections, while K Garrett Schwettman also claimed first-team honors.

Southern Miss earned four spots on the first team with players from all phases of the game represented. RB Jalen Richard (1,098 yards and 14 touchdowns) and OL Cameron Tom are listed on offense, with DB Kalan Reed (league-high 21 passes defended) and LS Lance Shuffert also tabbed first team.

Louisiana Tech placed four members on the first team, with two on each side of the ball. RB Kenneth Dixon (league-high 17 rushing touchdowns and FBS record-tying 83 career scores) and WR Trent Taylor (sixth in the FBS with 89 receptions for 1,031 yards) are listed on offense, with DL Vernon Butler (10 tackles for loss) and S Xavier Woods (50 tackles, four forced turnovers) on defense.

Middle Tennessee also produced a quartet of first-team choices. WR Richie James, the nation's most productive freshman receiver (100 catches for 1,220 yards) and OL Jaylen Hunter represent the offense, while LB T.T. Barber (89 tackles) and S Kevin Byard (league-high 4 interceptions this year and an FBS 20 career INTs) were listed from the defense.

FIU, Florida Atlantic and Marshall each produced three first team all-league selections. For the second straight season, FIU's Richard Leonard was chosen at multiple positions, gaining recognition as a DB and a PR. He is joined by Panther teammate DE Michael Wakefield (7.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss). Florida Atlantic had a pair of DL chosen in Trey Hendrickson (second in the FBS with 13 sacks) and Trevon Coley, along with P Dalton Schomp (FBS-leading 48.0 yard average). Marshall OL Sebastian Johansson is joined by LB Evan McKelvey (second in C-USA with 113 tackles) and KR Deandre Reaves (league-leading 30.5 yard average with two kickoff returns for touchdowns).

Rice OL Andrew Reue, an honorable mention choice in 2014, rounded out the first-team accolades.

Southern Miss had the most second-team designations with six, while Louisiana Tech and Marshall each had five. Old Dominion and UTSA each had three second-team honorees, while Charlotte had a pair.

The league's individual awards will be released Wednesday, December 9. Conference USA will conclude the 2015 season by sending five teams to bowl games.

2015 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE

QB -- Brandon Doughty, WKU, Sr.RB -- Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech, Sr.RB -- Jalen Richard, Southern Miss, Sr.OL -- Sebastian Johansson, Marshall, Sr.OL -- Jaylen Hunter, Middle Tennessee, Sr.OL -- Andrew Reue, Rice, Sr.OL -- Cameron Tom, Southern Miss, Jr.OL -- Forrest Lamp, WKU, Jr.TE -- Tyler Higbee, WKU, Sr.WR -- Trent Taylor, Louisiana Tech, Jr.WR -- Richie James, Middle Tennessee, Fr.WR -- Taywan Taylor, WKU, Jr.
DEFENSE
DL -- Michael Wakefield, FIU, Sr.DL -- Trevon Coley, Florida Atlantic, Sr.DL -- Trey Hendrickson, Florida Atlantic, Jr.DL -- Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech, Sr.LB -- Evan McKelvey, Marshall, Sr.LB -- T.T. Barber, Middle Tennessee, Sr.LB -- Nick Holt, WKU, Sr.DB -- Richard Leonard, FIU, Sr.DB -- Xavier Woods, Louisiana Tech, Jr.DB -- Kevin Byard, Middle Tennessee, Sr.DB -- Kalan Reed, Southern Miss, Sr.


SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- Garrett Schwettman, WKU, Sr.P -- Dalton Schomp, Florida Atlantic, Jr.KR -- Deandre Reaves, Marshall, Sr.PR -- Richard Leonard, FIU, Sr.LS -- Lance Schuffert, Southern Miss, Sr.


SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB -- Nick Mullens, Southern Miss, Jr.RB -- Kalif Phillips, Charlotte, Jr.RB -- Ray Lawry, Old Dominion, So.RB -- Ito Smith, Southern Miss, So.RB -- Anthony Wales, WKU, Jr.OL -- Michael Montero, FIU, Jr.OL -- Reggie Bain, Florida Atlantic, So.OL -- Darrell Brown, Louisiana Tech, Jr.OL -- Jens Danielsen, Louisiana Tech, Sr.OL -- Michael Selby, Marshall, Jr.OL -- Rashod Hill, Southern Miss, Sr.TE -- David Morgan II, UTSA, Sr.WR -- Ed Batties, Middle Tennessee, Sr.WR -- Zach Pascal, Old Dominion, Jr.WR -- Mike Thomas, Southern Miss, Sr.


DEFENSE
DL -- Larry Ogunjobi, Charlotte, Jr.DL -- Jarquez Samuel, Marshall, Sr.DL -- Michael Smith, Southern Miss, Sr.DL -- Jason Neill, UTSA, Sr.LB -- Anthony Wint, FIU, So.LB -- Nick Thomason, Louisiana Tech, Sr.LB -- T.J. Ricks, Old Dominion, Jr.LB -- Brian Anderson, Southern Miss, Sr.DB -- Cre'von LeBlanc, Florida Atlantic, Sr.DB -- Bryson Abraham, Louisiana Tech, Sr.DB -- Jeremy Cutrer, Middle Tennessee, Jr.DB -- Bennett Okotcha, UTSA, Sr.


SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- Jonathan Barnes, Louisiana Tech, So.P -- Tyler Williams, Marshall, Sr.KR -- Kylen Towner, WKU, So.PR -- Deandre Reaves, Marshall, Sr.LS -- Matt Cincotta, Marshall, Sr.


HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
QB -- Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech, Sr.QB -- Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee, Fr.RB -- Aaron Jones, UTEP, Jr.RB -- Jarveon Williams, UTSA, Jr.OL -- Mikingson Marsaille, Florida Atlantic, Sr.OL -- Kelly Parfaitt, Florida Atlantic, Jr.OL -- David Mahaffey, Louisiana Tech, Jr.OL -- Josh Robinson, Louisiana Tech, Sr.OL -- Maurquice Shakir, Middle Tennessee, Jr.OL -- Kaydon Kirby, North Texas, Jr.OL -- Will Hernandez, UTEP, So.TE -- Jonnu Smith, FIU, Jr.TE -- Ryan Yurahek, Marshall, So.TE -- Hayden Plinke, UTEP, Jr.WR -- Jenson Stoshak, Florida Atlantic, Sr.WR -- Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech, So.WR -- Paul Turner, Louisiana Tech, Sr.WR -- Davonte Allen, Marshall, Sr.WR -- Zach Wright, Rice, Jr.WR -- Casey Martin, Southern Miss, So.WR -- Kerry Thomas, Jr., UTSA, Jr.WR -- Jared Dangerfield, WKU, Sr.WR -- Nicholas Norris, WKU, Jr.

DEFENSE
DL -- Denzell Perine, FIU, Sr.DL -- Vontarrius Dora, Louisiana Tech, Sr.DL -- Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech, Fr.DL -- Gary Thompson, Marshall, Jr.DL -- Pat McNeil, Middle Tennessee, Sr.DL -- Dylan Bradley, Southern Miss, Jr.DL -- Andrew Bolton, Southern Miss, Sr.DL -- Nick Usher, UTEP, Jr.DL -- Marcus Davenport, UTSA, So.DL -- Jontavius Morris, WKU, Sr.LB -- Ocie Rose, Florida Atlantic, Fr.LB -- Beau Fitte, Louisiana Tech, Sr.LB -- D.J. Hunter, Marshall, Sr.LB -- Cavellis Luckett, Middle Tennessee, Sr.LB -- Alex Lyons, Rice, Jr.LB -- Alvin Jones, UTEP, So.LB -- Jimmy Musgraves, UTEP, Sr.LB -- Drew Douglas, UTSA, Sr.LB -- T.J. McCollum, WKU, So.DB -- Jeremiah McKinnon, FIU, Sr.DB -- Jalen Young, Florida Atlantic, Fr.DB -- Kentrell Brice, Louisiana Tech, Sr.DB -- Adairius Barnes, Louisiana Tech, Sr.DB -- Taj Letman, Marshall, Sr.DB -- Corey Tindal, Marshall, Jr.DB -- Tiquan Lang, Marshall, Jr.DB -- Fellonte Misher, Old Dominion, Sr.DB -- D'Nerius Antoine, Southern Miss, Jr.DB -- Michael Egwuagu, UTSA, Jr.DB -- Prince Charles Iworah, WKU, Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- Jay Mattox, UTEP, Jr.P -- James Farrimond, Rice, Sr.P -- Alan Luna, UTEP, So.KR -- Richard Leonard, FIU, Jr.KR -- Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech, Fr.LS -- Sam Medlock, FIU, Jr.LS -- Darrell Travis, Louisiana Tech, So.LS -- William Eads, Middle Tennessee, Jr.LS -- Nolan Dowling, WKU, Jr.