DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2021 All-Conference football teams Tuesday, as selected by the league’s 14 head football coaches. Twelve schools placed at least one player on the first team, with Conference USA champion UTSA and East Division champion WKU producing a league-high six selections apiece, followed by Marshall and Middle Tennessee with three each. UTSA had the most combined first and second-team members with 11, followed by WKU with 10, Marshall with seven and UAB with six.
Three of UTSA’s six first-team selections came on the offensive side of the ball, in C-USA’s leading rusher and 2021 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game MVP Sincere McCormick (298 carries for a program-record 1,479 yards and 15 touchdowns), WR Zakhari Franklin (73 catches for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns) and OL Spencer Burford, who is a key fixture on the Roadrunners’ offensive line and has helped pave the way for the league’s second-highest scoring offense (37.8 ppg). Defensively the Roadrunners boast a pair of first-team selections in LB Clarence Hicks, who leads the league in sacks (10.0), and S Rashad Wisdom (87 tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble and six pass break-ups). K Hunter Duplessis is the sixth first-team choice for UTSA, and he ranks eighth nationally in scoring (9.9 ppg).
WKU, which is second in the country in scoring (43.1 ppg) and total offense (528.0 ypg), has the most first-team selections on the offensive side of the ball. QB Bailey Zappe leads the nation in passing yardage (5,545 yards – 426.5 ypg) and passing touchdowns (56) and has FBS single-season records in both categories heading into the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. WR Jerreth Sterns is the nation’s leading receiver (a C-USA single-season record 137 receptions for 1,718 yards and 14 touchdowns), along with OL Cole Spencer and OL Mason Brooks representing the Hilltoppers on the offensive line. Defensively, DE DeAngelo Malone leads C-USA in tackles-for-loss (16.5) and DB Beanie Bishop (41 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and three interceptions) round out WKU’s six first-team choices.
Marshall, who finished second in the East Division in head coach Charles Huff’s debut season, has three members of the first team, two of which are on offense. RB Rasheen Ali is tied for the national lead in rushing touchdowns (20) and is the league’s second-leading rusher (1,241 yards). OL Alex Mollette is an anchor up front for the Thundering Herd, helping pace C-USA’s third-ranked scoring offense (34.0 ppg). Defensively, LB Abraham Beauplan represents Marshall, who has the league’s best scoring defense (22.8 ppg), with Beauplan ranking third in C-USA in tackles (104 – 8.67 per game).
Middle Tennessee is one of two C-USA teams to place a trio on the first team, in S Reed Blankenship, the league’s second-leading tackler (106 – 8.83 per game), DB Quincy Riley, who is tied for the second-most interceptions in the FBS with five (one of which was returned for a touchdown), to go along with 30 total tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks, as well as PR Jaylin Lane, C-USA’s leading punt returner (16.88 yards per return).
UAB, the West Division’s runner-up in 2021, is one of two teams with a pair of first-team selections. OL Colby Ragland and DT Tyree Turner (5.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles) also represent the Blazers. UTEP, one of college football’s best turnaround stories, placed two on the first team in WR Jacob Cowing, who ranks second in the league in receiving yards (67 receptions for 1,330 yards and seven touchdowns) and DE Praise Amaewhule, who is among the league’s leaders in tackles-for-loss (13.5) and ranks ninth in the conference in sacks (5.5).
FIU (P Tommy Heatherly), Louisiana Tech (LS Reeves Blankenship), North Texas (LB KD Davis), Old Dominion (TE Zack Kuntz), Rice (DL Elijah Garcia) and Southern Miss (KR Camron Harrell) round out the first team, with one player each. Heatherly ranks eighth in the country in punting (46.8 yards per attempt). Blankenship has been one of the most efficient long snappers in the league the past three seasons after getting second-team nods each of the past two years. Davis leads the conference in tackles (107 – 8.92 per game), has 15.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. Kuntz leads all C-USA tight ends (and second nationally) with 71 catches, for 674 yards and five scores. Garcia ranks in the top-35 of all defensive players in C-USA in tackles (67 – 5.58 per game) from his interior line position. Harrell is the league’s leader in kick returns (25.46 yards per return) and has a touchdown.
The league’s individual awards will be released Wednesday, December 8. Conference USA will conclude the 2021 season by sending eight teams to bowl games, the second-most in league history.
First Team
OFFENSE
QB: Bailey Zappe, Gr., WKU
RB: Sincere McCormick, Jr., UTSA
RB: Rasheen Ali, RS Fr., Marshall
WR: Jerreth Sterns, Jr., WKU
WR: Jacob Cowing, So., UTEP
WR: Zakhari Franklin, Jr., UTSA
TE: Zack Kuntz, RS So., Old Dominion
OL: Alex Mollette, RS Sr., Marshall
OL: Cole Spencer, RS Sr., WKU
OL: Spencer Burford, Sr., UTSA
OL: Colby Ragland, RS Sr., UAB
OL: Mason Brooks, Jr., WKU
DEFENSE
DE: Praise Amaewhule, RS So., UTEP
DT: Elijah Garcia, RS Sr., Rice
DT: Tyree Turner, RS Sr., UAB
DE: DeAngelo Malone, Sr., WKU
LB: KD Davis, Jr., North Texas
LB: Abraham Beauplan, Jr., Marshall
LB: Clarence Hicks, Sr., UTSA
DB: Reed Blankenship, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB: Rashad Wisdom, Jr., UTSA
DB: Beanie Bishop, RS So., WKU
DB: Quincy Riley, RS Fr., Middle Tennessee
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Hunter Duplessis, Sr., UTSA
P: Tommy Heatherly, Sr., FIU
LS: Reeves Blankenship, Jr., Louisiana Tech
KR: Camron Harrell, Jr., Southern Miss
PR: Jaylin Lane, Fr., Middle Tennessee
Second Team
OFFENSE
QB: Frank Harris, Sr., UTSA
RB: DeWayne McBride, So., UAB
RB: DeAndre Torrey, Sr., North Texas
WR: Mitchell Tinsley, Jr., WKU
WR: Jason Brownlee, Jr., Southern Miss
WR: Tyrese Chambers, So., FIU
TE: Gerrit Prince, RS Sr., UAB
OL: Will Ulmer, RS Sr., Marshall
OL: Quantavious Leslie, Fr., WKU
OL: Ahofitu Maka, Sr., UTSA
OL: Manase Mose, Jr., North Texas
OL: Boe Wilson, Gr., WKU
DEFENSE
DE: Jordan Ferguson, RS Jr., Middle Tennessee
DT: Dion Novil, Sr., North Texas
DT: Jaylon Haynes, Sr., UTSA
DE: Alex Wright, Jr., UAB
LB: Breon Hayward, RS Jr., UTEP
LB: Tyler Grubbs, So., Louisiana Tech
LB: DQ Thomas, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB: Steven Gilmore, Jr., Marshall
DB: Micah Abraham, So., Marshall
DB: Grayson Cash, RS Jr., UAB
DB: Richard Dames, Sr., FIU
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Brayden Narveson, RS So., WKU
P: Lucas Dean, Jr., UTSA
LS: Caleb Cantrell, Sr., UTSA
KR: Jayden Harrison, RS So., Marshall
PR: Smoke Harris, Jr., Louisiana Tech
Honorable Mention:
OFFENSE
QB: Gavin Hardison, RS So., UTEP
QB: Dylan Hopkins, RS Jr., UAB
QB: Chris Reynolds, RS Sr., Charlotte
QB: Grant Wells, RS Fr., Marshall
RB: Jermaine Brown, Jr., Jr., UAB
RB: Johnny Ford, RS So., Florida Atlantic
RB: Frank Gore, Jr., Fr., Southern Miss
RB: D’Vonte Price, Sr., FIU
RB: Blake Watson, RS So., Old Dominion
WR: Jake Bailey, So., Rice
WR: Joshua Cephus, Jr., UTSA
WR: Grant DuBose, So., Charlotte
WR: Corey Gammage, RS So., Marshall
WR: Smoke Harris, Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR: Tre Harris, So., Louisiana Tech
WR: Ali Jennings III, So., Old Dominion
WR: Willie Johnson, RS Sr., Marshall
WR: Trea Shropshire, Jr., UAB
TE: Joey Beljan, RS So., WKU
TE: Ryan Carriere, RS Sr., Charlotte
TE: Xavier Gaines, RS Sr., Marshall
TE: Jimmy Marshall, Sr., Middle Tennessee
TE: Jordan Myers, RS Sr., Rice
TE: Jason Pirtle, Sr., North Texas
OL: Shea Baker, RS Jr., Rice
OL: Jacob Brammer, Jr., North Texas
OL: Jeremiah Byers, RS Fr., UTEP
OL: Bobby DeHaro, RS Jr., UTEP
OL: Abraham Delfin, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL: Ashton Gist, Sr., Charlotte
OL: Makai Hart, Sr., UTSA
OL: Terrell Haynes, Jr., UTSA
OL: Hunter Kelly, Gr., Charlotte
OL: Elijah Klein, RS So., UTEP
OL: Darta Lee, RS Sr., UTEP
OL: Andrew Meyer, RS So., UTEP
OL: Joshua Mote, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL: Jordan Palmer, Jr., Middle Tennessee
OL: Nick Saldiveri, RS So., Old Dominion
OL: Andrew Smith, Jr., RS Sr., UAB
OL: Rusty Staats, RS So., WKU
OL: Kadeem Telfort, RS Jr., UAB
OL: Matthew Trehern, RS Jr., UAB
OL: Khalique Washington, Sr., Southern Miss
OL: Isaac Weaver, Sr., Old Dominion
OL: Jovaun Woolford, Gr., Rice
DEFENSE
DE: Josh Carr, Jr., Southern Miss
DE: Mykol Clark, So., Louisiana Tech
DE: Koby Cumberlander, RS Jr., Marshall
DE: Lorenzo Dantzler, Sr., UTSA
DE: Ikenna Enechukwu, RS So., Rice
DE: Antonio Moultrie, RS Jr., UAB
DE: Grayson Murphy, RS Fr., North Texas
DE: Jadrian Taylor, Jr., UTEP
DE: Markees Watts, Sr., Charlotte
DE: Charles Wiley, Sr., UTSA
DT: Evan Anderson, Fr., Florida Atlantic
DT: Brandon Brown, Fr., UTSA
DT: Jeremy Darvin, RS Sr., WKU
DT: Jamare Edwards, RS Jr., Marshall
DT: T.J. Johnson, RS Sr., Marshall
DT: Kelton Moss, Jr., UTEP
DT: Keivie Rose, So., Louisiana Tech
DT: Darius Shipp, Jr., WKU
DT: Mi’Cario Stanley, RS Sr., UAB
DT: Keenan Stewart, RS So., UTEP
DT: Davon Strickland, RS So., FIU
LB: Trey Baldwin, Sr., Louisiana Tech
LB: Ezekiel Barnett, Sr., Louisiana Tech
LB: Trevor Harmanson, Sr., UTSA
LB: Kyle Harrell, RS Sr., UAB
LB: Ryan Henry, RS Jr., Old Dominion
LB: Will Ignont, RS Jr., WKU
LB: Tyrice Knight, Jr., UTEP
LB: Santrell Latham, RS Jr., Southern Miss
LB: Jamal Ligon, So., UTSA
LB: Hayes Maples, RS So., Southern Miss
LB: Tyler Murray, RS Sr., Charlotte
LB: Eli Neal, So., Marshall
LB: Noah Wilder, RS Sr., UAB
LB: Jordan Young, Sr., Old Dominion
DB: Dennis Barnes, Jr., UTEP
DB: Will Boler, RS Jr., UAB
DB: A.J. Brathwaite, Jr., RS So., WKU
DB: Baylen Buchanan, Gr., Louisiana Tech
DB: Roger Cray, Sr., Old Dominion
DB: Zyon Gilbert, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB: Gregory Grate, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB: Kahlef Hailassie, RS So., WKU
DB: Tre Hawkins III, Jr., Old Dominion
DB: Jordan Helm, Gr., Florida Atlantic
DB: Dy’Vonne Inyang, Sr., UTEP
DB: Nazeeh Johnson, RS Sr., Marshall
DB: R’Tarriun Johnson, RS Jr., Old Dominion
DB: Antwon Kincade, Sr., WKU
DB: Khalil Ladler, Gr., Louisiana Tech
DB: Corey Mayfield, Jr., Sr., UTSA
DB: Cory McCoy, RS Sr., Marshall
DB: Naeem Smith, Sr., Rice
DB: Malik Shorts, RS So., Southern Miss
DB: Keondre Swoopes, Jr., UAB
DB: Gabe Taylor, Fr., Rice
DB: Starling Thomas V, RS Jr., UAB
DB: BeeJay Williamson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB: Tariq Woolen, RS Sr., UTSA
DB: Teja Young, RS So., Florida Atlantic
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Gavin Baechle, Jr., UTEP
K: Jacob Barnes, So., Louisiana Tech
K: Ethan Mooney, Jr., North Texas
K: Nick Rice, Sr., Old Dominion
P: Kyle Greenwell, Jr., UAB
P: John Haggerty III, RS Sr., WKU
P: Matt Hayball, RS So., Florida Atlantic
P: Mason Hunt, RS Jr., Southern Miss
LS: Zach Appio, RS Jr., Marshall
LS: Jake Bowman, Fr., WKU
LS: Nate Durham, Jr., North Texas
LS: Cole Kizziah, RS So., UAB
LS: Cameron Lyons, Gr., Charlotte
LS: Nicholas Marino, RS Fr., Florida Atlantic
KR: Beanie Bishop, RS So., WKU
KR: Shadrick Byrd, RS Fr., Charlotte
KR: LaMareon James, Fr., Old Dominion
KR: Jaylin Lane, Fr., Middle Tennessee
KR: Dadrian Taylor, RS Sr., UTSA
PR: Isiah Paige, Fr., Old Dominion
PR: Starling Thomas V, RS Jr., UAB
-ConferenceUSA.com-
