C-USA Announces 2020 All-Conference Teams

DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2020 All-Conference football teams today, as selected by the league’s head football coaches. Nine schools placed at least one player on the first team, with Marshall producing a league-high nine selections, followed by C-USA Champion UAB with six and WKU with four. Marshall and UAB each had the most combined first and second-team members with 12, followed by Louisiana Tech with nine, UTSA with seven and WKU with six.

The nine Marshall first team selections include five from the Thundering Herd offense, three on their defense and one from special teams. Freshman QB Grant Wells leads C-USA in passing yards (1,977) and passing touchdowns (18), junior RB Brenden Knox has 887 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs, with both operating behind an offensive line led by seniors Josh Ball and Cain Madden and alongside redshirt senior TE Xavier Gaines. Senior LB Tavante Beckett leads C-USA in tackles per game (10.0) and tops the nation in fumbles recovered (4). Redshirt junior DE Darius Hodge is third in the league in sacks (6.5) and sixth in tackles for loss (9.0), while junior DB Steven Gilmore is tied for second in passes defended (10). Sophomore PR Talik Keaton ranks first in C-USA in punt returns with a 6.8 yard average.

Three of UAB’s six first team choices came on offense, including senior offensive linemen Sidney Wells and Colby Ragland, key members of a unit that helped the Blazers tie for fourth nationally with just four sacks allowed this season. Senior WR Austin Watkins, Jr., ranks third in the league averaging 66.9 yards receiving per game along with three scores. On the defensive side, UAB lists senior DE Jordan Smith (4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss) and senior LB Kristopher Moll (59 tackles), with special teams represented by senior LS Jacob Fuqua.

UTSA’s four selections are led by sophomore RB Sincere McCormick (school-record 1,345 rushing yards, 6.0 yards per carry and a league-high 11 rushing touchdowns) on offense and sophomore DB Rashad Wisdom (fifth in C-USA with 82 tackles and tied for league lead with 4 interceptions) on defense. The Roadrunners had a pair of special teams standouts recognized in senior K Hunter Duplessis (seventh nationally with 16 field goals (in 18 attempts), league-best 85 points scored among kickers) and sophomore P Lucas Dean (league-high 46.3 yard average with 27 punts inside the 20 and 15 punts inside the 10).

Louisiana Tech listed one honoree on offense, two on defense and one on special teams. Senior C Kody Russey (43 straight starts) is the veteran leader and four-year starter on the Bulldogs offensive line, while junior DT Milton Williams (4.5 sacks, 10.0 tackles for loss) and sophomore DB Bee Jay Williamson (52 tackles, team-high three interceptions) represent the defense and Wayne Touissant (league-high 23.2 yards per return) is the first team kick returner.

Both North Texas and Rice had a pair of first team selections. Mean Green senior WR Jaelon Darden leads the FBS in receiving touchdowns with 19 in just nine games, catching 74 passes for 1,190 yards and posting five games with 100 or more yards, while senior DT Dion Novil has 37 tackles, 8.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. Owls senior WR Austin Trammell only played in three games, but piled up 335 yards and six touchdowns and he is joined by senior LB Blaze Alldredge (47 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, one interception).

Middle Tennessee and WKU each produced one first team selection. The Blue Raiders are represented by junior DB Gregory Grate, Jr., who placed seventh in C-USA with 74 tackles and tied for the league lead with four interceptions, while the Hilltoppers list senior DE DeAngelo Malone, who had 65 total tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss (second in C-USA) and 6.0 sacks (fourth in the league).

UAB produced the most second-team designations with six, while Louisiana Tech and WKU each had five.

The league’s individual awards will be released Tuesday, December 22. Conference USA will conclude the 2020 season by sending seven teams to bowl games, the second-most in league history.

2020 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB- Grant Wells, R-Fr., Marshall
RB- Brenden Knox, R-Jr., Marshall
RB- Sincere McCormick, So., UTSA
OL- Kody Russey, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL- Cain Madden, R-Sr., Marshall
OL- Josh Ball, R-Sr., Marshall
OL- Colby Ragland, R-Sr., UAB
OL- Sidney Wells, Sr., UAB
TE- Xavier Gaines, R-Sr., Marshall
WR- Jaelon Darden, Sr., North Texas
WR- Austin Trammell, Sr., Rice
WR- Austin Watkins, Jr., R-Sr., UAB

DEFENSE
DT- Milton Williams, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
DT- Dion Novil, Sr., North Texas
DE- Darius Hodge, R-Jr., Marshall
DE- Jordan Smith, R-Jr., UAB
DE- DeAngelo Malone, Sr., WKU
LB- Tavante Beckett, R-Sr., Marshall
LB- Blaze Alldredge, Sr., Rice
LB- Kristopher Moll, Sr., UAB
DB- BeeJay Williamson, R-So., Louisiana Tech
DB- Steven Gilmore, Jr., Marshall
DB- Gregory Grate, Jr., Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB- Rashad Wisdom, So., UTSA

SPECIAL TEAMS
K- Hunter Duplessis, R-Sr., UTSA
P- Lucas Dean, So., UTSA
KR- Wayne Toussant, R-So., Louisiana Tech
PR- Talik Keaton, So., Marshall
LS – Jacob Fuqua, R-Sr., UAB

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB – Asher O’Hara, R-Jr., Middle Tennessee
RB- Spencer Brown, Sr., UAB
RB- Frank Gore, Jr., Fr., Southern Miss
OL- Alex Mollette, R-Sr., Marshall
OL- Jacob Brammer, R-Jr., North Texas
OL- Ahofitu Maka, Jr., UTSA
OL- Makai Hart, R-Jr., UTSA
OL- Spencer Burford, Jr., UTSA
OL- Jordan Meredith, R-Sr., WKU
TE- Jordan Myers, R-Sr., Rice
TE- Hayden Pittman, R.Sr., UAB
WR- Victor Tucker, R-Jr., Charlotte
WR- Adrian Hardy, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
WR- Jacob Cowing, So., UTEP

DEFENSE
DT- Jamare Edwards, R-Jr., Marshall
DT- Antonio Moultrie, R-Jr., UAB
DE- Leighton McCarthy, R-Sr., Florida Atlantic
DE- Praise Amaewhule, R-So., UTEP
LB- Trey Baldwin, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
LB- Tyler Grubbs, Fr., Louisiana Tech
LB- Hayes Maples, R-So., Southern Miss
LB- Noah Wilder, R-Jr., UAB
DB- Nazeeh Johnson, R-Sr., Marshall
DB- Brontae Harris, R-Sr., UAB
DB- TD Marshall, R-Sr., UAB
DB- Devon Key, R-Sr., WKU
DB- Dionté Ruffin, Sr., WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS
K- Brayden Narveson, R-So., WKU
P- John Haggerty, R-So., WKU
KR- Lexington Joseph, So., FIU
PR- Smoke Harris, R-So., Louisiana Tech
LS- Reeves Blankenship, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech

HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
QB – Chris Reynolds, R-Jr., Charlotte
QB – Mike Collins, Gr., Rice
QB – Frank Harris, R-Jr., UTSA
RB – Aaron McAllister, R-Sr., Charlotte
RB – D’Vonte Price, Sr., FIU
RB – Israel Tucker, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
RB – DeAndre Torrey, Sr., North Texas
RB – Deion Hankins, R-Fr., UTEP
OL – Jaelin Fisher, R-Sr., Charlotte
OL – Shane McGough, R-Sr., FIU
OL – Abraham Delfin, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Joshua Mote, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Robert Jones, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Anterrious Gray, R-Jr., North Texas
OL – Manase Mose, R-Jr., North Texas
OL – Clay Servin, R-So., Rice
OL – Jovaun Woolford, Gr., Rice
OL – Shea Baker, R-Jr., Rice
OL – Arvin Fletcher, R-Sr., Southern Miss
OL – Khalique Washington, Sr., Southern Miss
OL – Matthew Trehern, R-Jr., UAB
OL – Andrew Meyer, R-So., UTEP
OL – Bobby DeHaro, R-Jr., UTEP
OL – Cole Spencer, R-Jr., WKU
OL – Mason Brooks, Jr., WKU
TE – Jason Pirtle, R-Sr., North Texas
TE – Gerrit Prince, R-Sr., UAB
TE – Leroy Watson, Sr., UTSA
TE – Joshua Simon, So., WKU
WR – CeeJay Powell, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
WR – Smoke Harris, R-So., Louisiana Tech
WR – Jarrin Pierce, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
WR – Jake Bailey, So., Rice
WR – Jason Brownlee, Jr., Southern Miss
WR – Myron Mitchell, R-Sr., UAB
WR – Justin Garrett, R-Sr., UTEP
WR – Joshua Cephus, So., UTSA
WR – Zakhari Franklin, So., UTSA
WR – Xavier Lane, R-Sr., WKU

DEFENSE
DT – Timmy Horne, R-Sr., Charlotte
DT – Davon Strickland, R-So., FIU
DT – Jaylen Joyner, R-So., Florida Atlantic
DT – De’braylon Carroll, So., Rice
DT – Tahj Sykes, R-Jr., Southern Miss
DT – Tyree Turner, R-Sr., UAB
DT – Keenan Stewart, R-So., UTEP
DT – Brandon Matterson, Jr., UTSA
DT – Jaylon Haynes, Sr., UTSA
DT – Jeremy Darvin, R-Sr., WKU
DT – Ricky Barber, R-Fr., WKU
DE – Romeo McKnight, R-Sr., Charlotte
DE – Tyriq Harris, R-Sr., Charlotte
DE – Eric Kendzior, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
DE – Lorenzo Dantzler, R-Sr., UTSA
LB – Tyler Murray, R-Jr., Charlotte
LB – Ahman Ross, R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
LB – Caliph Brice, Sr., Florida Atlantic
LB – Ezekiel Barnett, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
LB – Eli Neal, So., Marshall
LB – KD Davis, Jr., North Texas
LB – Santrell Latham, R-Jr., Southern Miss
LB – Stephen Forester, R-Sr., UTEP
LB – Charles Wiley, Sr., UTSA
LB – Trevor Harmanson, R-Jr., UTSA
LB – Eli Brown, Gr., WKU
LB – Kyle Bailey, Sr., WKU
DB – Ben DeLuca, R-Sr., Charlotte
DB – Dorian Hall, R-Jr., FIU
DB – Josh Turner, R-Jr., FIU
DB – Richard Dames, Sr., FIU
DB – Rishard Dames, R-Jr., FIU
DB – Jordan Helm, R-Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB – Teja Young, R-So., Florida Atlantic
DB – Zyon Gilbert, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB – Khalil Ladler, Gr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Zach Hannibal, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Brandon Drayton, R-Sr., Marshall
DB – Makyle Sanders, Sr., North Texas
DB – Malik Shorts, R-So., Southern Miss
DB – Natrone Brooks, Jr., Southern Miss
DB – Tyler Barnes, Sr., Southern Miss
DB – Damon Miller, So., UAB
DB – Dy’Jonn Turner, Sr., UAB
DB – Will Boler, R-Jr., UAB
DB – Justin Prince, R-Jr., UTEP
DB – Corey Mayfield, Jr., Jr., UTSA
DB – Antwon Kincade, Sr., WKU
DB – Dominique Bradshaw, R-Jr., WKU
DB – Trae Meadows, R-Sr., WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Jacob Barnes, R-Fr., Louisiana Tech
K – Briggs Bourgeois, R-Jr., Southern Miss
K – Matt Quinn, R.Fr., UAB
P – Connor Bowler, R-Jr., Charlotte
P – Tommy Heatherly, Sr., FIU
P – Matt Hayball, R-So., Florida Atlantic
P – Bernardo Rodriguez, R-Jr., North Texas
KR – Deion Hair-Griffin, R-Sr., North Texas
KR – Austin Trammell, Sr., Rice
KR – Duron Lowe, R-Sr., UTEP
KR – Brennon Dingle, R-Sr., UTSA
PR – Jake Bailey, So., Rice
PR – Justin Garrett, R-Sr., UTEP
LS – Tommy Zozus, R-Jr., FIU
LS – Zach Appio, R-Jr., Marshall
LS – Nate Durham, R-Jr., North Texas
LS – Brody Butler, Fr., Middle Tennessee
LS – T.J. Harvey, R-So., Southern Miss
LS – Caleb Cantrell, R-Jr., UTSA
LS – Matt Baldeck, R.Jr., WKU