DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2022 All-Conference football teams Tuesday, as selected by the league’s 11 head football coaches. Eight schools placed at least one player on the first team, with Conference USA champion No. 25 UTSA producing a league-high six selections, followed by runners-up North Texas and UAB producing five apiece. UTSA had the most combined first and second-team members with 11, followed by UAB with 10, UTEP with seven and North Texas and WKU with six apiece.
Three of UTSA’s six first-team selections came on the offensive side of the ball, in 2022 Ryan C-USA Championship Game MVP Frank Harris (305-429 for 3,865 yards with 31 touchdown passes and 120 carries for 588 yards and nine more scores on the ground), WR Zakhari Franklin (86 catches for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns) and OL Ahofitu Maka (started all 13 games). Defensively, the Roadrunners boast a trio of first-team selections in DT Brandon Brown (20 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble), DB Clifford Chattman (68 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 14 pass break-ups) and DB Corey Mayfield, Jr. (60 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass break-ups and a forced fumble). UTSA is slated to play on Dec. 16 in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl in Orlando against CFP No. 24 Troy.
North Texas, who finished 6-2 in league play and fell in the title game, produced five first-team selections in TE Var’Keyes Gumms (33 catches for 451 yards and five touchdowns), OL Manase Mose (started all 13 games), LB KD Davis (132 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a pass break-up), DB Ridge Texada (40 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 15 pass break-ups) and KR Kaylon Horton (25.3 yards per return on 23 attempts and one touchdown). North Texas will take on Boise State in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 17.
UAB, who boasts the nation’s fifth-ranked rushing attack (243.8 yards per game), also put three players on the first team on the offensive side of the ball. The nation’s leading rusher RB DeWayne McBride (155.7 yards per game, 233 carries for 1,713 yards and 19 touchdowns) highlights that group that also includes OL Sidney Wells (started all 12 games) and OL Kadeem Telfort (started 11 games). Defensively the Blazers are represented by LB Noah Wilder (102 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a pair of pass break-ups) and DB Starling Thomas V (28 tackles, one tackle for loss and 15 pass break-ups). The Blazers are set to open bowl season in the Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl against Miami (OH) on Dec. 16
UTEP was one of three programs to place three players on the first-team, led offensively by OL Jeremiah Byers (started all 12 games for the Miners), defensively by DE Jadrian Taylor (42 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, four pass break-ups, a 100-yard fumble return for a touchdown and two forced fumbles) and on special teams by K Gavin Baechle (22-24 on field goals, with a long of 54, and a perfect 31-31 on extra points).
Also boasting three first-team selections, Middle Tennessee is represented by DE Jordan Ferguson (63 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, five quarterback hurries, five pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick), P Kyle Ulbrich (averaged 46.2 yards per attempt on 60 punts, with a long of 72, 26 of 50+ yards and 25 inside the 20) and LS Brody Butler (perfect on all 77 of his snaps). The Blue Raiders will be playing in the Easypost Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24 against San Diego State.
Louisiana Tech also placed three players on the first team, in WR Tre Harris (65 catches for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns), DT Keive Rose (24 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a pair of forced fumbles) and PR Smoke Harris (averaged 12.4 yards per return on 19 attempts).
WKU, who finished 6-2 in league play and just missed out on a return to the title game, will be playing in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl against South Alabama on Dec. 21. The Hilltoppers are represented by a pair of players on the first team, one on each side of the ball in WR Malachi Corley (90 catches for 1,179 yards and nine touchdowns) and LB JaQues “Donut” Evans (100 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, four pass break-ups and one blocked kick).
Florida Atlantic had one player on the first team, in RB Larry McCammon III (194 carries for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns and also caught 15 passes for 165 yards and another touchdown).
The league’s individual awards will be released Wednesday, Dec. 7. Conference USA will conclude the 2022 season by sending six teams to bowl games.
First Team
OFFENSE
QB: Frank Harris, UTSA
RB: DeWayne McBride, UAB
RB: Larry McCammon III, Florida Atlantic
WR: Zakhari Franklin, UTSA
WR: Malachi Corley, WKU
WR: Tre Harris, LA Tech
TE: Var’Keyes Gumms, North Texas
OL: Ahofitu Maka, UTSA
OL: Manase Mose, North Texas
OL: Jeremiah Byers, UTEP
OL: Sidney Wells, UAB
OL: Kadeem Telfort, UAB
DE: Jadrian Taylor, UTEP
DT: Brandon Brown, UTSA
DT: Keivie Rose, LA Tech
DE: Jordan Ferguson, Middle Tennessee
LB: KD Davis, North Texas
LB: Noah Wilder, UAB
LB: JaQues Evans, WKU
DB: Clifford Chattman, UTSA
DB: Corey Mayfield Jr., UTSA
DB: Ridge Texada, North Texas
DB: Starling Thomas V, UAB
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Gavin Baechle, UTEP
P: Kyle Ulbrich, Middle Tennessee
LS: Brody Butler, Middle Tennessee
KR: Kaylon Horton, North Texas
PR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech
Second Team
OFFENSE
QB: Austin Reed, WKU
RB: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB
RB: Deion Hankins, UTEP
WR: De’Corian Clark, UTSA
WR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA
WR: Grant DuBose, Charlotte
TE: Joshua Simon, WKU
OL: Will Rykard, UAB
OL: Shea Baker, Rice
OL: Brendan Bordner, Florida Atlantic
OL: Gunner Britton, WKU
OL: Quincy McGee, UAB
DEFENSE
DE: Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
DT: Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic
DT: Fish McWilliams, UAB
DE: Amir Siddiq, Charlotte
LB: Mazin Richards, North Texas
LB: Jamal Ligon, UTSA
LB: Tyrice Knight, UTEP
DB: Teldrick Ross, Middle Tennessee
DB: Grayson Cash, UAB
DB: Kahlef Hailassie, WKU
DB: Myles Brooks, LA Tech
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Jared Sackett, UTSA
P: Lucas Dean, UTSA
LS: Angelo Tejada, UTEP
KR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech
PR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
Honorable Mention:
QB: Austin Aune, North Texas
QB: Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee
QB: Chris Reynolds, Charlotte
QB: Grayson James, FIU
RB: Marquis Crosby, LA Tech
RB: Brenden Brady, UTSA
RB: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA
RB: Frank Peasant, Middle Tennessee
RB: Kye Robichaux, WKU
WR: Tyrin Smith, UTEP
WR: Daewood Davis, WKU
WR: Trea Shropshire, UAB
WR: Bradley Rozner, Rice
WR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
WR: Elijah Spencer, Charlotte
WR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic
WR: Tejhaun Palmer, UAB
WR: Jyaire Shorter, North Texas
TE: Jake Roberts, North Texas
TE: Oscar Cardenas, UTSA
TE: Rivaldo Fairweather, FIU
TE: Jack Bradley, Rice
TE: Izaiah Gathings, Middle Tennessee
OL: Rusty Staats, WKU
OL: Ernesto Almaraz, UTSA
OL: Andrew Meyer, UTEP
OL: Quantavious Leslie, WKU
OL: Kevin Davis, UTSA
OL: Walker Baty, UTSA
OL: Ashton Gist, Charlotte
OL: Nick Weber, Florida Atlantic
OL: Carson Bruno, LA Tech
OL: Joshua Mote, LA Tech
OL: Jacob Peace, FIU
OL: Vincent Murphy, WKU
OL: Clay Servin, Rice
OL: Justin Mayers, UTEP
OL: Terrell Haynes, UTSA
OL: Jordan Palmer, Middle Tennessee
OL: Matthew Trehern, UAB
OL: Elijah Klein, UTEP
OL: Steven Hubbard, UTEP
OL: Dakota White, LA Tech
OL: Bert Hale, LA Tech
DE: Ikenna Enechukwu, Rice
DE: Nick Booker-Brown, UTSA
DE: Markees Watts, Charlotte
DE: Juwuan Jones, WKU
DE: Zaylin Wood, Middle Tennessee
DE: Trey Schuman, Rice
DE: Drew Tuazama, UAB
DT: Kelton Moss, UTEP
DT: Keenan Stewart, UTEP
DT: Brodric Martin, WKU
DT: Isaiah Forte, UAB
DT: Joe Evans, UTSA
DT: Marley Cook, Middle Tennessee
DT: Davon Strickland, FIU
LB: Trey Moore, UTSA
LB: Derrick Smith, WKU
LB: Trevor Harmanson, UTSA
LB: Cal Wallerstadt, UTEP
LB: Gaethan Bernadel, FIU
LB: Josh Pearcy, Rice
LB: Shaun Peterson Jr., FIU
LB: Donovan Manuel, FIU
LB: Tyler Taylor, UAB
DB: Decorian Patterson, Middle Tennessee
DB: Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee
DB: Nicktroy Fortune, UTSA
DB: Kobe Hylton, UTEP
DB: DeShawn Gaddie, North Texas
DB: Teja Young, Florida Atlantic
DB: Kaleb Oliver, WKU
DB: Geo Howard, Charlotte
DB: Jaylen Key, UAB
DB: Armani Adams, Florida Atlantic
DB: Logan Wilson, North Texas
DB: Dennis Barnes, UTEP
DB: Willie Roberts, LA Tech
DB: Upton Stout, WKU
DB: Keondre Swoopes, UAB
DB: Dadrian Taylor, UTSA
DB: Jordan Dunbar, Rice
K: Ethan Mooney, North Texas
K: Brayden Narveson, WKU
K: Zeke Rankin, Middle Tennessee
P: Kyle Greenwell, UAB
P: Tom Ellard, WKU
P: Daton Montiel, FIU
P: Riley Thompson, Florida Atlantic
P: Joshua Sloan, UTEP
LS: J.P. Hadley, North Texas
LS: Jake Bowman, WKU
LS: Cole Kizziah, UAB
LS: Caleb Cantrell, UTSA
LS: Nicholas Marino, Florida Atlantic
KR: Chris Carpenter, UTSA
KR: Shadrick Byrd, Charlotte
KR: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB
KR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
PR: Marcus Bellon, UTEP
PR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic
PR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA
-ConferenceUSA.com-
