The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga had a league-high 17 football student-athletes honored on the All-Southern Conference Coaches and Media Teams, the league office announced today. Senior quarterback Jacob Huesman became the first player in league history to be named SoCon Offensive Player of the Year three times in voting by the head coaches. He was also the media choice for player of the year for the second consecutive season.
Huesman is one of just six players in league history to earn the award more than once, led the Mocs to a share of their third straight SoCon title and a second straight FCS playoff berth.
The Chattanooga, Tenn., native is the only player in the Southern Conference with more than 1,000 yards passing and rushing this year, as he has thrown for 1,745 and run for 1,018, finding the end zone seven times through the air and 11 times on the ground.
Huesman, who is second in the league in rushing at 92.5 yards per game, is fifth in passing yards per game (158.6) and fourth in passing efficiency (131.8) and this season became just the fourth player in FCS history to reach 40 touchdowns rushing and 40 passing for his career. He ranks third in SoCon history in career total offense (11,650 yards), rushing yards by a quarterback (3,825) and touchdown passes (59). The senior, who was four-time offensive player of the week and the September player of the month this season, is on the STATS Offensive Player of the Year watch list.
Chattanooga's Corey Levin repeats as the Jacob's Blocking Award winner as the top offensive lineman in the league. He is the 11th player in league history to earn the honor in consecutive years and the first since Appalachian State's Kerry Brown did so in 2006 and 2007.
Levin, a junior from Dacula, Ga., anchored an offensive line that paved the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Huesman and first-team All-SoCon running back Derrick Craine. UTC, the only team in the league with a pair of runners over the century mark, ranks third in the league with 232.0 rushing yards per game. Levin is also a first-team all-conference selection for the second straight season.
Junior running back Derrick Craine joined Levin and Huesman on both the media and coaches first team offense. He led the league with 12 rushing touchdowns and is third with 91.1 yards per game. Senior offensive lineman Synjen Herren made the media's first team and was on the coaches' second team.
Junior defensive lineman Keionta Davis and junior linebacker Nakevion Leslie were consensus first team picks on the defensive side of the ball. Davis, who is on the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, leads the SoCon with 10.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles-for-loss. Leslie has a team-high 77 tackles and is second in the league with 13.5 TFLs.
Junior defensive back Cedric Nettles made the coaches first team, while sophomore DB Lucas Webbwas a first team pick by the media. Senior DL Josh Freeman made both second teams. He was joined on the coaches' second team by senior DL Toyvian Brand, junior LB A.J. Hampton and junior DB Dee Virgin. Junior C.J. Board was a second team return specialist according to the coaches' votes.
Defensive backs C.J. Fritz and Montrell Pardue and DL Isaiah Mack all made the SoCon All-Freshmen team.
The Mocs are set to host No. 14/15 Fordham in the first round of the FCS Playoffs this weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) at Finley Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28. Tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).
2015 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year – Jacob Huesman, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year – Mitchell Jeter, Sr., DL, The Citadel
Freshman of the Year – Kelvin McKnight, WR, Samford
Jacobs Blocking Award – Corey Levin, Jr., OL, Chattanooga
Coach of the Year – Mike Houston, The Citadel
First Team Offense
QB Jacob Huesman, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Derrick Craine, Jr., Chattanooga
RB Detrez Newsome, So., Western Carolina
OL Sam Frye, Sr., The Citadel
OL Joe Turner, Sr., Furman
OL Armando Bonheur, Jr., Samford
OL Corey Levin, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Anton Wahrby, Jr., Wofford
TE Tyler Sexton, Jr., Western Carolina
WR Karel Hamilton, Jr., Samford
WR Aaron Sanders, Jr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Mitchell Jeter, Sr., The Citadel
DL Michael Pierce, Sr., Samford
DL Keionta Davis, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Caleb Hawkins, Sr., Western Carolina
LB Cory Magwood, Sr., Furman
LB Justin Cooper, Sr., Samford
LB Nakevion Leslie, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Dee Delaney, So., The Citadel
DB Jamerson Blount, Jr., Samford
DB James Bradberry, R-Sr., Samford
DB Cedric Nettles, Jr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Henrique Ribeiro, Jr., Chattanooga
P Ian Berryman, Fr., Western Carolina
RS Quinlan Washington, Fr., The Citadel
RS Dane Forlines, Jr., VMI
Second Team Offense
QB Troy Mitchell, Sr., Western Carolina
RB Tee Mitchell, So., Mercer
RB Lorenzo Long, Jr., Wofford
OL Kyle Weaver, Jr., The Citadel
OL Bret Niederreither, Jr., Mercer
OL Gunnar Bromelow, Sr., Samford
OL Synjen Herren, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Josh Wineberg, Sr., Western Carolina
TE Duncan Fletcher, Jr., Furman
WR Andrej Suttles, Jr., Furman
WR Karnorris Benson, Sr., Western Carolina
Second Team Defense
DL Mark Thomas, Sr., The Citadel
DL Toyvian Brand, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Josh Freeman, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, Fr., Wofford
LB Tevin Floyd, Jr., The Citadel
LB A.J. Hampton, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Daniel Riddle, So., Western Carolina
DB Kailik Williams, So., The Citadel
DB Trey Robinson, Jr., Furman
DB Dee Virgin, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Lucas Webb, So., Chattanooga
DB Trey Morgan, Jr., Western Carolina
Second Team Specialists
PK Anthony Pistelli, Sr., Samford
P Austin Barnard, So., Samford
RS C.J. Board, Jr., Chattanooga
All-Freshman Offense
Tyler Davis, OL, The Citadel
Evan McField, RB, The Citadel
Triston Luke, RB, Furman
Marquise Irvin, WR, Mercer
Jimmie Robinson, WR, Mercer
Sam Walker, TE, Mercer
Devlin Hodges, QB, Samford
Kelvin McKnight, WR, Samford
Daunte Mauck, WR, VMI
Nathan Dalton, OL, Western Carolina
Zach Weeks, OL, Western Carolina
All-Freshman Defense
Ken Allen, DL, The Citadel
Quinlan Washington, LB, The Citadel
Aaquil Annoor, DB, Furman
Jaylan Reid, DL, Furman
Isaiah Buehler, DE, Mercer
Ahmad Gooden, DL, Samford
C.J. Fritz, DB, Chattanooga
Isaiah Mack, DL, Chattanooga
Montrell Pardue, DB, Chattanooga
Marvin Tillman, DB, Western Carolina
Miles Brown, DL, Wofford
All-Freshman Specialists
Jimmie Robinson, RS, Mercer
Ian Berryman, P, Western Carolina
Logan Howard, PK, Western Carolina
2015 Media All-Southern Conference Football Team
Roy M. "Legs" Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Jacob Huesman, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year – Cory Magwood, Sr., LB, Furman
Freshman of the Year – Kelvin McKnight, WR, Samford
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Mike Houston, The Citadel
First Team Offense
QB Jacob Huesman, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Derrick Craine, Jr., Chattanooga
RB Detrez Newsome, So., Western Carolina
OL Sam Frye, Sr., The Citadel
OL Gunnar Bromelow, Sr., Samford
OL Synjen Herren, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Corey Levin, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Anton Wahrby, Jr., Wofford
TE Tyler Sexton, Jr., Western Carolina
WR Karel Hamilton, Jr., Samford
WR Aaron Sanders, Jr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Mitchell Jeter, Sr., The Citadel
DL Michael Pierce, Sr., Samford
DL Keionta Davis, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Caleb Hawkins, Sr., Western Carolina
LB Cory Magwood, Sr., Furman
LB Nakevion Leslie, Jr., Chattanooga
LB Daniel Riddle, So., Western Carolina
DB Dee Delaney, So., The Citadel
DB Trey Robinson, Jr., Furman
DB Jamerson Blount, Jr., Samford
DB Lucas Webb, So., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Anthony Pistelli, Sr., Samford
P Matt Shiel, So., Mercer
RS Dane Forlines, Jr., VMI
Second Team Offense
QB Troy Mitchell, Sr., Western Carolina
RB Tee Mitchell, So., Mercer
RB Lorenzo Long, Jr., Wofford
OL Kyle Weaver, Jr., The Citadel
OL Joe Turner, Sr., Furman
OL Bret Niederreither, Jr., Mercer
OL Jake Thornton, Sr., Western Carolina
OL Josh Wineberg, Sr., Western Carolina
TE Robert Brown, Jr., Mercer
WR Andrej Suttles, Jr., Furman
WR Emmanuel Obajimi, Jr., Samford
Second Team Defense
DL Ahmad Gooden, Fr., Samford
DL Josh Freeman, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Joe Nelson, Jr., VMI
DL Miles Brown, Fr., Wofford
LB Tevin Floyd, Jr., The Citadel
LB Tosin Aguebor, Jr., Mercer
LB Ryan Francis, So., VMI
LB Tyson Dickson, Jr., Western Carolina
DB Reggie Thomas, Sr., Furman
DB James Bradberry, Sr., Samford
DB Sertonuse Harris, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Brion Anderson, Sr., Wofford
Second Team Specialists
PK Eric Goins, Jr., The Citadel
P Ian Berryman, Fr., Western Carolina
RS Quinlan Washington, Fr., The Citadel