FRISCO, Texas – All-America candidate
Robert Alford highlighted a group of 10 Southeastern Louisiana University student-athletes who were named Tuesday to the 2012 All-Southland Conference football team in a release by the league office.
Alford, a Hammond native and Buck Buchanan Award nominee, was Southeastern's lone first-team selection. He was joined on the team by second-team selections
Gasten Gabriel (Offensive Line),
Xavier Roberson (All-Purpose),
Devan Walker (Linebacker) and
Beau Mothe (Punter). Named to the honorable mention team for Southeastern were
Jeremy Meyers (Tight End/H-Back),
Tony McCrea (Wide Receiver),
Tramaine Lucas (Defensive Line),
Tyler Stoddard (Defensive Back) and
Todd Washington (Defensive Back).
Alford, who was a second-team selection in 2011, finished with 39 tackles on the season with five stops for loss and a team-high 12 passes defended. The former Hammond High product intercepted a team-high four passes on the season and led the Lions with a 14.1 punt return average.
Gabriel, the Lions' left tackle, earned his second appearance on the All-Conference team after earning honorable mention notice in 2011. Gabriel started all 11 games for the Lions and led a unit that yielded five sacks in Southland Conference play – the third fewest in the league.
Roberson, a converted defensive back, led Southeastern in rushing (488 yards, 4 TDs), and kick return average (33.3 yards) and tied a single-season record with two kickoff returns for touchdowns. The true freshman led Southeastern in scoring (42 points) that included a touchdown reception against league co-champion Central Arkansas.
Walker earned All-Conference honors for the first after being converted from defensive end. The fifth-year senior recorded 46 tackles for the Lions and led the team in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7). The Catholic High product recorded four quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one forced fumble for the Lions.
Mothe led All-Southland Conference punters with a 43.5 yard average – the third-highest single-season mark in school history. The former Jesuit High product averaged 50.0 yards or better in three games on the season and recorded 13 punts of over 50 yards.
Meyers, who signed with the Lions in 2010 as a quarterback before moving to the defensive side in 2011, found a home as the Lions' tight end in 2012 finishing fourth on the team in receptions (21) while leading the team with three TDs. The Baton Rouge native and former St. Michael the Archangel product recorded his first career TD in a 42-27 victory over Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 10 and added a pair of TDs in the Lions' 35-16 win over Nicholls State last week in the annual River Bell Classic.
McCrea, who returned to the lineup after missing the entire 2011 season, led Southeastern with 28 receptions for 401 yards and a touchdown. McCrea caught a season-high six passes against UCA and added a punt return for a touchdown against SFA.
Lucas, a fifth-year senior, earned league honors for the first time after leading all Southeastern linemen with 32 tackles on the season. The former Glen Oaks star tallied 5.5 tackles for loss and recorded a pair of sacks while being part of a defensive unit that finished third overall in total defense during league play.
Stoddard also earned league honors for the first time after finishing third on the team with 63 tackles. The former Westlake High product finished second on the team with a pair of interceptions while recording 4.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one sack and one blocked kick.
Washington, in his second year at Southeastern after transferring from Memphis, totaled 27 tackles for the Lions while leading the team with nine pass breakups. The former Lutcher High product recorded 2.0 tackles for loss and recorded an interception in the Lions victory at Nicholls State.
2012 Southland Conference Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State
Offensive Player of the Year: Wynrick Smothers, Central Arkansas
Defensive Player of the Year: Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Corey Howard, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Jonathan Woodard, Central Arkansas
Newcomer of the Year: Kevin Johnson, Lamar
Coach of the Year: Clint Conque, Central Arkansas
2012 All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
Pos. Name Univ. Cl. Hometown
QB Wynrick Smothers UCA Jr. Destrehan, La.
RB Timothy Flanders SHSU Jr. Midwest City, Okla.
RB Gus Johnson SFA So. Gilmer, Texas
TE/HB T.J. Jones SHSU Sr. Tyler, Texas
WR Cordell Roberson SFA Sr. Jefferson, Texas
WR Jesse Grandy UCA Sr. Pine Bluff, Ark.
WR Dominique Croom UCA Sr. Cherokee, Ala.
OL Corey Howard UCA Sr. Wichita Falls, Texas
OL Kaleb Hopson SHSU Sr. Early, Texas
OL John Steel SFA Sr. Boyd, Texas
OL Arinze Agada MSU Jr. Houston, Texas
OL Chris Rogers SHSU Sr. Littleton, Colo.
AP Richard Sincere SHSU Jr. Galveston, Texas
PK Eddie Camara UCA So. Cedar Hill, Texas
First Team Defense
Pos. Name Univ. Cl. Hometown
DL Willie Jefferson SFA Sr. Beaumont, Texas
DL J.T. Cleveland SHSU Sr. Baytown, Texas
DL Jonathan Woodard UCA Fr. Brentwood, Tenn.
DL Darren Robinson SFA So. Dallas, Texas
LB Darius Taylor SHSU Sr. Mesquite, Texas
LB Seth Allison UCA Sr. Stuttgart, Ark.
LB Derek Rose NSU Sr. New Orleans, La.
DB Darnell Taylor SHSU Sr. Mesquite, Texas
DB Robert Alford SLU Sr. Hammond, La.
DB Dax Swanson SHSU Sr. Waco, Texas
DB Josh Aubrey SFA Sr. Tyler, Texas
DB Jestin Love UCA Jr. West Memphis, Ark.
P Matt Foster SHSU Sr. Melbourne, Australia
KR Jesse Grandy UCA Sr. Pine Bluff, Ark.
PR Jesse Grandy UCA Sr. Pine Bluff Ark.
Second Team Offense
Pos. Name Univ. Cl. Hometown
QB Brian Bell SHSU Jr. China Spring, Texas
RB Marcus Wiltz MSU Jr. Cecilia, La.
RB Jackie Hinton UCA Sr. Houston, Texas
TE Nick Scelfo NICH So. Baton Rouge, La.
WR Trey Diller SHSU Sr. Spring, Texas
WR Darius Carey MSU Sr. New Orleans, La.
WR D.J. Ward SFA Fr. The Woodlands, Texas
OL Alec Savoie MSU Sr. Lafayette, La.
OL Gasten Gabriel SLU Jr. Jackson, La.
OL Taylor Johnson MSU Sr. League City, Texas
OL Cole Caruthers UCA So. Sugar Land, Texas
OL Sean Robertson LU Sr. Copperas Cove, Texas
AP Xavier Roberson SLU Fr. Atlanta, Ga.
PK John Shaughnessy NSU Sr. Shreveport, La.
Second Team Defense
Pos. Name Univ Cl. Hometown
DL Matt Hornbuckle UCA Jr. Colleyville, Texas
DL Gary Lorance SHSU Jr. Baytown, Texas
DL Jesse Dickson LU Jr. Houston, Texas
DL Everett Ellefsen MSU So. Madisonville, La.
LB Jordan Piper NICH Sr. New Orleans, La.
LB Devan Walker SLU Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
LB Joe Narcisse MSU Sr. Vacherie, La.
DB Terence Cahee MSU Jr. Westlake, La.
DB Kenneth Jenkins SHSU Sr. Galveston, Texas
DB Bookie Sneed SHSU Jr. Conroe, Texas
DB Jamaal White NSU Sr. Garland, Texas
DB Cortez Paige NSU Sr. Houston, Texas
P Beau Mothe SLU Sr. New Orleans, La.
KR Trey Diller SHSU Sr. Spring, Texas
PR Darius Carey MSU Sr. New Orleans, La.
2 - indicates two-time all-conference selection
3 - indicates three-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention:
Quarterback: Brady Attaway, Stephen F. Austin.
Running Back: Marcus Washington, Nicholls State; Keshawn Hill, Sam Houston State.
Tight End/H-Back: Mike Brooks, Stephen F. Austin;
Jeremy Meyers, Southeastern Louisiana; Corey Simmons, Northwestern State; Chase Dixon, Central Arkansas.
Wide Receiver: Kevin Johnson, Lamar; Dezmin Lewis, Central Arkansas; Louis Hollier, Northwestern State; Erik Buchanan, Nicholls State;
Tony McCrea, Southeastern Louisiana. Offensive Linemen: Warren Jones, Northwestern State; Austin Wright, Stephen F. Austin; Abasi Salimu, Nicholls State; Donald Jackson, Sam Houston State; Andrew Ratliff, Stephen F. Austin; Riley Smith, Sam Houston State; Jonathan Landry, McNeese State; Carson Chaisson, McNeese State; Ryne Chambers, Stephen F. Austin.
Offensive All-Purpose: Phillip Harvey, Northwestern State; Ryan Gambel, Stephen F. Austin.
Defensive Linemen: Lesley Deamer, Northwestern State; Pat Williams, McNeese State; Tramaine
Lucas, Southeastern Louisiana; Jarrett Brown, Sam Houston State; John Prescott, Lamar; Wade Williams, Northwestern State.
Linebacker: Ryan Epperson, Stephen F. Austin; Justin Heard, Central Arkansas; Jermaine Longino, Lamar; Marcus Malbrough, Lamar; Kerry Guidry, Nicholls State; Patrick Black, Northwestern State; Robert Shaw, Sam Houston State; Jesse Beauchamp, Sam Houston State; Collin Garrett, Stephen F. Austin.
Defensive Back: Branden Thomas, Lamar; Guy Morgan; McNeese State; Ford Smesny, McNeese State; Chad Allen, Lamar; Caleb Nelson, Stephen F. Austin;
Tyler Stoddard, Southeastern Louisiana; Dillon Winfrey, Central Arkansas;
Todd Washington, Southeastern Louisiana. Placekicker: Miguel Antonio, Sam Houston State; Jordan Wiggs, Stephen F. Austin.
Punter: Cory Kemps, Nicholls State.
Kick Return Specialist: Kevin Johnson, Lamar; Phillip Harvey, Northwestern State.
