Jeremiah Briscoe Named Southland Football Player of the Year
Southland Conference
After leading the No. 1 Bearkats to an undefeated regular season and conference championship, Sam Houston State junior quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe was named the Southland Conference Football Player of the Year and First-Team All-Southland.
Briscoe has thrown for an FCS-best 4096 yards and 52 touchdowns. He is on pace to break the all-time FCS single-season touchdown record of 56 set in 1984 (tied in 2005).
The Bearkats (11-0, 9-0 SLC) headlined nearly all individual awards, with junior defensive end P.J. Hall being named Defensive Player of the Year and junior wide receiver Yedidiah Louis earning Offensive Player of the Year. Fellow wide receiver Nathan Stewart was also named Freshman of the Year. Anchoring the front line of the Bearkat offense is senior offensive lineman Bridge Blount, Southland Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Hall led the league in sacks (9.5 total, 1.06 per game) and tackles for loss (20.0 total, 2.22 per game). He is tied for 12
th in the FCS for sacks and 7
th nationally in tackles for loss.
Yedidiah Louis posted five 100-yard receiving performances this season, a league best. Louis also ranked first in receiving yards per game (95.1) and receptions per game (6.3) while scoring nine touchdowns.
Fellow Bearkat receiver Nathan Stewart led the Southland with 11 touchdowns on the season against conference opponents and ranked right behind Louis with 82.1 average receiving yards per game.
In his third season with Sam Houston State, head coach K.C. Keeler was named Southland Coach of the Year. His regular season record with the Bearkats now stands at 33-9, 23-3 SLC. Keeler has made two straight FCS Semifinal appearances.
Sophomore quarterback James Tabary from McNeese was tabbed as Newcomer of the Year in his first year following a transfer from Arkansas State. In his debut year for the Cowboys, Tabary threw for 3036 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The league’s best defense in Central Arkansas earned seven All-Conference team selections through the First- and Second-Team defenses, including three of the five defensive back spots on the First Team. The Bears led the Southland in scoring defense (18.8 average points allowed per game), rushing defense (80.8 average yards allowed per game), total defense (309.0 average total yards allowed per game) and pass defense efficiency.
2016 Southland Football All-Conference Individual Awards
Coach of the Year: K.C. Keeler – Sam Houston State (11-0, 9-0 SLC)
Player of the Year: Jeremiah Briscoe – Jr., QB #16 – Sam Houston State
Defensive Player of the Year: P.J. Hall – Jr., DE #92 – Sam Houston State
Offensive Player of the Year: Yedidiah Louis – Jr., WR #9 – Sam Houston State
Freshman of the Year: Nathan Stewart – Fr., WR #81 – Sam Houston State
Newcomer of the Year: James Tabary – So., QB #4 – McNeese
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Bridge Blount – Sr., OL #52 – Sam Houston State
2016 All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First-Team Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| QB |
Jeremiah Briscoe |
Sam Houston State |
6'3" |
220 |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| RB |
De'Mard Llorens |
Northwestern State |
5'10" |
212 |
Sr. |
Natchitoches, La. |
| RB |
Corey Avery |
Sam Houston State |
5'10" |
190 |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Juwaan Rogers |
Southeastern Louisiana |
6'0" |
245 |
Sr. |
Amite, La. |
| WR |
Yedidiah Louis |
Sam Houston State |
5'8" |
187 |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
Desmond Smith |
Central Arkansas |
6'1" |
202 |
Sr. |
Bentonville, Ark. |
| WR |
Nathan Stewart |
Sam Houston State |
6'1" |
169 |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| OL |
Bridge Blount |
Sam Houston State |
5'9" |
295 |
Sr. |
Huntsville, Texas |
| OL |
Stockton Mallett |
Central Arkansas |
6'3" |
307 |
Jr. |
Harrison, Ark. |
| OL |
Chandler Arceneaux |
Nicholls |
6'4" |
260 |
RS-So. |
Bourg, La. |
| OL |
Tyler Tezeno |
Sam Houston State |
6'4" |
317 |
Jr. |
Spring, Texas |
| OL |
Taylor Gadbois |
Southeastern Louisiana |
6'6" |
300 |
Sr. |
Dallas, Ga. |
| AP |
Jatavius Wilson |
Central Arkansas |
5'9' |
173 |
Sr. |
Bastrop, La. |
| K |
Nik Grau |
Abilene Christian |
6'1" |
230 |
RS-Jr. |
Grapevine, Texas |
First-Team Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| DL |
P.J. Hall |
Sam Houston State |
6'1" |
280 |
Jr. |
Seguin, Texas |
| DL |
Sully Laiche |
Nicholls |
6'2" |
255 |
Fr. |
Gramercy, La. |
| DL |
Jordan Toliver |
Central Arkansas |
6'1" |
299 |
Sr. |
Duncanville, Texas |
| DL |
John Franklin |
Stephen F. Austin |
6'4" |
278 |
Jr. |
Greenville, Texas |
| LB |
Garrett Dolan |
Houston Baptist |
6'2" |
240 |
Jr. |
Mont Belvieu, Texas |
| LB |
Sam Denmark |
Abilene Christian |
6'1" |
230 |
Jr. |
Las Cruces, N.M. |
| LB |
Justin Johnson |
Sam Houston State |
6'1" |
224 |
So. |
Converse, Texas |
| DB |
Brendan Langley |
Lamar |
6'2" |
193 |
Sr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
| DB |
Tremon Smith |
Central Arkansas |
6'0" |
186 |
Jr. |
Anniston, Ala. |
| DB |
George Odum |
Central Arkansas |
6'2" |
190 |
Jr. |
Millington, Tenn. |
| DB |
Tyler Williams |
Central Arkansas |
6'1" |
194 |
Sr. |
Norcross, Ga. |
| DB |
Darion Flowers |
Sam Houston State |
6'0" |
195 |
Jr. |
Tyler, Texas |
| P |
Joseph Figenshaw |
Sam Houston State |
6'1" |
205 |
Sr. |
Rosenberg, Texas |
| KR |
Khalil Thomas |
McNeese |
5'9" |
184 |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| PR |
Brendan Langley |
Lamar |
6'2" |
193 |
Sr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
Second-Team Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| QB |
Hayden Hildebrand |
Central Arkansas |
6'3" |
196 |
Jr. |
Bossier City, La. |
| RB |
Julius Maracalin |
Southeastern Louisiana |
6'0" |
215 |
So. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| RB |
Remus Bulmer |
Sam Houston State |
5'7" |
185 |
So. |
Missouri City, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Zach Hetrick |
McNeese |
6'3" |
246 |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| WR |
C.J. Bates |
Nicholls |
6'1" |
200 |
Sr. |
Louisville, Miss. |
| WR |
Davion Davis |
Sam Houston State |
5'11" |
175 |
So. |
Hutto, Texas |
| WR |
Darious Crawley |
McNeese |
5'11" |
190 |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OL |
John Cook |
Central Arkansas |
6'4" |
319 |
So. |
Grenada, Miss. |
| OL |
Curtis Riser |
Sam Houston State |
6'4" |
320 |
Sr. |
DeSoto, Texas |
| OL |
Chris Bordelon |
Nicholls |
6'6" |
315 |
Sr. |
White Castle, La. |
| OL |
Josh Keith |
Stephen F. Austin |
6'7" |
318 |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
| OL |
Cameron Hussey |
Northwestern State |
6'2" |
281 |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| AP |
Kody Edwards |
UIW |
6'0" |
165 |
Jr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
| K |
Alec Chadwick |
Houston Baptist |
6'2" |
162 |
So. |
Valencia, Calif. |
Second-Team Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| DL |
Kedrick Harrison |
Stephen F. Austin |
6'2" |
246 |
Sr. |
Coldspring, Texas |
| DL |
Cardell Best |
Central Arkansas |
6'3" |
248 |
Jr. |
Little Elm, Texas |
| DL |
Jammerio Gross-Whitaker |
McNeese |
6'3" |
224 |
Jr. |
Shreveport, La. |
| DL |
Mouf Adebo |
Sam Houston State |
6'0" |
196 |
Jr. |
Monroe, La. |
| LB |
Allen Pittman |
Nicholls |
5'11" |
205 |
RS-Fr. |
St. Rose, La. |
| LB |
Sione Teuhema |
Southeastern Louisiana |
6'4" |
260 |
Jr. |
Keller, Texas |
| LB |
Josh Zellars |
UIW |
6'0" |
210 |
Sr. |
Baytown, Texas |
| DB |
Xavier Bethany |
Lamar |
6'0" |
192 |
Sr. |
Burton, Texas |
| DB |
Devin Spurlock |
Central Arkansas |
6'2" |
201 |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| DB |
Andre Fuller |
McNeese |
6'0" |
196 |
Jr. |
Monroe, La. |
| DB |
Javon Tillman |
Southeastern Louisiana |
6'2" |
180 |
Jr. |
Oakland, Calif. |
| DB |
B.T. Sanders |
Nicholls |
6'0" |
195 |
Sr. |
Foley, Ala. |
| P |
Patrick Ponder |
Central Arkansas |
6'1" |
200 |
Jr. |
Bay St. Louis, Miss. |
| KR |
Jaylen Harris |
Sam Houston State |
5'8" |
175 |
R-Fr. |
Cibolo, Texas |
| PR |
Trae Hart |
Stephen F. Austin |
5'11" |
175 |
Jr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
Honorable Mentions
Quarterback: Chase Fourcade, Nicholls; Tony Dawson, Houston Baptist; Zach Conque, Stephen F. Austin.
Running Back: Terrance Peters, Houston Baptist; Kade Harrington, Lamar.
Tight End/H-Back: Cody Dauksch, Central Arkansas; Deon Hutchinson, Sam Houston State; DeAndre Jennings, Lamar; Kiki Hill, Stephen F. Austin.
Wide Reciver: Jatavious Wilson, Central Arkansas; Brandon Acker, Southeastern La.; Juwan Dickey, Southeastern La.; Tamrick Pace, Stephen F. Austin.
Offensive Lineman: Riley Mayfield, Abilene Christian; Dakota Laws, Abilene Christian; Draven Taylor, UIW; Ryan Hanley, Nicholls; Chris Zirkle, Northwestern State; Travis Romero, Southeastern La.
Offensive All-Purpose: Tony Dawson, Houston Baptist.
Defensive Lineman: Chris Terrell, Central Arkansas; Terrence Partee, Central Arkansas; Andre Walker, Houston Baptist; Koby Couron, Lamar; Chris Livings, McNeese; Ronald Ollie, Nicholls; James DeLaRosa, Sam Houston State; Sione Latu, Sam Houston State; Anthony Murphy, Southeastern La.; Jon Taylor, Southeastern La.
Linebacker: Bryson Gates, Abilene Christian; Cody Moncure, Houston Baptist; Cameron Hampton, Lamar; A.J. Davis, Sam Houston State; Tre’ Bennett, Southeastern La.; George Stone, Stephen F. Austin.
Defensive Back: Derek Broussard, Houston Baptist; Jeff Hall, Nicholls; Austin Balthazor, Northwestern State; Tyrel Stokes, Sam Houston State; Will Hines, Southeastern La.; Torrance Mosley, Southeastern La.; Max Lyons, Southeastern La.; Alize Ward, Stephen F. Austin.
Kick Return Specialist: Jordan Hicks, UIW.
Punt Return Specialist: Tremon Smith, Central Arkansas; Shakeir Ryan, Northwestern State.
Placekicker: Eric Piccione, Northwestern State; Luc Swimberghe, Sam Houston State; Storm Ruiz, Stephen F. Austin.
Punter: Christian Guzman, Houston Baptist