Southland Announces 2019 All-Conference Football Teams
FRISCO, Texas – For the second-straight season, a Nicholls student-athlete headlines the Southland Football All-Conference Teams as defensive lineman Sully Laiche is the conference’s Player of the Year, the league announced Tuesday. Yearly awards are presented by Ready Nutrition.
The first defensive player to earn the league’s top annual honor since 2007 (Bryan Smith, McNeese), Laiche led all FCS players with 2.1 tackles for loss per game and ranked fifth nationally in sacks per game (1.1). He led the Southland with 9.0 sacks in conference play and recorded at least one TFL in each of his nine starts.
Named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the FCS’ top defensive player, Laiche totaled 19.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in the regular season to bring his career totals to 59 TFL and 35.5 sacks. His sack total is the fourth-highest in Southland Conference history.
Laiche is one of seven superlative award winners announced Tuesday, along with Offensive Player of the Year Chase Fourcade (Nicholls) and Defensive Player of the Year Chris Livings (McNeese). Sam Houston State’s Trace Mascorro is the Newcomer of the Year, and Central Arkansas’ Tyler Hudson is the Freshman of the Year. The Offensive Lineman of the Year Award goes to Nicholls’ PJ Burkhalter, and Southeastern Louisiana’s Frank Scelfo is the Coach of the Year.
Last year’s Player of the Year, Fourcade finished his final regular season as the most efficient passer in the league in both overall (151.3) and conference-only games (157.7). He ranked ninth among FCS quarterbacks in completion percentage (66.1) and averaged the second-most yards of total offense in Southland contests (303.2).
Joining Laiche as one of just nine players in conference history to compile 30 career sacks, Livings finished the year with 9.5, which was good for third in the Southland. Livings recorded a team-high 12 tackles for loss and posted at least half a sack in each of the team’s final five games, including a season-high three against Northwestern State.
A transfer from UTEP, Mascorro started all 12 games at defensive tackle for the Bearkats, who led the league in tackles for loss and sacks as a team. He tallied 15.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. Mascorro registered at least two TFL in five games.
A finalist for the Jerry Rice Award (top FCS freshman), Hudson made an immediate impact with a touchdown grab in his first game, an upset of FBS foe Western Kentucky. He went on to finish tied for the league lead with 12 touchdowns and hauled in a conference-best 10 scoring receptions in league play.
Burkhalter served as the starting center and left guard for Nicholls, who led the Southland with just over 200 rushing yards per game and ranked second in scoring (32.8) and total offense per game (449.7).
In year two under Scelfo’s direction, the Lions went from a 4-7 team in 2018 to a 7-4 squad in the FCS Playoffs. With an offense that ranks third among FCS programs in pass yards per game (328.5) and a defense that ranks second nationally in sacks per game (3.70), SLU took down two opponents ranked No. 6 at the time of their game (Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas).
Central Arkansas leads the way with 13 total all-conference selections, followed by Nicholls and Sam Houston State each with 12. Southeastern Louisiana placed 11 on the all-league teams while McNeese had nine honorees.
Abilene Christian, Houston Baptist and Lamar garnered five picks each, and UIW, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin rounded out the teams with four selections apiece.
In total, 17 honorees are returning all-Southland selections, led by Laiche and teammate Allen Pittman with their fourth picks. UCA running back Carlos Blackman is the lone three-time honoree.
All-Southland Conference teams are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted.
2019 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Sully Laiche, Nicholls
Offensive Player of the Year: Chase Fourcade, Nicholls
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Livings, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Trace Mascorro, Sam Houston State
Freshman of the Year: Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
Offensive Lineman of the Year: PJ Burkhalter, Nicholls
Coach of the Year: Frank Scelfo, Southeastern Louisiana
2019 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Chase Fourcade2 |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Metairie, La. |
| RB |
Julien Gums |
Nicholls |
So. |
New Orleans, La. |
| RB |
Tracy James |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Woody Brandom |
Sam Houston State |
R-Sr. |
Corona, Calif. |
| WR |
Quan Shorts |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Humble, Texas |
| WR |
Lujuan Winningham |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Humble, Texas |
| WR |
Dai’Jean Dixon2 |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
PJ Burkhalter |
Nicholls |
R-Jr. |
Franklinton, La. |
| OL |
Pat Allen |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Reisertown, Md. |
| OL |
Hunter Watts2 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
San Antonio, Texas |
| OL |
Bradston Burnside |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Hattiesburg, Miss. |
| OL |
Colby Thomas |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Manvel, Texas |
| PK |
Storm Ruiz |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
League City, Texas |
| P |
Matt McRobert |
Sam Houston State |
R-Jr. |
Berowra, Australia |
2019 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Sully Laiche4 |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Gramercy, La. |
| DL |
Trace Mascorro |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Refugio, Texas |
| DL |
Chris Livings2 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Lake Charles, La. |
| DL |
Andre Walker |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Slidell, La. |
| LB |
Jeremiah Chambers2 |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas |
| LB |
Royce See |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Shepherd, Texas |
| LB |
Allen Pittman4 |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
St. Rose, La. |
| DB |
Ferlando Jordan |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-So. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| DB |
Robert Rochell |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Shreveport, La. |
| DB |
Michael Lawson |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
| DB |
Darion Dunn |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Oakdale, La. |
| DB |
Kevin Moore III |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Lafayette, La. |
| KR |
Gamar Girdy Brito |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Victoria, Texas |
| PR |
Michael Lawson |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
2019 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Breylin Smith |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Conway, Ark. |
| RB |
Donovan Williams |
Sam Houston State |
So. |
Paris, Texas |
| RB |
Carlos Blackman3 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Gosnell, Ark. |
| TE/HB |
Bransen Schwebel2 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Amite, La. |
| WR |
Tyler Hudson |
Central Arkansas |
Fr. |
Spring, Texas |
| WR |
Cyron Sutton |
McNeese |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
Xavier Gipson |
Stephen F. Austin |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| OL |
Jair Joseph |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Belle Rose, La. |
| OL |
Grant Burguillos2 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Mandeville, La. |
| OL |
Tamatoa Neher |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Hauula, Hawaii |
| OL |
Chris Zirkle2 |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
League City, Texas |
| OL |
Jarius Gooch |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Water Valley, Miss. |
| PK |
Bailey Giffen |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Bryan, Texas |
| P |
Blake Patterson |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
2019 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia |
| DL |
Joseph Wallace |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| DL |
Nathan Grant |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Carrollton, Texas |
| DL |
Daniel Crosley2 |
Lamar |
Sr. |
DeRidder, La. |
| LB |
Laryon James |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| LB |
Alexis Ramos |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Salinas, Calif. |
| LB |
Hunter Brown |
Sam Houston State |
R-Sr. |
Weston, Fla. |
| DB |
Zyon McCollum2 |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Galveston, Texas |
| DB |
Xavier Lewis |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
LaPlace, La. |
| DB |
Juan Jackson2 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Gardendale, Ala. |
| DB |
Cory McCoy |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Leesville, La. |
| DB |
Adonis Davis |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Bastrop, Texas |
| KR |
Cameron Myers |
Central Arkansas |
R-Fr. |
Plant City, Fla. |
| PR |
Cyron Sutton |
McNeese |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
2019 Southland Conference Football Third Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Chason Virgil |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
| RB |
Devonte Williams |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Columbia Md. |
| RB |
Justin Pratt |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Spring, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Jordan Talley |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Clinton, La. |
| WR |
Ben Ratzlaff |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| WR |
Jerreth Sterns |
Houston Baptist |
So. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
| WR |
Austin Mitchell |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-Jr. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| OL |
Jaylin Hendrix |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Everman, Texas |
| OL |
Brandon Floores2 |
UIW |
Sr. |
La Vernia, Texas |
| OL |
Toby Sanderson |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Edmond, Okla. |
| OL |
Tyler Edwards |
Sam Houston State |
R-Sr. |
Buna, Texas |
| OL |
Terence Hickman2 |
UIW |
Sr. |
Converse, Texas |
| PK |
Hayden Ray |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Bryant, Ark. |
| P |
Bailey Raborn |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Lafayette, La. |
2019 Southland Conference Football Third Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Kameron Hill |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Fresno, Texas |
| DL |
Cody Roscoe |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
Jevon Leon |
Sam Houston State |
Fr. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
Cole Burgess |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
North Richland Hills, Texas |
| LB |
TJ Campbell |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Southaven, Miss. |
| LB |
Ja’Quay Pough |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Sherman, Texas |
| LB |
Kelechi Anyalabechi |
UIW |
So. |
Pearland, Texas |
| DB |
Shemar Bartholomew |
Northwestern State |
So. |
New Orleans, La. |
| DB |
Khristian Mims2 |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| DB |
Jaylon Jimmerson |
UIW |
Fr. |
Pittsburg, Texas |
| DB |
Willie Roberts |
Stephen F. Austin |
Fr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| DB |
Jaylen Thomas |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| KR |
Xavier Gipson |
Stephen F. Austin |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| PR |
Devonte Williams2 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Columbia, Md. |