LA Tech places four on All-Conference USA football team, Blankenship named All-Freshman

DALLAS – Louisiana Tech has produced a total of four first and second team members on Conference USA’s 2018 All-Conference football teams, while the Bulldogs also had one student-athlete named to the All-Freshman Team, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday.

In addition to the five Bulldogs selected to the first and second teams and the All-Freshman squad, Louisiana Tech earned an additional 14 spots on Conference USA’s Honorable Mention team, which is the most of any other team in the league. With the combination of first and second team honors and honorable mention, LA Tech led the conference this year with the most awards of any other school (18). The teams are voted on by the league’s 14 head football coaches.

Leading the way for Louisiana Tech was senior defensive end Jaylon Ferguson, who was recently named one of four finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive end. Ferguson was voted First Team All-Conference for the third straight season after enjoying a record-breaking season for the Bulldogs.

Ferguson is currently ranked first in the nation with 15.0 sacks in 2018 and has already broken his own single-season sacks record at LA Tech, which he originally set back in 2016 with 14.5 sacks as a sophomore. Ferguson’s performance as a senior has helped the St. Francisville native break both the Louisiana Tech and C-USA career sack records (42.5). With one game left in his career, Ferguson is 1.5 sacks shy of tying the all-time NCAA career record, which is held by Terrell Suggs (44).

Louisiana Tech also had sophomore Amik Robertson selected to the league’s first team after the cornerback followed up his Freshman All-American season by totaling 57 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and 12 pass break-ups. Robertson also had three QB hurries, a forced fumble and recovery and two blocked kicks on the season.

On the offensive side of the ball, Louisiana Tech was represented by senior left tackle O’Shea Dugas, who earned first team honors after playing in all 12 games for the Bulldogs this season, while making 11 starts on the offensive line. Dugas has made the most career starts of any Bulldog in his four years in Ruston (43). As a senior, Dugas has helped lead an offensive unit that ranks fourth in C-USA in red zone offense and tackles for loss allowed.

The league’s second team all-conference honors included sophomore wide receiver Adrian Hardy, who led the Bulldogs in receiving after starting every game this season. In the final regular-season game of the season versus WKU, Hardy became the first Bulldog receiver since 2016 to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the season. Overall, Hardy leads the team with 69 catches for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns, while he ranks in the top 25 nationally in receiving yards and receiving yards per game (87.7).

Redshirt freshman deep snapper Reeves Blankenship was named to the 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team after playing in every game this season for the Bulldogs. With Blankenship handling the snapping duties on special teams, Louisiana Tech did not give up a blocked punt or a blocked field goal this season. The Bulldogs have had at least one representative on the All-Freshman Team for six straight years since joining the league in 2013.

Louisiana Tech also had 14 Conference USA Honorable Mention honorees, including J’Mar Smith (QB), Jaqwis Dancy (RB), Ethan Reed (OL), Michael Rodriguez (OL), Kody Russey (OL), Teddy Veal (WR and PR), Jordan Bradford (DT), Immanuel Turner (DE), Collin Scott (LB), James Jackson (S), L’Jarius Sneed (CB), Bailey Hale (K) and Reeves Blankenship (DS).

The league’s individual awards will be released Wednesday, Dec. 5.

The Bulldogs will head to Honolulu, Hawaii, to compete against the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors in the SoFi Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 22 at Aloha Stadium. The game is set for a 9:30 p.m. CT kickoff and will be broadcast live on ESPN.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow Louisiana Tech on social media at @LATechFB (Twitter), /LATechFootball (Facebook) and @LATechFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.

2018 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Brent Stockstill, Gr., Middle Tennessee
RB – Devin Singletary, Jr., Florida Atlantic
RB – Spencer Brown, So., UAB
OL – Reggie Bain, R-Sr., Florida Atlantic
OL – O’Shea Dugas, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Levi Brown, R-Jr., Marshall
OL – Chandler Brewer, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Justice Powers, Sr., UAB
TE – Harrison Bryant, Jr., Florida Atlantic
WR – Tyre Brady, R-Sr., Marshall
WR – Rico Bussey, Jr., Jr., North Texas
WR – Quez Watkins, So., Southern Miss

DEFENSE
DL – Alex Highsmith, R-Jr., Charlotte
DL – Jaylon Ferguson, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL – LaDarius Hamilton, Jr., North Texas
DL – Oshane Ximines, Sr., Old Dominion
DL – Jacques Turner, R-Jr., Southern Miss
LB – Sage Lewis, R-Jr., FIU
LB – Darius Harris, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB – EJ Ejiya, R-Sr., North Texas
DB – Amik Robertson, So., Louisiana Tech
DB – Malik Gant, R-Jr., Marshall
DB – Reed Blankenship, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – Kemon Hall, Sr., North Texas

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Cole Hedlund, Gr., North Texas
P – Jack Fox, Sr., Rice
KR – Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion
PR – Maurice Alexander, R-Jr., FIU
LS – Matt Beardall, Jr., Marshall

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Mason Fine, Jr., North Texas
RB – Benny LeMay, Jr., Charlotte
RB – DeAndre Torrey, So., North Texas
OL – Nate Davis, R-Sr., Charlotte
OL – Jordan Budwig, Gr., FIU
OL – Rishard Cook, Sr., UAB
OL – James Davis, R-Sr., UAB
OL – Malique Johnson, R-Sr., UAB
OL – Miles Pate, R-Jr., WKU
TE – Mik’Quan Deane, R-Sr., WKU
WR – Adrian Hardy, R-So., Louisiana Tech
WR – Jonathan Duhart, Sr., Old Dominion
WR – Travis Fulgham, Sr., Old Dominion

DEFENSE
DL – Ryan Bee, Sr., Marshall
DL – Ty Tyler, R-Jr., Marshall
DL – Jamell Garcia-Williams, Sr., UAB
DL – Anthony Rush, Sr., UAB
LB – Juwan Foggie, R-Sr., Charlotte
LB – Khalil Brooks, R-Jr., Middle Tennessee
LB – A.J. Hotchkins, Gr., UTEP
DB – Jalen Young, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB – Chris Jackson, Jr., Marshall
DB – Wesley Bush, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – Nate Brooks, Sr., North Texas
DB – Ky’el Hemby, R-So., Southern Miss

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Jonathan Cruz, Fr., Charlotte
K – Parker Shaunfield, Sr., Southern Miss
P – Stone Wilson, Sr., FIU
KR – Kerrith Whyte, Jr., R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
PR – Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion
LS – Grant Merka, Jr., UTSA

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE
QB – James Morgan, R-Jr., FIU
QB – J’Mar Smith, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
QB – Blake LaRussa, Jr., Old Dominion
RB – Anthony Jones, R-Jr., FIU
RB – Kerrith Whyte, Jr., R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
RB – Jaqwis Dancy, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
RB – Austin Walter, Sr., Rice
RB – Winston Dimel, Sr., UTEP
OL – Dallas Connell, Jr., FIU
OL – D’Ante Demery, So., FIU
OL – Shane McGough, R-So., FIU
OL – Brandon Walton, Jr., Florida Atlantic
OL – Ethan Reed, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Michael Rodriguez, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Kody Russey, R-So., Louisiana Tech
OL – Robert Behanan, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Josh Fannin, R-Jr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Manase Mose, R-Fr., North Texas
OL – Sosaia Mose, R-Jr., North Texas
OL – Sam Pierce, Sr., Rice
OL – Arvin Fletcher, R-So., Southern Miss
OL – Bobby DeHaro, R-Fr., UTEP
TE – Chris Phillips, Sr., Charlotte
TE – Armani Levias, R-Jr., Marshall
TE – Jay’shawn Washington, R-Sr., Southern Miss
TE – David Lucero, Sr., UTEP
WR – Austin Maloney, R-Jr., FIU
WR – Jovon Durante, R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
WR – Teddy Veal, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
WR – Marcel Williams, Sr., Marshall
WR – Ty Lee, Jr., Middle Tennessee
WR – Aaron Cephus, So., Rice
WR – Austin Trammell, So., Rice
WR – Tim Jones, So., Southern Miss
WR – Xavier Ubosi, R-Sr., UAB
WR – Lucky Jackson, R-Jr., WKU

DEFENSE
DL – Tyriq Harris, R-Jr., Charlotte
DL – Noah Curtis, So., FIU
DL – Anthony Johnson, R-Sr., FIU
DL – Jordan Bradford, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL – Immanuel Turner, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL – Jahmal Jones, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Malik Manciel, R-Jr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Rakavian Poydras, R-So., Middle Tennessee
DL – Zach Abercrumbia, Jr., Rice
DL – Roe Wilkins, Jr., Rice
DL – LaDarius Harris, Sr., Southern Miss
DL – Garrett Marino, R-Jr., UAB
DL – Quindarius Thagard, R-Sr., UAB
DL – Chris Richardson, Sr., UTEP
DL – Kevin Strong, Jr., Sr., UTSA
DL – Juwuan Jones, R-Fr., WKU
DL – DeAngelo Malone, So., WKU
LB – Rashad Smith, Sr., Florida Atlantic
LB – Collin Scott, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
LB – Chase Hancock, R-Sr., Marshall
LB – DQ Thomas, So., Middle Tennessee
LB – Brandon Garner, R-Jr., North Texas
LB – Anthony Ekpe, So., Rice
LB – Racheem Boothe, R-So., Southern Miss
LB – Sherrod Ruff, R-Sr., Southern Miss
LB – Chris Woolbright, R-Sr., UAB
LB – Jamar Smith, Sr., UTEP
LB – Josiah Tauaefa, Jr., UTSA
LB – Ben Holt, R-Jr., WKU
LB – Masai Whyte, R-Sr., WKU
DB – Ben DeLuca, Jr., Charlotte
DB – Richard Dames, So., FIU
DB – Stantley Thomas-Oliver, R-Jr., FIU
DB – Shelton Lewis, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB – James Jackson, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB – L’Jarius Sneed, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Darryl Randolph, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – Khairi Muhammad, Jr., North Texas
DB – Picasso Nelson, Jr., Sr., Southern Miss
DB – Ty Williams, Jr., Southern Miss
DB – Mar’Sean Diggs, R-Sr., UAB
DB – Brontae Harris, R-So., UAB
DB – Broderick Thomas, R-Sr., UAB
DB – Nik Needham, Sr., UTEP
DB – C.J. Levine, Sr., UTSA
DB – Ta’Corian Darden, R-Jr., WKU
DB – Drell Greene, Sr., WKU
DB – Devon Key, R-So., WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Jose Borregales, R-So., FIU
K – Bailey Hale, R-Jr., Louisiana Tech
K – Hayden Tabola, Sr., Rice
K – Jared Sackett, So., UTSA
P – Matt Bonadies, Sr., Middle Tennessee
P – Alvin Kenworthy, R-Jr., North Texas
P – Mitchell Crawford, Jr., UTEP
P – Yannis Routsas, Sr., UTSA
KR – Austin Maloney, R-Jr., FIU
KR – DeAndre Torrey, So., North Texas
KR – Austin Walter, Sr., Rice
PR – Teddy Veal, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
PR – Keegan Brewer, So., North Texas
LS – Tommy Zotus, R-Fr., FIU
LS – Reeves Blankenship, R-Fr., Louisiana Tech
LS – Nate Durham, So., North Texas