Marcus Green named FWAA Second-Team All-American

Junior Marcus Green becomes the first ULM player to be selected All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

MONROE, La. – ULM junior Marcus Green, who accounted for a school single-season record 2,008 all-purpose yards and tied for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision lead with four kickoff returns for touchdowns in 2017, has been named Second-Team All-American as the all-purpose player by the Football Writers Association of America. Penn State’s Saquon Barkley is the FWAA First-Team All-America selection as the all-purpose player.

Green becomes the first ULM player to be selected FWAA All-American, the second-longest continuously published team in major college football (since 1944). He recently garnered Second-Team All-America honors as a kick returner from both CollegeFootballNews.com and Pro Football Focus.

He also becomes the only the second ULM player to earn first-, second- or third-team All-America recognition since the program moved to the NCAA FBS (formerly known as Division I-A) in 1994. Former cornerback Pat Dennis, who tied the school single-season record with seven interceptions in 1998, was selected Third-Team All-American by the Football News.

The 5-foot-8, 191-pound Green was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team as both a return specialist and all-purpose player, as selected by the league’s head football coaches and media panel.

During the regular season, Green led the Sun Belt in all-purpose yards (167.3 yards per game) and ranked among the league leaders in kickoff returns (second with 32.4 avg.), receiving yards (fourth at 70.6 ypg.) and receptions (fifth at 4.6 rpg.). He also ranked among the NCAA FBS leaders in combined kick return yards (second at 977), all-purpose yards (third) and kickoff returns (fifth). His four kickoff returns for TDs represent ULM and Sun Belt single-season records.

Green produced an NCAA FBS-best six scoring plays covering 70 or more yards during the regular season. He also led the team with 37 explosive plays (20+ yards: 18 kickoff returns, 14 receptions, 3 rushes and 2 punt returns).

Green led the Warhawks in receptions (55), receiving yards (847) and 100-yard receiving games (4). His five TD receptions ranked second on the team. Green finished fourth on the team in rushing with 15 carries for 184 yards (12.3 avg.).

The Pontotoc, Mississippi, native was selected Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week four times in 2017 (vs. Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Appalachian State and Arkansas State).

“Congratulations to Marcus Green on his All-America selection as an all-purpose player by the Football Writers Association of America,” ULM head coach Matt Viator said. “It’s a well-deserved honor for a complete football player. Marcus can impact the game is so many ways. He had more than 50 catches, rushed for nearly 200 yards and had nearly 1,000 combined kick return yards. He’s a legitimate home-run threat every time he touches the football.

“This is exciting news for Marcus as an individual, but it’s also great exposure for our entire football program. He was one of the featured players on an explosive, record-setting offensive unit, and he along with our entire special teams did a remarkable job all season long.”

Green recorded his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season at Florida State with eight catches for 106 yards. His eight receptions matched his season high.

He accounted for a conference and school single-game record 418 all-purpose yards and two TDs against Arkansas State. Green returned six kickoffs for a ULM single-game record 206 yards against A-State, including a 95-yard runback for a TD in the third quarter. He also had eight receptions for a career-best 193 yards, including a 32-yard TD grab in the first quarter.

Green accounted for 191 all-purpose yards and two scores in ULM’s 52-45 victory over Appalachian State. He averaged 27.3 yards per touch against the Mountaineers (7 touches for 191 yards). He returned two kickoffs for 117 yards, including a 95-yard runback for a TD early in the second quarter. His 95-yard return is the fifth-longest in school history. He had four receptions for 62 yards, including a 39-yard TD grab late in the first quarter, and returned one punt for 12 yards.

Green produced 271 all-purpose yards and two TDs against Georgia State. He returned four kickoffs for 162 yards (40.5 avg.), including a 93-yard runback for a TD in the first quarter. Green also had two receptions for 98 yards against the Panthers, including an 80-yard TD grab from Garrett Smith in the third quarter. He added one rush for 11 yards. Green averaged 38.7 yards per touch against Georgia State (11 touches for 271 yards).

He had five catches for 118 yards at Texas State, including a 67-yard TD grab early in the fourth quarter.

Green returned three kickoffs for 115 yards (38.3 avg.), including an 82-yard runback for a touchdown in ULM’s 51-43 win over Coastal Carolina. It marked ULM’s first kickoff return for a TD since Courtney Davis returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a score against Grambling State in 2013. Green compiled 127 combined kick return yards (punts and kickoffs) vs. CCU and accounted for 181 all-purpose yards.

He had a season-high eight receptions for 117 yards at Louisiana Lafayette while accounting for a game-high 192 all-purpose yards.