Nicholls QB Fourcade headlines All-Southland team as Player of the Year

FRISCO, Texas – Chase Fourcade, named Player of the Year, headlined a league-high 15 all-conference selections for the Nicholls State University football team, as the league office announced its 2018 All-Southland Teams Tuesday afternoon.

In a season of firsts for the Colonels, including back-to-back FCS playoff appearances and a win over a Power 5 team, Fourcade added another as the program’s first player of the year. He was joined on first team by offensive linemen Chandler Arceneaux and Ryan Hanley, kicker Lorran Fonseca, defensive lineman Sully Laiche, and linebacker Evan Veron. The six first-team SLC nods are the second-most in team history, trailing only the 2005 championship team’s seven.

A total of nine players earned second-team honors. Offensive selections were running back Dontrell Taylor, wide receiver Dai’Jean Dixon, offensive lineman Eddie Houston, and punter Winston Jones. The defensive honorees included linebacker Allen Pittman, cornerback Darren Evans, nickel Ahmani Martin, safety Khristian Mims, and punt returner Damion Jeanpiere, Jr.

There were also four Colonels named honorable mention – Jeanpiere (WR), offensive lineman P.J. Burkhalter, and defensive linemen Ronald Ollie and Brandon Fontenot.

Fourcade earned the league’s highest honor after leading Nicholls to an 8-3 overall record and the program’s second Southland Conference title at 7-2 in SLC play. He has thrown for 2,447 yards, and 19 touchdown passes with only six interceptions and ranks 12th in the FCS in efficiency with a 148.5 rating. The Rummel graduate is also a vital component of the Colonels’ No.1 rushing offense in conference play, totaling 488 yards on the year and a team-high nine touchdowns, which is tied for third in the Southland.

The Colonels feature the Southland’s No. 3 scoring offense at 31.8 points per game while ranking second in total yards and rushing. A big reason for the success was the play of the offensive line, highlighted by three-time honoree Arceneaux and two-time selection Hanley. Houston, who made the preseason team, earned his first award as a second-team member. As a unit, the offensive line blocked for six 100-yard rushing efforts and allowed just 21 sacks, which ranks third in the league.

Juniors Laiche and Veron headed the Southland’s top-rated defense, which ranks second in the FCS in sacks (40), third in tackles for loss (94.0), and ninth in points allowed (19.3) and rushing defense (102.2). Laiche, who has earned All-Southland in each of his three seasons, is tied for 11th in the Southland with 8.5 sacks and is 19th in the nation with 16.5 tackles for loss.  Veron also ranks among the nation’s best with 20.5 TFL (6th) and is 11th in the Southland with 7.0 sacks.

Fonseca earned his second all-league in as many seasons after kicking a Southland-best 16 field goals. He leads the SLC in points scored by kicking with 86 and also had a program-record 56-yard field goal in the win at HBU. The field goal is the second longest in the FCS this season.

Jones, a native of Thibodaux,  landed on second team in his first season at punter after averaging 40.2 yards per punt, highlighted by a career-long 75-yarder in the win over Lamar. He also had a 70-yard punt that was downed at the 1 at Northwestern State.

Taylor and Dixon have been two of the Colonels’ top playmakers this season on offense. Taylor was second in the Southland with 75.4 rushing yards per game, finishing the regular season with 754 yards and six rushing touchdowns with an impressive 7.3 yards per carry. Taylor had three 100-yard rushing performances in conference play, needing only six, nine, and 11 carries in the games to reach the mark.

Dixon has put together a strong sophomore campaign, leading Nicholls with seven touchdown catches and 47 receptions. He, along with senior Jeanpiere, both totaled 685 yards receiving for a 62.3 average. Jeanpiere was also recognized as honorable mention at wide receiver and second-team punt returner. With just 35 receptions, he averages 19.6 yards per catch to rank 12th in the country. The senior, who ranks fourth all-time in receiving yards, has two touchdown catches for the season.

Four defensive players round out the All-Southland honorees. Pittman was named All-Southland for the third straight season after finishing fourth on the team with 40 tackles. Martin also earned his second-straight All-Southland nod despite moving into the nickel position from safety. He led the team with four forced fumbles and added 2.5 sacks. In their first season as starters, Evans proved to be one of the top cover corners in the league and recorded two interceptions, while Mims led Nicholls with 60 tackles as a safety.

Rounding out the honorees are Burkhalter, Ollie, and Fontenot. Burkhalter started every game at left guard for the nation’s 13th-ranked rushing offense. Ollie totaled 11.5 tackles for loss with 5.0 sacks, and Fontenot helped stuff the opposition with 14 stops at nose tackle.

Nicholls’ 15 total all-conference selections were followed by Central Arkansas, UIW and Southeastern Louisiana each with seven. ACU, McNeese, and SHSU each placed five on the all-league teams, and Lamar, NSU, and SFA rounded out the list with three, two and one, respectively.

In total, 12 honorees are returning all-Southland picks, led by three-time selections Arceneaux, Laiche, and Pittman of Nicholls and SHSU’s Davion Davis and Nathan Stewart.

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. To receive honorable mention, a player must appear on 25 percent of ballots.

2018 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Coach of the Year: Eric Morris, Incarnate Word
Player of the Year: Chase Fourcade, Nicholls
Offensive Player of the Year: Jazz Ferguson, Northwestern State
Defensive Player of the Year: BJ Blunt, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Jon Copeland, Incarnate Word
Co-Newcomer of the Year: Jordan Hoy, Lamar
Co-Newcomer of the Year: Billy McCrary, Abilene Christian
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Garrett Bowery, Lamar

2018 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Offense
Pos. Name School Class Hometown
QB Chase Fourcade Nicholls Jr. Metairie, La.
RB Ra’Quanne Dickens Incarnate Word Sr. Seminole, La.
RB Carlos Blackman2 Central Arkansas Jr. Gosnell, Ark.
TE/HB Bransen Schwebel Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Amite, La.
WR Jazz Ferguson Northwestern State Jr. St. Francisville, La.
WR Davion Davis3 Sam Houston State Sr. Hutto, Texas
WR Phillip Baptist Incarnate Word Sr. Fort Worth, Texas
OL Garrett Bowery Lamar Sr. Union Grove, Texas
OL Hunter Watts Central Arkansas Jr. San Antonio, Texas
OL Ryan Hanley2 Nicholls Sr. Metairie, La.
OL Chandler Arceneaux Nicholls Sr. Bourg, La.
OL Brandon Floores Incarnate Word Jr. La Vernia, Texas
AP Juwan Petit-Frere2 Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Orlando, Fla.
PK Lorran Fonseca2 Nicholls Sr. Hercules, Calif.
P Alex Kjellsten McNeese Sr. Lake Charles, La.

2018 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Defense
Pos. Name School Class Hometown
DL Sully Laiche3 Nicholls Jr. Grammercy, La.
DL Derick Roberson Sam Houston State Sr. San Antonio, Texas
DL Chris Terrell2 Central Arkansas Jr. Pensacola, Fla.
DL Justin Alexandre Incarnate Word Sr. Elmont, N.Y.
LB BJ Blunt McNeese Sr. New Orleans, La.
LB Jeremiah Chambers Abilene Christian Jr. Austin, Texas
LB Evan Veron Nicholls Jr. LaPlace, La.
DB Davon Jernigan Lamar Sr. Navasota, Texas
DB Hayden Bourgeois Northwestern State So. Church Point, La.
DB Zyon McCollum Sam Houston State So. Galveston, Texas
DB Colby Burton McNeese Jr. League City, Texas
DB Juan Jackson Central Arkansas Jr. Gardendale, Ala.
KR Juwan Petit-Frere Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Orlando, Fla.
PR Devonte Williams Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Columbia, Md.

2017 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Offense
Pos. Name School Class Hometown
QB Jon Copeland Incarnate Word Fr. Argyle, Texas
RB Billy McCrary Abilene Christian Jr. Austin, Texas
RB Dontrell Taylor Nicholls Jr White Castle, La.
TE/HB Cody Ennis Abilene Christian Sr. San Antonio, Texas
WR Nathan Stewart3 Sam Houston State Jr. Dallas, Texas
WR Dai’Jean Dixon Nicholls So. New Orleans, La.
WR Juwan Petit-Frere Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Orlando, Fla.
OL Eddie Houston Nicholls Sr. Newton, Miss.
OL Terence Hickman II Incarnate Word Jr. Converse, Texas
OL Grant Burguillos McNeese Jr. Mandeville, La.
OL Bill Weber Abilene Christian Sr. Coppell, Texas
OL Dakota Laws Abilene Christian Sr. Denton, Texas
AP Cedric Battle Central Arkansas Sr. Wichita Falls, Texas
PK Jonathan Tatum Southeastern Louisiana Sr. Alexandria, La.
P Winston Jones Nicholls Jr. Thibodaux, La.

2017 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Defense
Pos. Name School Class Hometown
DL Chris Livings McNeese Jr. Lake Charles, La.
DL Daniel Crosley Lamar Jr. DeRidder, La.
DL Eric Jackson2 Central Arkansas Sr. Apopka, Fla.
DL Erick Fowler Sam Houston State Jr. Austin, Texas
LB Silas Stewart Incarnate Word Sr. Wilmington, Del.
LB Allen Pittman3 Nicholls Jr. St. Rose, La.
LB Tamarcus Russell Southeastern Louisiana Sr. Dadeville, Ala.
DB Darren Evans Nicholls So. Baton Rouge, La.
DB Ahmani Martin2 Nicholls Sr. Reserve, La.
DB Khristian Mims Nicholls Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
DB Bolu Onifade Abilene Christian Jr. Oklahoma City, Okla.
DB Alize Ward2 Stephen F. Austin Jr. San Diego, Calif.
KR Cedric Battle Central Arkansas Sr. Wichita Falls, Texas
PR Damion Jeanpiere, Jr. Nicholls Sr. Kenner, La.

Honorable Mention: QB: Luke Anthony, Abilene Christian; Darrel Colbert Jr., Lamar; Shelton Eppler, Northwestern State; Bailey Zappe, Houston Baptist RB: Kierre Crossley, Central Arkansas; Darren Johnson, Southeastern Louisiana; Myles Wanza, Lamar. TE/HB: Case Robinson, Lamar. WR: Jakari Dillard, Central Arkansas; Kody Edwards, Incarnate Word; Damion Jeanpiere, Nicholls; Tamrick Pace, Stephen F. Austin; Jarreth Sterns, Houston Baptist; Cyron Sutton, McNeese; Jaylen Watson, Northwestern State. OL: Pat Allen, Southeastern Louisiana; Frank Boudreaux, Northwestern State; P.J. Burkhalter, Nicholls; Kade Parmelly, Abilene Christian; Tristan Wendt, Sam Houston State. AP: Ameer King, Incarnate Word. PK: Gunnar Raborn, McNeese. DL: Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Southeastern Louisiana; Cole Burgess, Abilene Christian; Brandon Fontenot, Nicholls; Dedrick Garner, Lamar; Dante Hibbert, Abilene Christian; Obi Iheoma, Northwestern State; Jon Miller, Southeastern Louisiana; Darrius Montgomery, Incarnate Word; Ronald Ollie, Nicholls; Cody Roscoe, McNeese. LB: Chaston Brooks, Lamar; Mar’kel Cooks, Incarnate Word; Raphael Garner, Central Arkansas; Jack Gibbens, Abilene Christian; West Lambert, Incarnate Word; Langston Tunson, Houston Baptist. DB: Adrian Contreras, Sam Houston State; Adonis Davis, Abilene Christian; Trenton Gordon, Stephen F. Austin; Jackie Harvell, Central Arkansas; Aretavious Hendrix, Stephen F. Austin; Xavier Lewis, Southeastern Louisiana; Louis Otis, Incarnate Word; Malick Phillips, Incarnate Word; Rodney Randle, Lamar; Robert Rochelle, Central Arkansas. KR: Myles Ward, Northwestern State.