Six All-Conference USA picks, two All-Freshman team choices from Louisiana Tech

IRVING, Texas – Louisiana Tech has produced a total of six first and second team members on Conference USA’s 2017 All-Conference football teams, while the Bulldogs also had two newcomers named to the All-Freshman Team, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday.

The six All-Conference honorees produced by Louisiana Tech includes two defensive standouts in Jaylon Ferguson and Secdrick Cooper, and a special teams player in deep snapper Cameron Linck. LA Tech had two players selected to the 2017 Conference USA All-Freshman Team in offensive lineman Kody Russey and cornerback Amik Robertson, who was also voted second team All-Conference by the league’s head coaches.

The teams are selected by the league’s 14 head football coaches, while 12 of the 14 schools placed at least one player on the first team with LA Tech placing two defensive players on the first team. The Bulldogs had the second-most first team members with three, behind Florida Atlantic who had seven first team selections.

Ferguson saw action in 11 games this season while making 10 starts at defensive end on his way to earning first team honors for the second straight season. In 11 games, he has totaled 38 tackles (24 solo, 14 assists), a team-high six sacks for 33 yards and 8.5 tackles for a loss of 40 yards. Ferguson currently ranks third in the nation among active career leaders with 26.5 sacks in his Bulldog career. The redshirt junior also ranks fourth in FBS with an average of 0.72 sacks per game in his career. He leads LA Tech with five quarterback hurries on the season and has also registered two blocked kicks in 2017.

Also selected to the first team was safety Secdrick Cooper, who started nine of the 10 games he played in as a senior and team captain for the Bulldogs. Cooper ranks second on the team with 63 total tackles (37 solo, 26 assists) with 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 2 pass break-ups and three quarterback hurries. Cooper is tied for third on the team with two interceptions on the season, both of which came in LA Tech’s win over South Alabama. The senior safety has also one blocked kick and a fumble recovery.

LA Tech’s final first team selection came on special teams with deep snapper Cameron Linck earning a spot on the league’s All-Conference Team. With one year of eligibility left after pitching for the Bulldog Baseball team for two seasons in 2016-17, Linck joined the football team in the summer of 2017 as a deep snapper despite having not played since high school. Linck won the starting job in fall camp and has since been LA Tech’s deep snapper in every game this season. The Bulldogs have given up just one blocked punt and one blocked field goal this season with Linck snapping the ball.

Amik Robertson earned a spot on the league’s second team All-Conference list and the All-Freshman Team after he started in every game this season at cornerback as a true freshman for the Bulldogs. Robertson leads LA Tech in interceptions (4) and is second with 6.5 tackles for loss. He ranks third on the team in total tackles (58) and is one of only four true freshmen in the country who has at least 4-plus interceptions this season. Robertson has recorded a team-high 6 pass break-ups in his rookie season and one quarterback hurry, while he leads LA Tech in interception return yards with 96.

Kody Russey also made an appearance on Conference USA’s All-Freshman Team after seeing action in every game this season as an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs. Russey earned a starting role in Week 4 on the road at South Carolina at left guard before making the permanent move to center in Week 6 versus UAB. He has helped pave the way for an offense that ranks fourth in Conference USA in scoring offense and fifth in total offense, while he also helps lead an offensive group that ranks eighth in the league in rushing offense with 175.1 yards per game on the ground.

LA Tech had three student-athletes named to Conference USA’s second team All-Conference squad, including offensive lineman O’Shea Dugas, wide receiver Teddy Veal and cornerback Amik Robertson.

Louisiana Tech also had 11 players named Conference USA Honorable Mention, including Jarred Craft (RB), Boston Scott (RB), Kam McKnight (WR/TE), Rhashid Bonnette (WR), Joshua Outlaw (OL), Ethan Reed (OL), Jordan Bradford (DL), Deldrick Canty (DE), Russell Farris (LB), Dae’Von Washington (LB) and Jonathan Barnes (K).

The Bulldogs will head to Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 20 to take on SMU in the inaugural DXL Frisco Bowl at Toyota Stadium. The game is set for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff and will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Louisiana Tech ended the season on a two-game winning streak to finish 6-6 overall with a 4-4 record in Conference USA games.

The league’s individual awards will be released Wednesday, Dec. 6. Conference USA will conclude the 2017 season by sending a league-record nine teams to bowl games.

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