Ten Ragin’ Cajuns football players recognized as All-Sun Belt

NEW ORLEANS – Paced by second-team selection Kevin Dotson, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns placed 10 members on the 2017 All-Sun Belt Conference Football Team which was released by the league office on Wednesday.

Dotson, a sophomore offensive lineman and member on the 2016 All-Sun Belt Newcomer Team, was one six Louisiana players named to the team in a vote by the league’s head coaches and a panel of media members. He was joined by third-team selections Trey Ragas (RB), Chase Rogers (TE), Grant Horst (OL), Joe Dillon (DL) and Tracy Walker (DB).

Four Cajuns – Ja’Marcus Bradley (WR), Raynard Ford (TE), Taboris Lee (DL) and Kevon Perry (DL) – were each named to the honorable mention squad.

Dotson, a former Plaquemine High product, started all 12 games at right guard for the Ragin’ Cajuns, helping bolster a rushing attack that finished third in the Sun Belt Conference. Horst, a member of the 2017-18 Sun Belt Conference Leadership Team, appeared in 10 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns earning nine starts at left tackle and one on the right side.

Ragas, a redshirt freshman, led the team with 813 yards and nine touchdowns and was sixth in the SBC in yards per game. The New Orleans native ranked 33rd nationally in yards per carry (5.88) in his first season with the Ragin’ Cajuns and recorded a pair of 100-yard rushing games.

Rogers caught six passes in his first eight games of the season before missing the remainder of the year with an injury suffered before the Ole Miss game. The native of Bay St. Louis, Miss., caught a pair of passes in the Cajuns’ non-conference game at Texas A&M before adding receptions in consecutive games against ULM, Idaho and Texas State. He caught his first career TD pass on a 13-yard reception in a SBC win at South Alabama on Nov. 4.

Dillon recorded 30 tackles on the season and finished as the team leader in sacks for the second straight season. The 2016 Freshman All-American had a 15-yard sack and a game-preserving defensive PAT in the season-opener against Southeastern Louisiana and was credited with a sack and forced fumble at Texas A&M.

Walker led the Ragin’ Cajuns with 97 tackles and a pair of interceptions on the season and ranked among the national leaders in solo stops per game. The senior had three games with 10 or more tackles on the season, posting a career-high 15 stops in his collegiate finale at Appalachian State. He had 14 stops the week before against Georgia Southern and opened the season with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops, against Southeastern Louisiana.

Bradley set career-highs in both receptions (36) and yards (475) during the season and recorded at least one reception all 12 games of the season. The Ackerman, Miss., native caught career-high seven passes for 105 yards at Ole Miss and caught five passes for 93 yards and a TD in a SBC win at Idaho.

Ford, who senior moved to tight end from offensive line after the 2016 season, provided stellar blocking for the Ragin’ Cajuns in all 12 games during the season. The 6-foot-5, 291-pound product started five games for the Ragin’ Cajuns and caught a pair of passes on the season.

Lee recorded 29 tackles in 11 starts at nose tackle for the Ragin’ Cajuns. The Ackerman, Miss., native played in all 12 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns with 11 starts, posting a season-high six tackles against ULM and adding four stops in games against Tulsa and Georgia Southern.

Perry, from Buffalo, N.Y., led all Ragin’ Cajuns defensive linemen in tackles (49) and tackles for loss (10.5) on the season. He finished second on the team in sacks (3.5) recorded a career-high nine tackles with two stops for loss at Texas A&M. Perry had four tackles with a pair of sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss against New Mexico State and opened the season with five tackles against Southeastern Louisiana.

2017 All-Sun Belt Conference Football Teams and Individual Awards
All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
Justice Hansen (Arkansas State, QB, Jr.)
Jalin Moore (Appalachian State, RB, Jr.)
Aaron Duckworth (Idaho, RB, Sr.)
Ike Lewis (Appalachian State, WR, Sr.)
Penny Hart (Georgia State, WR, RS-So.)
Jaleel Scott (New Mexico State, WR, RS-Sr.)
Blake Mack (Arkansas State, TE, Sr.)
Colby Gossett (Appalachian State, OL, Sr.)
Beau Nunn (Appalachian State, OL, Sr.)
Victor Johnson (Appalachian State, OL, So.)
Lanard Bonner (Arkansas State, OL, RS-Jr.)
Steven Rowzee (Troy, OL, Sr.)

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
Tee Sims (Appalachian State, DL, Sr.)
Ja’Von Rolland-Jones (Arkansas State, DL, RS-Sr.)
Aikeem Coleman (Idaho, DL, Sr.)
Cedric Wilcots II (New Mexico State, DL, RS-So.)
Hunter Reese (Troy, DL, Jr.)
Eric Boggs (Appalachian State, LB, Sr.)
Tony Lashley (Idaho, LB, Jr.)
Dalton Herrington (New Mexico State, LB, Sr.)
Clifton Duck (Appalachian State, DB, So.)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, DB, Sr.)
Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama, DB, Sr.)
Blace Brown (Troy, DB, Jr.)

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
Gavin Patterson (South Alabama, PK, Jr.)
Corliss Waitman (South Alabama, P, Jr.)
Marcus Green (ULM, Return Specialist, Jr.)
Marcus Green (ULM, All-Purpose, Jr.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
Taylor Lamb (Appalachian State, QB, Sr.)
Larry Rose III (New Mexico State, RB, Sr.)
Jordan Chunn (Troy, RB, Sr.)
Chris Murray (Arkansas State, WR, Sr.)
Jamarius Way (South Alabama, WR, Jr.)
Deondre Douglas (Troy, WR, Jr.)
Gabe Schrade (Texas State, TE, Sr.)
Noah Johnson (Idaho, OL, So.)
Kevin Dotson (Louisiana, OL, So.)
Noah Fisher (South Alabama, OL, Jr.)
Deontae Crumitie (Troy, OL, Jr.)
Tristan Crowder (Troy, OL, So.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
Ronheen Bingham (Arkansas State, DL, Jr.)
Logan Hunt (Georgia Southern, DL, Jr.)
Jamal Stadom (Troy, DL, Sr.)
Trevon Sanders (Troy, DL, Jr.)
Kyle Wilson (Arkansas State, LB, Sr.)
Shane Johnson (Coastal Carolina, LB, Sr.)
Kaden Elliss (Idaho, LB, Jr.)
Tron Folsom (Troy, LB, So.)
Tae Hayes (Appalachian State, DB, Jr.)
Justin Clifton (Arkansas State, DB, Jr.)
Monquavion Brinson (Georgia Southern, DB, So.)
Ron LaForce (New Mexico State, DB, Jr.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
Tyler Bass (Georgia Southern, PK, RS-So.)
Cade Coffey (Idaho, P, RS-Fr.)
Marcus Jones (Troy, Return Specialist, Fr.)
Marcus Jones (Troy, All-Purpose, Fr.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
Tyler Rogers (New Mexico State, QB, RS-Sr.)
Osharmar Abercrombie (Coastal Carolina, RB, Sr.)
Trey Ragas (Louisiana, RB, RS-Fr.)
Justin McInnis (Arkansas State, WR, Jr.)
Malcolm Williams (Coastal Carolina, WR, Jr.)
RJ Turner (ULM, WR, So.)
Chase Rogers (Louisiana, TE, Fr.)
Jaypee Philbert (Arkansas State, OL, Sr.)
Grant Horst (Louisiana, OL, Sr.)
Frank Sutton (ULM, OL, Sr.)
Aaron Brewer (Texas State, OL, So.)
Kirk Kelley (Troy, OL, So.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
Caleb Fuller (Appalachian State, DL, Sr.)
Caleb Caston (Arkansas State, DL, Sr.)
Marterious Allen (Georgia State, DL, Jr.)
Joe Dillon (Louisiana, DL, So.)
Devan Stringer (Appalachian State, LB, Sr.)
Michael Shaw (Georgia State, LB, RS-Jr.)
Frankie Griffin (Texas State, LB, Jr.)
A.J. Howard (Appalachian State, DB, Sr.)
Chandon Sullivan (Georgia State, DB, Sr.)
Tracy Walker (Louisiana, DB, Sr.)
Shamad Lomax (New Mexico State, DB, So.)
Cedarius Rookard (Troy, DB, Jr.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
Sawyer Williams (Arkansas State, PK, RS-So.)
Cody Grace (Arkansas State, P, RS-So.)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, Return Specialist, Sr.)
Glenn Smith (Georgia State, All-Purpose, Sr.)

Player of the Year
Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, Arkansas State

Offensive Player of the Year
Justice Hansen, Arkansas State

Defensive Player of the Year
Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama

Newcomer of the Year
Ron LaForce, New Mexico State

Freshman of the Year
Marcus Jones, Troy

Coach of the Year
Neal Brown, Troy

All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention
Anthony Flory (Appalachian State, LB, Jr.)
Thomas Hennigan (Appalachian State, WR, Fr.)
Collin Reed (Appalachian State, TE, So.)
Myquon Stout (Appalachian State, DL, Jr.)
Omar Bayless (Arkansas State, WR, So.)
BJ Edmonds (Arkansas State, DB, So.)
Dee Liner (Arkansas State, DL, Sr.)
Jacob Still (Arkansas State, OL, Fr.)
Trey Carter (Coastal Carolina, OL, RS-Fr.)
Chris Jones (Coastal Carolina, WR, Sr.)
Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina, LB, RS-Fr.)
Evan Rabon (Coastal Carolina, P, Jr.)
Wesley Fields (Georgia Southern, RB, Jr.)
Raymond Johnson III (Georgia Southern, DL, Fr.)
Curtis Rainey (Georgia Southern, OL, Jr.)
Shai Werts (Georgia Southern, QB, RS-Fr.)
Shamarious Gilmore (Georgia State, OL, RS-Fr.)
Julien Laurent (Georgia State, DL, RS-Sr.)
Connor Manning (Georgia State, QB, RS-Sr.)
Bryan Williams (Georgia State, DB, RS-Sr.)
Arie Anderson (Idaho, DL, Sr.)
Ed Hall (Idaho, LB, Jr.)
Leonard Hazewood (Idaho, LB, Sr.)
Alfonso Onunwor (Idaho, WR, Sr.)
Ja’Marcus Bradley (Louisiana, WR, So.)
Raynard Ford (Louisiana, TE, Sr.)
Taboris Lee (Louisiana, DL, Sr.)
Kevon Perry (Louisiana, DL, Sr.)
Caleb Evans (ULM, QB, So.)
David Griffith (ULM, LB, Jr.)
Caleb Tucker (ULM, DL, RS-Sr.)
Brian Williams (ULM, WR, Sr.)
OJ Clark (New Mexico State, WR, RS-So.)
Terrill Hanks (New Mexico State, LB, Jr.)
Roy Lopez (New Mexico State, DL, So.)
Anthony Muse (New Mexico State, WR, RS-So.)
Bull Barge (South Alabama, LB, Jr.)
Nigel Lawrence (South Alabama, DB, Jr.)
Finessé Middleton (South Alabama, DL, Sr.)
Darrell Songy (South Alabama, LB, Sr.)
Elijah King (Texas State, WR, Sr.)
Bryan London II (Texas State, LB, So.)
Gabe Loyd (Texas State, LB, Sr.)
Jordan Mittie (Texas State, DL, So.)
Antione Barker (Troy, DL, So.)
Brandon Silvers (Troy, QB, Sr.)
Marcus Webb (Troy, DL, So.)
Damion Willis (Troy, WR, Jr.)