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DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2024 All-Freshman football team Tuesday, as selected by the league’s 10 head football coaches. UTEP produced a league-high five selections on the team, while Jax State, Kennesaw State and NM State had four apiece. In total, nine of the 10 CUSA programs were represented on the All-Freshman team.
UTEP had four defensive players earn spots on the team in defensive end Kyran Duhon and linebackers Stratton Shufelt, Jaylin Jones and Ekow Taylor, joining tight end Martavious Collins. Duhon finished as the runner-up to teammate Maurice Westmoreland among the league’s sack leaders with seven. Duhon finished with 43 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two pass breakups. Shufelt tallied 15 tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Jones added 12 tackles, a TFL and a quarterback hurry. Taylor recorded five tackles and a half sack. Collins appeared in eight games and assisted in the Miners having a 20+ yard boost in rushing yards per game in league play.
Jax State and Kennesaw State were the only schools with an all-freshman honoree on offense, defense and special teams.
The Gamecocks are represented by wide receiver Cam Vaughn, offensive lineman Amare Grayson, defensive back Zechariah Poyser and kicker Garrison Rippa. The Owls are represented by offensive lineman Jacob Norcross, punter Jacob Ulrich and defensive backs JeRico Washington Jr. and Isaac Paul.
Vaughn led the team in receptions (39), yards (620) and touchdowns (four), including a crucial, game-tying Hail Mary in an overtime win over LA Tech. Grayson settled in as the starting right guard on an offensive line that led CUSA and ranked in the top 35 nationally in sacks allowed (1.38) and tackles for loss allowed (4.08) per game. Poyser is tied for second in CUSA in passes defended (11) and interceptions (3), along with 75 tackles (47 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. Rippa is 14-19 on field goal attempts, including a 9-11 mark from 40+ yards, and has converted 59-61 PAT tries.
Norcross logged the most snaps of any freshman center in FBS, ranked third in snaps among all true freshman lineman in the country and helped lead an offensive line that yielded just 18 sacks on the year. Ulrich led CUSA and ranked sixth nationally in punting (46.0), including a league best 23 punts that traveled more than 50 yards and a long of 77 yards. Washington tied for the CUSA lead in forced fumbles (three) and ranked seventh in passes defended (eight), along with 59 tackles (43 solo). Paul tallied 54 tackles (29 solo), broke up two passes and recovered a fumble.
NM State boasts a pair of offensive and defensive selections in wide receiver TJ Pride, offensive lineman BJ Tolo, defensive tackle Malaki Ta’ase and defensive back Tayden Barnes. Pride led the team in receptions (34) and receiving yards (374) and hauled in a pair of touchdown passes. Tolo became a primary starter at guard and helped the Aggies finish fourth in CUSA in rushing yards per game (180.0). Ta’ase logged 33 tackles, 1.5 TFL, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a sack. Barnes tied for the team lead with six pass breakups, along with 57 tackles (37 solo), 1.5 TFL, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
MTSU had a pair of defensive linemen make the all-freshman squad in defensive end Anthony Bynum and defensive tackle Shakai Woods, joining running back Jekail Middlebrook on the team. Bynum led the team in tackles for loss (6.5) and ranked second in sacks (2.5) and third in tackles (60). Woods logged 42 tackles, including 3.5 TFL, a sack and a quarterback hurry. Middlebrook rushed for 273 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries in his rookie campaign.
Sam Houston running back DJ McKinney and offensive lineman Kolt Deiterich were key pieces to the Bearkats’ successful run game. As part of a three-headed running attack. McKinney carried the ball 95 times for 479 yards and three touchdowns, along with 11 receptions for 79 yards. The only underclassman in the offensive line’s regular rotation, Deiterich primarily started at left tackle and helped the Bearkats rank 29th in rushing offense (190.3).
WKU is represented by wide receiver Cameron Flowers and linebacker Lofton Howard. Flowers mostly added depth on special teams and made his first career catch in a win over Kennesaw State. Howard provided depth on special teams and at the “Jack” position. He recorded five tackles, including a career-high four in a win over UTEP.
LA Tech quarterback Evan Bullock ranked 14th nationally in completion percentage, completing 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,938 yards, 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He threw for career highs in yards (290) and touchdowns (five), while adding a sixth score on the ground, in a 48-21 win over MTSU on Oct. 10.
FIU’s Jaheim Buchanon started every game at multiple positions on the offensive line and was part of a unit that allowed the second-fewest sacks per game in the league (1.42).
All-Freshman Team
Offense
QB Evan Bullock, LA Tech
RB DJ McKinney, Sam Houston
RB Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU
WR TJ Pride, NM State
WR Cam Vaughn, Jax State
WR Cameron Flowers, WKU
TE Martavious Collins, UTEP
OL Jacob Norcross, Kennesaw State
OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU
OL Amare Grayson, Jax State
OL Kolt Deiterich, Sam Houston
OL BJ Tolo, NM State
Defense
DE Anthony Bynum, MTSU
DT Shakai Woods, MTSU
DT Malaki Ta’ase, NM State
DE Kyran Duhon, UTEP
LB Stratton Shufelt, UTEP
LB Jaylin Jones, UTEP
LB Lofton Howard, WKU
DB Zechariah Poyser, Jax State
DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State
DB Tayden Barnes, NM State
DB Isaac Paul, Kennesaw State
Special Teams
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
P Jacob Ulrich, Kennesaw State