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Hildebrand tops lengthy C. Arkansas list for Southland awards
(STATS) - The way Central Arkansas dominated the Southland Conference this season, it's no surprise the Bears did the same when the postseason awards were announced.
Five of the Southland's seven top honors went to Central Arkansas, including quarterback Hayden Hildebrand being named player of the year and defensive back George Odum earning the defensive award. Hildebrand is the top-rated passer in the FCS (181.3) after throwing for 2,768 yards and 27 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. Odum ranked sixth in the FCS with 6 1/2 solo tackles per game and had 106 total tackles, including eight for loss and four sacks.
Steve Campbell was named coach of the year after guiding Central Arkansas to a 10-1 record, including 9-0 in the Southland with only one game not decided by double digits. Five of his Bears made the first-team offense and five made the defense, including three-fifths of the offensive line and three-quarters of the D-line. Additionally, Central Arkansas running back Kierre Crossley was named freshman of the year, and teammate John Cook was honored as the conference's top offensive lineman.
Sam Houston State took home all but one of the Southland's annual awards last season but only avoided being shut out this year thanks to wide receiver Davion Davis being named offensive player of the year. Davis was one of six Southland first-team selections for the Bearkats, but quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe, last season's Southland player of the year and the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award winner, had to settle for the second-team offense behind Hildebrand.
While Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State both received first-round byes, the Southland's only other playoff entrant, Nicholls, did not have even one player on the first team. The Colonels did total 10 second-teamers.
Quarterback Lorenzo Nunez, who transferred from South Carolina in the spring, gave Southeastern Louisiana its first Southland newcomer of the year. The Lions also had a pair of brothers make the first team with senior linebacker Sione Teuhema and junior offensive lineman Maea Teuhema.
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SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE POSTSEASON AWARDS=
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Hayden Hildebrand, QB, Central Arkansas
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Davion Davis, WR, Sam Houston State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - George Odum, DB, Central Arkansas
COACH OF THE YEAR - Steve Campbell, Central Arkansas
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Kierre Crossley, RB, Central Arkansas
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Lorenzo Nunez, Southeastern Louisiana
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR - John Cook, Central Arkansas
ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB - Hayden Hildebrand, Central Arkansas
RB - Corey Avery, Sam Houston State
RB - David Hamm, McNeese
OL - John Cook, Central Arkansas
OL - Gilberto Garcia, Central Arkansas
OL - Mitchell Watanabe, Sam Houston State
OL - Cade Camp, Central Arkansas
OL - Maea Teuhema, Southeastern Louisiana
TE - Lawayne Ross, McNeese
WR - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State
WR - Nathan Stewart, Sam Houston State
WR - Brandon Cox, Central Arkansas
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL - P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State
DL - Chris Chambers, Central Arkansas
DL - Chris Terrell, Central Arkansas
DL - Eric Jackson, Central Arkansas
LB - Garrett Dolan, Houston Baptist
LB - Sione Teuhema, Southeastern Louisiana
LB - Justin Johnson, Sam Houston State
DB - Tremon Smith, Central Arkansas
DB - George Odum, Central Arkansas
DB - Max Lyons, Southeastern Louisiana
DB - Dominique Hill, McNeese
DB - Raphael Lewis, Houston Baptist
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Gunnar Raborn, McNeese
P - Joe Zema, Incarnate Word
KR - Desmond Hite, Incarnate Word
PR - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State
