Marshall Football Has 12 Named As All-SBC Selections
Marshall Football had 12 players named as All-Sun Belt Conference selections, the league released on Thursday morning.
Cornerback Micah Abraham, defensive end Owen Porter and return specialist Jayden Harrison were all named as All-SBC First Team honorees.
“I’m really proud of the work these guys put in and I’m happy that their work and efforts are being recognized as some of the best in this conference,” Marshall head coach Charles Huff said. “These guys deserve everything that comes their way.”
Abraham leads the Sun Belt and is currently No. 3 in FBS in passes defended in 2023 with 16. His three interceptions leads Marshall's defense and his 13 pass breakups are also No. 4 in FBS. The 16 passes defended also give him a third straight season with 15 or more passes defended.
Porter was a force from his defensive end spot throughout the season, leading the Herd with 15 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles while adding five sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. His 57 tackles were fourth-most on the team.
Harrison leads FBS with an average of 31.86 yards per kickoff return. Harrison has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season - a 94-yard return for a score against James Madison and a 98-yard kickoff return to open the Herd's win over Georgia Southern. For the season, Harrison has 669 kickoff return yards on 21 returns. Harrison also has 22 catches for 278 yards and a score on the year.
Marshall running back Rasheen Ali was the Herd’s lone member of the All-SBC Second Team.
Ali has rushed for 1,043 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, making him only the fifth player in Marshall history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons (2021). Ali's 14 rushing touchdowns and his 15 total touchdowns are each top-15 in FBS and he's scored multiple touchdowns in six of 11 games he's played in this season.
Marshall placed four players on the All-SBC Third Team: offensive lineman Ethan Driskell, defensive lineman Elijah Alston, linebacker Eli Neal and punter John McConnell.
Driskell started all 13 games at left tackle for the Herd this season and has now started in 25 consecutive games in his Marshall career. He’s part of an offensive line that has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last three seasons.
Alston led Marshall’s defense with 16 quarterback hurries and finished with 41 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He also showed a knack for turnovers, forcing a fumble and returning an interception 85 yards for a score against ODU.
Neal leads the Herd defense with 85 tackles, including 9.5 TFLs and two sacks. Neal, who teamed with Porter as the vocal and emotional leaders for the Herd defense, added an interception and a fumble recovery.
McConnell averaged 42.8 yards per punt this season on 61 punts. The sophomore from Morgantown, W.Va., has 15 punts inside the 20 and his long of 74 yards was the longest by an SBC punter this season.
Marshall also had four players named as All-SBC Honorable Mention selections: offensive linemen Dalton Tucker and Logan Osburn (both started all 12 games), defensive back J.J. Roberts (73 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 FF) and defensive lineman Sam Burton (38 tackles, 7 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 8 QB hurries).
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Jordan McCloud, James Madison
Offensive Player of the Year
Kimani Vidal, Troy
Defensive Player of the Year
Jalen Green, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year
Joey Aguilar, App State
Freshman of the Year
Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State
Coach of the Year
Curt Cignetti, James Madison
All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Jordan McCloud, James Madison
RB – Kimani Vidal, Troy
RB – Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State
OL – Bucky Williams, App State
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State
OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
TE – Zach Horton, James Madison
WR – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
WR – Elijah Sarratt, James Madison
WR – Reggie Brown, James Madison
All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Jalen Green, James Madison
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy
DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy
DL – Jamree Kromah, James Madison
DL – Owen Porter, Marshall
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
LB – Andrew Parker Jr., App State
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern
DB – Micah Abraham, Marshall
DB – Reddy Steward, Troy
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama
DB – Tyrek Funderburk, App State
All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State
P – William Przystup, Arkansas State
RS – Jayden Harrison, Marshall
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Joey Aguilar, App State
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
OL – Daniel King, Troy
OL – Tyler Stephens, James Madison
OL – Makilian Thomas, Arkansas State
OL – Rasheed Miller, Georgia Southern
OL – Grant Betts, Troy
TE – Eli Wilson, App State
WR – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
WR – Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – James Carpenter, James Madison
DL – Adin Huntington, ULM
DL – Ben Bell, Texas State
DL – Mikail Kamara, James Madison
DL – TJ Jackson, Troy
LB – Brian Holloway, Texas State
LB – Nate Johnson, App State
LB – Quentin Wilfawn, South Alabama
DB – Shemar Bartholomew, Georgia Southern
DB – Dell Pettus, TroyDB – Ethan Johnson, App State
DB – D’Angelo Ponds, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Michael Hughes, App State
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison
RS – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
AP – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
QB – Gunnar Watson, Troy
RB – La’Damian Webb, South Alabama
RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana
OL – Jack Murphy, App State
OL – Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OL – Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina
OL – Brey Walker, Texas State
TE – Neal Johnson, Louisiana
WR – Robert Lewis, Georgia State
WR – Jabre Barber, Troy
WR – Chris Lewis, Troy
All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
DL – Thurman Geathers, Arkansas State
DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern
DL – Elijah Alston, Marshall
DL – Wy’Kevious Thomas, South Alabama
LB – Eli Neal, Marshall
LB – Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
LB – Aiden Fisher, James Madison
LB – Wayne Matthews, Old Dominion
DB – Yam Banks, South Alabama
DB – Clayton Isbell, Coastal Carolina
DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State
DB – Irshaad Davis, Troy
All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
K – Camden Wise, James Madison
P – John McConnell, Marshall
RS – Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State
AP – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions
Marshall
OL – Logan Osburn
OL – Dalton Tucker
DL – Sam Burton
DB – J.J. Roberts