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12 Monarchs earn All-Conference USA honors

Posted at 3:56 PM, Dec 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-06 22:06:05-05

IRVING, Texas – Old Dominion University Football linebacker TJ Ricks became the first Monarch defensive player to earn first-team All-Conference USA honors, while five players earned second-team and six received honorable mention accolades.

ODU linebacker TJ Ricks

ODU linebacker TJ Ricks

“I am very proud of all our players that received all league recognition. Every player recognized on this list worked extremely hard on and off the field. Everyone in our organization is excited for them,” ODU Head Coach Bobby Wilder said. “Everything is about the team and our players recognize that fact. Our accomplishments as a team this year reflect all of our players efforts and commitment to the process of winning.

Offensive lineman Troy Butler, wide receiver Zach Pascal, defensive tackle Rashaad Coward, defensive end Oshane Ximines and cornerback Brandon Addison were named second team, while quarterback David Washington, running back Ray Lawry, wide receiver Jonathan Duhart, defensive end Bunmi Rotimi, linebacker Anthony Wilson and long snapper Reed Buce nabbed honorable mention.

Ricks led the Monarchs with 93 tackles and recorded five tackles for loss and a sack. He forced and recovered a pair of fumbles, both in the Southern Miss contest, and broke up four passes. He notched a season-high 14 tackles in the win over UTSA, and was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Southern Miss. He registered 11 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 2.5 tackles for loss. Ricks earned second-team honors last season.

Butler received his first all-conference honor after starting 11 games at right guard. The senior leader up front helped ODU lead Conference USA in rushing, and allow the third fewest sacks in C-USA.

Pascal led ODU with 63 receptions for 893 yards and tied for the team high with eight touchdowns. He also rushed for 120 yards on 20 carries and returned nine kicks for a 26.3 yard average. He registered three 100-yard receiving games, including the final two games of the season he combined to catch 17 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns against FIU and FAU. This is Pascal’s second-straight C-USA all-conference selection.

Coward led all Monarch defensive linemen with 46 tackles, adding 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. In the win over Southern Miss, Coward recovered a fumble and returned it seven yards for his first career touchdown. He recorded five tackles on the season, seven times, while the 7.5 tackles for loss were more than he had coming into the season (7.0). This is Coward’s first all-conference selection.

Ximines led Old Dominion with a single-season record 7.5 sacks and a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss. He ranks third in Conference USA in sacks. He also forced a team best three fumbles and recovered a pair of fumbles. He had two sacks each against Marshall and FIU. Last season, Ximines was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.

Addison leads the Monarchs with 10 pass breakups and is tied for fourth in Conference USA in passes defended. He finished the year with 43 tackles, three tackles for loss and two interceptions. He set an ODU single-game record against Marshall with five pass breakups. Addison earned his first all-conference honor.

Washington received honorable mention honors after completing 191-of-320 for 2,648 yards and 28 touchdown passes, against just four interceptions. He is one of four FBS quarterbacks to throw for 25+ TD passes, and four or less interceptions. He passed for a career-high 416 yards and five TD’s in the win at Florida Atlantic. This is Washington’s first honorable mention recognition.

Lawry led ODU with 1,122 rushing yards, fifth in Conference USA. He rushed for 11 touchdowns and scored a 12th on a 59-yard touchdown pass to open the season. He rushed for 100-yards six times this season, including four of the last five games. He notched a season-best 209 yards and a TD in the win over Marshall. Lawry, was named C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2014, and received second-team honors in 2015 after leading the league in rushing.

Duhart finished second on the Monarchs with 45 catches for 690 yards and tied Pascal with a team-best eight touchdowns. He caught five passes for 155 yards at UTEP, including a career long 77-yarder, and had eight catches for 72 yards and three scores in the win at FAU.

Rotimi is second on the team with seven sacks and nine tackles for loss and a team-best six quarterback hurries. He notched a career best two sacks in the win over Southern Miss, and had 1.5 sacks against UTSA and UTEP.

Wilson finished second on the Monarchs and 14th in Conference USA with 90 tackles. He added five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.  He set an ODU single-game record with three sacks at App State, and was named C-USA Player of the Week. He totaled an ODU season-high 17 tackles in the win over Southern Miss.

Long snapper Reed Buce was flawless snapping all punts and kicks for a second-straight season. He earned honorable mention for a second-straight season.

2016 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Ryan Higgins, Sr., Louisiana Tech
RB – I’Tavius Mathers, Sr., Middle Tennessee
RB – Aaron Jones, Jr., UTEP
OL – Darrell Brown, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Cameron Tom, Sr., Southern Miss
OL – Will Hernandez, Jr., UTEP
OL – Max Halpin, Sr., WKU
OL – Forrest Lamp, Sr., WKU
TE – Hayden Plinke, Sr., UTEP
WR – Carlos Henderson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR – Trent Taylor, Sr., Louisiana Tech
WR – Richie James, So., Middle Tennessee
WR – Taywan Taylor, Sr., WKU

DEFENSE
DL – Larry Ogunjobi, Sr., Charlotte
DL – Trey Hendrickson, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DL – Jaylon Ferguson, So., Louisiana Tech
DL – Dylan Bradley, Sr., Southern Miss
LB – TJ Ricks, Sr., Old Dominion
LB – Emmanuel Ellerbee, Jr., Rice
LB – Josiah Tauaefa, Fr., UTSA
LB – Keith Brown, Sr., WKU
DB – Xavier Woods, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Jeremy Cutrer, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – D’Nerius Antoine, Sr., Southern Miss
DB – Brandon Leston, Sr., WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Canon Roker, Jr., Middle Tennessee
P – Eric Keena, Sr., North Texas
KR – Carlos Henderson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
PR – Nacarius Fant, Jr., WKU
LS – William Eads, Sr., Middle Tennessee

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Mike White, Sr., WKU
RB – Ito Smith, Jr., Southern Miss
RB – Anthony Wales, Sr., WKU
OL – Joseph Brunson, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL – O’Shea Dugas, So., Louisiana Tech
OL – Daniel Stephens, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Troy Butler, Sr., Old Dominion
OL – Darrell Williams, Jr., Sr., WKU
TE – Jonnu Smith, Sr., FIU
WR – Zach Pascal, Sr., Old Dominion
WR – Nicolas Norris, Sr., WKU

DEFENSE
DL – Rashaad Coward, Sr., Old Dominion
DL – Oshane Ximines, So., Old Dominion
DL – Marcus Davenport, Jr., UTSA
DL – Omarius Bryant, Sr., WKU
LB – Anthony Wint, Jr., FIU
LB – Jordan Harris, Sr., Louisiana Tech
LB – Alvin Jones, Jr., UTEP
DB – Kishawn McClain, Jr., North Texas
DB – Brandon Addison, Jr., Old Dominion
DB – Michael Egwuagu, Sr., UTSA
DB – Joe Brown, Jr., WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS
K – Jonathan Barnes, Jr., Louisiana Tech
K – Parker Shaunfield, So., Southern Miss
P – Jake Collins, So., WKU
KR – Kylen Towner, Jr., WKU
PR – Trent Taylor, Sr., Louisiana Tech
LS – Darrell Travis, Sr., Louisiana Tech

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE

QB – Brent Stockstill, So., Middle Tennessee
QB – David Washington, Sr., Old Dominion
QB – Nick Mullens, Sr., Southern Miss
RB – Kalif Phillips, So., Charlotte
RB – Alex Gardner, Jr., FIU
RB – Devin Singletary, Fr., Florida Atlantic
RB – Jarred Craft, Jr., Louisiana Tech
RB – Ray Lawry, Jr., Old Dominion
OL – Nate Davis, So., Charlotte
OL – Dieugot Joseph, Sr., FIU
OL – Michael Montero, Sr., FIU
OL – Dillon DeBoer, Sr., Florida Atlantic
OL – Antonyo Woods, Jr., Florida Atlantic
OL – Chandler Brewer, So., Middle Tennessee
OL – Josh Chester, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Maurquice Shakir, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Jordan Murray, So., North Texas
OL – Sam Rice, Sr., North Texas
OL – Calvin Anderson, So., Rice
OL – Trey Martin, Jr., Rice
OL – Jevonte Domond, Sr., UTSA
TE – Kam McKnight, So., Louisiana Tech
TE – Ryan Yurahek, Jr., Marshall
TE – Julian Allen, Jr., Southern Miss
WR – Austin Duke, Sr., Charlotte
WR – Thomas Owens, Jr., FIU
WR – Kalib Woods, Jr., Florida Atlantic
WR – Dennis Andrews, Sr., Middle Tennessee
WR – Ty Lee, Fr., Middle Tennessee
WR – Jonathan Duhart, Jr., Old Dominion
WR – Allenzae Staggers, Jr., Southern Miss
WR – Josh Stewart, Jr., UTSA

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE

DL – Brandon Banks, Sr., Charlotte
DL – Aaron Brown, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL – Deldrick Canty, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DL – Ryan Bee, So., Marshall
DL – Gary Thompson, Sr., Marshall
DL – Chris Hale, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Shaquille Huff, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Jimal McBride, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Steven Rhodes, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL – Bunmi Rotimi, Jr., Old Dominion
DL – Xavier Thigpen, Jr., Southern Miss
DL – Chris Johnson, Jr., WKU
LB – Nick Cook, Sr., Charlotte
LB – Treyvon Williams, Jr., FIU
LB – Azeez Al-Shaair, So., Florida Atlantic
LB – Russell Farris, Jr., Louisiana Tech
LB – Chris Melton, So., Middle Tennessee
LB – D.J. Sanders, Jr.., Middle Tennessee
LB – Joshua Wheeler, Jr., North Texas
LB – Anthony Wilson, Sr., Old Dominion
LB – Alex Lyons, Sr., Rice
LB – Elijah Parker, Sr., Southern Miss
LB – Nick Usher, Sr., UTEP
LB – Joel Iyiegbuniwe, So., WKU
LB – T.J. McCollum, Jr., WKU
DB – Niko Gonzalez, Jr., FIU
DB – Raekwon Williams, Jr., Florida Atlantic
DB – Jalen Young, So., Florida Atlantic
DB – Secdrick Cooper, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Prince Sam, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DB – Rodney Allen, Jr., Marshall
DB – Nate Brooks, So., North Texas
DB – Eric Jenkins, Jr., North Texas
DB – Tabari McGaskey, Sr., Rice
DB – Jordan Moore, Sr., UTSA
DB – Leverick Johnson, Jr., WKU

HONORABLE MENTION SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Austin Taylor, Sr., FIU
K – Greg Joseph, Jr., Florida Atlantic
K – Trevor Moore, Jr., North Texas
K – Skyler Simcox, So., WKU
P – Dalton Schomp, Sr., Florida Atlantic
P – Jack Fox, So., Rice
P – Tyler Sarrazin, Sr., Southern Miss
P – Alan Luna, Jr., UTEP
KR – Chris Montgomery, Jr., Charlotte
KR – Kerrith Whyte, Fr., Florida Atlantic
KR – Tyler Wilson, Fr., North Texas
PR – Terry Juniel, So., UTEP
LS – Keaston Sinicki, Sr., Charlotte
LS – Sam Medlock, Sr., FIU
LS – Reed Buce, Jr., Old Dominion
LS – Matt Bayliss, Jr., UTSA
LS – Nolan Dowling, Sr., WKU