NEW ORLEANS – Coastal Carolina’s Reese White and Josaiah Stewart and South Alabama’s Diego Guajardo claim Sun Belt weekly awards after propelling their teams to 2-0 starts. 

Football Offensive Player of the Week
Reese White, Coastal Carolina
(Jr., RB – Sandy Springs, Ga.)

Chanticleers junior running back Reese White rushed for a career-high 102 yards and three touchdowns in Coastal Carolina’s 49-22 victory over Kansas. The 100-yard rushing game was the first of the Sandy Springs, Ga., native’s career, while his three rushing touchdowns are the most by a Sun Belt running back in a single game this season. 

Football Defensive Player of the Week
Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
(Fr., DL – Everett, Mass.) 

Chanticleers freshman defensive lineman Josaiah Stewart set a single-game program record with 3.5 sacks and tied the Coastal Carolina high-water mark with 3.5 tackles-for-loss. The Everett, Mass., product tallied eight total tackles to lead the Chanticleer defense that accumulated 11.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.0 sacks, a blocked punt and a blocked extra-point in a 49-22 win over Kansas.

Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Diego Guajardo, South Alabama
(So., K – Spanish Fort, Ala.) 

Jaguars sophomore kicker Diego Guajardo kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to lift South Alabama to a 22-19 win over Bowling Green. The Spanish Fort, Ala., native also connected from 22 and 41 yards out, as part of a 10-point effort. Guajardo’s three field goals tied his career high, while his walk-off kick provided the Jaguars their first win on the final play of the game since Oct. 20, 2012. 

2021 Sun Belt Football Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State
Week 2 – Reese White, Coastal Carolina

2021 Sun Belt Football Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Zion Williams, Troy
Week 2 – Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina

2021 Sun Belt Football Special Teams Players of the Week
Week 1 – Britton Williams, Georgia Southern
Week 2 – Diego Guajardo, South Alabama

The post Sun Belt releases weekly football honors appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

NEW ORLEANS – The 2020 regular-season Sun Belt Conference football postseason awards were unveiled on Monday morning.

Coastal Carolina led in All-Sun Belt selections with 16, including 10 on the first team (five on offense; four on defense, one on special teams), followed by App State and Louisiana having 14 each.  Georgia State finished with 10, the most ever selected from the program among the three teams, while Shamarious Gilmore is the program’s first four-time honoree.

SBC Co-champions and East Division champion Coastal Carolina claimed five of the top six honors, led by the Chanticleers’ redshirt freshman quarterback, Grayson McCall, being named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. McCall was joined by teammates’ redshirt senior defensive end Tarron Jackson, who was named Defensive Player of the Year, and junior cornerback D’Jordan Strong was named the Sun Belt’s Newcomer of the Year. Coastal’s head coach Jamey Chadwell earned Coach of the Year honors for the team’s performance. Arkansas State senior wide receiver Jonathan Adams Jr. was named Offensive Player of the Year. McCall, Jackson, Strong, and Adams Jr., also received All-Sun Belt First Team recognition.

Coastal’s McCall ranks eighth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in points responsible for (176) and passing efficiency (185.9) and is 10th in passing touchdowns (23) and yards per pass attempt (9.95). The redshirt freshman is a semifinalist for both the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award the Maxwell Award and is a finalist for the Manning Award. He is also one of four freshmen this year named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) “Fresh Four” and was tabbed as the Manning “Star of the Week” for the third time.

The Red Wolves’ Adams Jr. has made his name known in the nation’s statistical rankings among wide receivers this season. The senior ranks third in receiving touchdowns (12), fifth in receiving yards (1,111), ninth in receptions per game (7.9), and tenth in receiving yards per game (111.1). The Jonesboro, Arkansas native currently ranks second All-Time at Arkansas State for receiving touchdowns (21), third for receptions (166), and fifth for receiving yards (2,306).  His 21 career touchdown grabs are also tied for the fifth-most in Sun Belt Conference history. Plus, Adams is one of 11 semifinalists for this season’s Biletnikoff Award.

Jackson played in all 11 games this year for the Chanticleers and racked up 13.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks for 50 yards during the regular season. The redshirt senior registered 10 tackles (4 solo, 6 assisted), 2.5 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble against South Alabama back on November 7.  His performance this year makes him one of the keys to the Coastal Carolina defense as one of four pass-rushers for Coastal this season that rank in the Sun Belt Top 10. Jackson is also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.

Strong, who transferred in this year, closed out his first year with Coastal tallying 26 tackles, 21 of them being solos, and is first on the team in passes defended with 11. His five interceptions this season rank him first with one returned for a pick-six against App State. The junior registered a team-high two interceptions twice this season against Georgia Southern (October 24) and App State (November 21).

Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Offensive Player of the Year
Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State

Defensive Player of the Year
Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina

Freshman of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Newcomer of the Year
D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina

Coach of the Year
Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina

All-Sun Belt First Team

Offense
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, QB
CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina, RB
Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana, RB
Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina, TE
Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State, WR
Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina, WR
Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama, WR
Noah Hannon, App State, OL
Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina, OL
Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State, OL
Austin Stidham, Troy, OL
Baer Hunter, App State, OL

Defense
Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina, DL
Demetrius Taylor, App State, DL
Raymond Johnson, Georgia Southern, DL
Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina, DL
C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina, DL
Carlton Martial, Troy, LB
Justin Rice, Arkansas State, LB
Riley Cole, South Alabama, LB
D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina, DB
Shemar Jean-Charles, App State, DB
Shaun Jolly, App State, DB
Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern, DB

Specialists
Noel Ruiz, Georgia State, Kicker
Jack Martin, Troy, Punter
CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina, All Purpose
Chris Smith, Louisiana, Return Specialist

All-Sun Belt Second Team

Offense
Levi Lewis, Louisiana, QB
Trey Ragas, Louisiana, RB
Camerun Peoples, App State, RB
Josh Pederson, ULM, TE
Kawaan Baker, South Alabama, WR
Kaylon Geiger, Troy, WR
Sam Pinckney, Georgia State, WR
O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana, OL
Cooper Hodges, App State, OL
Dylan Bradshaw, Troy, OL
Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina, OL
Max Mitchell, Louisiana, OL

Defense
Will Choloh, Troy, DL
Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana, DL
Forrest Merrill, Arkansas State, DL
Hardrick Willis, Georgia State, DL
Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina, LB
Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern, LB
D’Marco Jackson, App State, LB
Bralen Trahan, Louisiana, DB
Quavian White, Georgia State, DB
Terence Dunlap, Troy, DB
Jarron Morris, Texas State, DB
Antavious Lane, Georgia State, DB

Specialists
Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina, Kicker
Rhys Byrns, Louisiana, Punter
Jeremiah Haydel, Texas State, All Purpose
Jeremiah Haydel, Texas State, Return Specialist

All-Sun Belt Third Team

Offense
Zac Thomas, App State, QB
Destin Coates, Georgia State, RB
Daetrich Harrington, App State, RB
Thomas Hennigan, App State, WR
Marcell Barbee, Texas State, WR
Malik Williams, App State, WR
Roger Carter, Georgia State, TE
Ken Marks, Louisiana, OL
Ryan Neuzil, App State, OL
Aaron Dowdell, Georgia Southern, OL
Sam Thompson, Coastal Carolina, OL
Shane Vallot, Louisiana, OL

Defense
Nico Ezidore, Texas State, DL
Richard Jibunor, Troy, DL
Dontae Wilson, Georgia State, DL
Jeremiah Littles, South Alabama, DL
Jordan Strachan, Georgia State, LB
Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana, LB
Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina, LB
Keith Gallmon, South Alabama, DB
Eric Garror, Louisiana, DB
Alex Spillum, Coastal Carolina, DB
Kaiden Smith, App State, DB
Dell Pettus, Troy, DB

Specialists
Diego Guajardo, South Alabama, Kicker
Anthony Beck, Georgia Southern, Punter
Chris Smith, Louisiana, All Purpose
Jalen Virgil, App State, Return Specialist

Honorable Mentions

App State
Brendan Harrington, OLB
Ryan Huff, DB
Caleb Spurlin, DE
Henry Pearson, TE

Arkansas State
TW Ayers, DE/TE
Logan Bonner, QB
Brandon Bowling, WR
Layne Hatcher, QB

Coastal Carolina
Enock Makonzo, SPUR
Antwine Loper, OL
Reese White, RB
Steven Bedosky, OL

Georgia Southern
JD King, RB
Ryan Langan, LS
Shai Werts, QB
Anthony Wilson, S

Georgia State
Blake Carroll, LB
Cornelius McCoy, WR
Trajan Stephens-McQueen, LB
Malik Sumter, OL

Louisiana
Ferrod Gardner, LB
Tayland Humphrey, DL
Mekhi Garner, CB
Percy Butler, S

ULM
Austin Hawley, DB
Evan Henry, OL
Ty Shelby, DL
Traveion Webster, LB

South Alabama
Brandon Crum, TE
Carlos Davis, RB
Gi’Narious Johnson, DL
Nick Mobley, LB

Texas State
Russell Baker, OL
Dalton Cooper, OL
Seamus O’Kelly, Punter
Brock Sturges, RB

Troy
Javon Solomon, DL
Kimani Vidal, RB
Reggie Todd, WR
K.J. Robertson, LB

The post Sun Belt releases 2020 Postseason Football Honors appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

NEW ORLEANS – By so many measures, the 2020 football season has been a successful season for the Sun Belt Conference.

However, a colossal monkey wrench was thrown into the works on Thursday on the way to seeing one of the league’s teams playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game.

At around 10:30 p.m. EST, the conference announced that the Sun Belt championship game between No. 9 Coastal Carolina (11-0) and No. 17 Louisiana (9-1) had been canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test within the Coastal Carolina program.

The release stated that ‘because of contact tracing, an entire position group would not be available to play due to possible exposure and therefore the game cannot be played.’

Planning for bowl games and banners was suddenly put away, at least temporarily, as the news of this sank in.

SBC Commissioner Keith Gill addressed the media on Friday, expressing first his concern for those who tested positive for the virus.

“This thing is really hard. It was a really tough day yesterday for the conference,” Gill said. “But first of all, I want to extend my good wishes and get-well wishes for those who actually tested positive for COVID-19. We see how difficult the pandemic has been for this country.

“This is really disappointing in how our season ended in that we don’t have this great championship game. Two ranked teams. Two teams ranked in the CFP (College Football Playoff rankings). We were really excited about that being on ESPN at 3:30 EST and just a great time slot. So that is at this point a terrible feeling. But I don’t think that defines the season for the Sun Belt.

“I really just want to say I’m proud to be a part of the Sun Belt Conference and I’m proud of our members.”

In what has already been an unprecedented year for the league in many ways, the Sun Belt will recognize both Coastal Carolina and Louisiana as co-champions.

“We have two football champions in 2020 and we’ll be able to celebrate both of them, which is certainly exciting,” Gill said. “We would have loved to have solved it on the field, but we can certainly celebrate two great seasons in that regard.”

Gill said contingency plans were already in place in the league in the event of something like this. However, for the purposes of College Football Playoff rankings, the highest ranked team from the conference would be considered the champion.

As of this week, that is Coastal Carolina.

Comments have been made about the cancelation of the contest as to whether it might favor one team over another.

“I think it’s unfortunate and bad timing,” Gill said. “This is about COVID. This about protocols that we put in place earlier in the year. And we did that for health and safety. We said that we’re going to err on the side of health and safety and that’s what we did in this instance.”

When it comes to how this will all shake out for Coastal Carolina, Gill said he believes the Chants body of work speaks for itself, especially against teams from the American Athletic Conference – Cincinnati and Tulsa – that will be playing in the American championship on Saturday night.

“I just think Coastal’s resume is better. I just think they have more wins and have better wins. They played a tougher schedule.”

And he said it doesn’t take away from the season as a whole for Coastal Carolina or Louisiana or the whole conference.

“I think this is a successful season. There’s no question about it. I believe that with all my heart.

“We started this season knowing there would be disruption and we kinda played through that disruption. We don’t have the opportunity to schedule when your disruption is going to happen. It’s unfortunate in the timing and certainly this would have been another part of our successful season.

“But I don’t think this setback takes away at all from the success of this season we’ve had as the Sun Belt or from Coastal’s great year or from Louisiana’s great year. I htikn it’s unfortunate that we didn’t get ot finish it the way we would have liked. Obviously we all regret that.

“But the reality is that it’s been a great year for the Sun Belt and for Sun Belt football.

“I certainly understand the magnitude of this game cancelation. But this single event isn’t going to, at least in my mind, detract from our success. We wish we’d played the game, but unfortunately we did not have the opportunity to do so.”

The post SBC Commission Gill: This single event isn’t going to detract from the success of the season appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

CONWAY, S.C. – The Sun Belt Conference Championship Football game between Coastal Carolina and Louisiana has been canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test within the Coastal Carolina program. Because of contact tracing, an entire position group would not be available to play due to possible exposure and therefore the game cannot be played. 

“We are very disappointed that the championship game cannot be played, but we are so proud of all of the players and staff members and their hard work during this truly challenging season,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill. “We will honor both teams as 2020 Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions.”

The post Sun Belt Conference Championship Game canceled appeared first on Southeast Sports Net.

NEW ORLEANS – Kickoff time for the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game has been confirmed for 11 a.m. CT/noon ET on Saturday, December 19 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina. The game, which will pit East Division champion Coastal Carolina vs. West Division champs Louisiana, will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2.

Louisiana (8-1, 6-1 Sun Belt) began its season with an upset victory over Iowa State, resulting in the school’s first ranking in the AP Poll since 1943. Head Coach Billy Napier, who has won three consecutive West Division championships at the helm in Lafayette, is attempting to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first SBC title since 2013. 

The Chanticleers (9-0, 7-0 Sun Belt) have been nothing short of dominant all season. After beginning the season ranked at the bottom of the Sun Belt preseason coaches polls, the Chants have run the table thus far. Their No. 20 CFP Ranking has earned the Conway, S.C. campus its first-ever visit from ESPN College GameDay for its showdown against Liberty on December 5.

The Championship Game will be a re-match of the Chanticleers and Ragin’ Cajuns game on October 14. Coastal Carolina handed Louisiana its only loss of the season, by a 30-27 margin, on a walk-off field goal by junior kicker Massimo Biscardi.

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