Seven Warhawks named All-Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La.-Headlined by three players named to the All-Louisiana First Team, seven ULM football players were named All-Louisiana, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced late Thursday night.

All of ULM's first teams selections came on the defensive side of the ball as defensive end Aaron Morgan, linebacker Cardia Jackson and safety Greg James all received top honors. Jackson and James were both named to the All-Louisiana team for the second straight season; while all three were also first team All-Sun Belt honorees.

The seven selections ties the 2007 and 2005 teams for the most by a ULM unit since the 1998 squad had eight (only one first team selection). Offensive linemen Mitch Doyle and Brett Thompson, running back Frank Goodin and defensive end Troy Evans were all named to the second team.

Jackson, who finished just one vote shy of earning Louisiana Defensive Player of the Year honors, was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year on Dec. 9. The senior from Monroe, La., led the league with 117 tackles, 71 solo tackles and a 9.8 tackles-per-game average. Jackson became the conference's all-time leader in total tackles in week 10 against Western Kentucky.

He became the first ULM player since 1996-97 to record over 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons. Not only is Jackson the top defensive player in the conference, but he is also one of the best in the NCAA. He is tied for first among all active players in the NCAA with 228 solo tackles and ranks third with 381 career stops.

Morgan established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the country and finished the year first in the Sun Belt and 23rd in the NCAA with 9.0 sacks. The Amite, La., native also finished second in the Sun Belt and 16th in the NCAA with 17.0 tackles for loss. His single-season sack total ranks eighth best in ULM and Sun Belt history and he finished his collegiate career ranked second all-time in the Sun Belt with 22 career sacks.

James also became an all-time record holder in the Sun Belt Conference. He finished second in the league with four interceptions to push his career total to a conference record 17 - his career mark also ranks first among all active players in the NCAA.

The Monroe native earned national, state and conference honors after intercepting three Riley Dodge passes in ULM's game at North Texas. He returned the final interception of his collegiate career 78 yards against Middle Tennessee. It went down as the fifth longest interception return in ULM history and the longest that didn't result in a touchdown.

Doyle, a native of Oologah, Okla., and Thompson, a native of Sachse, Texas, anchored the left side of a ULM offensive line which ended the year ranked 27th in the NCAA in sacks allowed (16.0). The Warhawks finished second in the Sun Belt averaging 183.9 rushing yards per game and averaged is highest point total since moving to Division I-A in 1994 (25.6).

Goodin finished the season third in the Sun Belt after rushing for 1,126 yards on 219 carries - 5.1 yards per carry. His yardage total was the fifth-best tally in school history and his 13 rushing touchdowns ranked second best. The West Monroe, La., native will enter his senior season eight touchdowns and 873 yards shy of the all-time ULM records.

Evans enjoyed a breakout sophomore season by finishing with 6.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss. He finished the year ranked fourth in the Sun Belt in sacks and 18th in tackles for loss. The native of Shreveport, La., earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors after back-to-back sacks against Arkansas State preserved a ULM victory in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN2.

All-Louisiana College Football Team

First Team Offense

OL-Ciron Black, LSU

OL-Brad Bustle, Louisiana-Lafayette

OL-Chris Fisher, Louisiana-Lafayette

OL-Rob McGill, Louisiana Tech

OL-Ramon Chinyoung, Southern

TE-Dennis Morris, Louisiana Tech

WR-Brandon LaFell, LSU

WR-Juamorris Stewart, Southern

RB-Toddrick Pendland, McNeese

RB-Daniel Porter, Louisiana Tech

QB-Derrick Fourroux, McNeese State

First Team Defense

DL-Christian Anthony, Grambling State

DL-Desmond Lighten, McNeese State

DL-Aaron Morgan, ULM

DL-D'Anthony Smith, Louisiana Tech

LB-Cardia Jackson, ULM

LB-Mark Newbill, Southeastern Louisiana

LB-Kelvin Sheppard, LSU

DB-Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State

DB-Greg James, ULM

DB-Chad Jones, LSU

DB-Patrick Peterson, LSU

First Team Special Teams

K-Josh Jasper, LSU

P-Patrick Dolan, Nicholls State

RS-Trindon Holliday, LSU

Offensive Player of the Year - Derrick Fourroux, McNeese State

Voting - Fourroux 12, Bryant Lee (SU) 3, Frank Goodin (ULM) 1, Daniel Porter (Tech) 1, Simmie Yarborough (SLU) 1

Defensive Player of the Year - Kelvin Sheppard, LSU

Voting - Sheppard 6, Christian Anthony (GSU) 5, Cardia Jackson (ULM) 5, D'Anthony Smith (Tech) 2

Freshman of the Year - Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State

Voting - Bronson 10, Ari Johnson (GSU) 3, Ryan Griffin (TU) 2, Paul Harris (Northwestern St.) 2, No vote 1.

Coach of the Year - Mike Lucas, Southeastern Louisiana

Voting - Lucas 12, Matt Viator (McNeese) 4, Les Miles (LSU) 2

Second Team Offense

OL - Casey Richter, McNeese State; Mitch Doyle, ULM; Aric Flowers, Nicholls State; Brett Thompson, ULM; Revay Smith, Grambling.

TE - LaDarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette

WR - Jeremy Williams, Tulane; Jordan Rideaux, Louisiana College

RB - Andre Anderson, Tulane; Frank Goodin, ULM

QB - Bryant Lee, Southern

Second Team Defense

DL - Albert Smith, Northwestern State.; Drake Nevins, LSU; Troy Evans, ULM; Adam Kwentua, Tulane

LB - Adrian Cole, Louisiana Tech; Perry Riley, LSU; Antwyne Zanders, Louisiana-Lafayette.

DB - Jason House, Southern; ReKeem Wilson, Southeastern Louisiana; Deon Young, Louisiana Tech; Tank Calais, Louisiana Tech

Second Team Special Teams

K - Matt Nelson, Louisiana Tech

P - Spencer Ortego, Louisiana-Lafayette

RS - Phillip Livas, Louisiana Tech

Honorable Mention

OL - David Ward, Southeastern Louisiana; WR -- Simmie Yarborough, Southeastern Louisiana