FRISCO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word football team landed four spots on the All-Southland Conference team, including two second-team nods and two honorable mention spots, the league office announced Tuesday.
 
Junior Kody Edwards earned Second Team Offensive All-Purpose Player distinction, while senior Josh Zellars picked up Second Team Linebacker honors. Senior Jordan Hicks and junior Draven Taylor each received honorable mention recognition from the Southland. Taylor was tabbed as an honorable mention offensive lineman, while Hicks was honored as a kick return specialist.
 
"This is a great honor for all of our guys, but it is an honor our seniors in particular," Head Coach Larry Kennan said. "Our senior class took us from being a bad Division II team to being a very respectable Division I team. We'll be forever indebted to them. They had the guts to say 'yes' to us when a lot of people didn't even know who we were."
 
A 6'0" receiver out of Mesquite, Texas, Edwards racked up 712 yards and eight touchdowns on 39 receptions this season. He finished the year ranked in the top 10 in the Southland Conference in receiving yards per game (71.2), scoring touchdowns (eight), 100-yard receiving performances (three), points scored in a game (18) and all-purpose yards per game (112.5). Edwards set a school record with three touchdowns against No. 1 Sam Houston, which is the most by any player in the league this season.
 
"Kody Edwards is a true all-purpose guy," Kennan said. "He returns punts, returns kickoffs, makes outstanding runs and spectacular catches. He is the spiritual guide of our team. He helps us get going and has a lot of pizazz to him. This is an outstanding honor for Kody and he'll be a big part of our program's success next year."
 
A 6'0" inside linebacker out of Baytown, Texas, Zellars registered 87 tackles on the year, including 2.5 tackles for loss (10 yards) and a sack (10 yards). The all-time leading tackler in UIW history, Zellars also contributed a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. He finished the year ranked ninth in the Southland in tackles and tackles per game.
 
"Josh Zellars, in the opinion of our coaching staff, was the best inside linebacker in the Southland Conference," Kennan said. "He's a fabulous human being, an outstanding student and an outstanding football player. He has a great family and we know he's going to be a huge success in whatever he does in life. We're all grateful to have had the opportunity to coach him. Having as chance to coach a guy like Josh only comes around so often."
 
A 5'8" kick returner out of Arlington, Texas, Hicks totaled 393 yards on 17 kick returns, averaging 23.1 yards per return this season. An all-around player, Hicks also had a major impact from the receiver position, contributing 493 yards and five scores through the air.
 
"Jordan Hicks committed to us in the summer before his senior year, four years ago," Kennan said. "We didn't have anyone like him. We didn't have anyone with his abilities. He's helped us tremendously over time. He's a highly competitive guy and makes great catches. In our final game he had a great catch. We tease him that he drops the easy ones and catches the hard ones, but he's been a valuable guy for us in each of the four years he's been with us."
 
A 6'0" offensive lineman out of Dallas, Texas, Taylor helped UIW to the sixth-ranked passing offense and sixth-ranked rushing offense in the league this year. A versatile player, Taylor played every offensive lineman position except center in 2016.
 
"Draven Taylor is and has been our best lineman for two years now," Kennan said. "We tried to get him out of high school but he went to New Mexico. We're glad he made it back to us. He's an extremely tough guy and an outstanding leader. It's hard to vote for guys that finish 3-6. We finished seventh so maybe next year Draven can have a few more guys join him on the all-conference team."
 
 
2016 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEAMS
 
First Team
 
Quarterback:
Jeremiah Briscoe – Sam Houston State
 
Running Backs:
De'Mard Llorens – Northwestern State
Corey Avery – Sam Houston State
 
Tight End/H-Back:
Juwaan Rogers – Southeastern La.
 
Wide Receivers:
Yedidiah Louis – Sam Houston State
Desmond Smith – Central Arkansas
Nathan Stewart – Sam Houston State
 
Offensive Linemen:
Bridge Blount – Sam Houston State
Stockton Mallett – Central Arkansas
Chandler Arceneaux – Nicholls
Tyler Tezeno – Sam Houston State
Taylor Gadbois – Southeastern La.
 
Offensive All-Purpose Player:
Jatavius Wilson – Central Arkansas
 
Defensive Linemen:
P.J. Hall – Sam Houston State
Sully Laiche – Nicholls
Jordan Toliver – Central Arkansas
John Franklin – Stephen F. Austin
 
Linebackers:
Garrett Dolan – Houston Baptist
Sam Denmark – Abilene Christian
Justin Johnson – Sam Houston State
 
Defensive Backs:
Brendan Langley – Lamar
Tremon Smith – Central Arkansas
George Odum – Central Arkansas
Tyler Williams – Central Arkansas
Darion Flowers – Sam Houston State
 
Placekicker:
Nik Grau – Abilene Christian
 
Punter:
Joseph Figenshaw – Sam Houston State
 
Kick Return Specialist:
Khalil Thomas – McNeese
 
Punt Return Specialist:
Brendan Langley – Lamar
 
Second Team
 
Quarterback:
Hayden Hildebrand – Central Arkansas
 
Running Backs:
Julius Maracalin – Southeastern La.
Remus Bulmer – Sam Houston State
 
Tight End/H-Back:
Zach Hetrick – McNeese
 
Wide Receivers:
C.J. Bates – Nicholls
Davion Davis – Sam Houston State
Darious Crawley – McNeese
 
Offensive Linemen:
John Cook – Central Arkansas
Curtis Riser – Sam Houston State
Chris Bordelon – Nicholls
Josh Keith – Stephen F. Austin
Cameron Hussey – Northwestern State
 
Offensive All-Purpose Player:
Kody Edwards – UIW
 
Defensive Linemen:
Kedrick Harrison – Stephen F. Austin
Cardell Best – Central Arkansas
Jammerio Gross – McNeese
Mouf Adebo – Sam Houston State
 
Linebackers:
Allen Pittman – Nicholls
Sione Teuhema – Southeastern La.
Josh Zellars – UIW
 
Defensive Backs:
Xavier Bethany – Lamar
Devin Spurlock – Central Arkansas
Andre Fuller – McNeese
Javon Tillman – Southeastern La.
B.T. Sanders – Nicholls
 
Placekicker:
Alec Chadwick – Houston Baptist
 
Punter:
Patrick Ponder – Central Arkansas
 
Kick Return Specialist:
Jaylen Harris – Sam Houston State
 
Punt Return Specialist:
Trae Hart – Stephen F. Austin
 
2016 Southland Football Individual Awards:
 
Coach of the Year: K.C. Keeler – Sam Houston State
 
Player of the Year: Jeremiah Briscoe – Sam Houston State
 
Defensive Player of the Year: P.J. Hall – Sam Houston State
 
Offensive Player of the Year: Yedidiah Louis – Sam Houston State
 
Freshman of the Year: Nathan Stewart – Sam Houston State
 
Newcomer of the Year: James Tabary – McNeese
 
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Bridge Blount – Sam Houston State
 
Honorable Mentions (Listed by School):
 
Riley Mayfield, OL – Abilene Christian
Dakota Laws, OL – Abilene Christian
Bryson Gates, LB – Abilene Christian
Cameron Hamption, LB – Abilene Christian
Jatavious Wilson, WR – Central Arkansas
Tremon Smith, PR Specialist – Central Arkansas
Chris Terrell, DL – Central Arkansas
Terrance Peters, RB – Houston Baptist
Tony Dawson, QB – Houston Baptist
Andre Walker, DL – Houston Baptist
Derek Broussard, DB – Houston Baptist
Draven Taylor, OL – UIW
Jordan Hicks, KR Specialist – UIW
Kade Harrington, RB – Lamar
DeAndre Jennigs, TE – Lamar
Chris Livings, DL – McNeese
Ronald Ollie, DL – Nicholls
Jeff Hall, DB – Nicholls
Shakeir Ryan, PR Specialist – Northwestern State
Eric Piccione, Placekicker – Northwestern State
Luc Swimberghe, Placekicker – Sam Houston State
A.J. Davis, LB – Sam Houston State
James DeLaRosa, DL – Sam Houston State
Sione Latu, DL – Sam Houston State
Tyrel Stokes, DB – Sam Houston State
Brandon Acker, WR – Southeastern La.
Juwan Dickey, WR – Southeastern La.
Travis Romero, OL – Southeastern La.
Tre' Bennett, LB – Southeastern La.
Will Hines, DB – Southeastern La.
Torrance Mosley, DB – Southeastern La.
Max Lyons, DB – Southeastern La.
Zach Conque, QB – Stephen F. Austin
Tamrick Pace, WR – Stephen F. Austin
Storm Ruiz, Placekicker – Stephen F. Austin
George Stone, LB – Stephen F. Austin
Alize Ward, DB – Stephen F. Austin
 
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