SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference Sports Media Association selected its football all-conference team and specialty awards for the 2015 season. Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman earned the Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year honor for the second consecutive season, while Furman linebacker Cory Magwood was chosen as the defensive player of the year. Samford wide receiver Kelvin McKnight was tabbed the freshman of the year and The Citadel’s Mike Houston was named the Wallace Wade Coach of the Year.
Huesman joins select company as just the fifth player to win the Roy M. “Legs” Hawley award in back-to-back years since the league split the awards into offensive and defensive categories in 1986. Huseman joins Marshall’s Michael Payton (1991-92), Furman’s Louis Ivory (2000-01), Appalachian State’s Armanti Edwards (2008-09) and Wofford’s Eric Breitenstein (2011-12) as the only players to win the award in consecutive seasons. Huesman was named the league’s Player of the Week four times as a senior and will finish his career in the top three for total offense, most rushing yards by a quarterback and most career touchdown passes.
Magwood becomes the first Paladin to claim the media’s defensive player of the year honor since William Freeman in 2004. The senior finished second in the league in total tackles (127) and paced the SoCon in solo stops (69). Magwood recorded double-digit tackles in eight games this season. He was credited with five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Magwood was named the league’s defensive player of the week on Nov. 2 after recording 16 tackles in a come-from-behind win over Samford.
McKnight joins former Samford quarterback Justin Taliaferro (2008) as the only two Bulldogs to earn the league’s freshman of the year award. McKnight ranked third in the league in receptions per game (5.2 rpg) and was seventh in receiving yards per contest (56.0 ypg). In addition to his yards receiving, McKnight returned 15 punts for 189 yards on the season, including a 77-yard return for a touchdown in the season finale at Mercer. He added 13 rushes for 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Mike Houston becomes the fifth coach of The Citadel to earn the Wallace Wade award, joining Eddie Teague (1961), Tom Moore (1984), Charlie Taaffe (1990) and Kevin Higgins (2012). Houston guided the Bulldogs to an 8-3 record and a 6-1 mark in league play after being picked seventh in preseason balloting. The Citadel earned a share of the conference championship for the first time since 1992. Its six league wins were the most since 1992 and the Bulldogs closed the regular season with a 23-22 win over South Carolina.
The group also selected two all-conference teams to go along with the specialty awards. Chattanooga led all schools with seven first-team selections. Western Carolina had a total of 10 players earn all-conference honors, including six on the second team. The Citadel and Samford each had eight all-conference honorees. All eight SoCon schools were represented on both all-conference teams. Due to a tie in the voting, there was a position added at linebacker on the second team.
2015 Media All-Southern Conference Football Team
Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Jacob Huesman, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year – Cory Magwood, Sr., LB, Furman
Freshman of the Year – Kelvin McKnight, WR, Samford
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Mike Houston, The Citadel
First Team Offense
QB Jacob Huesman, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Derrick Craine, Jr., Chattanooga
RB Detrez Newsome, So., Western Carolina
OL Sam Frye, Sr., The Citadel
OL Gunnar Bromelow, Sr., Samford
OL Synjen Herren, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Corey Levin, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Anton Wahrby, Jr., Wofford
TE Tyler Sexton, Jr., Western Carolina
WR Karel Hamilton, Jr., Samford
WR Aaron Sanders, Jr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Mitchell Jeter, Sr., The Citadel
DL Michael Pierce, Sr., Samford
DL Keionta Davis, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Caleb Hawkins, Sr., Western Carolina
LB Cory Magwood, Sr., Furman
LB Nakevion Leslie, Jr., Chattanooga
LB Daniel Riddle, So., Western Carolina
DB Dee Delaney, So., The Citadel
DB Trey Robinson, Jr., Furman
DB Jamerson Blount, Jr., Samford
DB Lucas Webb, So., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Anthony Pistelli, Sr., Samford
P Matt Shiel, So., Mercer
RS Dane Forlines, Jr., VMI
Second Team Offense
QB Troy Mitchell, Sr., Western Carolina
RB Tee Mitchell, So., Mercer
RB Lorenzo Long, Jr., Wofford
OL Kyle Weaver, Jr., The Citadel
OL Joe Turner, Sr., Furman
OL Bret Niederreither, Jr., Mercer
OL Jake Thornton, Sr., Western Carolina
OL Josh Wineberg, Sr., Western Carolina
TE Robert Brown, Jr., Mercer
WR Andrej Suttles, Jr., Furman
WR Emmanuel Obajimi, Jr., Samford
Second Team Defense
DL Ahmad Gooden, Fr., Samford
DL Josh Freeman, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Joe Nelson, Jr., VMI
DL Miles Brown, Fr., Wofford
LB Tevin Floyd, Jr., The Citadel
LB Tosin Aguebor, Jr., Mercer
LB Ryan Francis, So., VMI
LB Tyson Dickson, Jr., Western Carolina
DB Reggie Thomas, Sr., Furman
DB James Bradberry, Sr., Samford
DB Sertonuse Harris, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Brion Anderson, Sr., Wofford
Second Team Specialists
PK Eric Goins, Jr., The Citadel
P Ian Berryman, Fr., Western Carolina
RS Quinlan Washington, Fr., The Citadel