Five ‘Jacks Claim All-Southland Conference Football Honors
11/21/2017 2:16:00 PM | Football
SFA takes three spots on the All-Southland Conference Second Team Offense and Defense with Tamrick Pace, John Franklin and Alize Ward, while Lamont Alexander and Devonte Jones are named honorable mention
Southland Conference release with complete teams list
FRISCO, Texas – A total of five Stephen F. Austin football players were honored by the Southland Conference Tuesday afternoon with the league's release of the 2017 All-Southland teams and season superlatives. Sophomore wide receiver Tamrick Pace was named Second Team Offense All-Southland as senior defensive end John Franklin and sophomore safety Alize Ward both earned a spot on the All-Southland Second Team Defense. Junior defensive tackle Lamont Alexander and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Devonte Jones were each tabbed All-Southland honorable mention.
Pace, a native of Brownsboro, Texas (Brownsboro H.S.), was SFA's top receiver for the second-straight season, tallying a team-high 645 yards on 53 catches and averaging 12.2 yards per reception. A preseason All-Southland Second Team pick, Pace finished conference play fourth in the league in receptions per game (4.6) and sixth in receiving yards per game (58.8). On Sept. 23, Pace reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career on a 17-yard catch during the win at Abilene Christian. After totaling 836 yards as a true freshman on his way to Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-American honors, Pace reached the career milestone in just 15 games played.
Ranked 51st nationally in receptions per game (4.8) for the season, Pace had two 100-yard games this fall, racking up a season-high 145 yards on seven catches in the 34-7 drubbing at Lamar and collecting 100 yards on six receptions against 11th-ranked Sam Houston State. Pace, who was a 2016 All-Southland honorable mention selection, found himself in the end zone on completions five times for the second-most touchdowns on the team and third-highest scoring total.
A native of Greenville, Texas (Greenville H.S.), Franklin finished out his Lumberjack career as one of SFA's top performers on the defensive line all-time. Leading the Lumberjacks' defensive front in his final season suiting up in the Purple and White, Franklin posted a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss for negative 46 yards, including dishing out 3.5 sacks for a loss of 24 yards. In league play, his 11.5 tackles for loss were fifth-most in the conference and he tied for sixth in tackles for loss per game (1.28). A preseason All-Southland pick, all of Franklin's sacks came in league action. Ranked 42nd nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.2) for the entire season, Franklin finished with the fifth-most tackles on the team with 55 total, including 27 solo stops.
The All-Southland nod is Franklin's third of his career after garnering second-team honors in 2015 and being named to the All-Southland First Team in 2016. Prior to this season he was tabbed as the 31st most important player in Texas for 2017 by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Franklin completed his Lumberjack career fifth on SFA's all-time career tackles for loss list with 37.5 over the past four seasons, while finishing ninth in program history in all-time career sacks (17.5).
Ward, who hails from San Diego, California (DeSoto H.S.), was SFA's biggest playmaker this season. He finished second on the team in total tackles (75) and led the 'Jacks with 40 solo stops, not to mention recording four interceptions in conference play for the second-most in the league. His 122 interception return yards were second-most in the Southland, while Ward was 18th in the conference in tackles per game (6.8). With 10 pass breakups on the season, including seven in league play, Ward ranked 18th nationally in passes defended per game (1.3) and was fourth in the Southland, fifth in conference action (1.2). Ward's 0.4 interceptions per game average was third-best in the league and ranked 32nd nationally. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss for negative 16 yards, including posting an assisted sack for a four-yard loss.
Ward etched his named in SFA football lore on Sept. 16 when he had a sensational 70-yard, game-winning pick-six as time expired to will the 'Jacks to their first win of the season against Incarnate Word inside Homer Bryce Stadium. The interception was made following a timeout and on a Cardinal flea flicker. For Ward's heroics, he was named both Southland Defensive Player of the Week and STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. The play gained national attention and was the No. 3 play on ESPN SportCenter's Top 10 plays of the night.
A preseason All-Southland selection as a kick returner, Ward was also phenomenal as SFA's lead kickoff return man in 2017. He racked up 726 yards on 29 kickoff returns for the fourth-most in a single season in program history. Ward averaged 25 yards per kickoff return, 25.2 in league play, to finish 14th nationally and second in the Southland in that category.
A native of Nolanville, Texas (Killeen H.S.), Alexander started every game on the defensive line for the 'Jacks, registering 45 total tackles, including 15 solo stops. A preseason All-Southland pick, Alexander's six tackles for loss for negative 16 yards were fourth-most on the team, while his 2.5 sacks for a loss of nine yards were the second-most by any Jack this season. Alexander also had a momentum-changing fumble recovery this past Saturday at Northwestern State, recovering a loose ball to help SFA get back into the game early in the third quarter.
Jones, a native of Houston, Texas (Bellaire H.S.), started every game on the offensive line for SFA this season, seeing action at both the right guard and right tackle positions. After suffering a season-ending injury in the 2016 opener at Texas Tech, Jones made a remarkable recovery to help the Lumberjack offense in every game this season. He played an integral part in helping senior running back Kijana Amous (Mansfield, Texas) collect 983 all-purpose yards, including 639 on the ground, for the most all-purpose yards in a single season since 2014.
SFA wrapped up its 2017 campaign this past Saturday with a 38-21 loss in the 52nd Battle for Chief Caddo at Northwestern State.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football.
-SFA-
FRISCO, Texas – A total of five Stephen F. Austin football players were honored by the Southland Conference Tuesday afternoon with the league's release of the 2017 All-Southland teams and season superlatives. Sophomore wide receiver Tamrick Pace was named Second Team Offense All-Southland as senior defensive end John Franklin and sophomore safety Alize Ward both earned a spot on the All-Southland Second Team Defense. Junior defensive tackle Lamont Alexander and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Devonte Jones were each tabbed All-Southland honorable mention.
Pace, a native of Brownsboro, Texas (Brownsboro H.S.), was SFA's top receiver for the second-straight season, tallying a team-high 645 yards on 53 catches and averaging 12.2 yards per reception. A preseason All-Southland Second Team pick, Pace finished conference play fourth in the league in receptions per game (4.6) and sixth in receiving yards per game (58.8). On Sept. 23, Pace reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career on a 17-yard catch during the win at Abilene Christian. After totaling 836 yards as a true freshman on his way to Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-American honors, Pace reached the career milestone in just 15 games played.
Ranked 51st nationally in receptions per game (4.8) for the season, Pace had two 100-yard games this fall, racking up a season-high 145 yards on seven catches in the 34-7 drubbing at Lamar and collecting 100 yards on six receptions against 11th-ranked Sam Houston State. Pace, who was a 2016 All-Southland honorable mention selection, found himself in the end zone on completions five times for the second-most touchdowns on the team and third-highest scoring total.
A native of Greenville, Texas (Greenville H.S.), Franklin finished out his Lumberjack career as one of SFA's top performers on the defensive line all-time. Leading the Lumberjacks' defensive front in his final season suiting up in the Purple and White, Franklin posted a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss for negative 46 yards, including dishing out 3.5 sacks for a loss of 24 yards. In league play, his 11.5 tackles for loss were fifth-most in the conference and he tied for sixth in tackles for loss per game (1.28). A preseason All-Southland pick, all of Franklin's sacks came in league action. Ranked 42nd nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.2) for the entire season, Franklin finished with the fifth-most tackles on the team with 55 total, including 27 solo stops.
The All-Southland nod is Franklin's third of his career after garnering second-team honors in 2015 and being named to the All-Southland First Team in 2016. Prior to this season he was tabbed as the 31st most important player in Texas for 2017 by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Franklin completed his Lumberjack career fifth on SFA's all-time career tackles for loss list with 37.5 over the past four seasons, while finishing ninth in program history in all-time career sacks (17.5).
Ward, who hails from San Diego, California (DeSoto H.S.), was SFA's biggest playmaker this season. He finished second on the team in total tackles (75) and led the 'Jacks with 40 solo stops, not to mention recording four interceptions in conference play for the second-most in the league. His 122 interception return yards were second-most in the Southland, while Ward was 18th in the conference in tackles per game (6.8). With 10 pass breakups on the season, including seven in league play, Ward ranked 18th nationally in passes defended per game (1.3) and was fourth in the Southland, fifth in conference action (1.2). Ward's 0.4 interceptions per game average was third-best in the league and ranked 32nd nationally. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss for negative 16 yards, including posting an assisted sack for a four-yard loss.
Ward etched his named in SFA football lore on Sept. 16 when he had a sensational 70-yard, game-winning pick-six as time expired to will the 'Jacks to their first win of the season against Incarnate Word inside Homer Bryce Stadium. The interception was made following a timeout and on a Cardinal flea flicker. For Ward's heroics, he was named both Southland Defensive Player of the Week and STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. The play gained national attention and was the No. 3 play on ESPN SportCenter's Top 10 plays of the night.
A preseason All-Southland selection as a kick returner, Ward was also phenomenal as SFA's lead kickoff return man in 2017. He racked up 726 yards on 29 kickoff returns for the fourth-most in a single season in program history. Ward averaged 25 yards per kickoff return, 25.2 in league play, to finish 14th nationally and second in the Southland in that category.
A native of Nolanville, Texas (Killeen H.S.), Alexander started every game on the defensive line for the 'Jacks, registering 45 total tackles, including 15 solo stops. A preseason All-Southland pick, Alexander's six tackles for loss for negative 16 yards were fourth-most on the team, while his 2.5 sacks for a loss of nine yards were the second-most by any Jack this season. Alexander also had a momentum-changing fumble recovery this past Saturday at Northwestern State, recovering a loose ball to help SFA get back into the game early in the third quarter.
Jones, a native of Houston, Texas (Bellaire H.S.), started every game on the offensive line for SFA this season, seeing action at both the right guard and right tackle positions. After suffering a season-ending injury in the 2016 opener at Texas Tech, Jones made a remarkable recovery to help the Lumberjack offense in every game this season. He played an integral part in helping senior running back Kijana Amous (Mansfield, Texas) collect 983 all-purpose yards, including 639 on the ground, for the most all-purpose yards in a single season since 2014.
SFA wrapped up its 2017 campaign this past Saturday with a 38-21 loss in the 52nd Battle for Chief Caddo at Northwestern State.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football.
-SFA-
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