Eleven Lumberjack Football Players Honored by Phil Steele Magazine
8/10/2018 4:44:00 PM | Football
A total of 11 SFA football players named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Southland teams, Chris Wilkerson and Alize Ward tabbed as preseason All-Americans
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The 2018 Phil Steele FCS Magazine is now available and the publication honors 11 Stephen F. Austin football players as part of its preseason All-Southland Conference and FCS All-American teams. Junior safety Alize Ward and senior long snapper Chris Wilkerson highlight the preseason selections, both being named a preseason All-American and claiming a spot on the preseason All-Southland First Team.
Junior wide receiver Tamrick Pace and junior offensive lineman Devonte Jones both landed a spot on Phil Steele's preseason All-Southland Second Team offense, while senior defensive tackle Lamont Alexander and senior linebacker Ryan Woods were tabbed as preseason All-Southland Second Team defense picks. Senior wide receiver Terian Goree and junior offensive lineman A.J. Brown each appear on Phil Steele's preseason All-Southland Third Team offense as junior linebacker Teddy Britton and sophomore safety Trenton Gordon are both preseason All-Southland Third Team defense selections. Senior Caleb Lewallen is a preseason All-Southland Third Team honoree as a punter, while Ward also earned a spot on the preseason All-Southland Third Team as a kick returner.
Fans can purchase the 155-page 2018 Phil Steele FCS Magazine, an online only publication, which includes one full page on each FCS team, here.
Ward, who appears on Phil Steele's preseason All-American Fourth Team and All-Southland First Team defense, was one of SFA's biggest playmakers in 2017. Also named preseason All-Southland First Team defense and All-Southland Second Team as an all-purpose player by the league office, Ward made the second-most tackles (75) on the team a year ago. An All-Southland Second Team selection last season, Ward led the 'Jacks with 40 solo stops and was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, picking off for passes and racking up 122 interception return yards for the second-most in the league. As SFA's primary kickoff return man in 2017, Ward was one of the primary reasons the 'Jacks set a single-season program record and ranked third nationally, second in the Southland, in yards per kickoff return (26.5). Ward's 25 yards per kickoff return average last season was 13th-best in the nation and second-best among all kickoff returners in the conference. He accumulated 726 yards on 29 kickoff returns for the fourth-most in a single season in school history and had three different games with over 100 kickoff return yards.
Wilkerson, an All-American First Team and All-Southland First Team special teams selection by Phil Steele, was also tabbed preseason All-American First Team by STATS FCS. He enters his third season as the Lumberjacks' starting long snapper this fall and is a true NFL prospect. Appearing in each of the Lumberjacks' 22 games over the last two seasons, Wilkerson has provided reliable snaps on punts, field goals and extra points. He has played in a total of 32 games over the last three seasons and claimed a tackle on punt coverage during SFA's thrilling 37-31 home victory over the University of the Incarnate Word last fall. Wilkerson also recovered a fumble during the 2017 season, scooping up a loose ball in the 34-7 road rout of Lamar.
Pace, also a preseason All-Southland Second Team offense pick by the conference office, is on pace to become one of SFA's all-time greats in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. He led SFA in receptions (53) and receiving yards (645) in 2017 for the second consecutive season. Hauling in five touchdown catches, Pace averaged 4.8 receptions per game last season to rank 55th nationally and fourth in the Southland in that category en route to All-Southland Second Team accolades. With a pair of 100-yard receiving games and eight different contests with five or more receptions a year ago Pace has tallied 1,481 receiving yards in just 15 games played. The junior ranks 23rd in career receiving yards among all 'Jacks who have played the game.
Jones, a 2017 All-Southland honorable mention selection, started in all 11 games on SFA's offensive line last fall. He started the first four games of the season at right guard and then moved over to right tackle for the final seven starts of the year.
Alexander, also a 2017 All-Southland honorable mention pick, was one of just four defensive players to start every game of the season last fall and was only one of two to start every game on the Lumberjacks' defensive line. He registered 45 total tackles on the year with 15 solo stops, posting the second-most sacks on the team (2.5) and claiming the third-most tackles for loss (6). Notching five tackles or more in six different contests, Alexander recovered a fumble in the 52nd Battle for Chief Caddo at Northwestern State.
Woods, a preseason All-Southland Second Team defensive honoree by the league office, had a breakout season last fall after starting the final seven games and making 55 total tackles to tie for the fifth-most on the team. He posted 24 unassisted tackles, made 5.5 tackles for loss, broke up a pass, had a quarterback hurry and recovered a fumble. Woods claimed five or more tackles in six different contests and collected 10 or more stops in the last two games of the season.
Goree, who made 10 starts and appeared in all 11 games in 2017, was SFA's second-leading receiver with 43 catches for 339 yards. He tied for the second-most touchdowns scored among all Lumberjack receivers and averaged 7.9 yards per reception. Goree posted five or more receptions on six different occasions last fall.
Brown was a mainstay on the Lumberjacks' offensive line last year, appearing in 10 games and making eight starts. He started seven games at left guard, including the first four the season, and made one start at right guard.
Britton accumulated 51 total tackles in 2017, including 20 unassisted stops, and tied for the second-most tackles for loss on the team (7.5) behind 2018 NFL Draft pick John Franklin. He forced a team-high two fumbles, claimed four quarterback hurries and broke up a pass, posting six or more tackles in four different contests.
Gordon, who was also named preseason All-Southland Second Team defense by the conference, was SFA's leading tackler as a true freshman last year. He led the 'Jacks with 76 total tackles, including the second-most solo stops (39), and ranked ninth in the league in tackles per game (7.6). Gordon also posted 1.5 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble, tallying a career-high 11 tackles on three different occasions.
Lewallen, who was chosen All-Southland Second Team by the league office, totaled 2,935 yards on 75 punts in 2017 as SFA's starting punter and kickoff specialist. Behind Lewallen's leg, the 'Jacks ranked 25th nationally and third in the Southland in net punting (37.7 YPP) last season. His 39.1 yards per punt was the seventh-best average in the conference as he landed five punts inside opponents' 20-yard line and had five punts of 50 yards or farther.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
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