Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns had a banner year on the football field.

And, that has manifested into a banner year on the All-Conference team.

The Cajuns placed a total of twelve players on the "dream team," including five first-teamers, four on the second team, two honorable mentions and Freshman of the Year.

Freshman Alonzo Harris won the superlative award as the league's top freshman.  Harris led the Cajuns in rushing with 638 and in touchdowns with eight.  He was the team's second leading scorer.

On offense, wide receiver Javone Lawson and tight end Ladarius Green were named first-team selections.  Lawson led the Cajuns in receptions with 54 for 899 yards and six touchdowns.  Green, a repeat first team selection from last year, caught 46 passes for 485 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing time because of a shoulder injury.

Quarterback Blaine Gautier was named the second-team quarterback.  The junior, who played sparingly in three games this season, led the Sun Belt Conference in passing efficiency at 150.3.  He completed 63 percent of his passes with a school record-tying 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Junior tackle Leonardo Bates was also named to the second team on the offensive line.

On defense, linebacker Lance Kelley, defensive lineman Bernard Smith and defensive back Dwight "Bill" Bentley were all named to the first team.

Kelley, who was moved from safety to inside linebacker for the season, led the Cajuns in tackles with 107, including 8.5 for loss.  Kelley also had three sacks, three interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles with one recovery.  Smith led the Cajuns in tackles for loss with 13 and sacks with 6.5.  He also recovered a fumble.  Bentley was part of a Cajuns secondary which set a school and Sun Belt record with seven interceptions returned for touchdowns.  Bentley had three interceptions, two of which were returned for scores.  He also forces two fumbles and had six pass breakups.

Cajuns' kicker/punter Brett Baer was a second-team selection at both positions.  The junior led the Cajuns in scoring, hitting 16-18 field goals and added 44 extra points for 92 points total.  Baer also was 3-3 on onside kicks for the season.  He also averaged 40.5 yards per punt with 24 of them landing inside the opponents 20 yard line.

Linebacker Devon Lewis-Buchanan and defensive back Melvin White, both of whom returned interceptions for touchdowns this year, were named Honorable Mention.

The entire team is listed below, courtesy of the Sun Belt Conference office.

 

First Team All-Sun Belt Conference Offense

Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Jr., QB)

Lance Dunbar (North Texas, Sr., RB)

Bobby Rainey (WKU, Sr., RB)

Dwayne Frampton (Arkansas State, Sr., WR)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., WR)

Javone Lawson (Louisiana-Lafayette, WR, Jr.)

Ladarius Green (Louisiana-Lafayette, TE, Sr.)

Tom Castilaw (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)

Colin Boss (Middle Tennessee, r-Sr., OL)

Matt Tomlinson (North Texas, Sr., OL)

Wes Jeffries (WKU, Sr., OL)

James Brown (Troy, Sr., OL)

 

First Team All-Sun Belt Conference Defense

Brandon Joiner (Arkansas State, Sr., DL)

Bernard Smith (Louisiana-Lafayette, DL, Sr.)

Ken Dorsey (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., DL)

Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy, Jr., DL)

Demario Davis (Arkansas State, Sr., LB)

Lance Kelley (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., LB)

Andrew Jackson (WKU, So., LB)

Darryl Feemster (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)

Kelcie McCray (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)

Dwight “Bill” Bentley (Louisiana-Lafayette, DB, Sr.)

Darius Prelow (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., DB)

 

First Team All-Sun Belt Conference Special Teams

Jack Griffin (FIU, Jr., PK)

Will Atterberry (North Texas, Jr., P)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., Return Specialist)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., All Purpose)

 

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference Offense

Blaine Gautier (Louisiana-Lafayette, QB, Jr.)

Alfred Morris (Florida Atlantic, Sr., RB)

Kedrick Rhodes (FIU, So., RB)

Josh Jarboe (Arkansas State, Jr., WR)

Brent Leonard (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., WR)

Eric Thomas (Troy, So., WR)

Jack Doyle (WKU, Jr., TE)

Delano Moore (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)

Caylin Hauptmann (FIU, R-Jr., OL)

Leonardo Bates (Louisiana-Lafayette, OL, Jr.)

Brandon McLeroy (Middle Tennessee, Sr., OL)

Adam Smith (WKU, Jr., OL)

 

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference Defense

Dorvus Woods (Arkansas State, Sr., DL)

Tourek Williams (FIU, Jr., DL)

Brandon Akpunku (North Texas, Sr., DL)

Quanterus Smith (WKU, Jr., DL)

Nathan Herrold (Arkansas State, Jr., LB)

Winston Fraser (FIU, r-Jr., LB)

Zachary Orr (North Texas, So., LB)

Darron Edwards (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)

Jonathan Cyprien (FIU, Jr., DB)

Brynden Trawick (Troy, Jr., DB)

Derrius Brooks (WKU, Sr., DB)

 

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference Special Teams

Brett Baer (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., PK)

Brett Baer (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., P)

Luther Ambrose (ULM, Sr., Return Specialist)

Dwayne Frampton (Arkansas State, Sr., All Purpose)

 

Player of the Year

Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Jr., QB)

 

Offensive Player of the Year

Bobby Rainey (WKU, Sr., RB)

 

Defensive Player of the Year

Brandon Joiner (Arkansas State, Sr., DL)

 

Freshman of the Year

Alonzo Harris (Louisiana-Lafayette, RB, Fr.)

 

Coach of the Year

Hugh Freeze, Arkansas State

 

Honorable Mention All-Conference

Taylor Stockemer (Arkansas State, Jr., WR); Neely Sullivent (Arkansas State, Sr., P); Sam McRoy (Florida Atlantic, Sr., OL); Randell Johnson (Florida Atlantic, So., LB); Rupert Bryan (FIU, Jr., OL); James Jones (FIU, Sr., DL); Devon Lewis-Buchanan (Louisiana-Lafayette, LB, Sr.); Melvin White (Louisiana-Lafayette, DB, Sr.); Omar McLendon (Middle Tennessee, Jr., DL); Eric Russell (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DB/RS); Troy Evans (ULM, Sr., DL); Jason Edwards (ULM, Sr., LB); Cyril Lemon (North Texas, Fr., OL); Brelan Chancellor (North Texas, So., AP); Tony Davis (Troy, Jr., DL); Kanorris Davis (Troy, Jr., LB); Jared Clendenin (WKU, Sr., DL); Bo Adebayo (WKU, Sr., DL)

 

 

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