COMPLETE GSC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UWF football team had a record 16 student-athletes named to the Gulf South Conference All-Conference Teams as announced by the league on Thursday.
 
The record-tying 10 First Team selections include running back Shomari Mason, wide receivers David Durden and Caden Leggett, offensive linemen Jacob Bruce, Zac Elam and Dalton Simpler, defensive lineman Pooda Walker, linebacker Willie Jordan, Durden as a return specialist and special teams utility performer Da'Quan Bailey-Brown. Argos on the second team are running back Ra'veion Hargrove, defensive lineman Aiden Swett, linebacker Kelvin Johnson, defensive back Shannon Showers, place kicker Griffin Cerra and punter Steve Dawson.
 
Mason becomes the first player in program history to earn three all-conference honors with two first team and a second team plaudit. He has 893 rushing yards on 113 carries for 7.9 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. The dynamo from North Fort Myers, Florida has four 100-yard games this season and ranks second in the country in yards per rush.
 
Durden has continued to be the top receiver in the GSC for the second-consecutive year, leading the league and ranking 14th nationally with 95.7 yards per game for his second-straight First Team honor. He also is second in the league with 20.2 yards per catch and tied with Leggett with nine receiving scores. The Midville, Georgia native has four 100-yard receiving games and two more of at least 80 yards. He also leads the country at 20.3 yards per return and is one of just seven players nationally with a return for a touchdown. Durden has 1127 all-purpose yards and 125.2 per game.
 
Leggett has been a top target for quarterback Peewee Jarrett since transferring from Texas tech prior to this season. He is tenth in the GSC with 49.3 receiving yards per game and is tied for the lead with Durden with nine touchdowns. The Georgetown, Texas native averages 16.4 yards per catch and has two 100-yard receiving games and six games with at least three receptions.
 
The offensive line trio of Bruce, Elam and Simpler have led a unit that has been one of the best in the country the past three seasons. UWF's starting line has allowed just four sacks in 2022, while also ranking seventh in the NCAA in rushing offense (school-record 243.2) and tenth in total offense (473.2). The rushing total is a school record for the second-consecutive season. Simpler, a senior from Freeport, Florida earns his second-straight First Team honor after playing center in 2021. Bruce is a Gainesville, Florida standout who earns his second-consecutive First Team award as a left tackle. Elam has served as the center every game this season after being injured at the position in the second game a year ago. All three players have graded out at over 92 percent for the season.
 
Hargrove has done his part to form one of the most dangerous backfield in the country. The junior from Trotwood, Ohio has 8.3 yards per carry with 592 rushing yards and two TD. He also has 17 receiving yards and 10 kickoff return yards.
 
Pensacola native Pooda Walker has started every game at nose tackle and collected 28 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks. The sophomore also has three quarterback Hurries, a pass break up and a blocked field goal.
 
Junior transfer Willie Jordan has been the starter at Sam Linebacker this season and leads GSC with eight quarterback hurries, while ranking sixth with 57 tackles and fifth with 6.0 tackles per game. The Allendale, S.C native has five tackles for loss.
 
On defense, Swett has started all but one game at left defensive end and made 18 tackles, two for a loss and four quarterback hurries. A junior from Jacksonville, he also has forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
 
Johnson has been a force in the middle of the defense at linebacker, totaling 46 tackles at linebacker with 19 solos. The South Alabama graduate transfer from Griffin, Georgia has added two tackles for loss, one sack and two quarterback hurries.
 
Showers, who is in his second year at UWF since transferring from Southern Miss has helped shore up the defensive secondary following the loss of D'Anthony Bell to the NFL. Showers has 48 tackles from the safety spot, three pass break ups and an interception.
 
On special teams, Bailey-Brown has been a star on five of UWF's special teams units. The Southern Miss transfer from Pompano Beach, Florida is the point man on kickoff return and has a 27.8 return avg. on nine returns, is a gunner on punt unit that ranks seventh nationally with 40.2 net yards, is a key rusher on the punt return unit that is 16th nationally and first in GSC at 15.1 ypr.
 
Cerra has been one of the top place kickers in the league for the past two years since transferring from Southern Illinois. The junior from Fort Lauderdale, Florida is second in points per game with 9.2. He is 12-for-15 on field goals and has made all 48 point after touchdown attempts. He made 10-consecutive field goals during the season, including a game winner on final play against North Greenville.
 
Dawson has also been a standout on special teams, recording a 41.7 avg. on just 22 punts. The graduate student from Wagga Wagga, Australia has put 14 of those 22 kicks inside the 20. Opponents have a 5.2 return avg. and UWF has a team net of 40.3 which is seventh in the country.