HOUSTON – A total of nine Prairie View A&M Panthers earned postseason accolades as the Southwestern Athletic Conference All-SWAC football teams were announced today.
WR KhaDarel Hodge, LB
Jalyn Williams, DB
Ju'Anthony Parker, and RS
Darius Floyd earned first team honors. RB Sta'Fon McCray, OL
Corbin Finlayson and
Shawn Pierce, and DT
DeVohn Reed earned second-team honors. K
Zach Elder was named SWAC Freshman of the Year.
Hodge (6-2, 200; R-Sr., D'Lo Miss.) is second in the SWAC in receptions (48), receiving yards (844), and yards per catch (17.6) and leads in touchdowns (12). Hodge caught at least one touchdown pass in seven straight games, posting three 100-yard receiving games and four multi-TD receiving games. Hodge broke Otis Taylor's 53-year old single-game receiving yards school record with 232 yards on eight receptions and three touchdowns vs. UAPB. He also caught four passes for 132 yards and two TDs at Alcorn, six passes for 101 yards and one TD vs. Grambling, and six passes for 81 yards and TD at Southern.
Williams (6-1, 245; Sr., Compton, Calif.) leads the SWAC and is second nationally with 21.0 tackles for loss. He leads the team in total tackles (74), solo tackles (46), sacks (6.0) with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Recorded at least one tackle for loss in the final 10 games of the season, and had back-to-back 10+ tackle games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Incarnate Word, including career best 11 tackles with 1.0 sack and 1.0 TFL at UIW. He had at least seven games of at least 2.0 tackles for loss.
Parker (5-11, 165; So., Dallas, Texas) is second in the SWAC in interceptions (four) and tied for conference lead in interception returns for touchdowns (two). Parker had 28 tackles, nine passes defensed and one fumble recovery. He returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns (37 yards at Alabama St; 44 yards against Bacone).
Floyd (6-0, 185; R-Sr., Franklin, Texas) leads the SWAC and is third in the nation in kickoff return average (31.5 ypr). A two-time SWAC Specialist of the Week and two-time STATS FCS National Player/Specialist of Week honorable mention, Floyd had four games with at least 100 kickoff return yards. He had a career-best 176 KOR yards against Sam Houston St. (35.2 average), with a career-long return of 85 yards. He averaged 29.3 yards per return against Nicholls, 59.5 yards per return against Bacone, and 36.3 yards per return at Incarnate Word. Floyd also tied for third in receptions (45) and was seventh in receiving yards (505).
McCray (5-11, 225; R-Sr., N. Kissimmee, Fla.) is fourth in the SWAC in rushing yards (723) yards, tied for third in touchdowns (seven), and is third in yards per carry (6.4). He posted three 100-yard rushing games this season. McCray rushed 16 times for season-high 138 yards and one touchdown at Southern, and came back the next week to rush 15 times for 115 yards and one touchdown vs. UAPB. McCray rushed nine times for 104 yards and career-high tying two touchdowns at Alabama St. McCray also caught five passes for 61 yards and completed his only pass attempt for 10 yards.
Finlayson (6-3, 280; R-Jr., Jupiter Farms, Fla.) anchored middle of offensive line from center position. He helped the offense to score 30 or more points seven times and gain 400+ yards total offense eight times. The offense rushed for 120+ yards nine times and passed for 200+ yards eight times. The Panthers lead the conference in first downs per game (21.3), is second in rushing offense (163.1 ypg), passing offense (261.3 ypg), and total offense (424.2 ypg), and is third in scoring (30.0 ypg).
Pierce (6-4, 300; R-Jr, Odessa, Texas) was the rock of offensive line from left tackle position. H helped the offense to score 30 or more points seven times and gain 400+ yards total offense eight times. The offense rushed for 120+ yards nine times and passed for 200+ yards eight times. The offense allowed only seven sacks in the final six games.
Reed (6-2, 265; Sr., Houston, Texas) second-team All-SWAC honors for the fourth straight year. He made 33 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and 8.0 TFL with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Reed recorded at least 0.5 TFL eight times.
Elder (6-0, 175; Fr., San Antonio, Texas) made 52 of 55 scoring kicks this season. He was third in league in scoring among kickers in the SWAC with 72 points. He made 42 of 43 PATs this season (most in SWAC) and 10 of 12 field goals. Elder made a 48-yard field goal at Alabama St., the longest by a Panther this decade. He scored 10 points twice this season (4-4 PAT / 2-2 FGS) at Alabama St. and Bacone, and had seven touchbacks this season.
