By: By Al Barba
Freshman All-American Team |
All-Big South Conference Team
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State redshirt freshman LB
Bryson Armstrong's list of national postseason honors continued to grow following his naming as the 2017 Phil Steele FCS Freshman of the Year, Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first team Freshman All-American, the publication announced on Wednesday (Dec. 20).
Armstrong, a Marietta, Ga., won the prestigious Jerry Rice Award (National Freshman Player of the Year) – the first defensive player to win the award in its seven years of existence — and has been named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS (First Team) and STATS FCS (Third Team) All-America teams.
The standout linebacker will attend the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation scheduled for January 5 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the national championship game.
Armstrong was a three-time Big South Conference Freshman of the Week winner, a Big South Defensive Player of the Week, a STATS FCS National Player of the Week, and two-time STATS FCS National Player of the Week Honorable Mention.
He finished the 2017 campaign with 114 total tackles (85 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, three interceptions, seven pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, four recovered fumbles, three forced fumbles and one blocked kick.
The STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, and the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the January banquet.
Led by Armstrong and redshirt-junior QB
Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State had 25 players named to the publication's All-Big South Conference teams. Joining Armstrong and Burks on the first team were WR
Justin Sumpter, OL C.J. Collins, OL
Zach Mitchler, LB
Anthony Gore, Jr., LB
Izzy Sam, DB
Jace White and PK
Justin Thompson.
Click here for a complete listing Phil Steele's All-Big South Teams.
2017 FCS FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: RB Zane Dudek, Yale?
DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
LB Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
LB Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
WR Austin Mitchell, Southeastern Louisiana
WR Rashid Shaheed, Weber State?
WR Isaiah Weston, UNI?
TE Trae Barry, Jacksonville State
OL Connor Mignone, Central Connecticut State
OL Cole Strange, Chattanooga?
OL Jonathan Cole, The Citadel?
OL Jon Barrett Lewis, The Citadel
OL Tyler Downs, Weber State
QB Daniel Smith, Campbell
RB Zane Dudek, Yale?
RB Pete Guerriero, Monmouth
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Anthony Knighton, Southern Illinois
DL Brian Carter, New Hampshire?
DL Colby Ritten, Richmond?
DL Nathan Schultz, South Dakota
LB Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
LB Jabril Cox, North Dakota State?
LB Glenn Cunningham, Fordham?
LB Jaron Grayer, Maine
DB Franklin McCain, North Carolina A&T
DB CJ Wall, Princeton?
DB Vincent Sellers, Tennessee State?
DB Mark Williams, Eastern Illinois
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Trey Tuttle, Weber State?
P Michael Turk, Lafayette?
RS Rashid Shaheed, Weber State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
WR Kortez Weeks, Elon?
WR Landen Measom, Southern Utah
WR Aulden Knight, Hampton?
TE Owen Cosenke, Western Carolina
OL Mason Scheidegger, South Dakota
OL Reed Kroeber, Furman?
OL Mike Williams, Samford?
OL Tyler Ciurej, South Dakota?
OL Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
QB Gresch Jensen, Montana?
RB Troy Anderson, Montana State
RB Torrance Marable, Presbyterian
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Nathan Grant, Central Arkansas?
DL Logan McCormick, North Dakota State
DL Jordan Berner, Southern Illinois?
DL Ike Onwuasoanya, Texas Southern?
LB Reynard Ellis, Furman?
LB Simeon Page, Bucknell?
LB Troy Anderson, Montana State?
LB Colby Reeder, Delaware?
DB Xavior Williams, Northern Iowa?
DB Jaylen Thomas, Sam Houston State
DB Bryan Cook, Howard?
DB Jalen Russell, Southern Utah
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Zach Elder, Prairie View A&M?
P Harry O'Kelly, James Madison?
RS Cade Johnson, South Dakota State
Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the signature athletics landmark on the Kennesaw State University campus, is a world-class facility that has been recognized as one of the premier multi-use outdoor athletics venues in the country. In the fall of 2015, it become the official home of Owls football team and is home to Owls soccer and lacrosse as well.
Keep up with Kennesaw State Athletics by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook. You also can follow Kennesaw State football at @KennesawSTFB and The Owls fund on Twitter at @TheOwlsFund.
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