Napier Named Sun Belt Coach of the Year

Louisiana football coach Billy Napier, who led the Ragin' Cajuns to a record ten-win season and a second consecutive West Division title, has been named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, announced by the league today after a vote of coaches and select media members.

In addition, 15 Cajun players received recognition on the first, second and third teams, along with honorable mention.

Offensive linemen Kevin Dotson and Robert Hunt were named to the first team, along with return specialist Raymond Calais.

Running back Elijah Mitchell, wide receiver JaMarcus Bradley, defensive lineman Zi'Yon Hill, linebacker Joe Dillon, defensive back Michael Jacquet III and punter Rhys Burns were named to the second team.

In addition to being a first team return specialist, Calais was also named a third team running back and a third team all-purpose player.  He was joined on the third team by running back Trey Ragas and placekicker Stevie Artigue.

Linebacker Jacques Boudreaux, linebacker Chauncey Manac, wide receiver "Bam" Jackson and tight end Nick Ralston were all named honorable mention.

Arkansas State wide receiver Omar Bayless was named the league's Player of the Year.  Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans was tabbed the league's Offensive Player of the Year, while Mountaineers' linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither was voted Defensive Player of the Year.

Troy wide receiver Kaylon Geiger was voted the league's top Newcomer, while Arkansas State quarterback Layne Hatcher was voted the top Freshman.

The entire squad is below:

Player of the Year: Omar Bayless, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Laurel, Miss.)

Offensive Player of the Year: DarryntonEvans, Appalachian State (Junior, RB, Oak Hill, Fla.)

Defensive Player of the Year: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Thomasville, N.C.)

Newcomer of the Year: Kaylon Geiger, Troy (Junior, WR, Fort Worth, Texas)

Freshman of the Year: Layne Hatcher, Arkansas State (Freshman, QB, Little Rock, Ark.)

Coach of the Year: Billy Napier, Louisiana

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Kaleb Barker, Troy (Senior, QB, Decatur, Ala.)

Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, RB, Oak Hill, Fla.)

Tra Barnett, Georgia State (Senior, RB, Elberton, Ga.)

Omar Bayless, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Laurel, Miss.)

Kirk Merritt, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Destrehan, La.)

Kaylon Geiger, Troy (Junior, WR, Fort Worth, Texas)

Josh Pederson, ULM (Junior, TE, Morristown, N.J.)

Noah Hannon, Appalachian State (Junior, OL, Greer, S.C.)

Victor Johnson, Appalachian State (Senior, OL, North Augusta, S.C.)

Hunter Atkinson, Georgia State (Senior, OL, Flowery Branch, Ga.)

Kevin Dotson, Louisiana (Senior, OL, Plaquemine, La.)

Robert Hunt, Louisiana (Senior, OL, Burkeville, Texas)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian State (Junior, DL, Miami, Fla.)

William Bradley-King, Arkansas State (Junior, DL, Kansas City, Mo.)

TarronJackson, Coastal Carolina (Junior, DL, Aiken, S.C.)

Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern (Junior, DL, Sumter, S.C.)

Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Thomasville, N.C.)

Bryan London II, Texas State (Senior, LB, Converse, Texas)

Carlton Martial, Troy (Sophomore, LB, Mobile, Ala.)

Shaun Jolly, Appalachian State (Sophomore, DB, Stone Mountain, Ga.)

Darreon Jackson, Arkansas State (Senior, DB, Derby, Kan.)

Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern (Senior, DB, College Park, Ga.)

Corey Straughter, ULM (Junior, DB, Monroe, La.)

Will Sunderland, Troy (Senior, DB, Midwest City, Okla.)

First Team Special Teams

Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (Sophomore, K, Sedalia, Mo.)

Cody Grace, Arkansas State (Senior, P, Perth, Western Australia)

Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, RS, Breaux Bridge, La.)

Tra Minter, South Alabama (Senior, AP, Ellaville, Ga.)

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Dan Ellington, Georgia State (Senior, QB, Olive Branch, Miss.)

Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana (Junior, RB, Erath, La.)

Josh Johnson, ULM (Junior, RB, Opelika, Ala.)

Thomas Hennigan, Appalachian State (Junior, WR, Greensboro, N.C.)

Corey Sutton, Appalachian State (Junior, WR, Cornelius, N.C.)

Ja'Marcus Bradley, Louisiana (Senior, WR, Ackerman, Miss.)

AubryPayne, Georgia State (Junior, TE, Locust Grove, Ga.)

Cooper Hodges, Appalachian State (Freshman, OL, Glen St. Mary, Fla.)

Baer Hunter, Appalachian State (Junior, OL, Clemmons, N.C.)

Bobby Reynolds, ULM (Senior, OL, Keller, Texas)

Aaron Brewer, Texas State(Senior, OT, Dallas, Texas)

J.l. Gaston, Troy (Senior, OL, Monroeville, Ala.)

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Kevin Thurmon, Arkansas State (Senior, DL, Chicago, Ill.)

Zi'Yon Hill, Louisiana (Sophomore, DL, New Iberia, La.)

Jeffery Whatley, South Alabama (Senior, DL, Midland City, Ala.)

Will Choloh, Troy (Sophomore, DL, Lawrenceville, Ga.)

Jordan Fehr, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Charlotte, N.C.)

Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern (Junior, LB, North Augusta, S.C.)

Joe Dillon, Louisiana (Junior, LB, Tylertown, Miss.)

Cortez Sisco, ULM (Senior, LB, Memphis, Tenn.)

Josh Thomas, Appalachian State (Senior, DB, Montgomery, Ala.)

B.J. Edmonds, Arkansas State (Senior, DB, Mobile, Ala.)

Chandler Kryst, Coastal Carolina (Senior, DB, Tega Cay, S.C.)

Michael Jacquet III, Louisiana (Senior, DB, Beaumont, Texas)

SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern (Senior, K, Irmo, S.C.)

Rhys Byrns, Louisiana (Sophomore, P, Melbourne, Australia)

Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, AP, Oak Hill, Fla.)

Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, RS, Oak Hill, Fla.)

THIRD TEAM OFFENSE

Zac Thomas, Appalachian State (Junior, QB, Trussville, Ala.)

Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, RB, Breaux Bridge, La.)

Trey Ragas, Louisiana (Junior, RB, New Orleans, La.)

Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State (Junior, WR, Jonesboro, Ark.)

Cornelius McCoy, Georgia State (Sophomore, WR, Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

Reggie Todd, Troy (Junior, WR, Mobile, Ala.)

Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (Sophomore, TE, Maiden, Mass.)

Jarrett Horst, Arkansas State (Sophomore, OL, Middleton, Wis.)

Jacob Still, Arkansas State (Junior, OL, Collierville, Tenn.)

Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina (Junior, OL, Monroeville, Ala.)

Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State (Junior, OL, Riverdale, Ga.)

Kirk Kelley, Troy (Senior, OL, Marrero, La.)

THIRD TEAM DEFENSE

C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina (Junior, DL, Bowdon, Ga.)

Sterling Johnson, Coastal Carolina (Senior, DL, Clayton, N.C.)

Donald Louis, ULM (Senior, DL, Monroe, La.)

Marcus Webb, Troy (Senior, DL, Decatur, Ala.)

Tajhea Chambers, Arkansas State (Junior, LB, Gordon, Ga.)

Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina(Junior, LB, Los Angeles, Calif.)

Nikolas Daniels, Texas State (Senior, LB, League City, Texas)

Desmond Franklin, Appalachian State (Senior, DB, Inverness, Fla.)

Monquavion Brinson, Georgia Southern(Senior, DB, Atlanta, Ga.)

Kenderick Duncan Jr., Georgia Southern (Sophomore, DB, Stockbridge, Ga.)

Travis Reed, South Alabama (Senior, DB, Meridian, Miss)

THIRD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

Stevie Artigue, Louisiana (Senior, K, Lafayette, La.)

Tyler Sumpter, Troy (Junior, P, Hoover, Ala.)

Reggie Todd, Troy (Junior, RS, Mobile, Ala.)

Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, AP, Breaux Bridge, LA)

LOUISIANA HONORABLE MENTION

Jacques Boudreaux (Senior LB, New Orleans, LA)

Nick Ralston (Graduate TE, Argyle, TX)

Chauncey Manac (Junior LB, Reserve, Homerville, GA)

Jarrod "Bam" Jackson (Senior WR, Reserve, LA)