Coast products rack up postseason football honors from Conference USA
D’Iberville product Jacques Turner was one of two Southern Miss football players to pick up First-Team All-Conference selections from Conference USA and one of three Coast natives to be honored on Tuesday.
Turner, who is a redshirt sophomore defensive end, was joined by USM redshirt sophomore receiver Quez Watkins on the first team.
Turner collected the most tackles by a USM defensive lineman in 2018 with 33. Ten of those tackles were for negative yardage and five were sacks.
The 6-foot-1, 270-pound Turner repeatedly faced double-team blocks this season, but still managed to regularly cause chaos in the backfield for quarterbacks.
Watkins pulled in 72 receptions for 889 yards and nine touchdowns this season for USM. He also had 1,136 all-purpose yards.
Two Golden Eagles landed on the second team — redshirt sophomore safety Ky’el Hemby and senior kicker Parker Shaunfield. Hemby led USM with six interceptions and Shaunfield hit 16 of 20 field goals and 24 of 25 extra points.
Joining Hemby and Shaunfield on the second team was former Gautier running back DeAndre Torrey, who had a breakout sophomore season at North Texas. Torrey has a chance to hit the 1,000-yard mark when UNT (9-3) takes on Utah State (10-2) in the Dec. 15 New Mexico Bowl. The transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has 161 carries for 942 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has 24 catches for 201 yards and two scores.
USM placed three players on the All-Freshman Team — center Trace Clopton, defensive lineman Tahj Sykes and defensive back Shannon Showers.
USM had eight players earn honorable mention selections — redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Arvin Fletcher, sophomore receiver Tim Jones (Biloxi), senior tight end Jay’Shawn Washington, senior defensive lineman LaDarius Harrison, sophomore linebacker Racheem Boothe, senior linebacker Sherrod Ruff, senior defensive back Picasso Nelson and junior defensive back Ty Williams.
Jones ranked second on USM in catches with 39 for 491 yards and one touchdown.
2018 All-Conference USA Football team
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB – Brent Stockstill, Gr., Middle Tennessee
RB – Devin Singletary, Jr., Florida Atlantic
RB – Spencer Brown, So., UAB
OL – Reggie Bain, R-Sr., Florida Atlantic
OL – O’Shea Dugas, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL – Levi Brown, R-Jr., Marshall
OL – Chandler Brewer, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL – Justice Powers, Sr., UAB
TE – Harrison Bryant, Jr., Florida Atlantic
WR – Tyre Brady, R-Sr., Marshall
WR – Rico Bussey, Jr., Jr., North Texas
WR – Quez Watkins, So., Southern Miss
Defense
DL – Alex Highsmith, R-Jr., Charlotte
DL – Jaylon Ferguson, R-Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL – LaDarius Hamilton, Jr., North Texas
DL – Oshane Ximines, Sr., Old Dominion
DL – Jacques Turner, R-So., Southern Miss
LB – Sage Lewis, R-Jr., FIU
LB – Darius Harris, R-Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB – EJ Ejiya, R-Sr., North Texas
DB – Amik Robertson, So., Louisiana Tech
DB – Malik Gant, R-Jr., Marshall
DB – Reed Blankenship, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – Kemon Hall, Sr., North Texas
Special Teams
K – Cole Hedlund, Gr., North Texas
P – Jack Fox, Sr., Rice
KR – Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion
PR – Maurice Alexander, R-Jr., FIU
LS – Matt Beardall, Jr., Marshall
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB – Mason Fine, Jr., North Texas
RB – Benny LeMay, Jr., Charlotte
RB – DeAndre Torrey, So., North Texas
OL – Nate Davis, R-Sr., Charlotte
OL – Jordan Budwig, Gr., FIU
OL – Rishard Cook, Sr., UAB
OL – James Davis, R-Sr., UAB
OL – Malique Johnson, R-Sr., UAB
OL – Miles Pate, R-Jr., WKU
TE – Mik’Quan Deane, R-Sr., WKU
WR – Adrian Hardy, R-So., Louisiana Tech
WR – Jonathan Duhart, Sr., Old Dominion
WR – Travis Fulgham, Sr., Old Dominion
Defense
DL – Ryan Bee, Sr., Marshall
DL – Ty Tyler, R-Jr., Marshall
DL – Jamell Garcia-Williams, Sr., UAB
DL – Anthony Rush, Sr., UAB
LB – Juwan Foggie, R-Sr., Charlotte
LB – Khalil Brooks, R-Jr., Middle Tennessee
LB – A.J. Hotchkins, Gr., UTEP
DB – Jalen Young, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB – Chris Jackson, Jr., Marshall
DB – Wesley Bush, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB – Nate Brooks, Sr., North Texas
DB – Ky’el Hemby, R-So., Southern Miss
Special Teams
K – Jonathan Cruz, Fr., Charlotte
K – Parker Shaunfield, Sr., Southern Miss
P – Stone Wilson, Sr., FIU
KR – Kerrith Whyte, Jr., R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
PR – Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion
LS – Grant Merka, Jr., UTSA
This story was originally published December 4, 2018 at 1:57 PM.