University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Five UNT Players Named First Team All-C-USA
12/4/2018 1:07:00 PM | Football
DALLAS – Five Mean Green student-athletes were named to the All-Conference USA First Team, the most of any team, the league office announced Wednesday, while three more earned second team recognition.
The five first team selections are the most since the Mean Green had six in 2013.
Junior wide receiver Rico Bussey, Jr. senior cornerback Kemon Hall, redshirt senior linebacker E.J. Ejiya, graduate student kicker Cole Hedlund and junior defensive end LaDarius Hamilton were all named to the conference's first team.
Bussey, Jr., a mid-season addition to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, leads the Mean Green in every major receiving category and is among the nation's most productive receivers. The junior has 68 receptions for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 12 receiving scores ranks seventh in FBS, is 28th nationally in receiving yards, 29th in reciving yards per game (84.8). He has caught 44.4% of junior quarterback Mason Fine's touchdowns and has six 100-yard receiving games with 25 catches of 15 yards or more on the season.
Hall has been one of the steadiest performers at CB in the country, and in 10 appearances, all starts, Hall ranks third in FBS in passes defended (1.7 per game) and has posted five interceptions, two of which he has brought back for touchdowns (in wins over SMU and at Arkansas). Hall ranks seventh in the country in interceptions, has posted 43 tackles, one for loss, and has broken up 12 passes. Hall grades out as the Mean Green's second-best rated defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, at 85.3, which is classified as elite. He ranks within the top 30 nationally among corners.
Ejiya ranks fourth nationally in tackles for loss with 23.0 and leads the Mean Green in sacks with 9.0, which ranks fourth in C-USA. His 113 total tackles are also fourth most in the conference. Ejiya has 11 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked extra point in 12 starts. Ejiya grades out as elite, and the top rated defensive player for the Mean Green, with a grade of 86.5 from Pro Football Focus. That ranks him 26th among all FBS linebackers and he has 52 total pressures in 809 defensive snaps.
Hedlund, a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, is 19 of 22 on field goals, including a perfect 2 of 2 from 50-plus yards. He ranks 16th nationally in scoring at 8.9 ppg, and 16th in FBS in total points scored among all players, with 107. His 1.58 field goals per game ranks 12th nationally, he's made multiple field goals in six games and he has been lights out on extra points, making 50 of 52 tries.
Hamilton has been a force from his defensive end position for the Mean Green, and is second on the team in sacks with 6.5 and has 10.0 tackles for loss in 12 appearances. On three occasions this season, Hamilton has recorded multiple sacks in a game: at Arkansas in a win, against Southern Miss in another win and at Old Dominion.
The three players who earned second team honors are junior quarterback Mason Fine, senior cornerback Nate Brooks and sophomore running back DeAndre Torrey.
Fine, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards and member of watch lists for the Manning and Walter Camp Awards, has completed nearly 65% of his passes, going 295 of 457 for 3,734 yards with 27 touchdowns to only five interceptions and has added two scores on the ground. Fine ranks eighth in FBS in passing yards, eighth in passing yards per game (311.2), fifth in completions per game (24.58) and 14th in passing touchdowns (27). He leads C-USA in passing yards, completions, total offense and has the fewest interceptions (200+ attempts).
Brooks, a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, has had a monster season at corner for the Mean Green. He is tied for the team lead with five interceptions, which ranks seventh in the country, and is 26th nationally in passes defended (1.2 per game). Brooks has 61 tackles, 3.0 of which are for loss, nine pass break-ups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry in 12 starts. Brooks has helped lead a ball-hawking group for North Texas, who have totaled 17 interceptions, which ranks fifth in FBS.
Torrey has been a touchdown machine for the Mean Green and ranks sixth in FBS in total touchdowns with 17. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, with 161 attempts for 942 yards and 14 rushing scores, while also providing a dynamic presence as a receiver out of the backfield. Torrey has 24 receptions for 201 yards and two more touchdowns and has 25 plays from scrimmage of 15 or more yards. He has scored on plays of 96, 92, 37 and 34 yards and has 1,473 yards of all-purpose yardage, which ranks third in C-USA (122.8 yards per game).
North Texas also had eight all-conference honorable mention selections. Redshirt junior center Sosaia Mose, redshirt freshman Manase Mose, redshirt senior linebacker Brandon Garner, junior safety Khairi Muhammad, redshirt junior punter Alvin Kenworthy, Torrey (as a kick returner), redshirt sophomore punt returner Keegan Brewer and sophomore deep snapper Nate Durham were all honorable mentions.
North Texas is taking on No. 23 Utah State on Dec. 15 in the New Mexico Bowl and tickets are now on sale. For ticket prices and to purchase tickets online from the North Texas Ticket Office, visit MeanGreenPostseason.com.
First Team
WR Rico Bussey, Jr.
DL LaDarius Hamilton
LB E.J. Ejiya
DB Kemon Hall
K Cole Hedlund
Second Team
QB Mason Fine
RB DeAndre Torrey
DB Nate Brooks
Honorable Mention
OL Sosaia Mose
OL Manase Mose
LB Brandon Garner
S Khairi Muhammad
P Alvin Kenworthy
KR DeAndre Torrey
PR Keegan Brewer
DS Nate Durham
The five first team selections are the most since the Mean Green had six in 2013.
Junior wide receiver Rico Bussey, Jr. senior cornerback Kemon Hall, redshirt senior linebacker E.J. Ejiya, graduate student kicker Cole Hedlund and junior defensive end LaDarius Hamilton were all named to the conference's first team.
Bussey, Jr., a mid-season addition to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, leads the Mean Green in every major receiving category and is among the nation's most productive receivers. The junior has 68 receptions for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 12 receiving scores ranks seventh in FBS, is 28th nationally in receiving yards, 29th in reciving yards per game (84.8). He has caught 44.4% of junior quarterback Mason Fine's touchdowns and has six 100-yard receiving games with 25 catches of 15 yards or more on the season.
Hall has been one of the steadiest performers at CB in the country, and in 10 appearances, all starts, Hall ranks third in FBS in passes defended (1.7 per game) and has posted five interceptions, two of which he has brought back for touchdowns (in wins over SMU and at Arkansas). Hall ranks seventh in the country in interceptions, has posted 43 tackles, one for loss, and has broken up 12 passes. Hall grades out as the Mean Green's second-best rated defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, at 85.3, which is classified as elite. He ranks within the top 30 nationally among corners.
Ejiya ranks fourth nationally in tackles for loss with 23.0 and leads the Mean Green in sacks with 9.0, which ranks fourth in C-USA. His 113 total tackles are also fourth most in the conference. Ejiya has 11 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked extra point in 12 starts. Ejiya grades out as elite, and the top rated defensive player for the Mean Green, with a grade of 86.5 from Pro Football Focus. That ranks him 26th among all FBS linebackers and he has 52 total pressures in 809 defensive snaps.
Hedlund, a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, is 19 of 22 on field goals, including a perfect 2 of 2 from 50-plus yards. He ranks 16th nationally in scoring at 8.9 ppg, and 16th in FBS in total points scored among all players, with 107. His 1.58 field goals per game ranks 12th nationally, he's made multiple field goals in six games and he has been lights out on extra points, making 50 of 52 tries.
Hamilton has been a force from his defensive end position for the Mean Green, and is second on the team in sacks with 6.5 and has 10.0 tackles for loss in 12 appearances. On three occasions this season, Hamilton has recorded multiple sacks in a game: at Arkansas in a win, against Southern Miss in another win and at Old Dominion.
The three players who earned second team honors are junior quarterback Mason Fine, senior cornerback Nate Brooks and sophomore running back DeAndre Torrey.
Fine, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards and member of watch lists for the Manning and Walter Camp Awards, has completed nearly 65% of his passes, going 295 of 457 for 3,734 yards with 27 touchdowns to only five interceptions and has added two scores on the ground. Fine ranks eighth in FBS in passing yards, eighth in passing yards per game (311.2), fifth in completions per game (24.58) and 14th in passing touchdowns (27). He leads C-USA in passing yards, completions, total offense and has the fewest interceptions (200+ attempts).
Brooks, a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, has had a monster season at corner for the Mean Green. He is tied for the team lead with five interceptions, which ranks seventh in the country, and is 26th nationally in passes defended (1.2 per game). Brooks has 61 tackles, 3.0 of which are for loss, nine pass break-ups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry in 12 starts. Brooks has helped lead a ball-hawking group for North Texas, who have totaled 17 interceptions, which ranks fifth in FBS.
Torrey has been a touchdown machine for the Mean Green and ranks sixth in FBS in total touchdowns with 17. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, with 161 attempts for 942 yards and 14 rushing scores, while also providing a dynamic presence as a receiver out of the backfield. Torrey has 24 receptions for 201 yards and two more touchdowns and has 25 plays from scrimmage of 15 or more yards. He has scored on plays of 96, 92, 37 and 34 yards and has 1,473 yards of all-purpose yardage, which ranks third in C-USA (122.8 yards per game).
North Texas also had eight all-conference honorable mention selections. Redshirt junior center Sosaia Mose, redshirt freshman Manase Mose, redshirt senior linebacker Brandon Garner, junior safety Khairi Muhammad, redshirt junior punter Alvin Kenworthy, Torrey (as a kick returner), redshirt sophomore punt returner Keegan Brewer and sophomore deep snapper Nate Durham were all honorable mentions.
North Texas is taking on No. 23 Utah State on Dec. 15 in the New Mexico Bowl and tickets are now on sale. For ticket prices and to purchase tickets online from the North Texas Ticket Office, visit MeanGreenPostseason.com.
First Team
WR Rico Bussey, Jr.
DL LaDarius Hamilton
LB E.J. Ejiya
DB Kemon Hall
K Cole Hedlund
Second Team
QB Mason Fine
RB DeAndre Torrey
DB Nate Brooks
Honorable Mention
OL Sosaia Mose
OL Manase Mose
LB Brandon Garner
S Khairi Muhammad
P Alvin Kenworthy
KR DeAndre Torrey
PR Keegan Brewer
DS Nate Durham
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DS
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
K
/ Football
P
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ FootballSaturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 15
Wednesday, April 08
Wednesday, April 01