New Orleans The Sun Belt Conference announced today the first-ever all-conference football honors in the leagues 26-year history. Middle Tennessee quarterback Wes Counts was named the 2001 Sun Belt Conference Football Player of the Year by a voting panel consisting of the leagues head coaches, sports information directors and selected media.
Counts, a fifth-year senior, led the Blue Raiders to an 8-3 overall record and the Sun Belt Conference co-championship. He led the league in pass efficiency with a 166.6 rating and finished second in passing yards per game with 211.5. Counts also finished second in the league in total offense with 2,327 passing yards and 144 rushing yards. Counts was named the 2001 all-Sun Belt Conference first team quarterback.
Middle Tennessee running back Dwone Hicks was named the Offensive Player of the Year. Hicks, a junior, finished the 2001 season as the leagues top rusher. The Doak Walker Award candidate rushed for 103.9 yards per game and averaged 13.5 points per game, nearly doubling the average of the next highest scorer in the league. Hicks also had 230 yards receiving. Hicks was named one of the all-Sun Belt Conference first team running backs, along with North Texas junior Kevin Galbreath. Galbreath was also selected the 2001 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year. He finished the season second in the league with 101.7 yards per game for the Mean Green.
North Texas linebacker Brad Kassell was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Kassell, a senior, ended the season with 93 total tackles, 12 tackles for lost yardage, and two quarterback sacks. Kassell was the team leader on a Mean Green defense that only allowed one 100-yard rusher all season.
North Texas wide receiver Jamel Branch was named Freshman of the Year. A true freshman for the Mean Green, Branch made his first collegiate catch against nationally-ranked Oklahoma, a 58-yard reception that still holds as a season-long catch. Branch finished second on the Mean Green squad with 31 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns.
Mean Green head coach Darrell Dickey was selected Coach of the Year. Dickeys troops started the 2001 season 0-5, but rebounded with five consecutive wins before losing the season finale in a two-point heartbreaker. The Mean Green finished the season as co-champions in the Sun Belt with Middle Tennessee and will represent the league in the inaugural New Orleans Bowl. North Texas will face Colorado State in the inaugural New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday, Nov. 18 in the Louisiana Superdome. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. (CT).
-full teams-
2001 All-Sun Belt Conference Football Honors
as selected by the Sun Belt Conference head coaches, SIDs, and media
* = unanimous pick (20 ballots coaches not allowed to vote for own players) First Team Second Team
OFFENSE
Offensive Line
Garry Johnson, Jr., Arkansas State Glen Elarbee, Jr., Middle Tennessee
J.R. Randle, Jr., North Texas Shalimar Jackson, Jr., New Mexico State
Brandon Westbrook, So., Middle Tennessee Jonathon Raush, Jr., UL Lafayette
Tony Wragge, Sr., New Mexico State Jake Scott, So., Idaho
Nick Zuniga, So., North Texas Matt Turney, Jr., North Texas Tight End
Jeff Muenchow, Jr., North Texas Jerry Pegues, Sr., Arkansas State Quarterback
Wes Counts, Sr., Middle Tennessee K.C. Enzminger, Sr., New Mexico State
John Welsh, Sr., Idaho Wide Receiver
Chris Lacy, Sr., Idaho Nick Dugas, Jr., UL Lafayette
Kendall Newson, Sr., Middle Tennessee George Marshall, Jr., North Texas Running Back
*Kevin Galbreath, Jr., North Texas Jonathan Adams, Sr., Arkansas State
Dwone Hicks, Jr., Middle Tennessee Kenton Keith, Sr., New Mexico State DEFENSE
Defensive Line
*Brandon Kennedy, So., North Texas Jonathan Bradley, Jr., Arkansas State
Donald Malveaux, Sr., UL Monroe Brandon Kania, Fr., Idaho
Joe Olivo, So., New Mexico State Alex Pahulu, Sr., North Texas
Tanaka Scott, Sr., Middle Tennessee Ron Paris, Sr., North Texas Linebacker
*Brad Kassell, Sr., North Texas Ross Brupbacher, Jr., UL Lafayette
Scotty Brown, Sr., Middle Tennessee Maurice Sonnier, So., UL Monroe
DWayne Taylor, Sr., New Mexico State Cody Spencer, So., North Texas Defensive Back
Jykine Bradley, Sr., Middle Tennessee Dedrick Buckels, Sr., UL Monroe
Jonas Buckles, Fr., North Texas Kyries Hebert, Sr., UL Lafayette
Siddeeq Shabazz, Jr., New Mexico State Craig Jones, So., North Texas
Charles Tillman, Jr., UL Lafayette Michael Woods, So., Middle Tennessee SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker
Jason Ball, Sr., North Texas Dario Aguiniga, So., New Mexico State Punter
Jason Ball, Sr., North Texas Robert Billings, So., Middle Tennessee Return Specialist
James Hickenbotham, Jr., Arkansas State Tony Lukins, Sr., New Mexico State All-Purpose
James Hickenbotham, Jr., Arkansas State Reshard Lee, So., Middle Tennessee
Player of the Year
Wes Counts, QB, Sr., Middle Tennessee
Coach of the Year
Darrell Dicky, North Texas
Offensive Player of the Year
Dwone Hicks, RB, Jr., Middle Tennessee
Defensive Player of the Year
Brad Kassell, LB, Sr., North Texas
Freshman of the Year
JaMel Branch, WR, North Texas
Newcomer of the Year
Kevin Galbreath, RB, Jr., North Texas
-Sun Belt-