DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2022 All-Conference football teams Tuesday, as selected by the league’s 11 head football coaches. Eight schools placed at least one player on the first team, with Conference USA champion No. 25 UTSA producing a league-high six selections, followed by runners-up North Texas and UAB producing five apiece. UTSA had the most combined first and second-team members with 11, followed by UAB with 10, UTEP with seven and North Texas and WKU with six apiece.
Three of UTSA’s six first-team selections came on the offensive side of the ball, in 2022 Ryan C-USA Championship Game MVP Frank Harris (305-429 for 3,865 yards with 31 touchdown passes and 120 carries for 588 yards and nine more scores on the ground), WR Zakhari Franklin (86 catches for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns) and OL Ahofitu Maka (started all 13 games). Defensively, the Roadrunners boast a trio of first-team selections in DT Brandon Brown (20 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble), DB Clifford Chattman (68 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 14 pass break-ups) and DB Corey Mayfield, Jr. (60 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass break-ups and a forced fumble). UTSA is slated to play on Dec. 16 in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl in Orlando against CFP No. 24 Troy.
North Texas, who finished 6-2 in league play and fell in the title game, produced five first-team selections in TE Var’Keyes Gumms (33 catches for 451 yards and five touchdowns), OL Manase Mose (started all 13 games), LB KD Davis (132 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a pass break-up), DB Ridge Texada (40 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 15 pass break-ups) and KR Kaylon Horton (25.3 yards per return on 23 attempts and one touchdown). North Texas will take on Boise State in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 17.
UAB, who boasts the nation’s fifth-ranked rushing attack (243.8 yards per game), also put three players on the first team on the offensive side of the ball. The nation’s leading rusher RB DeWayne McBride (155.7 yards per game, 233 carries for 1,713 yards and 19 touchdowns) highlights that group that also includes OL Sidney Wells (started all 12 games) and OL Kadeem Telfort (started 11 games). Defensively the Blazers are represented by LB Noah Wilder (102 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a pair of pass break-ups) and DB Starling Thomas V (28 tackles, one tackle for loss and 15 pass break-ups). The Blazers are set to open bowl season in the Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl against Miami (OH) on Dec. 16
UTEP was one of three programs to place three players on the first-team, led offensively by OL Jeremiah Byers (started all 12 games for the Miners), defensively by DE Jadrian Taylor (42 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, four pass break-ups, a 100-yard fumble return for a touchdown and two forced fumbles) and on special teams by K Gavin Baechle (22-24 on field goals, with a long of 54, and a perfect 31-31 on extra points).
Also boasting three first-team selections, Middle Tennessee is represented by DE Jordan Ferguson (63 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, five quarterback hurries, five pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick), P Kyle Ulbrich (averaged 46.2 yards per attempt on 60 punts, with a long of 72, 26 of 50+ yards and 25 inside the 20) and LS Brody Butler (perfect on all 77 of his snaps). The Blue Raiders will be playing in the Easypost Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24 against San Diego State.
Louisiana Tech also placed three players on the first team, in WR Tre Harris (65 catches for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns), DT Keive Rose (24 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a pair of forced fumbles) and PR Smoke Harris (averaged 12.4 yards per return on 19 attempts).
WKU, who finished 6-2 in league play and just missed out on a return to the title game, will be playing in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl against South Alabama on Dec. 21. The Hilltoppers are represented by a pair of players on the first team, one on each side of the ball in WR Malachi Corley (90 catches for 1,179 yards and nine touchdowns) and LB JaQues “Donut” Evans (100 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, four pass break-ups and one blocked kick).
Florida Atlantic had one player on the first team, in RB Larry McCammon III (194 carries for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns and also caught 15 passes for 165 yards and another touchdown).
The league’s individual awards will be released Wednesday, Dec. 7. Conference USA will conclude the 2022 season by sending six teams to bowl games.
utsa.rivals.com