RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, following a vote of the Great American Conference’s head football coaches, the league announced its All-Conference teams and year-end individual awards. Ouachita’s Kris Oliver and Brayden Brazeal earned Offensive Player and Freshman of the Year; Harding’s T.J. won Defensive Player of the Year and the Tigers’ Todd Knight claimed Coach of the Year.
Oliver became the second Tiger to earn the Offensive Player of the Year award as he joined former quarterback Casey Cooper, who claimed the honor in the league’s inaugural season, 2011. Oliver led the Tigers to their second undefeated regular season as he ran for 893 yards. He set the league’s all-time rushing record with 3,687 yards. Brazeal joined his teammate, Allie Freeman, as the only Tigers to take home the Freshman of the Year accolade. He completed 61.0 percent of his passes and only threw one interception. He accounted for 12 touchdowns. Knight took home his fourth GAC Coach of the Year. He has won the award in all four seasons in which the Tigers have won the GAC championship.
2018 ALL-GAC FOOTBALL TEAMS / YEARLY AWARD WINNERS | PHOTO GALLERY
Winslow headed up seven Harding Bisons named to the All-GAC First Team. The GAC coaches voted him to the First Team by unanimous consent. He led the conference with 9.5 sacks and ranked second with three forced fumbles. The Harding defense ranked second in the nation in yards allowed and points allowed per game.
Ouachita lineman Justin Gooseberry and Southern Arkansas wide receiver Karonce Higgins joined Winslow as the only three unanimous First-Team All-GAC selections. Gooseberry anchored a line that ranked eighth in the nation in rushing yards per game and allowed only 13 sacks. Higgins finished the regular season with 1,083 yards, almost 300 more than the next closest receiver in the GAC. He set SAU career records for receptions, 191, and receiving yards, 2,920.
A total of nine Ouachita Tigers made the All-GAC First Team. Gooseberry’s twin Cori, and all-purpose back Drew Harris represented the offense while defensive tackle Ernest Reed, outside linebacker Arric Parker and corner back Keandre Evans represented the defense. The Tiger defense leads the nation in scoring defense. Cole Antley claimed the First-Team spot at kicker while Tevin Jones earned the nod as the top special teams performer.
Five Bisons seniors joined Winslow on the All-GAC First, as well as one sophomore. A pair of linemen - Bryce Bray and Keith Pledger made the First Team. The Bisons’ vaunted flex bone attack leads Division II in rushing yards per game. Fullback Cole Chancey ranked third in the GAC with 860 rushing yards and second with 13 touchdowns. Three additional members of the defense - linebacker Sam Blankenship, corner back Frank Herbert and safety Dra Smith - made the First Team.
In addition to Higgins, Southern Arkansas landed a total of four on the All-GAC First Team. Mulerider defensive end Davondrick Lison, the 2017 GAC Defensive Player of the Year, made the First Team for the second-straight year. Quarterback Barrett Renner became a three-time First-Team honoree while defensive tackle Antonio Washington earned all-conference honors for the second time in as many seasons.
Arkansas Tech placed three on the First Team. Wonder Boy safety Cua’ Rose earned All-GAC honors for the fourth-straight year while K.J. Reid repeated as a First-Team linebacker. Running back Bryan Allen finished the regular season with a league-leading 911 yards. Reid finished as the conference’s top tackler.
Oklahoma Baptist and East Central both placed two on the All-GAC First Team. Ranger linebacker Maurice Wright made the team at outside linebacker for the second-straight year while Horatio Smith took home the honor as the top return specialist. Wright recorded at least 100 tackles for the third-straight year. Smith ranked third in all-purpose yards per game.
Wide receiver Trinity Benson and punter Jack Preston represented the Tigers on the First Team. Benson totaled 507 receiving yards and added 325 rushing yards and 255 return yards. He scored nine total touchdowns. Preston led the conference by averaging 42.0 yards per punt.
Oklahoma Baptist receiver Cagney Roberson, Arkansas-Monticello tight end Deandre Washington and Henderson State lineman Daniel Moore rounded out the First Team. Roberson ranked third in receptions and fourth in receiving yards. Washington averaged 18.9 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns.
In total, Ouachita led the way with 16 All-GAC selections. Harding produced 14 All-GAC picks followed by 12 from Southern Arkansas.