Troy Lands 15 on All-Sun Belt Teams; Geiger Named Newcomer of the Year

TROY, Ala. – Kaylon Geiger has been named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, and Troy players accumulated 15 All-Sun Belt honors as the league office released the All-Sun Belt Team Wednesday afternoon.

Kaleb Barker, Carlton Martial and Will Sunderland joined Geiger on the All-Sun Belt First Team; Troy's four first team selections tied with Arkansas State for the second most in the league on offense and defense behind App State's six picks.

Of Troy's 15 All-Sun Belt selections, only five are seniors and the Trojans' have a league-leading four freshmen and sophomores selected.

Geiger is the first Troy player to earn Newcomer of the Year honors – presented to a first-year non-freshman in the league – since a three-year run of Trojans from 2006 to 2008 with Omar Haugabook, Chris Bradwell and Levi Brown.

The Fort Worth, Texas native finished second in the league in receptions, yards and yards per game behind the league's Player of the Year Omar Bayless from Arkansas State. Geiger's 77 receptions go down as the third most in a season in school history while his 873 yards rank just outside the top 10 – he topped the 100-yard mark in a school record five different games.

Troy has now had a player earn a Sun Belt "Of the Year" award in three of the last four seasons after Rashad Dillard was named the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year and Marcus Jones took home Freshman of the Year honors in 2017.

Barker led the Sun Belt with 30 touchdown passes (seven more than anyone else in the league), 460 completions (71 more than anyone else in the league) and with 3,628 passing yards (689 yards more than anyone else in the league). The Decatur, Ala., native set a pair of Troy single game records after passing for 504 yards against Southern Miss and throwing six touchdown passes at Texas State.

He tied for fourth nationally with 300-plus passing yards in six games while his six games with 3-plus touchdown passes ranked as the ninth most in the country.

Barker's selection marks the third time in the last six years that a Troy quarterback has been named to the All-Sun Belt First Team – Brandon Silvers (2016) and Corey Robinson (2013).

Martial put together the best defensive season by a player in the Sun Belt this season despite not being recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year. A Mobile, Ala., native, Martial led the league in tackles (126), tackles per game (10.5), tackles for loss (18.5) and forced fumbles (3). He also intercepted three passes, recorded four sacks and was named a second team All-American by Pro Football Focus.

His tackle total is the seventh most in the country and the most by a Troy player since 2000. Martial's 18.5 tackles for loss ranks eighth nationally and as the fifth most in Troy history.

Martial is the only player to rank in the top eight nationally in both tackles and tackles for loss.

Sunderland, who recently accepted an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, intercepted four passes during his senior season with the Trojans, including two in Troy's victory over South Alabama, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Pro Football Focus rated Sunderland as Troy's top coverage player in the secondary and opponents were successful on just 68.3 percent of targets against him. Pro Football Focus also placed Sunderland as the ninth best overall cornerback and the 14^thbest cover cornerback among players in Group of Five conferences.

Offensive lineman J.L. Gaston and defensive tackle Will Choloh represented Troy on the second team.

Offensive lineman Kirk Kelley, Reggie Todd as both a receiver and return specialist, defensive end Marcus Webb and punter Tyler Sumpter were named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team.

Troy's honorable mention selections were offensive lineman Dylan Bradshaw, receiver Khalil McClain, safety Dell Pettus and offensive lineman Austin Stidham.

2019 Sun Belt All-Conference Football Teams

Player of the Year: Omar Bayless, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Laurel, Miss.)
Offensive Player of the Year: Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, RB, Oak Hill, Fla.)
Defensive Player of the Year: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Thomasville, N.C.)
Newcomer of the Year: Kaylon Geiger, Troy (Junior, WR, Fort Worth, Texas)
Freshman of the Year: Layne Hatcher, Arkansas State (Freshman, QB, Little Rock, Ark.)
Coach of the Year: Billy Napier, Louisiana

First Team Offense
Kaleb Barker, Troy (Senior, QB, Decatur, Ala.)
Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, RB, Oak Hill, Fla.)
Tra Barnett, Georgia State (Senior, RB, Elberton, Ga.)
Omar Bayless, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Laurel, Miss.)
Kirk Merritt, Arkansas State (Senior, WR, Destrehan, La.)
Kaylon Geiger, Troy (Junior, WR, Fort Worth, Texas)
Josh Pederson, ULM (Junior, TE, Morristown, N.J.)
Noah Hannon, Appalachian State (Junior, OL, Greer, S.C.)
Victor Johnson, Appalachian State (Senior, OL, North Augusta, S.C.)
Hunter Atkinson, Georgia State (Senior, OL, Flowery Branch, Ga.)
Kevin Dotson, Louisiana (Senior, OL, Plaquemine, La.)
Robert Hunt, Louisiana (Senior, OL, Burkeville, Texas)

First Team Defense
Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian State (Junior, DL, Miami, Fla.)
William Bradley-King, Arkansas State (Junior, DL, Kansas City, Mo.)
Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina (Junior, DL, Aiken, S.C.)
Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern (Junior, DL, Sumter, S.C.)
Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Thomasville, N.C.)
Bryan London II, Texas State (Senior, LB, Converse, Texas)
Carlton Martial, Troy (Sophomore, LB, Mobile, Ala.)
Shaun Jolly, Appalachian State (Sophomore, DB, Stone Mountain, Ga.)
Darreon Jackson, Arkansas State (Senior, DB, Derby, Kan.)
Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern (Senior, DB, College Park, Ga.)
Corey Straughter, ULM (Junior, DB, Monroe, La.)
Will Sunderland, Troy (Senior, DB, Midwest City, Okla.)

First Team Special Teams
Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (Sophomore, K, Sedalia, Mo.)
Cody Grace, Arkansas State (Senior, P, Perth, Western Australia)
Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, RS, Breaux Bridge, La.)
Tra Minter, South Alabama (Senior, AP, Ellaville, Ga.)

Second Team Offense
Dan Ellington, Georgia State (Senior, QB, Olive Branch, Miss.)
Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana (Junior, RB, Erath, La.)
Josh Johnson, ULM (Junior, RB, Opelika, Ala.)
Thomas Hennigan, Appalachian State (Junior, WR, Greensboro, N.C.)
Corey Sutton, Appalachian State (Junior, WR, Cornelius, N.C.)
Ja'Marcus Bradley, Louisiana (Senior, WR, Ackerman, Miss.)
Aubry Payne, Georgia State (Junior, TE, Locust Grove, Ga.)
Cooper Hodges, Appalachian State (Freshman, OL, Glen St. Mary, Fla.)
Baer Hunter, Appalachian State (Junior, OL, Clemmons, N.C.)
Bobby Reynolds, ULM (Senior, OL, Keller, Texas)
Aaron Brewer, Texas State (Senior, OT, Dallas, Texas)
J.L. Gaston, Troy (Senior, OL, Monroeville, Ala.)

Second Team Defense
Kevin Thurmon, Arkansas State (Senior, DL, Chicago, Ill.)
Zi'Yon Hill, Louisiana (Sophomore, DL, New Iberia, La.)
Jeffery Whatley, South Alabama (Senior, DL, Midland City, Ala.)
Will Choloh, Troy (Sophomore, DL, Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Jordan Fehr, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Charlotte, N.C.)
Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern (Junior, LB, North Augusta, S.C.)
Joe Dillon, Louisiana (Junior, LB, Tylertown, Miss.)
Cortez Sisco, ULM (Senior, LB, Memphis, Tenn.)
Josh Thomas, Appalachian State (Senior, DB, Montgomery, Ala.)
B.J. Edmonds, Arkansas State (Senior, DB, Mobile, Ala.)
Chandler Kryst, Coastal Carolina (Senior, DB, Tega Cay, S.C.)
Michael Jacquet III, Louisiana (Senior, DB, Beaumont, Texas)

Second Team Special Teams
Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern (Senior, K, Irmo, S.C.)
Rhys Byrns, Louisiana (Sophomore, P, Melbourne, Australia)
Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, AP, Oak Hill, Fla.)
Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (Junior, RS, Oak Hill, Fla.)

Third Team Offense
Zac Thomas, Appalachian State (Junior, QB, Trussville, Ala.)
Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, RB, Breaux Bridge, La.)
Trey Ragas, Louisiana (Junior, RB, New Orleans, La.)
Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State (Junior, WR, Jonesboro, Ark.)
Cornelius McCoy, Georgia State (Sophomore, WR, Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Reggie Todd, Troy (Junior, WR, Mobile, Ala.)
Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (Sophomore, TE, Maiden, Mass.)
Jarrett Horst, Arkansas State (Sophomore, OL, Middleton, Wis.)
Jacob Still, Arkansas State (Junior, OL, Collierville, Tenn.)
Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina (Junior, OL, Monroeville, Ala.)
Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State (Junior, OL, Riverdale, Ga.)
Kirk Kelley, Troy (Senior, OL, Marrero, La.)

Third Team Defense
C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina (Junior, DL, Bowdon, Ga.)
Sterling Johnson, Coastal Carolina (Senior, DL, Clayton, N.C.)
Donald Louis, ULM (Senior, DL, Monroe, La.)
Marcus Webb, Troy (Senior, DL, Decatur, Ala.)
Tajhea Chambers, Arkansas State (Junior, LB, Gordon, Ga.)
Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina (Junior, LB, Los Angeles, Calif.)
Nikolas Daniels, Texas State (Senior, LB, League City, Texas)
Desmond Franklin, Appalachian State (Senior, DB, Inverness, Fla.)
Monquavion Brinson, Georgia Southern (Senior, DB, Atlanta, Ga.)
Kenderick Duncan Jr., Georgia Southern (Sophomore, DB, Stockbridge, Ga.)
Travis Reed, South Alabama (Senior, DB, Meridian, Miss.)

Third Team Special Teams
Stevie Artigue, Louisiana (Senior, K, Lafayette, La.)
Tyler Sumpter, Troy (Junior, P, Hoover, Ala.)
Reggie Todd, Troy (Junior, RS, Mobile, Ala.)
Raymond Calais, Louisiana (Senior, AP, Breaux Bridge, La.)

All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention (Troy Only)
Dylan Bradshaw, Troy (Junior, OL, Enterprise, Ala.)
Khalil McClain, Troy (Junior, WR, Fairburn, Ga.)
Dell Pettus, Troy (Freshman, DB, Harvest, Ala.)
Austin Stidham, Troy (Sophomore, OL, Russellville, Ala.)

Troy University Athletics

Troy Lands 15 on All-Sun Belt Teams; Geiger Named Newcomer of the Year

Players Mentioned

Kaleb Barker

Dylan Bradshaw

J.L. Gaston

Kaylon Geiger

Marcus Jones

Kirk Kelley

Carlton Martial

Khalil McClain

Dell Pettus

Corey Robinson

Brandon Silvers

Austin Stidham

Tyler Sumpter

Will Sunderland

Reggie Todd

Marcus Webb

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