Vidal Named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year; Troy Lands 16 on All-SBC Team

TROY, Ala. – Coming off its second straight Sun Belt West Division title, Troy landed 16 players on the All-Sun Belt Conference Football Team released Thursday by the league office. Additionally, running back Kimani Vidal was named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.

Vidal, a junior from Marietta, Ga., is Troy's first Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year since Levi Brown took home the award following his record-breaking 2009 season. Vidal turned in a season for the record books as well, becoming Troy's all-time leading rusher (3,698 yards), in addition to setting program records for rushing yards in a game (248) and a season (1,349).

He has two of the nation's top nine rushing games this season (248, 245) and tied Troy's single-season record with six 100-yard rushing games. A semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, Vidal enters the Sun Belt Championship Game ninth nationally, averaging 112.5 yards per game and third in the country with 74 missed tackles forced.

Vidal was also named to the All-Sun Belt first team, where he is joined by Richard Jibunor, Javon Solomon and Reddy Steward from the Trojan defense.

Solomon leads the Sun Belt, averaging 1.17 sacks per game and leads the country with a sack in nine different games. A junior from Tallahassee, Fla., Solomon has 14 sacks on the season, the most by a Trojan since Osi Umenyiora's 2002 season. Jibunor is 15^th nationally and second in the Sun Belt, averaging 1.3 tackles for loss per game and is the nation's active leader in career sacks. A senior native of Nigeria, Jibunor has forced three fumbles and has 9.5 tackles for loss in the final three games of the season.

In the defensive secondary, Steward is tied for first in the Sun Belt and 16^th nationally with four interceptions on the season and allowed receptions on just 58.5 percent of his targets, limiting opponents to 9.9 yards per reception.

The All-Sun Belt Second Team featured Daniel King and Grant Betts on the offensive line, while TJ Jackson and Dell Pettus earned spots on the defensive side of the ball. Quarterback Gunnar Watson and receivers Jabre Barber and Chris Lewis joined safety Irshaad Davis on the third team. Defensive tackle Buddha Jones, cornerback O'shai Fletcher, spear Caleb Ransaw and long snapper Quentin Skinner earned honorable mention honors.

2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Jordan McCloud, James Madison

Offensive Player of the Year
Kimani Vidal, Troy

Defensive Player of the Year
Jalen Green, James Madison

Newcomer of the Year
Joey Aguilar, App State

Freshman of the Year
Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State

Coach of the Year
Curt Cignetti, James Madison

All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Jordan McCloud, James Madison
RB – Kimani Vidal, Troy
RB – Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State
OL – Bucky Williams, App State
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State
OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
TE – Zach Horton, James Madison
WR – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
WR – Elijah Sarratt, James Madison
WR – Reggie Brown, James Madison

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Jalen Green, James Madison
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy
DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy
DL – Jamree Kromah, James Madison
DL – Owen Porter, Marshall
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
LB – Andrew Parker Jr., App State
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern
DB – Micah Abraham, Marshall
DB – Reddy Steward, Troy
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama
DB – Tyrek Funderburk, App State

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State
P – William Przystup, Arkansas State
RS – Jayden Harrison, Marshall
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Joey Aguilar, App State
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
OL – Daniel King, Troy
OL – Tyler Stephens, James Madison
OL – Makilian Thomas, Arkansas State
OL – Rasheed Miller, Georgia Southern
OL – Grant Betts, Troy
TE – Eli Wilson, App State
WR – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
WR – Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – James Carpenter, James Madison
DL – Adin Huntington, ULM
DL – Ben Bell, Texas State
DL – Mikail Kamara, James Madison
DL – TJ Jackson, Troy
LB – Brian Holloway, Texas State
LB – Nate Johnson, App State
LB – Quentin Wilfawn, South Alabama
DB – Shemar Bartholomew, Georgia Southern
DB – Dell Pettus, Troy
DB – Ethan Johnson, App State
DB – D'Angelo Ponds, James Madison

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Michael Hughes, App State
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison
RS – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
AP – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
QB – Gunnar Watson, Troy
RB – La'Damian Webb, South Alabama
RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana
OL – Jack Murphy, App State
OL – Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OL – Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina
OL – Brey Walker, Texas State
TE – Neal Johnson, Louisiana
WR – Robert Lewis, Georgia State
WR – Jabre Barber, Troy
WR – Chris Lewis, Troy

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
DL – Thurman Geathers, Arkansas State
DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern
DL – Elijah Alston, Marshall
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama
LB – Eli Neal, Marshall
LB – Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
LB – Aiden Fisher, James Madison
LB – Wayne Matthews, Old Dominion
DB – Yam Banks, South Alabama
DB – Clayton Isbell, Coastal Carolina
DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State
DB – Irshaad Davis, Troy

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
K – Camden Wise, James Madison
P – John McConnell, Marshall
RS – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State
AP – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama

Honorable Mention (Troy Only)
DB – O'shai Fletcher, Troy
DT – Buddha Jones, Troy
DB – Caleb Ransaw, Troy
LS – Quentin Skinner, Troy

Troy University Athletics

Vidal Named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year; Troy Lands 16 on All-SBC Team

Players Mentioned

Jabre Barber

Grant Betts

Irshaad Davis

O'shai Fletcher

Richard Jibunor

Buddha Jones

Daniel King

Chris Lewis

Dell Pettus

Caleb Ransaw

Quentin Skinner

Javon Solomon

Reddy Steward

Kimani Vidal

Gunnar Watson

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