Troy Earns Ten All-Sun Belt Football Selections

TROY, Ala. – Highlighted by Devonte Ross' three individual selections, including a pair of first team nods, Troy had 10 overall picks on the annual All-Sun Belt Football Team, released Thursday by the league office. Ross was the only player in the league selected to three different positions.

Ross, a junior from Cartersville, Ga., was selected to the first team as a receiver and in the all-purpose spot while earning second team honors as a return specialist. Running back Damien Taylor and offensive lineman Daniel King were second team selections, while linebacker Brendan Jackson earned a third team nod. Offensive lineman Eli Russ, defensive lineman Luis Medina, linebacker Jordan Stringer and spear Devin Lafayette were honorable mention picks.

Ross finished the regular season leading the Sun Belt and ranking fifth nationally with 11 touchdown receptions as he became just the sixth player in program history and first since 2012 to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. He finished the season with 76 catches for 1,043 yards, the sixth and fourth most in a season in Troy history, respectively.

Additionally, Ross led the Sun Belt and ranked 20^th nationally, averaging 120.4 all-purpose yards per game, thanks to his work in the return game, where he averaged 17.0 yards per punt return and 16.5 yards per kickoff return. Ross returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown at Iowa, the first surrendered by the Hawkeyes since Christian McCaffrey took one to the house in the 2016 Rose Bowl.

Taylor joined Ross in the 1,000-yard club as he finished the season with 1,010 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns, thanks to four 100-yard games. Taylor and Ross became just the third duo in Troy history to reach 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

King split time across two positions, playing 429 snaps at right tackle and 360 at right guard. He allowed just two sacks all season in 408 pass blocking situations and was the fourth-rated run blocker in the league.

Jackson, who played just one season for the Trojans, made an immediate impact as he tied for the team lead with 78 tackles and led all Sun Belt linebackers with 16 tackles for loss. He recorded 4.5 stops behind the line at South Alabama and added four against Southern Miss.

2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Mike Green, Marshall (RS So., DL – Williamsburg, Va.)

Offensive Player of the Year
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (RS Sr., QB – Pleasanton, Calif.)

Defensive Player of the Year
Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Newcomer of the Year
Braylon Braxton, Marshall (RS Jr., QB – Frisco, Texas)

Freshman of the Year
Ahmad Hardy, ULM (Fr., RB – Monticello, Miss.)

Coach of the Year
Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (RS Sr., QB – Pleasanton, Calif.)
RB – Ahmad Hardy, ULM (Fr., RB – Monticello, Miss.)
RB – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RB – Murphy, Texas)
OL – Pat McMurtrie, James Madison (RS Sr., OL – Verona, N.J.)
OL – Cole Potts, James Madison (Sr., OL – Johnstown, Ohio)
OL – Landon Burton, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Lafayette, La.)
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)
OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
TE – Terrance Carter, Louisiana (RS So., TE – Killeen, Texas)
WR – Kaedin Robinson, App State (RS Sr., WR – Asheville, N.C.)
WR – Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Jackson, Ala.)
WR – Devonte Ross, Troy (Jr., WR – Cartersville, Ga.)

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Santana Hopper, App State (RS So., DL – Shelby, N.C.)
DL – Clev Lubin, Coastal Carolina (RS So., DL – Suffern, N.Y.)
DL – Eric O'Neill, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Staten Island, N.Y.)
DL – Mike Green, Marshall (RS So., DL – Williamsburg, Va.)
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
LB – K.C. Ossai, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Conroe, Texas)
LB – Jaden Yates, Marshall (So., LB – Columbus, Ohio)
DB – Trevian Thomas, Arkansas State (Sr., DB – Americus, Ga.)
DB – Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DB – Winter Garden, Fla.)
DB – Terrence Spence, James Madison (Sr., DB – Ringwood, N.J.)
DB – J.J. Roberts, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – Ona, W.Va.)
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (RS Sr., K – Clute, Texas)
P – Bryce Lofton, Southern Miss (Gr., P – Sand Hill, Miss.)
RS – Ian Foster, Marshall (RS Fr., RS – Brundidge, Ala.)
AP – Devonte Ross, Troy (Jr., AP – Cartersville, Ga.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Braylon Braxton, Marshall (RS Jr., QB – Frisco, Texas)
RB – A.J. Turner, Marshall (RS So., RB – Hampton, Va.)
RB – Damien Taylor, Troy (Jr., RB – Northport, Ala.)
OL – Jack Hollifield, App State (RS Jr., OL – Shelby, N.C.)
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State (Sr., OL – Grandview, Texas)
OL – Mehki Butler, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Omaha, Neb.)
OL – Bryson Broadway, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., OL – Dawsonville, Ga.)
OL – Daniel King, Troy (Sr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)
TE – Dorian Fleming, Georgia State (So., TE – Henrico, Va.)
WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)
WR – Ted Hurst, Georgia State (Jr., WR – Savannah, Ga.)
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Khairi Manns, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – New Rochelle, N.Y.)
DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)
DL – Kevontay Wells, ULM (Jr., DL – Jackson, Miss.)
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Sr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)
LB – Jacob Dobbs, James Madison (RS Sr., LB – Macomb, Mich.)
LB – Koa Naotala, Old Dominion (RS So., LB – Newport News, Va.)
LB – Blayne Myrick, South Alabama (RS So., LB – Fairhope, Ala.)
DB – Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DB – Fitzgerald, Ga.)
DB – Marc Stampley II, Georgia Southern (Jr., DB – Peachtree City, Ga.)
DB – Jacob Thomas, James Madison (Jr., DB – Ashburn, Va.)
DB – Tyrone Lewis, Louisiana (RS Sr., DB – Hammond, La.)
DB – Tyree Skipper, Louisiana (RS Jr., DB – New Orleans, La.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Laith Marjan, South Alabama (RS Jr., K – Raleigh, N.C.)
P – James Allen, Georgia State (RS Jr., P – Australia)
RS – Devonte Ross, Troy (Jr., RS – Cartersville, Ga.)
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
QB – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)
RB – Ahmani Marshall, App State (Sr., RB – Winston-Salem, N.C.)
RB – Fluff Bothwell, South Alabama (Fr., RB – Oneonta, Ala.)
OL – Caleb Cook, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., OL – Brunswick, Ga.)
OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Jr., OL – Newnan, Ga.)
OL – Zach Barlev, Old Dominion (Jr., OL – Bolingbrook, Ill.)
OL – Jordan Davis, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Fairburn, Ga.)
OL – Alex Harkey, Texas State (RS Jr., OL – Austin, Texas)
TE – Pat Conroy, Old Dominion (RS Sr., TE – Reading, Mass.)
WR – Makai Jackson, App State (Jr., WR – Levittown, Pa.)
WR – Lance LeGendre, Louisiana (RS Sr., WR – New Orleans, La.)
WR – Isiah Paige, Old Dominion (Sr., WR – Richmond, Va.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
DL – Bryan Whitehead, Arkansas State (RS Jr., DL – Bartlett, Tenn.)
DL – Billy Pullen, ULM (Jr., DL – Kaufman, Texas)
DL – Deeve Harris, Marshall (RS Sr., DL – St. Louis, Mo.)
DL – Kris Trinidad, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DL – Richmond, Va.)
LB – Marvin Ham, Arkansas State (RS Sr., LB – Belleville, Mich.)
LB – Kevin Swint, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
LB – Carl Glass Jr., ULM (Sr., LB – Monroe, La.)
LB – Brendan Jackson, Troy (Sr., LB – Statesboro, Ga.)
DB – Keyon Martin, Louisiana (Sr., DB – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
DB – Wydett Williams Jr., ULM (Jr., DB – Lake Providence, La.)
DB – Jacobie Henderson, Marshall (RS So., DB – Charlotte, N.C.)
DB – Jahron Manning, Old Dominion (Jr., DB – New Orleans, La.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (So., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Sr., P – Elgin, Texas)
RS – Cam Ross, James Madison (RS Sr., RS – Newark, Del.)
AP – Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (Sr., AP – Jackson, Ala.)

All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention (Troy Only)
Devin Lafayette (Jr., DB – Brunswick, Ga.)
Luis Media (Jr., DL – Summerville, Ga.)
Eli Russ (Jr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)
Jordan Stringer (Jr., LB – Augusta, Ga.)

Troy University Athletics

Troy Earns Ten All-Sun Belt Football Selections

Players Mentioned

Brendan Jackson

Daniel King

Devin Lafayette

Luis Medina

Devonte Ross

Eli Russ

Jordan Stringer

Damien Taylor

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