BROOKFIELD, Ill. – Carson-Newman football has placed six players on the Don Hansen All-Region teams. Offensive tackle Alex Taylor (Bristol, Tenn.), linebacker Jaycob Coleman (Norton, Va.) and defensive back Eien Jacob (Jeanerette, La) all made the first team, while running back Brandon Baker (Miami, Fla.), kicker Curt Duncan (Morristown, Tenn.) and defensive end Javaris Neal (Columbia, Tenn.) made the second team.
Last year the Eagles had five all region picks on the Don Hansen team. Carson-Newman's six selections are third to West Alabama's nine and Lenoir-Rhyne's eight.
Alex Taylor concludes his Carson-Newman career after making 48 consecutive starts. The Eagles finished in the top five in rushing offense all four years of Taylor's career. In addition, he helped clear the way for C-N's third back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher (Baker) in school history. He was third on the team in knockdowns with 23 in his senior season and finished second in overall grade with the second most gradeouts on the team.
Jaycob Coleman turned in arguably the greatest season for a Carson-Newman defender since the turn of the century. The linebacker from Norton, Va. finished the year with 137 tackles, sixth most for a single season at Carson-Newman. The 137 stops are the most for a player at C-N since 1996. Coleman finishes his career with 270 tackles, 10th on C-N's all-time list.
The Norton, Va.-native put together seven consecutive games with 10 tackles or more to close the season. His 17 tackles against Tusculum are the second highest total since 1996 and tied for 11th all-time at C-N. He is the first player with multiple 15-tackle performances in a single season since current Carson-Newman defensive coordinator and consensus All-American Mike Clowney was playing for C-N in his senior season back in 1996.
Coleman was fourth in the league and 23rd in the nation in tackles per game. He also recovered a fumble for a touchdown and picked off two passes this year. He's already landed on a pair of All-American teams this year.
Eien Jacob was second in the SAC with his five picks. With his two interceptions against Newberry, Jacob became the first Eagle with a multi-pick game since Oliver Davis had a pair against Tusculum in 2010.
He finished the regular season with a career best seven-tackle day against Wingate. Jacob needs a pair of picks to break into the top 10 for most interceptions in a single season at C-N.
Brandon Baker followed up an All-American junior campaign by becoming the third C-N player with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. His ability to score from miles away has vastly improved in his final go-around at Mossy Creek.
A year ago, Baker had three touchdowns longer than 20 yards. This season, Baker has that many scores from longer than 50 yards.
He is just the third C-N tailback with more than 3,500 yards rushing for a career (3,528 to be exact) and his 36 rushing touchdowns rank seventh on C-N's all-time scoring list. Five of Baker's last eight games as an Eagle went for more than 100 yards on the ground.
Javaris Neal followed up a 2012 SAC defensive freshman of the year campaign by earning all-conference and all-region honors. The Columbia, Tenn.-native rumbled for a 41-yard interception return against Newberry and also picked off a pass against Mars Hill.
Neal is fifth in the league in tackles among defensive linemen. He's sixth in the league overall in sacks. He had a career best nine tackles against Brevard. Neal turned in season best 2.5 tackle for loss-performances against Brevard and Wingate in the regular season and Newberry in the playoffs. He also took down the opposing quarterback 1.5 times in the Brevard and Newberry games.
Curt Duncan is arguably one of the greatest kickers to ever stroll onto the field at Carson-Newman. An All-American a year ago, Duncan topped his own school record with 17 made field goals in 2013. He also broke his own school record for points by a kicker in a single season with 109.
First Team Offense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB Bo Cordell 6-1 205 GR Tusculum Cincinnati, Ohio
FB Isaiah Whitaker 5-10 225 JR Lenoir-Rhyne Salisbury, N.C.
RB Shakiel Davis 5-10 170 JR Mars Hill East Flat Rock, N.C.
RB Java Swindle 5-4 162 SO West Alabama Thorsby, Ala.
WR Dimitri Holmes 5-10 165 JR Mars Hill Athens, Ga.
WR Freddie Martino 6-0 195 SR North Greenville North, S.C.
TE Wesley Powell 6-10 265 JR Tusculum Titus, Ala.
AP Dondre Purnell 5-10 185 JR Stillman Powder Springs, Ga.
C Skeeter Sellers 6-1 280 SR West Alabama Enterprise, Ala.
OG Marquell Rozier 6-7 360 SR UNC Pembroke St. Pauls, N.C.
OG William Wright 6-3 310 SR West Georgia Pompano Beach, Fla.
OT Wes Carter 6-5 280 SR UNC Pembroke Albemarle, N.C.
OT Alex Taylor 6-3 285 SR Carson-Newman Bristol, Tenn.
PK Zach Neumann 5-7 180 SR Lenoir-Rhyne Mechanicsville, Md.
First Team Defense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE Troy Harris 6-4 260 SR Mars Hill Orlando, Fla.
DE Blake Baker 6-1 215 JR Lenoir-Rhyne Bethlehem, N.C.
DG/DT Jimmy Long 6-0 240 SR Lenoir-Rhyne Gainesville, Va.
DG/DT Lawrence Virgil 6-5 290 SR Valdosta State Quitman, Ga.
LB Leron Furr 6-3 245 SR Fort Valley State Columbus, Ga.
LB Tavarius Wilson 5-11 235 SR North Alabama Jackson, Miss.
LB Gabe Poe 5-10 210 SR North Alabama Pheba, Miss.
LB Jaycob Coleman 6-1 205 SR Carson-Newman Norton, Va.
LB Tanner Botts 6-2 230 JR Lenoir-Rhyne Lawrenceville, Ga.
S Caleb Massey 6-0 226 SR North Alabama Sulligent, Ala.
S Michael Green 6-0 195 SR Lenoir-Rhyne Kingsland, Ga.
CB Eien Jacob 6-1 185 SO Carson-Newman Jeanerette, La.
CB Thomas Wolfe III 6-0 190 SR Fort Valley State Marietta, Ga.
P James Dugan 6-5 180 SO West Georgia Carrollton, Ga.
RS Jason Livingston 5-10 175 SR Newberry Conway, S.C.
Second Team Offense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB Kyle Caldwell 5-7 165 JR West Alabama Dadeville, Ala.
QB Luke Charles 6-1 215 SR UNC Pembroke Murphy, N.C.
FB Jordan Ollis 5-10 230 JR Brevard Columbus, N.C.
RB Jacquise Lockett 6-2 230 JR Kentucky State Fulton, Ky.
RB Brandon Baker 5-11 210 SR Carson-Newman Miami, Fla.
WR Justin Houston 5-8 180 SO Tusculum Cleveland, Tenn.
WR Corey Washington 6-4 200 SR Newberry North Charleston, S.C.
TE Gabe Hughes 6-4 235 SO Florida Tech Lighthouse Point, Fla.
AP Trey Walker 5-9 165 SO North Greenville Graniteville, S.C.
C Tyler Sizemore 6-2 305 SR North Alabama Apalachicola, Fla.
OG Garrison Ushery 6-1 335 JR West Georgia Austell, Ga.
OG Jamal Ellis 6-4 315 SR Newberry Pelzer, S.C.
OT Taylor Burnett 6-3 271 SR West Alabama Spanish Fort, Ala.
OT Brandon White 6-5 305 SR West Georgia Cincinnati, Ohio
PK Curt Duncan 5-11 185 SR Carson-Newman Morristown, Tenn.
Second Team Defense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE Javaris Neal 6-2 245 SO Carson-Newman Columbia, Tenn.
DE Matt Turner 6-0 225 JR UNC Pembroke Winston-Salem, N.C.
DE Reginald Woods 6-1 225 SR Tuskegee Compton, Calif.
DG/DT Taylor Carney 6-2 275 JR North Alabama Killen, Ala.
DG/DT Aaron Bennett 6-2 302 SR Tuskegee Hinesville, Ga.
LB Sammy Siasia 5-10 190 SR Mars Hill Marietta, Ga.
LB Brian Alexander 6-2 245 SR Tusculum Union Point, Ga.
LB Brion James 6-1 210 SR North Alabama Hahnville, La.
LB Michael Gruber 6-3 240 JR Brevard Walterboro, S.C.
LB Fred Williams 6-3 230 SR UNC Pembroke Fayerreville, N.C.
S Demetruce McNeal 6-2 185 SR West Alabama College Park, Ga.
S Michael Robinson 6-0 205 JR Tuskegee Ensley, Ala.
CB Malcolm Butler 5-11 180 SR West Alabama Vicksburg, Miss.
CB L.J. Stroman 5-10 185 JR UNC Pembroke Hamlet, N.C.
P Dominic DeMasi 6-3 188 SO Valdosta State Savannah, Ga.
RS Michael Davison 5-0 160 FR Delta State Avondale, Ariz.
Third Team Offense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
QB Chris Rini 6-3 185 SR Lane Key Largo, Fla.
FB Wesley Brown 5-10 190 SR Newberry John's Island, S.C.
RB Hoderick Lowe 5-9 170 FR Tuskegee Atlanta, Ga.
RB Cedric O'Neal 5-11 203 SO Valdosta State Dublin, Ga.
WR Gregory Moore 6-4 200 SR Lane Memphis, Tenn.
WR Xavier Milton 6-0 190 JR Florida Tech Alameda, Calif.
TE Ty Morgan 6-3 242 SO West Alabama Sweet Water, Ala.
AP Jarrod Spears 5-9 180 JR Lenoir-Rhyne Bunnlevel, N.C.
C Jake Morris 6-2 270 SR North Greenville Spartanburg, S.C.
OG Terrence Owens 6-1 292 SO Miles Greenville, Ala.
OG Victor Moli 6-4 360 JR Albany State Augusta, Ga.
OT Joe Ray 6-0 245 SO Lenoir-Rhyne Atlanta, Ga.
OT Denzell Goode 6-7 320 SO Mars Hill Gaffney, S.C.
PK Mark Grant 5-7 160 FR West Alabama Panama City, Fla.
Third Team Defense POS NAME HT WT YR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
DE Nick Napolitano 6-3 245 JR Wingate Shallotte, N.C.
DE Mario Gainer 6-0 245 SR West Alabama Gautier, Miss.
DG/DT Jonathan Jean 6-3 280 SO Catawba Orange Park, Fla.
DG/DT Antonio Barron 6-0 250 SO North Greenville Landrum, S.C.
LB Justin Arcune 6-2 230 JR Florida Tech Los Altos, Calif.
LB Tyrell Adams 6-2 215 JR West Georgia Atlanta, Ga.
LB Jason Taylor 6-3 220 JR Catawba Bahama, N.C.
LB Bre'nard Williams 5-11 230 JR Clark Atlanta Omega, Ga.
LB Chris Stapleton 5-11 215 FR Florida Tech Navarre, Fla.
S Joe Beckham 5-11 180 SO Miles Daleville, Ala.
S Cameron Stallings 5-11 176 JR Stillman Hephziosh, Ga.
CB Jacob McCleery 5-10 170 SO Brevard Columbia, S.C.
CB Trenton Warren 5-10 185 SR Delta State Baytown, Texas
P Austin Casillas 5-11 205 JR Clark Atlanta Gilbert, Ariz.
RS Derrick Seward 5-10 195 JR West Georgia Wheatland, Calif.