by CCU Athletic Communications
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Coastal Carolina football had a total of 11 student-athletes earn Sun Belt Conference postseason honors, as the 2019 Sun Belt All-Conference teams and specialty awards were announced today by the league office.
Headlining the group of honorees from CCU was redshirt junior defensive end Tarron Jackson who was named to the All-Sun Belt first team. He is only the second Chant to earn first-team all-conference honors since Coastal Carolina joined the Sun Belt in 2017.
Earning second-team honors was redshirt senior defensive back Chandler Kryst, while five Chants were named to the third team in tight end Isaiah Likely, offensive lineman Trey Carter, defensive tackle C.J. Brewer, nose tackle Sterling Johnson, and linebacker Teddy Gallagher.
Receiving honorable mention recognition were running back CJ Marable, wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh, tight end Shadell Bell and offensive lineman Ethan Howard.
Tarron Jackson
A 2018 third-team All-Sun Belt pick, Jackson led the Sun Belt and set a new Coastal single-season record with 10.0 sacks on the season. His 72 yards lost from his 10.0 sacks on the season is also a CCU single-season record. He also led the team and ranked fifth in the Sun Belt with 13.0 tackles-for-loss, of which 9.5 came in conference play, and was second on the team with a total of 60 tackles on the season. He added a school-record 13 quarterback hurries, forced two fumbles, and tallied two pass breakups from his defensive end position.
Named a 2019 team captain, Jackson recorded five tackles or more in six of the Chants’ 12 games on the season, including a career-high 10 stops in the home contest versus Georgia State on Oct. 12. Jackson capped off the season by tying the CCU single-game record of 3.0 sacks in the regular-season finale win over Texas State on Nov. 30.
Chandler Kryst
In his final season as a Chant, Kryst did not disappoint as he led the team and was tied for the Sun Belt lead with five interceptions on the season, which is tied for the fourth-most in a single season in CCU history.
Kryst also led the team and ranked eighth in the Sun Belt in passes defended with 11 and was one of only six players in all of the Sun Belt to register two interceptions in the same game which came in the 12-7 road win at Kansas on Sept. 7. For his performance at Kansas, he was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week.
The fifth-year Chant, who was also a Burlsworth Trophy nominee, finished the season with 37 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and six pass breakups over 12 starts in the very young defensive secondary.
Isaiah Likely
A 2019 John Mackey Award watch list member, Likely was one of just 21 players in all of the Sun Belt to record a 100-yard receiving game with 107 yards in the season-finale versus Texas State on Nov. 23.
The sophomore tight end was a constant threat for the Chants’ offense this season, as he hauled in at least one pass in all 12 games and has recorded a reception in 15-straight games dating back to last season. He finished the season ranked among the league leaders in tight ends with 32 receptions, 431 receiving yards and a team-high five touchdowns.
Trey Carter
A two-time All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection that last two years, the 2019 Rimington Trophy watch list member earned third-team honors this season. Carter, who played in and started all 12 games upfront for CCU this season, has played in and started all 36 games over the last three years.
One of two offensive captains, Carter played both at the center and right guard positions this season for the CCU offense which recorded over 400 yards of total offense four times, including a season-high 636 yards in the road win at UMass on Sept. 21.
Carter graded out as the top offensive lineman for CCU in 11 of the 12 games this season. He had a team-high 14 knockdowns in the road win at Kansas, the Chants' first-ever win over a Power 5 opponent, 12 in the home win over Troy and 11 more in the road contest at Arkansas State.
Behind Carter and the offensive line unit, the Chants were 23-for-29 (79.3 percent) on fourth-down attempts which is the second-best percentage in the Sun Belt and third nationally. The 23 fourth-down conversions are the third-most nationally behind only Army and Navy with 24.
C.J. Brewer
Moving into a full-time starting role this season, the redshirt junior defensive tackle finished third on the team with 54 total tackles and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. He also added 3.0 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups while lining up for the Chants on the defensive line in all 12 games.
Brewer got stronger as the season wore on, as the Georgia native totaled 43 tackles over the eight Sun Belt Conference games, an average of 5.4 per contest. He registered five tackles or more in five contests on the season highlighted by a career-high 13 stops at home versus Georgia State on Oct. 12. He also added six tackles at Appalachian State (Sept. 28), at Georgia Southern (Oct. 19) and versus Troy (Nov. 2).
Sterling Johnson
In his final year of collegiate football, the redshirt senior embraced his new role as the nose tackle in CCU’s new 3-4 defensive scheme in 2019, as he totaled 41 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss, and 3.5 sacks in 11 games on the season. Johnson’s 10.0 tackles-for-loss were tied for ninth overall in the Sun Belt, while his 3.5 sacks on the year ranked 19th overall in the league.
Johnson, who missed the Georgia State (Oct. 12) contest due to an injury, four total tackles or more in six games, including a season-high eight stops in the season opener versus Eastern Michigan (Aug. 31). He also picked up at least 0.5 tackle-for-loss in all 11 games in which he played in as well.
Teddy Gallagher
Despite missing the last game of the season due to a lower-body injury, the junior linebacker still led the team and ranked 10th in the Sun Belt in total tackles with 88 on the season. His average of 8.0 tackles per game ranked seventh in the Sun Belt, while his average of 8.9 stops per contest in conference play ranked fifth in the league.
The California native recorded five tackles or more in nine of the 11 games in which he played in, including a team-high 15 tackles at Georgia Southern (Oct. 19), 14 stops versus Georgia State (Oct. 12) and 10 tackles at both Kansas (Sept. 7) and Appalachian State (Sept. 28).
CJ Marable
In his first season as a feature back, the junior running back led the team in rushing with 1,085 yards on the season which ranked fourth in the Sun Belt. He etched his name in the CCU record books as he became just the fourth Chant to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. His 1,000-yard rushing season is only the sixth in school history joining De'Angelo Henderson (2014, 2015 and 2016), Lorenzo Taliaferro (2013) and Patrick Hall (2004).
One of four team captains for 2019, Marable led the team in rushing attempts (204), rushing touchdowns (11), total touchdowns (14), and all-purpose yards (1418), while ranking second on the team in receptions (38) and receiving touchdowns (3).
Marable, who ranked third in the Sun Belt in total touchdowns (14), fourth in scoring (86), and seventh in all-purpose yards per game (118.2), totaled six 100-yard rushing games on the season.
His six 100-yard rushing games was the third-most in the Sun Belt, while his career-high game of 172 rushing yards at ULM on Nov. 23 was the seventh-most rushing yards in a game by a player in the Sun Belt in 2019. He also scored a touchdown either on the ground or through the air in 11 of CCU's 12 games on the season and has caught at least one pass in 20-straight games dating back to last season.
In just two years at CCU, he has climbed to seventh all-time in CCU history with 1,804 career rushing yards (this doesn't include his 1,038 rushing yards on the ground at Presbyterian College as a freshman in 2017).
Jaivon Heiligh
The sophomore wideout came on strong for the Chanticleers in his second season at CCU, as he led the team in catches (46) and receiving yards (497), and was second in receiving touchdowns (3) on the season. Heiligh, who led the team with an average of 41.7 receiving yards per game, hauled in at least one pass in all 12 games on the season and extended his streak to 15-straight games with at least one reception dating back to last year.
One of just 21 players in the entire conference to record a 100-yard receiving game, the Florida native total 107 yards on 12 catches in the 36-35 come-from-behind win over Troy on Nov. 2. His 12 receptions in that contest were the most in a single game by a Chanticleer in the program’s history, while his 100-yard receiving game was the first for a Chant not named Malcolm Williams since 2017.
Shadell Bell
A 2018 co-captain and veteran leader in the locker room, Bell played in all 12 games for the Chants in 2019, starting four at tight end. The Clemson transfer caught nine passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns on the season while splitting time with fellow tight ends Likely and Michael McFarlane.
Bell caught at least one pass in eight games on the season, including a 16-yard touchdown pass in the season opener versus Eastern Michigan on Aug. 31 and a one-yard score in the regular-season finale against Texas State on Nov. 30.
In his two years at Coastal, Bell caught 17 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Ethan Howard
Playing with a shoulder injury that is need of surgery all season long, Howard solidified the left side of the CCU offensive line this season. Playing in 10 games this year, Howard had his consecutive streak of starts and games played snapped at 35 when he missed the Louisiana game due to an injury. He finished his career with 37 starts over 44 games played.
Lining up at left tackle this season for the CCU offense, CCU gained over 400 yards of total offense four times this season, including a season-high 636 yards in the road win at UMass on Sept. 21. Howard graded out at 90 or higher in eight of his 10 games on the season including being the highest-rated Chant offensive lineman in the home contest versus Georgia State on Oct. 12.
With the help of Howard upfront, the Chants were 23-for-29 (79.3 percent) on fourth-down attempts which is the second-best percentage in the Sun Belt and third nationally. The 23 fourth-down conversions are the third-most nationally behind only Army and Navy with 24.
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
E.J. Scott, Appalachian State (Senior, DL, Farmville, N.C.)
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
Noel Cook, Appalachian State (Senior, LB, Reidsville, N.C.)
Ryan Neuzil, Appalachian State (Junior, OL, Bradenton, Fla.)
Marcus Williams Jr., Appalachian State (Junior, RB, Rocky Mount, N.C.)
Malik Williams, Appalachian State (Junior, WR, Chester, S.C.)
Caleb Bonner, Arkansas State (Junior, LB, Reform, Ala.)
Andre Harris Jr., Arkansas State (Sophomore, OL, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Marcel Murray, Arkansas State (Sophomore, RB, Hiram, Ga.)
Ivory Scott, Arkansas State (Junior, OL, Kenner, La.)
Shadell Bell, Coastal Carolina (RS-Senior, TE, Decatur, Ga.)
Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina (Sophomore, WR, Venice, Fla.)
Ethan Howard, Coastal Carolina (RS-Senior, OL, Brookwood, Ala)
CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina (Junior, RB, Decatur, Ga.)
Shai Werts, Georgia Southern (RS-Junior, QB, Clinton, S.C.)
Wesley Kennedy III, Georgia Southern (Junior, RB, Savannah, Ga.)
J.D. King, Georgia Southern (Junior, RB, Fitzgerald, Ga.)
Reynard Ellis, Georgia Southern (RS-Sophomore, LB, Birmingham, Ala.)
Roger Carter, Georgia State (Junior, TE, Columbia, S.C.)
Malik Sumter, Georgia State (RS-Sophomore, C, Irmo, S.C.)
Hardrick Willis, Georgia State (RS-Sophomore, DE, Jonesboro, Ga.)
Dontae Wilson, Georgia State (Junior, NG, Jefferson, Ga.)
Jacques Boudreaux, Louisiana (Senior, LB, New Orleans, La.)
Jarrod Jackson, Louisiana RS-Senior, WR, Reserve, La.)
Chauncey Manac, Louisiana RS-Junior, LB, Homerville, Ga.)
Nick Ralston, Louisiana (Graduate Transfer, TE, Argyle, Texas)
Caleb Evans, ULM (Senior, QB, Mansfield, Texas)
Markis McCray, ULM (Fifth-Year Senior, WR, Euless, Texas)
Larance Shaw, ULM (Senior, DL, Fort Worth, Texas)
Eastwood Thomas, ULM (Fifth-Year Senior, OL, Jackson, Ala.)
Kawaan Baker, South Alabama (Junior, WR, Atlanta, Ga.)
Sean Brown, South Alabama (Senior, DL, Pleasant Grove, Ala.)
Riley Cole, South Alabama (Junior, LB, Oneonta, Ala.)
Jacob Shoemaker, South Alabama (Junior, OL, Gulfport, Miss.)
Jarron Morris, Texas State (Sophomore, CB, Orange, Texas)
Caeveon Patton, Texas State (Junior, DT, Cuero, Texas)
Hutch White, Texas State (Senior, WR, Kerrville, Texas)
Khambrail Winters, Texas State (Freshman, CB, Houston, Texas)
Dylan Bradshaw, Troy (Junior, OL, Enterprise, Ala.)
Khalil McClain, Troy (Junior, WR, Fairburn, Ga.)
Dell Pettus, Troy (Freshman, DB, Harvest, Ala.)
Austin Stidham, Troy (RS-Sophomore, OL, Russellville, Ala.)
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