The Southern Illinois University Saluki football program landed eight student-athletes on the Missouri Valley Football All-Conference teams – including three honorable mentions – the conference office announced Monday. The No. 14 Salukis, who finished the regular season with an overall record of five wins to three losses – including a conference record of three wins to three losses – punched its ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2009, with a match up against No. 3 Weber State set to take place April 24 at 3 p.m. in Ogden, Utah.
It’s the second-straight season the Salukis have had eight All-Conference selections, as well as the first with at least four first-team honorees since 2009.
The Salukis had four first-team selections – offensive lineman ZeVeyon Furcron, wide receiver Avante Cox and defensive backs Qua Brown and James Ceasar.
Furcron was twice-named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week during the season (3/15, 4/18). The Crest Hill, Ill., native has started 33 consecutive games at left guard and helped the Salukis earn the league’s third-best passing offense and fourth-best rushing attack.
Cox led SIU with 55 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns, in addition to leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in receiving yards per game at 82.5. The junior wideout also ranks second in the MVFC with 6.9 receptions per game, fifth in all-purpose yards per game (112.9) and has recorded a catch in 20-straight games.
Brown led the MVFC with four forced fumbles this season, a mark that is tied for the FCS lead and stands tied for the second-most in a single season in school history. The senior safety has also recorded 31 tackles, which is the fifth-most on the team this season.
Ceasar leads the nation with 11 PBUs and also has recorded 34 tackles, one tackle for loss and half a sack. Cesar’s play has helped elevate a Saluki defensive backfield that ranks No. 27 in the nation in passing yards allowed per game (179.1).
Southern Illinois also had four players named second-team all-conference – running back Javon Williams Jr., fullback Jacob Garrett, defensive lineman Jordan Berner and linebacker Bryson Strong. The program’s honorable mention picks were long snapper Dan Heilbron, punter Jack Colquhoun and linebacker Bryce Notree.
Williams Jr. led the Salukis with 529 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns; a mark that is the seventh-most in the FCS this season. While most of his work has been done on the ground, Williams Jr. has also thrown for three touchdowns and owns a pass efficiency rating of 258.4, which is the top mark in the MVFC this season. The third-year running back led the conference in punt return average (8.8), while also finishing eighth in total rushing.
Garrett started all eight games at fullback and recorded three catches for 78 yards, which included a 56-yard catch and run touchdown pass from Javon Williams Jr. against No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana on April 17. Garrett was the lead blocker for a Saluki offense that finished third in passing offense and fourth in rushing against the Missouri Valley. Off the field, Garrett owns a 4.0 GPA.
Berner led SIU with 3.0 sacks, while also sharing the team lead in tackles for loss with 5.0. The senior defensive lineman finished 11th in the MVFC in sacks per game (0.38), while also finishing 14th in tackles for loss per game (0.82).
Strong led the Salukis with 58 tackles, finishing the regular season just three shy of tying his career high (61). The Fairview Heights, Ill., native also racked up 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, marks that are sixth and tied for second on the team, respectively. Strong tied for sixth in the Valley with 0.25 fumbles forced per game, while also ranking 11th with 7.2 tackles per game.
Heilbron, the team’s long snapper, holds a 4.0 GPA off the field. “There’s no snapper I’ve worked with in my career that works harder to perfect his craft,” said Saluki special teams coach Jared Petrino. “He just does everything right.”
Colquhoun closed out the regular season with the third-best punting average in the Missouri Valley (44.0). The second-year Saluki recorded back-to-back weeks with a punt of at least 60 yards – a 64-yarder on March 20 versus South Dakota and again with a 68-yard boom against Missouri State on March 27.
Notree finished the regular season second on the team with 50 tackles, while also finishing tied for second with 2.0 sacks on the season. The fifth-year senior linebacker recorded at least four tackles in every game this season, in addition to finishing 24th in the MVFC in tackles per game (6.2).