Golden Tigers lead SIAC with 10 All-Conference selections
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (goldentigersports.com) — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) released the all-conference selections, and the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University led the way with 10 total selections to the two teams – as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Not only did the Golden Tigers, the defending HSRN HBCU Division II national champion, lead the way but they also led the way with seven first team selections.
Seniors Julian Morgan and Daryl George, both second team selections at the end of 2015, where named first team this season. Junior offensive lineman Leeward Brown and junior defensive back Jonah McCutcheon joined the duo; both first team selections a year ago.
Morgan, although missing three games due to an injury last season, finished with 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks from his defensive end position. The junior had his best game against Stillman when he recorded 11 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recovers.
Meanwhile, George led the team with 12 quarterback hurries and finished with 9.5 tackles for loss. McCutcheon led the team with seven interceptions and was named to a pair of All-American teams at the end of the season, while Brown led the Golden Tigers in pancakes while earning All-American honors in 2015.
Those four were joined by first time selections Leo Gilbert (tight end), Desmond Reece (receiver) and Osband Thompson (linebacker). Thompson was the co-Freshman of the Year in 2014.
Gilbert led Tuskegee with six touchdowns, while Reece finished second on the team in receptions (24) and led the team in yardage (429). Meanwhile, Thompson was second on the team in tackles (104) and recorded a pair of interceptions – one of which was returned for a touchdown.
The Golden Tigers also had three selections on the second team in defensive end Darion Hall, defensive tackle Devonta Ramseur and defensive back Darius Holmes – the co-Freshman of the Year last season.
Hall recorded for tackles for loss and four sacks for Tuskegee last season after being chosen all-conference following the 2014 season; while Ramseur recorded three tackles for loss and blocked a kick against Albany State that was returned for a touchdown. Meanwhile, Holmes was National Player of the Week after his performance against Morehouse last season, and finished the year with three interceptions.
Tuskegee had one more selection than Albany State (nine), while Kentucky State (seven), Morehouse (six) and Miles (five) each had five or more selections.
The Golden Tigers open the season September 3 on the road against Clark Atlanta, a game which be carried as the NCAA Division II Game of the Week on the American Sports Network.
