All Conference USA Team Honors Seven UTEP Football Players, 12 Honorable Mentions

UTEP defensive end Jadrian Taylor, right tackle Jeremiah Byers and kicker Gavin Baechle headline the seven players honored to the All-Conference USA list, along with 12 more honorable mentions, per the league on Tuesday.

Taylor, Byers and Baechle were each honored as C-USA First Team recipients. Defensive end Praise Amaewhule, running back Deion Hankins, linebacker Tyrice Knight and long snapper Angelo Tejada were recognized onto the second team. Though C-USA has shrunk down to 11 teams, seven is the most players UTEP has put in the all C-USA team since 2006.

Among the 12 honorable mentions include safety Dennis Barnes, punt returner Marcus Bellon, left tackle Steven Hubbard, safety Kobe Hylton, guards Elijah Klein and Justin Mayers, center Andrew Meyer, defensive tackles Kelton Moss and Keenan Stewart, punter Joshua Sloan, wide receiver Tyrin Smith and linebacker Cal Wallerstedt.

First team standouts:

As decorated as this honored group is, Baechle stands out among the bunch. He finished as UTEP's all-time leader in field goals made (58) and consecutive made field goals (22). He was fourth in FBS for 22 field goals made in 2022. Upon graduation, Baechle is undoubtedly an NFL hopeful.

Taylor had a standout senior season and, like Baechle, hopes to take his talents to the NFL level. He finished the season leading C-USA (#9 in FBS) with 9.5 sacks. He will go down in UTEP history among the top-5 career sack leaders with 16.0 sacks.

Following his all-conference season, Byers hit the transfer portal and has already garnered interest from the likes of Florida State, Miami, Texas Tech, Memphis, UTSA, among others. The Austin, Texas, native started all 12 games at the right tackle spot. He has started in 30 of 34 games played in his career. He will be a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility.

Second team highlights: 

For the second team recipients, the Miners had four strong candidates. Pass rusher Amaewhule, who was double-teamed a lot in 2022, finished this year with 25 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 5.5 tackles for losses, fumble recovery, two pass breakups and eight hurries. Though Hankins wasn't the leading rusher at the team (701 rushing yards), the Parkland graduate averaged a whopping 5.0 yards per attempt, while scoring three touchdowns. As the team's leading tackler, linebacker Knight had to take on an expanded role with this team. Knight finished the year with 95 tackles (7.9 per game), 6.5 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and an interception. Though the long snapper spot doesn't receive a ton of love, Tejada started all 12 games at the spot.

Freshman CB Ilijah Johnson also honored 

Johnson shouldered a significant role in 2022 due to injuries at the cornerback position and filled his role admirably. He led all players on UTEP with two interceptions. He finished the year with six pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and 20 tackles.

All Conference USA list: 

First Team

OFFENSE

QB: Frank Harris, UTSA

RB: DeWayne McBride, UAB

RB: Larry McCammon III, Florida Atlantic

WR: Zakhari Franklin, UTSA

WR: Malachi Corley, WKU

WR: Tre Harris, LA Tech

TE: Var’Keyes Gumms, North Texas

OL: Ahofitu Maka, UTSA

OL: Manase Mose, North Texas

OL: Jeremiah Byers, UTEP

OL: Sidney Wells, UAB

OL: Kadeem Telfort, UAB

DEFENSE

DE: Jadrian Taylor, UTEP

DT: Brandon Brown, UTSA

DT: Keivie Rose, LA Tech

DE: Jordan Ferguson, Middle Tennessee

LB: KD Davis, North Texas

LB: Noah Wilder, UAB

LB: JaQues Evans, WKU

DB: Clifford Chattman, UTSA

DB: Corey Mayfield Jr., UTSA

DB: Ridge Texada, North Texas

DB: Starling Thomas V, UAB

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Gavin Baechle, UTEP

P: Kyle Ulbrich, Middle Tennessee

LS: Brody Butler, Middle Tennessee

KR: Kaylon Horton, North Texas

PR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech

Second Team

OFFENSE

QB: Austin Reed, WKU

RB: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB

RB: Deion Hankins, UTEP

WR: De’Corian Clark, UTSA

WR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA

WR: Grant DuBose, Charlotte

TE: Joshua Simon, WKU

OL: Will Rykard, UAB

OL: Shea Baker, Rice

OL: Brendan Bordner, Florida Atlantic

OL: Gunner Britton, WKU

OL: Quincy McGee, UAB

DEFENSE

DE: Praise Amaewhule, UTEP

DT: Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic

DT: Fish McWilliams, UAB

DE: Amir Siddiq, Charlotte

LB: Mazin Richards, North Texas

LB: Jamal Ligon, UTSA

LB: Tyrice Knight, UTEP

DB: Teldrick Ross, Middle Tennessee

DB: Grayson Cash, UAB

DB: Kahlef Hailassie, WKU

DB: Myles Brooks, LA Tech

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Jared Sackett, UTSA

P: Lucas Dean, UTSA

LS: Angelo Tejada, UTEP

KR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech

PR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee

Honorable Mention:

QB: Austin Aune, North Texas

QB: Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee

QB: Chris Reynolds, Charlotte

QB: Grayson James, FIU

RB: Marquis Crosby, LA Tech

RB: Brenden Brady, UTSA

RB: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA

RB: Frank Peasant, Middle Tennessee

RB: Kye Robichaux, WKU

WR: Tyrin Smith, UTEP

WR: Daewood Davis, WKU

WR: Trea Shropshire, UAB

WR: Bradley Rozner, Rice

WR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee

WR: Elijah Spencer, Charlotte

WR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic

WR: Tejhaun Palmer, UAB

WR: Jyaire Shorter, North Texas

TE: Jake Roberts, North Texas

TE: Oscar Cardenas, UTSA

TE: Rivaldo Fairweather, FIU

TE: Jack Bradley, Rice

TE: Izaiah Gathings, Middle Tennessee

OL: Rusty Staats, WKU

OL: Ernesto Almaraz, UTSA

OL: Andrew Meyer, UTEP

OL: Quantavious Leslie, WKU

OL: Kevin Davis, UTSA

OL: Walker Baty, UTSA

OL: Ashton Gist, Charlotte

OL: Nick Weber, Florida Atlantic

OL: Carson Bruno, LA Tech

OL: Joshua Mote, LA Tech

OL: Jacob Peace, FIU

OL: Vincent Murphy, WKU

OL: Clay Servin, Rice

OL: Justin Mayers, UTEP

OL: Terrell Haynes, UTSA

OL: Jordan Palmer, Middle Tennessee

OL: Matthew Trehern, UAB

OL: Elijah Klein, UTEP

OL: Steven Hubbard, UTEP

OL: Dakota White, LA Tech

OL: Bert Hale, LA Tech

DE: Ikenna Enechukwu, Rice

DE: Nick Booker-Brown, UTSA

DE: Markees Watts, Charlotte

DE: Juwuan Jones, WKU

DE: Zaylin Wood, Middle Tennessee

DE: Trey Schuman, Rice

DE: Drew Tuazama, UAB

DT: Kelton Moss, UTEP

DT: Keenan Stewart, UTEP

DT: Brodric Martin, WKU

DT: Isaiah Forte, UAB

DT: Joe Evans, UTSA

DT: Marley Cook, Middle Tennessee

DT: Davon Strickland, FIU

LB: Trey Moore, UTSA

LB: Derrick Smith, WKU

LB: Trevor Harmanson, UTSA

LB: Cal Wallerstedt, UTEP

LB: Gaethan Bernadel, FIU

LB: Josh Pearcy, Rice

LB: Shaun Peterson Jr., FIU

LB: Donovan Manuel, FIU

LB: Tyler Taylor, UAB

DB: Decorian Patterson, Middle Tennessee

DB: Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee

DB: Nicktroy Fortune, UTSA

DB: Kobe Hylton, UTEP

DB: DeShawn Gaddie, North Texas

DB: Teja Young, Florida Atlantic

DB: Kaleb Oliver, WKU

DB: Geo Howard, Charlotte

DB: Jaylen Key, UAB

DB: Armani Adams, Florida Atlantic

DB: Logan Wilson, North Texas

DB: Dennis Barnes, UTEP

DB: Willie Roberts, LA Tech

DB: Upton Stout, WKU

DB: Keondre Swoopes, UAB

DB: Dadrian Taylor, UTSA

DB: Jordan Dunbar, Rice

K: Ethan Mooney, North Texas

K: Brayden Narveson, WKU

K: Zeke Rankin, Middle Tennessee

P: Kyle Greenwell, UAB

P: Tom Ellard, WKU

P: Daton Montiel, FIU

P: Riley Thompson, Florida Atlantic

P: Joshua Sloan, UTEP

LS: J.P. Hadley, North Texas

LS: Jake Bowman, WKU

LS: Cole Kizziah, UAB

LS: Caleb Cantrell, UTSA

LS: Nicholas Marino, Florida Atlantic

KR: Chris Carpenter, UTSA

KR: Shadrick Byrd, Charlotte

KR: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB

KR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee

PR: Marcus Bellon, UTEP

PR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic

PR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA