Photo by: Houston Texans
Kats bringing in all-America honors for 2021
12/20/2021 10:02:00 AM | Football
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkat football team have brought in their share of all-America honors this season. Below is a listing of all players who have received those honors.
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RAMON JEFFERSON
AP (Second Team); HERO Sports; (Second Team) Stats Perform (Second Team)
Jefferson led WAC and ranked among the national leaders in the FCS in rushing with 173 carries for 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns for the season. He became the first Bearkat since 2017 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, finishing with six 100-yard games, including 166 yards and a pair of scores in the Kats' FCS playoff win over UIW.
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JAHARI KAY
AP (Second Team); Stats Perform (Third Team)
A Buck Buchanan Award finalist, Kay finished 15th in voting for the honor bestowed on the top defensive player in the entire FCS. One of the most disruptive players in the nation, he finished the season with 12.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks, forcing a pair of fumbles and returning a fumble for his second career touchdown in the regular season vs Dixie State.
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PRINCE PINES
HERO Sports (Sophomore)
Pines was an instant impact player for the Kats in the spring, and took advantage of it by earning sophomore all-America honors during the Kats' run to the national title. Therefore, it was no surprise that with a free year of eligibility keeping him classified as a sophomore that he would double up on that honor. He did just that, starting all 12 games at left guard for the Kats, paving he way for a 1,000-yard rusher and helping Sam Houston to one of the top offensive attacks in all of FCS.
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ZYON MCCOLLUM
AP (Third Team); HERO Sports (First Team); Stats Perform (Third Team)
McCollum turned himself into one of the top defensive backs in the FCS during his time at Sam Houston, and recently earned an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl where he will put his talents on display in front of NFL scouts. This season he was outstanding once again, earning first team all-WAC honors and finishing third on the team with 50 tackles. Rarely thrown at, McCollum broke up five passes on the year and picked off three more, finishing his career with 13 picks, one shy of the career record at Sam Houston.
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COLBY THOMAS
AP (Third Team); HERO Sports (Third Team); Stats Perform (Second Team)
Thomas' legacy at Sam Houston will be as one of the most decorated offensive linemen in program history after earning all-America honors for the second straight year. An all-WAC selection this season and 3-time all-conference choice, the Manvel native started all 34 games over the course of his final three seasons on the line, holding down time at right guard throughout the 22 games of the 2021 calendar year.
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JOSEPH WALLACE
HERO Sports (Second Team)
The Kats were fortunate enough to boast arguably the top defensive line unit in the FCS over the past three seasons, and much of that has had to do with Wallace. A 3-time all-league choice, Wallace earned all-America honors for the second straight season from HERO Sports in 2021, anchoring the middle of a defense that allowed just 85.3 rushing yards per game. He finished the season with 5.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks, officially, in addition to a blocked kick at Tarleton.
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RAMON JEFFERSON
AP (Second Team); HERO Sports; (Second Team) Stats Perform (Second Team)
Jefferson led WAC and ranked among the national leaders in the FCS in rushing with 173 carries for 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns for the season. He became the first Bearkat since 2017 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, finishing with six 100-yard games, including 166 yards and a pair of scores in the Kats' FCS playoff win over UIW.
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JAHARI KAY
AP (Second Team); Stats Perform (Third Team)
A Buck Buchanan Award finalist, Kay finished 15th in voting for the honor bestowed on the top defensive player in the entire FCS. One of the most disruptive players in the nation, he finished the season with 12.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks, forcing a pair of fumbles and returning a fumble for his second career touchdown in the regular season vs Dixie State.
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PRINCE PINES
HERO Sports (Sophomore)
Pines was an instant impact player for the Kats in the spring, and took advantage of it by earning sophomore all-America honors during the Kats' run to the national title. Therefore, it was no surprise that with a free year of eligibility keeping him classified as a sophomore that he would double up on that honor. He did just that, starting all 12 games at left guard for the Kats, paving he way for a 1,000-yard rusher and helping Sam Houston to one of the top offensive attacks in all of FCS.
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ZYON MCCOLLUM
AP (Third Team); HERO Sports (First Team); Stats Perform (Third Team)
McCollum turned himself into one of the top defensive backs in the FCS during his time at Sam Houston, and recently earned an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl where he will put his talents on display in front of NFL scouts. This season he was outstanding once again, earning first team all-WAC honors and finishing third on the team with 50 tackles. Rarely thrown at, McCollum broke up five passes on the year and picked off three more, finishing his career with 13 picks, one shy of the career record at Sam Houston.
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COLBY THOMAS
AP (Third Team); HERO Sports (Third Team); Stats Perform (Second Team)
Thomas' legacy at Sam Houston will be as one of the most decorated offensive linemen in program history after earning all-America honors for the second straight year. An all-WAC selection this season and 3-time all-conference choice, the Manvel native started all 34 games over the course of his final three seasons on the line, holding down time at right guard throughout the 22 games of the 2021 calendar year.
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JOSEPH WALLACE
HERO Sports (Second Team)
The Kats were fortunate enough to boast arguably the top defensive line unit in the FCS over the past three seasons, and much of that has had to do with Wallace. A 3-time all-league choice, Wallace earned all-America honors for the second straight season from HERO Sports in 2021, anchoring the middle of a defense that allowed just 85.3 rushing yards per game. He finished the season with 5.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks, officially, in addition to a blocked kick at Tarleton.
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