Big South Announces 2021 Football Annual Award Winners
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Kennesaw State sophomore quarterback Xavier Shepherd has been voted the 2021 Big South Football Offensive Player of the Year, while Campbell senior defensive lineman Brevin Allen has been voted the Defensive Player of the Year by the conference’s head coaches and media panel, it was announced today. In addition, Hampton running back Elijah Burris is the Offensive Freshman of the Year, while Kennesaw State defensive back Garland Benyard is the Defensive Freshman of the Year honoree. KSU placekicker Nathan Robertson was voted Special Teams Player of the Year and Owls head coach Brian Bohannon was selected Coach of the Year. North Alabama strong safety K.J. Smith was voted the Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the league’s sports information directors.
Shepherd was a four-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week honoree during the season, and is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Offensive Player of the Year Award. He ranks first in all of FCS with 19 rushing touchdowns, is third with 10.4 points per game and ranks eighth with 198 points responsible for. He finished the regular-season second in the conference with 836 rushing yards, and was 69-of-113 passing for 1,181 yards and a school-record 14 touchdown passes. Shepherd had a league-high six multi-touchdown games -- including four games with at least three scores, he became just the third quarterback in Big South history with at least 10 passing TDs and 10 rushing scores in the same season, and was the third QB in the conference record book to throw four touchdown passes in back-to-back contests. Shepherd had three 100-yard rushing games in 2021, highlighted by a career-best 179 in Week 6 at Hampton -- a league record for a quarterback in a conference game. He led the Owls to two game-winning drives this season in which the team scored with less than a minute to win the game. Shepherd also had single-game career-highs of 209 passing yards (vs. Gardner-Webb), longest rush of 56 yards (at Wofford) and longest pass completion of 52 yards (at Campbell). He averaged 17.12 yards per completion, had a 184.4 passing efficiency rating and averaged 183.4 total offensive yards per game. Named to the FCS National Performer of the Year Midseason Watch List, Shepherd collected nine first-place votes and 36 points in the voting, ahead of Monmouth quarterback Tony Muskett (three first-place votes and 30 points) and Gardner-Webb’s Narii Gaither (one first-place vote and 15 points).
Allen is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year Award, and finished the regular-season as the Big South leader in quarterback sacks with 9.5 and tackles-for-loss with 17.5. He ranks 10th nationally in TFL and 19th in sacks, and was one of 10 Big South defenders with at least two forced fumbles this season. The first Camel to be voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year, Allen set the school single-season record for sacks, and tied the program record for tackles-for-loss. He was the Big South Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 11 after posting 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, five total tackles and a pass break-up in Campbell’s victory over Gardner-Webb in the East/West BBQ Bowl. Allen recorded at least 2.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage in six games -- two of which were games with 3.0 TFL -- and finished the year with a TFL in eight of his 11 appearances. He amassed 44 total tackles (26 solo, 18 assisted), six quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery in 2021. Allen received five first-place votes and 23 points in the voting, ahead of Kennesaw State linebacker Evan Thompson (three first-place votes and 19 points) and Charleston Southern defensive lineman Shaundre Mims (two first-place votes and 15 points).
Burris is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice National Freshman of the Year Award, and led the Pirates with 640 rushing yards to rank first among all Big South freshmen and fifth overall in the league. He was fourth in the Big South in rushing yards per game (58.2), third in yards per rush (4.6) and tied for seventh with six rushing touchdowns. Burris was the FCS National Freshman of the Week after his 136-yard, 3-touchdown performance against Virginia Union in Week 1. His campaign also included 86 rushing yards and a 31-yard TD run in Hampton’s win over North Carolina A&T, and 72 rushing yards with a score in the Pirates’ victory over Howard. Burris led Hampton in rushing four times, and had two rushing touchdowns of at least 30 yards. He received six first-place votes and 30 points in the voting, ahead of Monmouth running back Jaden Shirden (six first-place votes and 22 points) and North Carolina A&T rusher Bhayshul Tuten (two first-place votes and 20 points).
Benyard moved into the starting lineup the last five games of the season, and recorded 21 of his 29 tackles in that span for the Big South’s top-ranked defense. He had a career-high nine stops vs. Gardner-Webb (five solo), along with a tackle-for-loss. Benyard was the Big South Freshman of the Week on Oct. 18 after he recorded five total stops (three solo) and a pass break-up in Kennesaw State’s shutout victory over North Carolina A&T, in which he also blocked a punt. Against Campbell in Week 8, he notched his first career sack, had five total tackles and a pass break-up. Benyard recorded three stops and a TFL in a win over Robert Morris. He finished the regular-season with 29 tackles (15 solo), 3.0 tackles-for-loss, one sack, two pass break-ups and one quarterback hurry. Benyard earned 37 points and seven first-place votes in the balloting, ahead of Campbell linebacker CJ Tillman (21 points and four first-place votes) and North Carolina A&T defensive lineman Henry Daniels (17 points and one first-place vote).
Robertson finished the regular-season as the conference leader with 72 points kicking on 9-of-12 field goals and 45-of-45 PATs. He tied for the Big South lead with five field goals made from 40-yards or longer -- which included a 45-yarder (vs. Jacksonville State), two 46-yarders (at Georgia Tech, at Campbell) and a school-record 48-yard kick at Robert Morris. The Big South Special Teams Player of the Week following Kennesaw State’s win over Wofford, Robertson was the lone Big South kicker with more than 40 made PAT kicks, and he converted at least four PATs eight times in 2021 -- including a 6-6 day at RMU and 7-7 in the season-finale against Monmouth. He received 28 points and six first-place votes from the panel, ahead of Monmouth punter Ryan Kost (21 points and three first-place votes) and Hampton kicker/punter Axel Perez (20 points and three first-place votes).
Bohannon directed Kennesaw State to the first 7-0 finish in Big South history and the outright league championship for the third time in five years. KSU is the first conference member to win three outright titles in the league’s 20-year history, and at 10-1 overall, is the first team in the Big South record book with four 10-win seasons. Bohannon’s squad was the only Big South team to be undefeated at home this season at 5-0, and is the Big South’s top defensive team at 315.0 yards allowed, 18.2 points allowed, and 99.1 rushing yards allowed. The Owls finished the regular-season first in the conference in offensive touchdowns (45), first in rushing offense (275.5 to rank second nationally), first in the nation in 4th-down conversions (82.6 percent) and second in the league in scoring offense at 31.6 points. KSU carries a 9-game win streak into the FCS Playoffs, and has limited the opposition to 14.4 points, 84.3 yards rushing and 310.3 offensive yards during that span. Bohannon -- who became the Big South’s all-time leader in conference wins during the season with 29 and is second all-time in overall victories with 62 -- is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award. He received 14 first-place votes and 46 points in the voting, ahead of Monmouth’s Kevin Callahan (one first-place vote and 30 points).
Smith is a 4.00 student working on his Masters of Science in Health and Human Performance. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, Smith is the first three-time Big South Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree. He led the Big South during the regular-season with six interceptions, and totaled 42 tackles and 12 passes defended for the Lions.
The Big South also announced its All-Conference first and second teams on Tuesday. The squads are comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and five special teams players, plus any ties. The list of 2021 All-Conference members and award winners, as well as the All-Academic Team, appears below.
2021 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Xavier Shepherd, Soph., Kennesaw State
QB - Tony Muskett, Soph., Monmouth
RB - Narii Gaither, Jr., Gardner-Webb
RB - Juwon Farri, R-Jr., Monmouth
WR - Caleb Snead, R-Sr., Campbell
WR - Lonnie Moore IV, R-Sr., Monmouth
WR - Jadakis Bonds, Jr., Hampton
TE - Julian Hill, Sr., Campbell
OL - AJ Farris, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL - Jake Lassiter, Gr., Kennesaw State
OL - William Nana Fabu, Sr., Kennesaw State
OL - Mahmoud Shabana, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL - Tyler McLellan, R-Sr., Campbell
DEFENSE
DL - Brevin Allen, Sr., Campbell
DL - Shaundre Mims, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
DL - Ty French, Soph., Gardner-Webb
DL - Wallace Cowins Jr., Sr., North Alabama
LB - Evan Thompson, Sr., Kennesaw State
LB - William McRainey, Soph., Gardner-Webb
LB - Garrett Sayegh, Sr., Charleston Southern
LB - Eddie Hahn, R-Sr., Monmouth
DB - K.J. Smith, Gr., North Alabama
DB - Malachi Buckner, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB - Eddie Morales III, R-Sr., Monmouth
DB - Anthony Budd, R-Sr., Monmouth
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Nathan Robertson, Sr., Kennesaw State
P - Ryan Kost, Jr., Monmouth
LS - Jacob Potter, Sr., Kennesaw State
KR - Lonnie Moore IV, R-Sr., Monmouth
PR - Eddie Morales III, R-Sr., Monmouth
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Jack Chambers, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
RB - Elijah Burris, Fr., Hampton
RB - Parker Driggers, R-Soph., North Alabama
WR - Dexter Boykin, R-Jr., North Alabama
WR - Terrance Greene Jr., R-Sr., Monmouth
WR - Cayden Jordan, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
TE - Gene Scott, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL - Zion Katina, Jr., Kennesaw State
OL - Dacquari Wilson, Jr., North Carolina A&T
OL - Gabe Thompson, Soph., Gardner-Webb
OL - Brian Syracuse, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL - Terrell Paxton, Jr., Kennesaw State
DEFENSE
DL - Travis Bell, Sr., Kennesaw State
DL - Lorenzo Hernandez, Jr., Monmouth
DL - Ricardo Watson, R-Soph., Robert Morris
DL - Anton Williams, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB - Jacob Roberts, Soph., North Carolina A&T
LB - Jamar Shegog, R-Soph., Robert Morris
LB - Chance Bates, Sr., Kennesaw State
LB - KeShaun Moore, Jr., Hampton
DB - Tyrese Wright, Jr., Monmouth
DB - Hombre Kennedy, Sr., Charleston Southern
DB - Darion Slade, R-Sr., Campbell
DB - TJ Comstock, Sr., Gardner-Webb
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Axel Perez, Jr., Hampton
P - Joe Gurley, Gr., North Alabama
LS - Ethan Ray, Gr., Charleston Southern
KR - Josh McNeely, R-Sr., Campbell
PR - Kobe Warden, Fr., North Alabama
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Levi Wiggins, DB, Gr., Campbell
Hombre Kennedy, S, Sr., Charleston Southern
William McRainey, LB, Soph., Gardner-Webb
Brandon Richards, LS, Soph., Hampton
Caleb O’Neal, Sr., WR, Kennesaw State
Eddie Morales III, DB/PR, Sr., Monmouth
K.J. Smith, DB, Gr., North Alabama
John Davis, LS, Sr., North Carolina A&T
Trevor Hicks, OL, Gr., Robert Morris
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Xavier Shepherd, QB, Soph., Kennesaw State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brevin Allen, DL, Sr., Campbell
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nathan Robertson, K, Sr., Kennesaw State
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Elijah Burris, RB, Hampton
DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Garland Benyard, DB, Kennesaw State
COACH OF THE YEAR
Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
K.J. Smith, DB, Gr., North Alabama