The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team placed nine players on the D3football.com All-South Region Teams. UMHB’s Blake Jackson, Teidrick Smith and Pete Fredenburg also swept the South Region superlatives.
Jackson, a senior quarterback from Houston and Dobie High School, was named South Region Offensive Player of the Year and also earned a spot on the First Team. Jackson has broken every Cru single-season passing record this year and has 2,952 yards and 34 touchdowns through the air. He has also rushed for 708 yards and nine more scores.
Smith, a senior defensive end from Hallettsville High School, took South Region Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight year and also earned a spot on the First Team. Smith leads UMHB with 22 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He has recorded 52 total tackles, three pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Fredenburg was named South Region Coach of the Year after guiding UMHB to a 13-0 record this season. The Cru is in the National Semifinals for the sixth time in program history and the program won its 14th American Southwest Conference championship this season.
Jackson was joined on the First Team offense by offensive linemen Connolly Fuller and Broderick Jenkins. Fuller, a senior tackle from Richardson Berkner High School, and Jenkins, a senior guard from Frisco Centennial High School, helped pave the way for the high-powered Cru offense. UMHB is averaging 52.2 points, 256.5 rushing yards and 498.7 yards of total offense per game this year.
Smith was joined on the First Team defense by three of his teammates. Haston Adams, a junior defensive tackle from Beckville High School, trails only Smith with 17 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He has 50 total tackles and has returned two of his three fumble recoveries for touchdowns. Keith Reineke, a senior linebacker from McGregor High School, leads the Cru with 99 total tackles. He has 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a pair of interceptions. Baylor Mullins, a senior safety from Merkel High School, has 85 tackles and leads UMHB with six interceptions. He has an interception return and a blocked punt return for touchdowns this season.
Running back Markeith Miller was named to the Second Team offense. Miller, a sophomore from Garland High School, has rushed for 1,444 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. He also has a pair of touchdown catches and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
Placekicker John Mowery is a Third Team All-South Region selection. Mowery, a junior from Leander High School, has 108 points on the season. He is 84-84 on extra points and has connected on 8-14 field goal tries.
This is the second D3football.com South Region Coach of the Year honor for Fredenburg. Smith’s selection gives UMHB seven D3football.com South Region Defensive Players of the Year in the 12-year history of the award. Jackson joins LiDarral Bailey as the only two Cru players to earn South Region Offensive Player of the Year honors.
The Cru is 13-0 on the season and went 6-0 in ASC play. UMHB will host Mount Union in the National Semifinals this Saturday at Crusader Stadium in a 3:30 PM kick off.
