The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team placed eight players on the D3football.com All-America Teams released in connection with the 2016 Stagg Bowl over the weekend. Defensive end Teidrick Smith earned Defensive Player of the Year honors to become just the second UMHB player to earn that award.
Smith, a senior from Hallettsville High School, led the Cru with 23.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. He added 60 total tackles and four pass break-ups. He finished his career as the school and conference record holder for career sacks and tackles for loss. Smith joins Jerrell Freeman as the only UMHB players to win national player of the year honors and he also earned a spot on the D3football.com All-America First Team.
Safety Baylor Mullins joined Smith on the First Team defense. Mullins, a senior from Merkel High School, recorded 99 tackles and led the Cru with six interceptions. Mullins also broke up seven passes and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Two offensive linemen earned spots on the All-America First Team offense. Tackle Connolly Fuller and guard Broderick Jenkins both earned spots on that squad. Fuller, a senior from Richardson Berkner High School, and Jenkins, a senior from Frisco Centennial High School, helped clear the way for a UMHB offense that averaged 46.8 points, 240.6 rushing yards and 473.2 yards of total offense per game.
Defensive tackle Haston Adams and linebacker Keith Reineke were both named to the All-America Second Team defense. Adams, a junior from Beckville High School, recorded 53 total tackles and added 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Reineke, a senior from McGregor High School, led the Cru with 121 total tackles and added 12.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions.
Quarterback Blake Jackson and running back Markeith Miller were both voted to the Third Team offense. Jackson, a senior from Dobie High School in Houston, set UMHB single season records by going 235-358 through the air for 3,282 yards and 35 touchdowns. He added 904 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Miller, a sophomore from Garland High School, led the Cru with 1,483 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing. He also had a touchdown reception.
The Cru beat Wisconsin-Oshkosh 10-7 in the Stagg Bowl to win the program’s first national championship. UMHB closed out the season 15-0 to set new school and American Southwest Conference records for wins in a season. The Cru also won the ASC championship with a 6-0 league record.
