Four Salukis named to the MVFC All-Conference teams
11/26/2018 | 9:58:00 | Football
Three more players earn honorable mention recognition
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced its 2018 All-Conference teams on Monday, and Southern Illinois was represented with four players on the squad — safety Jeremy Chinn (1st Team), running back D.J. Davis (2nd Team), wide receiver Raphael Leonard (2nd Team) and defensive end Anthony Knighton (2nd Team). Three more players — wide receiver Landon Lenoir, tight end Nigel Kilby and linebacker Bryce Notree — were named honorable mention.
A three-year starter and preseason All-MVFC pick, Chinn (6-2, 211, Jr.) started seven games at safety and two at cornerback, before missing the final two games due to injury. He led the team with three interceptions and 95 interception return yards. He recorded a team-high seven pass breakups and was second in tackles with 55. He also forced two fumbles and blocked a field goal. He is the first Saluki defensive back to earn first-team honors since Mike McElroy in 2011.
Davis (5-8, 168, Jr.) led the conference and ranks 15th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game with 140.3. He rushed for 1,118 yards — the most by a Saluki running back since Jewel Hampton in 2011 — and averaged 6.28 yards per carry. Davis recorded six 100-yard rushing games, including a career-best 201 yards versus South Dakota State. He was also a threat out of the backfield, catching 29 passes for 201 yards and caught at least two passes in 10 games.
Leonard (6-2, 193, Sr.) led the Salukis and finished second in receptions in the MVFC with 57. He had 847 receiving yards, the third most in the league and the sixth-most all-time at Southern. Leonard averaged 77.0 receiving yards per game and caught seven touchdowns. He had three games with more than 100 yards receiving, including six catches for 117 yards and two TDs at Ole Miss. In two seasons at Southern, Leonard caught at least one pass in every game and 91 total.
One of the league's top pass rushers, Knighton (6-4, 253, So.) ranked second in the MVFC with 8.5 sacks — the most by a Saluki defender since James Cloud in 2007. He also ranked third in the MVFC with 13.5 tackles for loss. Knighton added five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, an interception and a blocked kick. The 2017 runner up for MVFC Freshman of the Year has started all 22 games of his SIU career and has 15.0 career sacks.
In his first season at SIU, Kilby (6-8, 250, Jr.) caught 16 passes for 230 yards, a 14.38 average and six touchdowns. He played in nine games and missed two due to injury. Kilby recorded a career-high seven catches for 109 yards and two TDs against South Dakota.
Lenoir (5-11, 190, So.) had a breakout season for the Salukis, finishing seventh in the MVFC in catches with 48. He caught at least two passes in every game and had a career-high nine receptions at Ole Miss.
Notree (6-4, 240, So.) led the Salukis and ranked 14th in the MVFC with 78 tackles. He added 2.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries and a pair of interceptions.
A three-year starter and preseason All-MVFC pick, Chinn (6-2, 211, Jr.) started seven games at safety and two at cornerback, before missing the final two games due to injury. He led the team with three interceptions and 95 interception return yards. He recorded a team-high seven pass breakups and was second in tackles with 55. He also forced two fumbles and blocked a field goal. He is the first Saluki defensive back to earn first-team honors since Mike McElroy in 2011.
Davis (5-8, 168, Jr.) led the conference and ranks 15th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game with 140.3. He rushed for 1,118 yards — the most by a Saluki running back since Jewel Hampton in 2011 — and averaged 6.28 yards per carry. Davis recorded six 100-yard rushing games, including a career-best 201 yards versus South Dakota State. He was also a threat out of the backfield, catching 29 passes for 201 yards and caught at least two passes in 10 games.
Leonard (6-2, 193, Sr.) led the Salukis and finished second in receptions in the MVFC with 57. He had 847 receiving yards, the third most in the league and the sixth-most all-time at Southern. Leonard averaged 77.0 receiving yards per game and caught seven touchdowns. He had three games with more than 100 yards receiving, including six catches for 117 yards and two TDs at Ole Miss. In two seasons at Southern, Leonard caught at least one pass in every game and 91 total.
One of the league's top pass rushers, Knighton (6-4, 253, So.) ranked second in the MVFC with 8.5 sacks — the most by a Saluki defender since James Cloud in 2007. He also ranked third in the MVFC with 13.5 tackles for loss. Knighton added five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, an interception and a blocked kick. The 2017 runner up for MVFC Freshman of the Year has started all 22 games of his SIU career and has 15.0 career sacks.
In his first season at SIU, Kilby (6-8, 250, Jr.) caught 16 passes for 230 yards, a 14.38 average and six touchdowns. He played in nine games and missed two due to injury. Kilby recorded a career-high seven catches for 109 yards and two TDs against South Dakota.
Lenoir (5-11, 190, So.) had a breakout season for the Salukis, finishing seventh in the MVFC in catches with 48. He caught at least two passes in every game and had a career-high nine receptions at Ole Miss.
Notree (6-4, 240, So.) led the Salukis and ranked 14th in the MVFC with 78 tackles. He added 2.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries and a pair of interceptions.
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