Ten Salukis earn Missouri Valley Football Conference honors
11/29/2021 | 10:00:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced its All-Conference teams and specialty award winners on Monday, and 10 Southern Illinois players were selected for league honors in voting among coaches, media and sports information directors.
Headlining the list of honorees for the Salukis were a pair of First-Team All-Conference picks — guard ZeVeyon Furcron and safety Qua Brown. Both players are repeat winners from the spring season. Furcron has started 46-consecutive games and 53 total games in his career. He was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week at South Dakota State this fall. Brown is coming off a two-interception game in Saturday's playoff win at South Dakota and ranks among the all-time leading tacklers in school history at SIU.
Four Salukis earned Second-Team All-Conference honors — running back Javon Williams Jr., wide receiver Landon Lenoir, defensive end Anthony Knighton and linebacker Bryce Notree. Williams leads the team in rushing yards (522) and touchdowns (9) and continues to be an impact performer in both the Wildcat formation and on kick returns. Lenoir leads the team in receptions (59) and touchdown catches (9) and ranks among the top five in every career receiving category at Southern. Knighton is the school's career sack leader (25.5), tackle-for-loss leader (51.5) and has blocked three field goals this season. Notree leads Southern in tackles (85) and recently moved into the top-30 in career tackles at SIU.
Three players earned honorable mention All-Conference status — wide receiver Avante Cox, quarterback Nic Baker and cornerback PJ Jules. A preseason Payton Watch List candidate, Cox missed 2.5 games due to injury, but still produced 43 catches for 739 yards and five TDs. Baker was a two-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week pick this season, who passed for 460 yards at SEMO and 359 yards at South Dakota State. He has 26 passing touchdowns — two shy of Nick Hill's single-seaason school record. Jules is the team's top lockdown coverage man. He returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown at Kansas State and is third on the team in tackles (64).
Rounding out the award winners for Southern is All-Newcomer team selection David Miller, a redshirt freshman who stepped into a starting cornerback role in Week 3 and is tied for the team lead with three interceptions. He had a pair of interceptions at Indiana State to earn MVFC Defensive Player of the Week.
2021 Saluki Football Team Accomplishments
Headlining the list of honorees for the Salukis were a pair of First-Team All-Conference picks — guard ZeVeyon Furcron and safety Qua Brown. Both players are repeat winners from the spring season. Furcron has started 46-consecutive games and 53 total games in his career. He was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week at South Dakota State this fall. Brown is coming off a two-interception game in Saturday's playoff win at South Dakota and ranks among the all-time leading tacklers in school history at SIU.
Four Salukis earned Second-Team All-Conference honors — running back Javon Williams Jr., wide receiver Landon Lenoir, defensive end Anthony Knighton and linebacker Bryce Notree. Williams leads the team in rushing yards (522) and touchdowns (9) and continues to be an impact performer in both the Wildcat formation and on kick returns. Lenoir leads the team in receptions (59) and touchdown catches (9) and ranks among the top five in every career receiving category at Southern. Knighton is the school's career sack leader (25.5), tackle-for-loss leader (51.5) and has blocked three field goals this season. Notree leads Southern in tackles (85) and recently moved into the top-30 in career tackles at SIU.
Three players earned honorable mention All-Conference status — wide receiver Avante Cox, quarterback Nic Baker and cornerback PJ Jules. A preseason Payton Watch List candidate, Cox missed 2.5 games due to injury, but still produced 43 catches for 739 yards and five TDs. Baker was a two-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week pick this season, who passed for 460 yards at SEMO and 359 yards at South Dakota State. He has 26 passing touchdowns — two shy of Nick Hill's single-seaason school record. Jules is the team's top lockdown coverage man. He returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown at Kansas State and is third on the team in tackles (64).
Rounding out the award winners for Southern is All-Newcomer team selection David Miller, a redshirt freshman who stepped into a starting cornerback role in Week 3 and is tied for the team lead with three interceptions. He had a pair of interceptions at Indiana State to earn MVFC Defensive Player of the Week.
2021 Saluki Football Team Accomplishments
- Most wins in a season (8) since 2009.
- Only the 11th team in the 110-year history of SIU Football to win 8 games in a season.
- Nationally ranked for 22-consecutive weeks. Longest streak since 2010.
- Ranked as high as No. 3, highest ranking since 2009.
- Two-road playoff wins in same calendar year. There was only playoff road win previously at SIU.
- In the last 22 games, record of 8-4 against ranked teams.
- Beat No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 15, No. 17, No. 22, No. 25.
- Three-consecutive winning seasons for first time since 2007-09.
Players Mentioned
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