A second wave of postseason awards saw multiple Bulldogs honored as four members of Mississippi State’s football team were named to the 2018 All-Southeastern Conference Coaches Team.
League Coaches Tabbed Four Bulldogs to All-SEC Squads
December 04, 2018 | Football
by Taylor Shirey, Assistant Director/Communications
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A second wave of postseason awards saw multiple Bulldogs honored as four members of Mississippi State's football team were named to the 2018 All-Southeastern Conference Coaches Team, the league office announced Tuesday.
MSU senior defensive end Montez Sweat and junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons both earned spots on the All-SEC Coaches First Team, marking the second consecutive season the duo has brought home first-team honors. They are the first defensive line teammates in MSU history to bring home back-to-back first-team laurels.
Bulldog senior safety Johnathan Abram and senior offensive lineman Deion Calhoun rounded out MSU's accolades with spots on the All-SEC Coaches Second Team. Abram is the first MSU's safety to earn an All-SEC nod from the league's coaches since Nickoe Whitley in 2013.
MSU's four overall All-SEC selections were the program's most since MSU earned a total of five honorees over the historic 2014 season.
A semifinalist for the 2018 Bednarik Award and an All-American candidate, Sweat closed the regular-season as one of the most dominate edge rushers in the country. The Stone Mountain, Georgia, native led the SEC and finished sixth in the FBS with 11.0 total sacks, with seven total sacks coming in conference play, to average 0.92 sacks per game and rank second in the league. Sweat boasted 40 total pressures over the 2018 season, according to Pro Football Focus, which was the second most in the conference among all edge defenders.
Sweat added 51 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumbled over the regular season en route to two SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week selections and two national defensive player of the week laurels.
Part of MSU's dominant defensive line, Simmons closed the regular season with 59 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and four pass breakups. With a 91.1 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, Simmons ranked second among all interior defenders. An All-American candidate and semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, as well as virtually every national defensive award, Simmons' 14.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth in the SEC. A total of 45 of his 59 tackles came during conference play, which led all defensive lineman.
The Macon, Mississippi, native, was one of just four SEC defensive interior linemen with at least 15 hurries and four quarterback hits this season. He is just one of three players in the league with at least 12 tackles for loss over the last two seasons.
Abram led the Bulldogs and finished seventh in the conference with 93 total tackles over his senior season. Putting on a clinic on the stat sheet, the Columbia, Mississippi, native added 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two interceptions, once forced fumble and one fumble recovery over his senior season.
The senior safety allowed a passer rating of 41.6 over his 40 targets this season, which led all SEC safeties. He closed the regular season with at least six tackles in eight of his last nine games. With a dominating performance against Arkansas, he became the first Bulldog since All-American Benardrick McKinney (2014) to record at least 10 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in a single game en route to becoming the first MSU student-athlete to win SEC Defensive Player of the Week since 2015.
Hailing from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Calhoun is a veteran on MSU's offensive line, leading the group with 35 starts. According to Pro Football Focus, Deion allowed just 12 pressures over his 671 snaps played over his senior season. He held a 71.4 overall offensive grade from PFF, his highest mark since 2016.
Calhoun opened lanes for MSU's offense to rush for 226.4 yards per game, which was second-best in the SEC. He also helped paved the way for the Bulldog offense to rush for over 300 yards in an SEC-best three games this season. He was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week last month.
The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 1, taking on Iowa in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
--HailState.com--
2018 All-SEC Coaches' First Team
OFFENSE
TE
Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
OL
Jonah Williams, Alabama
Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Greg Little, Ole Miss
Bunchy Stallings, Kentucky
C
Lamont Gaillard, Georgia
WR
A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
QB
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB
Benny Snell, Kentucky
Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
AP
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
DEFENSE
DL
Quinnen Williams, Alabama
Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
Jachai Polite, Florida
Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
LB
Josh Allen, Kentucky
Devin White, LSU
Deshaun Davis, Auburn
DB
Deandre Baker, Georgia
Grant Delpit, LSU
Greedy Williams, LSU
Deionte Thompson, Alabama
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Cole Tracy, LSU
P
Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RS
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
2018 All-SEC Coaches' Second Team
OFFENSE
TE
Irv Smith Jr., Alabama
OL
Martez Ivey, Florida
Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State
Zack Bailey, South Carolina
C
Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
WR
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
Emanuel Hall, Missouri
QB
Drew Lock, Missouri
RB
D'Andre Swift, Georgia
Damien Harris, Alabama
AP
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL
Isaiah Buggs, Alabama
Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia
Terry Beckner, Missouri
Derrick Brown, Auburn
LB
Dylan Moses, Alabama
Cale Garrett, Missouri
Mack Wilson, Alabama
DB
CJ Henderson, Florida
Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State
Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt
DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
P
Joseph Charlton, South Carolina
RS
Mecole Hardman, Georgia
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A second wave of postseason awards saw multiple Bulldogs honored as four members of Mississippi State's football team were named to the 2018 All-Southeastern Conference Coaches Team, the league office announced Tuesday.
MSU senior defensive end Montez Sweat and junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons both earned spots on the All-SEC Coaches First Team, marking the second consecutive season the duo has brought home first-team honors. They are the first defensive line teammates in MSU history to bring home back-to-back first-team laurels.
Bulldog senior safety Johnathan Abram and senior offensive lineman Deion Calhoun rounded out MSU's accolades with spots on the All-SEC Coaches Second Team. Abram is the first MSU's safety to earn an All-SEC nod from the league's coaches since Nickoe Whitley in 2013.
MSU's four overall All-SEC selections were the program's most since MSU earned a total of five honorees over the historic 2014 season.
A semifinalist for the 2018 Bednarik Award and an All-American candidate, Sweat closed the regular-season as one of the most dominate edge rushers in the country. The Stone Mountain, Georgia, native led the SEC and finished sixth in the FBS with 11.0 total sacks, with seven total sacks coming in conference play, to average 0.92 sacks per game and rank second in the league. Sweat boasted 40 total pressures over the 2018 season, according to Pro Football Focus, which was the second most in the conference among all edge defenders.
Sweat added 51 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumbled over the regular season en route to two SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week selections and two national defensive player of the week laurels.
Part of MSU's dominant defensive line, Simmons closed the regular season with 59 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and four pass breakups. With a 91.1 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, Simmons ranked second among all interior defenders. An All-American candidate and semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, as well as virtually every national defensive award, Simmons' 14.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth in the SEC. A total of 45 of his 59 tackles came during conference play, which led all defensive lineman.
The Macon, Mississippi, native, was one of just four SEC defensive interior linemen with at least 15 hurries and four quarterback hits this season. He is just one of three players in the league with at least 12 tackles for loss over the last two seasons.
Abram led the Bulldogs and finished seventh in the conference with 93 total tackles over his senior season. Putting on a clinic on the stat sheet, the Columbia, Mississippi, native added 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two interceptions, once forced fumble and one fumble recovery over his senior season.
The senior safety allowed a passer rating of 41.6 over his 40 targets this season, which led all SEC safeties. He closed the regular season with at least six tackles in eight of his last nine games. With a dominating performance against Arkansas, he became the first Bulldog since All-American Benardrick McKinney (2014) to record at least 10 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in a single game en route to becoming the first MSU student-athlete to win SEC Defensive Player of the Week since 2015.
Hailing from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Calhoun is a veteran on MSU's offensive line, leading the group with 35 starts. According to Pro Football Focus, Deion allowed just 12 pressures over his 671 snaps played over his senior season. He held a 71.4 overall offensive grade from PFF, his highest mark since 2016.
Calhoun opened lanes for MSU's offense to rush for 226.4 yards per game, which was second-best in the SEC. He also helped paved the way for the Bulldog offense to rush for over 300 yards in an SEC-best three games this season. He was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week last month.
The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 1, taking on Iowa in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
--HailState.com--
2018 All-SEC Coaches' First Team
OFFENSE
TE
Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
OL
Jonah Williams, Alabama
Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Greg Little, Ole Miss
Bunchy Stallings, Kentucky
C
Lamont Gaillard, Georgia
WR
A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
QB
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB
Benny Snell, Kentucky
Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
AP
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
DEFENSE
DL
Quinnen Williams, Alabama
Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
Jachai Polite, Florida
Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
LB
Josh Allen, Kentucky
Devin White, LSU
Deshaun Davis, Auburn
DB
Deandre Baker, Georgia
Grant Delpit, LSU
Greedy Williams, LSU
Deionte Thompson, Alabama
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Cole Tracy, LSU
P
Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RS
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
2018 All-SEC Coaches' Second Team
OFFENSE
TE
Irv Smith Jr., Alabama
OL
Martez Ivey, Florida
Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State
Zack Bailey, South Carolina
C
Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
WR
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
Emanuel Hall, Missouri
QB
Drew Lock, Missouri
RB
D'Andre Swift, Georgia
Damien Harris, Alabama
AP
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL
Isaiah Buggs, Alabama
Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia
Terry Beckner, Missouri
Derrick Brown, Auburn
LB
Dylan Moses, Alabama
Cale Garrett, Missouri
Mack Wilson, Alabama
DB
CJ Henderson, Florida
Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State
Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt
DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
P
Joseph Charlton, South Carolina
RS
Mecole Hardman, Georgia
Players Mentioned
S
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