FRISCO, Texas – The two-time defending champion Nicholls State University football team had eight student-athletes named to the 2020 Preseason All-Southland Team, the league office announced Wednesday.
Five of the selections were named to first team while the remaining three landed on second team. All five first-team honorees – offensive linemen
P.J. Burkhalter and
Jair Joseph, wide receiver
Dai'Jean Dixon, running back
Julien Gums, and safety
Kevin Moore III – were All-Southland recipients in 2019.
Second-team members offensive linemen
Mikhail Hill and
Jeremiah James, and linebacker
Evan Veron, were voted onto the squad by the league's coaches.
Burkhalter anchors the quintet of Colonels up front after being voted as the Southland's top offensive lineman last year. The Franklinton, Louisiana native started at both center and guard for the SLC's top rushing offense which averaged nearly 200 yards a game. He has already garnered three preseason all-American honors.
Joseph exceled in his first year at starting right tackle while Hill played primarily at guard in his first season after transferring from Memphis. A redshirt freshman last year, James started his rookie campaign at guard before taking over center duties.
Gums was the main beneficiary of the Colonel offensive line last year, setting school single-season rushing records with 1,232 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led the SLC with 88.0 yards rushing a game and rushed for over 100 yards five times. He broke the 170-mark twice, including a 172-yard performance in the playoff win over North Dakota.
Dixon had one of the best seasons in program history last year despite missing five games with an injury. He had the second-most receiving yards in the Southland with 1,044 and ranked second in the FCS with 116.0 yards per game. Dixon totaled 54 receptions and found the end zone eight times, highlighted by three touchdowns in the River Bell Classic victory against Southeastern Louisiana. He racked up five 100-yard games as a junior and set career highs in yards in three consecutive outings – Central Arkansas (140), McNeese (185), and Southeastern (190).
Moore headed the Colonel defense with a team-high 112 tackles while adding three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He had double-figures in tackles in three games, highlighted by a career-high 14 at Texas State.
Veron returns for his senior year after missing 2019 with an injury. As a junior in '18, he had a breakout season with 22.0 tackles for loss which was third-best in the FCS. He totaled 7.0 sacks on the year with two coming in the FBS win at Kansas. Veron was an All-Southland First Team selection that season.
PRESEASON POLL/MEDIA DAY
The 2020 preseason poll will be revealed next Wednesday, July 22, as part of the Southland Conference Football Virtual Kickoff presented by Levy Marketing. Participating in this year's event for Nicholls will be head coach
Tim Rebowe, offensive lineman
P.J. Burkhalter and linebacker
Evan Veron.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for Nicholls football are available by visiting geauxcolonels.com or calling the Nicholls Ticket Office at 985-448-4790. The home/season opener is scheduled for Sept. 5 against Mississippi Valley State.
First Team Preseason All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Breylin Smith* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Conway, Ark. |
| RB |
Julien Gums* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| RB |
Donovan Williams* |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Paris, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Branden Hohenstein |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Jackson, Neb. |
| WR |
Lujuan Winningham* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Humble, Texas |
| WR |
Dai'Jean Dixon* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
Cyron Sutton* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
P.J. Burkhalter* |
Nicholls |
R-Sr. |
Franklinton, La. |
| OL |
Colby Thomas* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Manvel, Texas |
| OL |
Jair Joseph* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Belle Rose, La. |
| OL |
Jaylen Hendrix* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Everman, Texas |
| OL |
Toby Sanderson* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Edmond, Okla. |
| PK |
Bailey Giffen* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Bryan, Texas |
| P |
Matt McRobert* |
Sam Houston State |
R-Sr. |
Berowra, Australia |
First Team Preseason All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Trace Mascorro* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Refugio, Texas |
| DL |
Joseph Wallace* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| DL |
Nathan Grant* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Carrollton, Texas |
| DL |
Kameron Hill* |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Fresno, Texas |
| LB |
Alexis Ramos* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Salinas, Calif. |
| LB |
TJ Campbell* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Southaven, Miss. |
| LB |
Ja'Quay Pough* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Sherman, Texas |
| DB |
Ferlando Jordan* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-Jr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| DB |
Robert Rochell* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Shreveport, La. |
| DB |
Michael Lawson* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
| DB |
Darion Dunn* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Oakdale, La. |
| DB |
Kevin Moore III* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
| KR |
Cameron Myers* |
Central Arkansas |
R-So. |
Plant City, Fla. |
| PR |
Michael Lawson* |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Patterson, Calif. |
Second Team Preseason All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Bailey Zappe |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Victoria, Texas |
| RB |
Billy McCrary |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Temple, Texas |
| RB |
Dreshawn Minnieweather |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Matt DeBlaiso |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Seaford, N.Y. |
| TE/HB |
Jack Short |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Bentonville, Ark. |
| WR |
Tyler Hudson* |
Central Arkansas |
So. |
Spring, Texas |
| WR |
Xavier Gipson* |
Stephen F. Austin |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
| WR |
Ben Ratzlaff* |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| WR |
Jerreth Sterns* |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
| WR |
Austin Mitchell* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
R-Sr. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| OL |
Eleasah Anderson |
Sam Houston State |
R-Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OL |
Mikhail Hill |
Nicholls |
R-Jr. |
Gretna, La. |
| OL |
Jeremiah James |
Nicholls |
R-So. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
Drew Jones |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Des Allemands, La. |
| OL |
Kade Parmelly |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Abilene, Texas |
| PK |
Hayden Ray* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Bryant, Ark. |
| P |
Blake Patterson* |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
Second Team Preseason All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Jevon Leon* |
Sam Houston State |
So. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
A'Javius Brown |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Jackson, Miss. |
| DL |
Josh Carr Jr. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
J.W. Jones |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Rayville, La. |
| LB |
Kelechi Anyalabechi* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| LB |
Caleb Johnson |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| LB |
Evan Veron |
Nicholls |
R-Sr. |
LaPlace, La. |
| DB |
Zyon McCollum* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Galveston, Texas |
| DB |
Cory McCoy* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Leesville, La. |
| DB |
Shemar Bartholomew* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| DB |
Jaylon Jimmerson* |
UIW |
So. |
Pittsburg, Texas |
| DB |
Jaylen Thomas* |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| KR |
Xavier Gipson* |
Stephen F. Austin |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
| PR |
Cyron Sutton* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
*
Automatic selection; returning all-conference player
