Singletary, Al-Shaair, Shaunfield earn C-USA preseason honors

Published 7:08 am Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Conference USA announced its preseason award winners Monday, as chosen by the league’s 14 head coaches.

Florida Atlantic junior running back Devin Singletary was selected as the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. His FAU teammate, senior linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year. Southern Miss senior kicker Parker Shaunfield earned Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

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Singletary was named C-USA Most Valuable Player last season after scoring a nation-leading 32 rushing touchdowns (nine more than any other player) and 33 total TDs (five more than any other player). He scored more rushing touchdowns last year (32) than previous school career record-holder Alfred Morris had in four years from 2008-11 (27).

Al-Shaair was a first team All-Conference USA selection in 2017 after he set a Florida Atlantic single-season record with 147 tackles. He posted nine games with double-digit stops and also helped the defense with 11 tackles for loss, 2 1/2 sacks, four passes defended and one forced fumble.

Shaunfield converted the first 89 extra-point attempts to start his career (a school record) and is now 104-for-106 all-time as a Golden Eagle. The first team All-C-USA performer converted 17-of-20 field goals last season, including 15 in a row at one point.

Defending conference champion FAU had the most overall preseason selections with six, while Marshall produced five and Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee each had players comprising four spots. Eight schools had multiple players named to the squad.

Western Kentucky didn’t place anyone on the preseason team.

The league’s 23rd football season begins Aug. 30. The 14th annual Conference USA Football Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West Divisions, will be Dec. 1.

The C-USA media poll (predicted order of finish) was set to be released Tuesday.

2018 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Devin Singletary, Jr., RB, Florida Atlantic

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Azeez Al-Shaair, Sr., LB, Florida Atlantic

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Parker Shaunfield, Sr., K, Southern Miss

OFFENSE

QB Mason Fine, Jr., North Texas

QB Brent Stockstill, Sr., Middle Tennessee

RB Spencer Brown, So., UAB

RB Devin Singletary, Jr., Florida Atlantic

OL Reggie Bain, Sr., Florida Atlantic

OL Chandler Brewer, Sr., Middle Tennessee

OL Jordan Budwig, Sr., FIU

OL Levi Brown, Jr., Marshall

OL O’Shea Dugas, Sr., Louisiana Tech

TE Harrison Bryant, Jr., Florida Atlantic

WR Tyre Brady, Sr., Marshall

WR Jalen Guyton, Sr., North Texas

WR Ty Lee, Jr., Middle Tennessee

WR Teddy Veal, Sr., Louisiana Tech

DEFENSE

DL Jaylon Ferguson, So., Louisiana Tech

DL Fermin Silva, Sr., FIU

DL Kevin Strong, Jr., Sr., UTSA

DL Oshane Ximines, Jr., Old Dominion

LB Azeez Al-Shaair, Sr., Florida Atlantic

LB Khalil Brooks, Jr., Middle Tennessee

LB Chase Hancock, Sr., Marshall

LB Josiah Tauaefa, Jr., UTSA

DB Ben DeLuca, Jr., Charlotte

DB Malik Gant, Jr., Marshall

DB Shelton Lewis, Sr., Florida Atlantic

DB Amik Robertson, So., Louisiana Tech

DB Jalen Young, Sr., Florida Atlantic

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Parker Shaunfield, Sr., Southern Miss

P Jack Fox, Sr., Rice

KR Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion

PR Darrell Brown, Jr., Old Dominion

LS Matt Beardall, Jr., Marshall