Right tackle Miles Pate and tight end Mik’Quan Deane earned spots on the All-Conference USA Second Team, while 11 others from Western Kentucky were honored by the league Tuesday, as voted on by the 14 head football coaches.

A junior from Lawrenceville, Ga., Pate was the most experienced offensive lineman for a WKU unit that came into the season with zero returning starts at their respective positions. He started all 12 games for the Hilltoppers at right tackle, playing 893 snaps while being called for only two penalties. PFF College said his +21.7 cumulative rating and 79.1 overall rating rank second among C-USA offensive tackles.

Pate was the offensive line MVP in the Hilltoppers’ 28-20 victory at Ball State on Sept. 22 and was named a team captain for the season opener at No. 4 Wisconsin. From 2017 to 2018, WKU improved +76 yards rushing per game (from 61 to 137) and allowed one fewer sack per game (from 3.7 to 2.7).

A senior from Tulsa, Okla., Deane led C-USA tight ends with 44 receptions – 31 of which went for first downs – and six touchdowns while finishing second with 529 yards receiving. On the national scope, he ranked 10th with 44 receptions, sixth with 31 first downs, 12th with 529 yards receiving and tied for seventh with six scores.

Deane was named to the John Mackey Award Watch List prior to the season and earned honorable mention weekly honors twice during the 2018 campaign. He posted career highs of 10 receptions and 112 yards receiving at Florida Atlantic on Nov. 10, and caught a pair of touchdowns at Ball State on Sept. 22.

All-Conference USA Second Team

Mik’Quan Deane, TE, r-Sr.

Miles Pate, RT, r-Jr.

Conference USA All-Freshman Team

Rex Henderson, LB, r-Fr.

Juwuan Jones, DE, r-Fr.

Garland LaFrance, KR, Fr.

Joshua Samuel, RB, r-Fr.

All-CUSA Honorable Mention

Ta’Corian Darden, DB, r-Jr.

Drell Greene, S, Sr.

Ben Holt, LB, r-Jr.

Lucky Jackson, WR, r-Jr.

Juwuan Jones, DE, r-Fr.

Devon Key, S, r-So.

DeAngelo Malone, DE, So.

Masai Whyte, LB, r-Sr.{&end}