After another impressive Gulf South Conference season, Ouachita Baptist received a school-record nine spots on the All-GSC football team, conference officials announced on Thursday, Nov. 12.
Led by four selections to the First Team, the Tigers (6-4, 4-4) received the third-most selections to the GSC squad, while North Alabama led all schools with 17 selections, followed by Arkansas Tech with 10.
Senior running back Keldrick Johnson and senior defensive end Jerry McNeil made the jump to the First Team, after both received Second Team honors in 2008. Junior linebacker Clayton Goree and senior return specialist Jeremy Young were also selected to the First Team for their individual efforts in 2009.
The second team for Ouachita Baptist included four offensive players: senior receiver Jeremy Young, sophomore tight end Phillip Supernaw, sophomore guard Kyle Smith and sophomore tackle Cory Godbolt. Junior defensive tackle Bryan Church was also selected to the All-GSC second team after finishing second in tackles for loss with 15.
Johnson led the GSC in rushing with 1,122 yards on 231 attempts and 12 touchdowns. The Monroe, La., native was named to the preseason All-GSC and D2Football.com All-GSC teams, after being named to the All-GSC Second Team in 2008. Johnson finished among the top 10 in several GSC categories: third in scoring (touchdowns), fifth in scoring, sixth in all-purpose yards and ninth in total offense. The senior finished his four-year career with 2,651 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns.
McNeil led the GSC in sacks for a second consecutive season, recording 8.5 sacks in 2009. The Greensboro, N.C., native finished his final collegiate season with 42 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries. The senior defensive end finished his career with 171 tackles, including 39.5 tackles for loss and 24 sacks for the Tigers.
Goree earned First Team All-GSC honors in his first season at Ouachita after transferring from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif. The junior linebacker finished with 54 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, two interceptions and one quarterback hurry. The Oakland, Calif., native led a defense that finished second in the GSC in scoring defense and total defense. The Tigers also were the top rushing defense among all GSC teams, allowing just 85 yards per game.
Young finished his collegiate career on two different selections to the All-GSC team as a First Team return specialist and Second Team wide receiver. The San Diego, Calif., native finished as the top kickoff return specialist with a 32.1 yard average, while also ranking third in the conference in punt return average with 10.8 yards per return. Young put together an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the game against Arkansas-Monticello in week five, while also recording a season-long punt return of 22 yards. Young was named the D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week after setting a single-game school record with 261 yards receiving in the victory over then-No. 16 Valdosta State. The conference also named the senior the GSC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Young finished the 2009 season with 64 catches for 836 yards and five touchdowns, including a 92.9 yards per game average.
Sophomore tight end Phillip Supernaw earned All-GSC Second Team honors in his first season as a full-time starter, finishing with 11 catches for 98 yards and three touchdowns. The Katy, Texas, native recorded 15 knockdown blocks and 10 domination blocks on the season. Supernaw consistently graded above 80% in every game during the 2009 season.
Smith earned Second Team honors after providing consistency on the Ouachita offensive line, paving the way for the top rushing offense in the GSC with 197.2 yards per game. The sophomore offensive guard started 15 games for Ouachita, including all 10 starts for the 2009 season. The Royal, Ark., native has been a solid guard up front with a season grade of 83%, while allowing just one sack this season. Smith has totaled 35 pancake blocks and 15 domination blocks this season.
Godbolt earned Second Team honors at offensive guard, starting nine games in 2009 after missing one week due to an injury. The sophomore graded out at 84% after not allowing a sack in 2009. The Stamps, Ark., native was a major component for Ouachita leading the conference in rushing and finishing as the top team in the GSC in sacks allowed with four. Godbolt totaled 25 pancake blocks and 10 domination blocks on the season.
Church received his first All-GSC selection at defensive tackle with a spot on the All-GSC Second Team. The Warren, Ark., native finished second in the GSC in tackles for loss with 15, while also recording 40 tackles, three sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, one blocked kick, two pass breakups and six quarterback hurries in 2009. The junior has been a mainstay on the defensive line since his arrival and was a pivotal part of the defense’s success.
The Tigers will return nine starters on defense and seven on offense in 2010 after posting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since joining the GSC in 2000.
