*This article is courtesy of Go Mocs Athletics*
CHATTANOOGA—The first All-America team of the 2022 campaign was announced Thursday by HERO Sports. It included a trio of Chattanooga Mocs standouts all focused on the line of scrimmage.
Seniors Devonnsha Maxwell and McClendon Curtis were named FCS All-America, while Reid Williams is touted as a Sophomore All-American. Curtis and Williams were standouts on the Mocs offensive line, while Maxwell proved once again to be one of the premier defensive linemen in the country.
Curtis started at both right guard (4) and left tackle (7) during the season. It’s an impressive feat just to do that an average level considering the positions are polar opposites in steps, hand movement, etc. However, Curtis excelled earning the Southern Conference Jacobs Blocking Award as the league’s top lineman and earning a spot in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Maxwell tied teammate Jay Person for the SoCon lead in sacks with 8.0, a half-sack better than fellow front 4 compadre Ben Brewton (7.5). Maxwell’s came from the interior tackle slot and is the third time he’s led the league in the statistic. It’s no wonder he set the league career mark with 37.5.
Williams started at center (4) and left guard (4) in his eight appearances. It was an impressive year for the Chattanooga area native (Ringgold, Ga.) as he aided the transition of an offensive line that lost three starters and five total contributors from 2021. He and Curtis helped pave the way for junior running back Ailym Ford to become the first Mocs rusher with three 1,000-yard seasons.
It’s the sixth All-America honor for Maxwell earning first or second team selections in each of the last three seasons. This is the first for both Curtis and Williams.
Person and Ford had their major award hopes dashed this week. Stats Perform announced the invitees to Frisco, Texas for Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards honoring the top offensive and defensive players in the FCS. Three student-athletes for each honor join the final two teams playing for the FCS title in January.
Ford’s news came first with the standout tying for 27th. He is the fourth finalist in school history joining Chris Sanders who finished 9th in 2000 and current tight ends coach Jacob Huesman ending up 11th in 2014 and 2015.
Person’s tie for eighth is the best finish by a Mocs in the voting for either of the honors. Sanders and Keionta Davis both came in ninth with the latter coming in the 2016 Buck Buchanan voting. Person is the 10th Mocs defender to get to this point, all in the last 14 seasons: Josh Beard (22, 2009), Wes Dothard (25, 2011), Dothard (19, 2012), Davis Tull (13, 2013), Tull (12, 2014), Davis (17, 2015), Davis (9, 2016), Isaiah Mack (17, 2018) and Maxwell’s 14th last season.
Comments