Burks, Basile, Ellis headline All-Big South

By AP
Published

(STATS) - Kennesaw State has the right person directing its offense. Not only is quarterback Chandler Burks the Big South offensive player of the year, he's also the conference's scholar-athlete of the year.

Burks accomplished that double for the first time in Big South history when the conference awards were announced Tuesday.

Seeking to become the first Big South signal caller with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 passing yards in the same season, Burks leads a 10-1, third-year FCS team which claimed the Big South title and automatic playoff bid for the first time. The Owls earned the most first-team (10) and overall (17) all-conference selections.

Picking between Charleston Southern defensive end Anthony Ellis and Monmouth safety Mike Basile for Big South defensive player of the year was not an easy choice, as they wound up being voted co-winners.

Ellis, the winner last season, leads the Big South in tackles for loss (16) for the third consecutive year and is second in sacks (nine). Basile leads the conference with 113 tackles, including its single-season record with 87 solo stops.

Kennesaw State's Brian Bohannon was the Big South coach of the year, place-kicker Justin Thompson the special teams player of the year, and linebacker Bryson Armstrong shared the freshman of the year award with Monmouth running back Pete Guerriero.

BIG SOUTH POSTSEASON AWARDS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Chandler Burks, QB, Kennesaw State

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR - Mike Basile, DB, Monmouth and Anthony Ellis, DL, Charleston Southern

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Justin Thompson, PK, Kennesaw State

CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR - Bryson Armstrong, LB, Kennesaw State and Pete Guerriero, RB, Monmouth

COACH OF THE YEAR - Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Chandler Burks, QB, Kennesaw State

ALL-BIG SOUTH

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Chandler Burks, R-Jr., Kennesaw State

RB - Pete Guerriero, R-Fr., Monmouth

RB - Torrance Marable, Fr., Presbyterian College

WR - Reggie White Jr., R-Jr., Monmouth

WR - Antonio Gandy-Golden, Soph., Liberty

WR - Justin Sumpter, R-Jr., Kennesaw State

TE - Jake Powell, R-Soph., Monmouth

OL - Alex Thompson, Sr., Monmouth

OL - Zach Mitchler, R-Jr., Kennesaw State

OL - C.J. Collins, R-Jr., Kennesaw State

OL - Frank Cirone, Sr., Charleston Southern

OL - Ryan Wetzel, R-Jr., Monmouth

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Anthony Ellis, Sr., Charleston Southern

DL - Johnny Robinson, Jr., Charleston Southern

DL - Solomon Brown, R-Jr., Charleston Southern

DL - Desmond Johnson, R-Soph., Kennesaw State

LB - Bryson Armstrong, R-Fr., Kennesaw State

LB - Kenyatta Dunbar, Sr., Gardner-Webb

LB - Anthony Gore Jr., R-Jr., Kennesaw State

LB - Izzy Sam, R-Sr., Kennesaw State

DB - Mike Basile, Sr., Monmouth

DB - Rock Ya-Sin, Jr., Presbyterian College

DB - Taylor Henkle, R-Jr., Kennesaw State

DB - Teddie Martinez, R-Sr., Monmouth

FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Justin Thompson, Jr., Kennesaw State

P - Kyle Reighard, R-Soph., Charleston Southern

LS - Hunter Winstead, Gr., Liberty

KR - Pete Guerriero, R-Fr., Monmouth

PR - Kamau Dumas, R-Sr., Monmouth