Troyâs Kimani Vidal named SBC Offensive Player of Year
Troy running back Kimani Vidal was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in voting announced Thursday.
Vidal, a junior from Marietta, Ga., has rushed for 1,349 yards and nine touchdowns this season for the Trojans, who are 10-2 heading into Saturday’s Sun Belt championship game vs. Appalachian State. Vidal’s rushing total is a single-season Troy record, as are his 3,698 career yards.
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Vidal also earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt first-team, along with defensive linemen Richard Jibunor and Javon Solomon and cornerback Reddy Steward. It’s the second straight first-team selection for Steward, a senior from Decatur who is tied for the Sun Belt lead with four interceptions and also has 39 tackles, eight pass breakups and four tackles for loss this season.
Jibunor and Solomon have formed one of the more formidable pass-rushing tandems in the Sun Belt once again this season. Jibunor — a senior from Delta State, Nigeria — has 53 tackles, nine sacks, 16 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles this season, while Solomon — a junior from Tallahassee, Fla. — has 44 tackles, 14 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2023.
The Trojans also placed four players each on the All-Sun Belt second and third teams. Second-teamers are offensive linemen Grant Betts and Daniel King, defensive lineman T.J. Jackson and safety Dell Pettus.
Third-teamers are quarterback Gunnar Watson, wide receivers Jabre Barber and Chris Lewis and safety Irshaad Davis. Earning honorable mention are defensive lineman Buddha Jones, cornerback O’shai Fletcher, safety Caleb Ransaw and long snapper Quentin Skinner.
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James Madison quarterback Jordan McCloud was named Sun Belt Overall Player of the Year, while Dukes defensive end Jalen Green was named Defensive Player of the Year. JMU’s Curt Cignetti was chosen as Coach of the Year.
Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar was named Newcomer of the Year, while Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor was picked as Freshman of the Year.
Troy hosts App State for the Sun Belt championship at 3 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The game will air live on ESPN.
Here’s the complete list of 2023 Sun Belt football award winners and all-conference teams (ties in voting were not broken):
Individual awards
Player of the Year: Jordan McCloud, QB, James Madison
Offensive Player of the Year: Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy
Defensive Player of the Year: Jalen Green, LB, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year: Joey Aguilar, QB, Appalachian State
Freshman of the Year: Jaylen Raynor, QB, Arkansas State
Coach of the Year: Curt Cignetti, James Madison
First-team offense
QB: Jordan McCloud, James Madison
RB: Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
RB: Kimani Vidal, Troy
WR: Reggie Brown, James Madison
WR: Elijah Sarratt, James Madison
WR: Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
TE: Zach Horton, James Madison
OL: Isaiah Helms, Appalachian State
OL: Bucky Williams, Appalachian State
OL: Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
OL: Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern
OL: Travis Glover, Georgia State
First-team defense
DL: Jalen Green, James Madison
DL: Jamree Kromah, James Madison
DL: Owen Porter, Marshall
DL: Richard Jibunor, Troy
DL: Javon Solomon, Troy
LB: Andrew Parker, Appalachian State
LB: Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern
LB: Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
DB: Tyrek Funderburk, Appalachian State
DB: Micah Abraham, Marshall
DB: Jaden Voisin, South Alabama
DB: Reddy Steward, Troy
First-team specialists
K: Mason Shipley, Texas State
P: William Przystup, Arkansas State
RS: Jayden Harrison, Marshall
AP: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
Second-team offense
QB: Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State
RB: Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB: Frank Gore, Southern Miss
WR: Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina
WR: Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
WR: Joey Hobert, Texas State
TE: Eli Wilson, Appalachian State
OL: Rasheed Miller, Georgia Southern
OL: Makilan Thomas, Arkansas State
OL: Tyler Stephens, James Madison
OL: Grant Betts, Troy
OL: Daniel King, Troy
Second-team defense
DL: James Carpenter, James Madison
DL: Mikail Kamara, James Madison
DL: Adin Huntington, Louisiana-Monroe
DL: Ben Bell, Texas State
DL: T.J. Jackson, Troy
LB: Nate Johnson, Appalachian State
LB: Quentin Wilfawn, South Alabama
LB: Brian Holloway, Texas State
DB: Ethan Johnson, Appalachian State
DB: Shemar Bartholomew, Georgia Southern
DB: D’Angelo Ponds, James Madison
DB: Dell Pettus, Troy
Second-team specialists
K: Michael Hughes, Appalachian State
P: Ryan Hanson, James Madison
RS: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
AP: Frank Gore, Southern Miss
Third-team offense
QB: Gunnar Watson, Troy
RB: Jalen White, Georgia Southern
RB: La’Damian Webb, South Alabama
WR: Robert Lewis, Georgia State
WR: Jabre Barber, Troy
WR: Chris Lewis, Troy
TE: Neal Johnson, Louisiana
OL: Jack Murphy, Appalachian State
OL: Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina
OL: AJ Gillie, Louisiana
OL: Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OL: Brey Walker, Texas State
Third-team defense
DL: Thurman Geathers, Arkansas State
DL: Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern
DL: Elijah Alston, Marshall
DL: Wy’Kevious Thomas, South Alabama
LB: Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
LB: Aiden Fisher, James Madison
LB: Eli Neal, Marshall
LB: Wayne Matthews, Old Dominion
DB: Clayton Isbell, Coastal Carolina
DB: Gavin Pringle, Georgia State
DB: Yam Banks, South Alabama
DB: Irshaad Davis, Troy
Third-team specialists
K: Camden Wise, James Madison
P: John McConnell, Marshall
RS: Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State
AP: Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
Honorable mention (by school)
Appalachian State
Kanye Roberts, RB
Kaedin Robinson, WR
Santana Hopper, DL
Jordan Favors, DB
Arkansas State
Jalen Cunningham, OL
Courtney Jackson, WR
Charles Willekes, LB
Samy Johnson, DB
Coastal Carolina
Nick Del Grande, OL
Jared Brown, WR
Micheal Mason, DL
Matthew McDoom, DB
Georgia Southern
Davis Brin, QB
Jjay Mcafee, TE
Derwin Burgess, WR
TJ Smith, DB
Georgia State
Darren Grainger, QB
Tailique Williams, WR
Kevin Swint, LB
Jeremiah Johnson, DB
James Madison
Phoenix Sproles, WR
Jailin Walker, LB
Chauncey Logan, DB
Francis Meehan, DB
Louisiana
Nathan Thomas, OL
Peter LeBlanc, WR
Kendre’ Gant, LB
K.C. Ossai, LB
Louisiana-Monroe
Elijah Fisher, OL
Zarian McGill, OL
Tyrone Howell, WR
Kenard Snyder, DL
Marshall
Logan Osburn, OL
Dalton Tucker, OL
Sam Burton, DL
J.J. Roberts, DB
Old Dominion
Denzel Lowry, DL
Shawn Asbury, DB
LaMareon James, DB
Terry Jones, DB
South Alabama
Carter Bradley, QB
Reggie Smith, OL
Jamaal Pritchett, WR
Trey Kiser, LB
Southern Miss
Jakarius Caston, WR
Quentin Bivens, DL
Swayze Bozeman, LB
Jay Stanley, DB
Texas State
TJ Finley, QB
Ashtyn Hawkins, WR
Kole Wilson, WR
Shawn Holton, DB
Troy
Buddha Jones, DL
O’shai Fletcher, DB
Caleb Ransaw, DB
Quentin Skinner, SN