SIX SKYHAWKS EARN FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-OVC HONORS
7/20/2020 10:56:00 AM | Football
The Skyhawk group includes four players on offense and two on defense. Joining the list is running back Peyton Logan, full back/tight end Davin Dyal, wide receiver/tight end Colton Dowell, offensive guard Aries Davis, defensive tackle Austin Pickett and safety JaQuez Akins. The team's six OVC selections ranked as the second-most in the league.
Hailing from Horn Lake, Miss., returns to the Skyhawks after ranking as one of the league's top dynamic running backs and was rewarded handsomely with a myriad of all-conference honor. Despite missing the final three games of the season due to injury, Logan posted a breakout season with 109 carries for 784 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 87.1 yards per game while tallying four 100-yard rushing performances against Northwestern State, Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois. A multi-purpose back, he tallied averaged 10.8 yards per reception and 21.6 yards per kick return. His 784 rushing yards ranked second in the OVC while totaling 14 plays of 25 yards or more, including three plays of more than 50 yards.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football running back Peyton Logan on earning his second career Preseason All-OVC selection. Logan was an All-OVC second team honoree last season after ranking second in the OVC with 784 yards - despite missing the final three games - and six TDs. pic.twitter.com/ZYsjMSOlFs
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
A Cookeville, Tenn. native, Dyal played in 12 games for the Skyhawks while earning seven starts. He helped block for one of the league's top ground attacks while tallying five receptions for 70 yards. His first career touchdown came against Eastern Illinois while catching a season-long 32-yard reception against Eastern Kentucky.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football full back/tight end Davin Dyal on earning his first Preseason All-OVC selection. Dyal started in seven games as a redshirt-freshman and caught one touchdown. pic.twitter.com/g0WDmFO4uQ
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
Hailing from Lebanon, Tenn., Dowell posted arguably the biggest breakout season by a Skyhawk last year. A Preseason All-American, Dowell is a pass-catching tight end who ranked second on the team with 38 receptions for 765 yards and four touchdowns. The playmaker averaged 20.1 yards per reception while tallying 63.8 receiving yards per game. He tallied four 100-yard receiving contests against Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri, Jacksonville State and Austin Peay. Arguably his best game came against Tennessee Tech where he notched five receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns – including a 73-yard score. Dowell tallied 12 plays of 25 yards or more this season.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football wide receiver/tight end Colton Dowell on earning his first Preseason All-OVC selection. Dowell was an All-OVC second team honoree last season and Preseason All-American after tallying 765 receiving yards and four touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/xEyLLbdRgg
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Davis played and started in all 12 games this season for the Skyhawks at right guard. After redshirting the 2018 season following an injury, he returned to action in a big way to lead a decorated Skyhawk offensive unit. Anchoring an offensive line which blocked for Skyhawk standouts John Bachus III and Logan, he graded at 86 percent or higher per game while tallying 107 knock downs.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football offensive guard Aries Davis on earning his first Preseason All-OVC selection. Davis was an All-OVC first team honoree last season after starting all 12 games at right guard and grading out at 86% or higher in each game with 107 knockdowns. pic.twitter.com/Jkex3ncuYF
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
Hailing from Lake Minneola, Fla., Pickett was recently granted a NCAA waiver for a fifth year, returning the 2019 All-OVC first team selection back to the fold. Last season Pickett anchored a potent defensive front three that led the OVC in sacks. He tallied 38 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks on the season. His 4.5 sacks tied for the team lead while accumulating 34 yards of loss. When he was not bringing the opposing quarterback down, he brought the pressure with seven quarterback hurries while tallying one forced fumble at Eastern Kentucky which was returned for a touchdown. Arguably his best contest came at Tennessee Tech where he recorded a career-best eight tackles.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football defensive tackle Austin Pickett on earning his second consecutive Preseason All-OVC selection. Pickett was an All-OVC first team honoree last season with 7.0 TFL and 4.5 sacks. pic.twitter.com/nJ4tQyqApX
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
A Starkville, Miss. native, Akins earned All-OVC first team honors in his debut season with the Skyhawks in 2019. Akins ranked second on the team and sixth in the OVC with 92 tackles. Widely known for his hard-hitting body tackles against the nation's elite, he tallied 5.5 tackles for loss while forcing two fumbles. He also recovered a pair of fumbles against Murray State and Austin Peay while notching an interception in the endzone against Eastern Illinois. He eclipsed double figures in the tackle column in three games against Florida, Southern Illinois and Tennessee State with a career-high 12 stops against the Salukis.
FB: Congratulations to @UTM_Football safety JaQuez Akins on earning a Preseason All-OVC selection. Akins was an All-OVC first team honoree last season with 92 tackles, two FF, 2 FR and an INT. pic.twitter.com/me9HvLt7hs
— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) July 20, 2020
