ELEVEN SKYHAWKS EARN PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS FROM PHIL STEELE
8/3/2020 3:09:00 PM | Football
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin football team continues to garner preseason honors as 11 Skyhawks were named to the annual Phil Steele Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference team.
The teams were highlighted by Peyton Logan (running back and all-purpose), Davin Dyal (full back), Aries Davis (offensive guard) and JaQuez Akins (defensive back) with first team honors. The second team featured Rodney Williams II (wide receiver), Colton Dowell (tight end) and Austin Pickett (defensive line). The quartet of John Bachus III (quarterback), Donnell Williams (wide receiver), Korbin Harmon (defensive line) and D'Carrious Stephens (linebacker) wrapped up the third team.
Logan adds yet another preseason honor to his list of growing achievements after a strong junior campaign. Hailing from Horn Lake, Miss., 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 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.
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.
Anchoring the offensive line is Davis, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa native. 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 which blocked for standouts Bachus and Logan. Individually, he graded at 86 percent or higher per game while tallying 107 knock downs.
Akins earned All-OVC first team honors in his debut season after ranking second on the team and sixth in the OVC with 92 tackles. The hard-hitting safety 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.
Rodney Williams enters his senior campaign after playing only four games and earning a medical redshirt last season. He started in three games, tallying nine receptions for 111 yards while posting a season-high 52 yards against Southeast Missouri. As a junior, he averaged 11.0 yards per catch and notched 252 yards through the air.
Dowell added to his preseason all-american and all-conference honors following a breakout season in 2019. The Lebanon, Tenn. native, ranked second on the team with 38 receptions for 765 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 20.1 yards per reception and 63.8 receiving yards per game while tallying 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.
Hailing from Lake Minneola, Fla., Pickett returns for his fifth year after claiming All-OVC first team honors last year. 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. He maintained his pressure with seven quarterback hurries while tallying one forced fumble at Eastern Kentucky which was returned for a touchdown. His best contest came at Tennessee Tech where he recorded a career-best eight tackles.
Bachus ranked amongst the nation's top freshmen last season after being named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award along with claiming OVC Freshman of the Year honors. Bachus started in all 12 games at quarterback while completing 188-of-332 pass attempts for 2,549 yards and 18 touchdowns. He eclipsed two 300-yard passing performances against Murray State and Tennessee Tech while throwing a season-high five touchdowns against the Golden Eagles. He ranked first nationally amongst freshmen in passing yards while finishing in the top-10 in six single-season categories.
Donnell Williams played in all 12 games for the Skyhawks at wide receiver while earning a pair of starts. Hailing from St. Louis, Mo., Williams tallied 13 receptions for 164 yards while recording one touchdown against Murray State. He averaged 12.6 yards per catch while hauling in a season-high six receptions, 78 yards and one touchdown against Murray State.
An Oxford, Miss. native, Harmon played in 11 games for the Skyhawks on the defensive line while tallying 23 total tackles. He caused havoc in the backfield, notching 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He forced a fumble against Eastern Illinois while tallying five quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. He also left his mark on special teams, leading the nation with three blocked kicks against Murray State, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State.
Stephens switched positions heading into the 2019 season and proved dynamic at linebacker. The Union City, Tenn. native played in nine games while earning eight starts. He compiled 24 total tackles while stringing together three tackles for loss and one sack. The safety tallied three interceptions against Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, including an interception returned 26 yards for a touchdown against the Panthers. He also posted one forced fumble while tallying three pass breakups.
The teams were highlighted by Peyton Logan (running back and all-purpose), Davin Dyal (full back), Aries Davis (offensive guard) and JaQuez Akins (defensive back) with first team honors. The second team featured Rodney Williams II (wide receiver), Colton Dowell (tight end) and Austin Pickett (defensive line). The quartet of John Bachus III (quarterback), Donnell Williams (wide receiver), Korbin Harmon (defensive line) and D'Carrious Stephens (linebacker) wrapped up the third team.
Logan adds yet another preseason honor to his list of growing achievements after a strong junior campaign. Hailing from Horn Lake, Miss., 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 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.
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.
Anchoring the offensive line is Davis, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa native. 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 which blocked for standouts Bachus and Logan. Individually, he graded at 86 percent or higher per game while tallying 107 knock downs.
Akins earned All-OVC first team honors in his debut season after ranking second on the team and sixth in the OVC with 92 tackles. The hard-hitting safety 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.
Rodney Williams enters his senior campaign after playing only four games and earning a medical redshirt last season. He started in three games, tallying nine receptions for 111 yards while posting a season-high 52 yards against Southeast Missouri. As a junior, he averaged 11.0 yards per catch and notched 252 yards through the air.
Dowell added to his preseason all-american and all-conference honors following a breakout season in 2019. The Lebanon, Tenn. native, ranked second on the team with 38 receptions for 765 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 20.1 yards per reception and 63.8 receiving yards per game while tallying 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.
Hailing from Lake Minneola, Fla., Pickett returns for his fifth year after claiming All-OVC first team honors last year. 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. He maintained his pressure with seven quarterback hurries while tallying one forced fumble at Eastern Kentucky which was returned for a touchdown. His best contest came at Tennessee Tech where he recorded a career-best eight tackles.
Bachus ranked amongst the nation's top freshmen last season after being named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award along with claiming OVC Freshman of the Year honors. Bachus started in all 12 games at quarterback while completing 188-of-332 pass attempts for 2,549 yards and 18 touchdowns. He eclipsed two 300-yard passing performances against Murray State and Tennessee Tech while throwing a season-high five touchdowns against the Golden Eagles. He ranked first nationally amongst freshmen in passing yards while finishing in the top-10 in six single-season categories.
Donnell Williams played in all 12 games for the Skyhawks at wide receiver while earning a pair of starts. Hailing from St. Louis, Mo., Williams tallied 13 receptions for 164 yards while recording one touchdown against Murray State. He averaged 12.6 yards per catch while hauling in a season-high six receptions, 78 yards and one touchdown against Murray State.
An Oxford, Miss. native, Harmon played in 11 games for the Skyhawks on the defensive line while tallying 23 total tackles. He caused havoc in the backfield, notching 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He forced a fumble against Eastern Illinois while tallying five quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. He also left his mark on special teams, leading the nation with three blocked kicks against Murray State, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State.
Stephens switched positions heading into the 2019 season and proved dynamic at linebacker. The Union City, Tenn. native played in nine games while earning eight starts. He compiled 24 total tackles while stringing together three tackles for loss and one sack. The safety tallied three interceptions against Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, including an interception returned 26 yards for a touchdown against the Panthers. He also posted one forced fumble while tallying three pass breakups.
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