Football 4/30/2020 11:37:00 AM

Tiger Football Team of the Decade

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Twenty-five players compose the University of West Alabama 2010-19 Team of the Decade. There are probably at least 25 more who deserved the honor.

The football team of the decade was selected mainly by position, but some of the sports to come will filled with the best players regardless of position, as were some offensive and defensive line spots for football. In some sports, position is not a factor or an option.

The West Alabama football team of the decade is chocked full of great players. There are 19 All-Americans, 24 all-region and all 25 earned All-GSC honors. There are players of the year and Harlon Hill national finalists. Selections were made based on their time as a Tiger and not accomplishments at any level of professional football.

The UWA Team of the Decade for Football

Quarterback: Kyle Caldwell (2011-14) Two-time GSC offensive player of the year … GSC offensive freshman of the year … All-Region … All-American … All-GSC … First player in UWA history to account for more than 9,000 total yards … Harlon Hill national ballot … Finished UWA career as the school's all-time leader in total offense (9,201), yards passing (7,731), touchdown passes (72) and total touchdowns (86) … 28 TD passes in 2013 is UWA single-game record … All-time GSC Top Ten Honoree.

Running Back: Javae Swindle (2012-15) All-American … All-Region … Holds UWA career rushing record with 2,229 yards … Holds UWA single game rushing record with 280 versus Central State in 2013 … Holds UWA season rushing average yards per carry at 8.9 in 2013 … Holds UWA career yards per carry record at 7.36 … All-GSC … All-Region.

Running Back: Matt Willis (2011-12) Holds UWA season rushing records with 302 carries for 1,606 yards in 2011 season … One of only three players to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season in UWA history … All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Second on career rushing list with 2,171 in just one-and-a-half seasons.

Tight End: Qua Boyd (2017-19) All-America … All-Region … All-GSC … Ended his career as the top receiving tight end in school history … Is fifth on the all-time receiving at UWA with 128, seventh in receiving yards with 1,612, third in yard per reception at 12.59 and fifth with 14 receiving TDs.

Offensive Line – Brandon Anderson (2016-19) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Four-year starter, mainly at offensive tackle … Named to College Football America 2018 Yearbook Division II Starting Lineup … Helped anchor an offensive line that set numerous West Alabama offensive records.

Offensive Line – Taylor Burnett (2010-13) – All-American … All-Region … Helped paved the way for Matt Willis to lead the Gulf South Conference in rushing and to set the single season rushing record at UWA … Three-year starter at tackle.

Offensive Line – Chuck Curry (2010-11) – Included in Bleacher Report's  Greatest University of West Alabama Players of All Time … All-GSC … Started both years he was in the program.

Offensive Line  – Call Dyer (2016-19) All-American … All-Region … Started every game in his career … One of just two players in UWA history to make All-GSC four times … Helped anchor an offensive line that set numerous West Alabama offensive records such as total plays, pass completions and first downs … Recipient of the 2019 Charley Glenn Award.

Offensive Line – Skeeter Sellers (2010-13) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Anchor of offensive line that led the GSC in rushing one season and helped pave the way for GSC's leading rusher the next year … Three-year starter after playing as a true freshman.

Wide Receiver – Donta Armstrong (2016-17) – All-American … All-Region … His 165 receptions over two years is the UWA record for catches over a two-year period … Is third on the UWA career receiving list with 167 in just two seasons … His 1,854 receiving yards is also third all-time at UWA … Fifth all-time with 13 career TD catches … 91 receptions in 2016 is second on the UWA single season list … 74 catches in 2017 is fourth on the single season receiving list

Wide Receiver –Gerald Worsham (2008-11) All-time leading receiver in UWA history with 241 receptions … All-time reception yards leader at UWA with 3,053 … Only receiver in Tiger history to have more than 3,000 receiving yards … All-time UWA leader in yards per catch at 12.66 … UWA career leader in touchdown receptions with 25 … Holds UWA single season record for receiving yards with 1,201 in 2010 … All-Region … All-GSC … Included in Bleacher Report's  Greatest University of West Alabama Players of All Time … Member of UWA Athletic Hall of Fame.

Defensive Line – Darius Ellis (2015-18) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Recorded 137 career total tackles, 73 solo … Had 31.5 career tackles for loss … Had 16 career sacks.

Defensive Line – Jordan Jones (2016-19) – All-Region … All-GSC … Recorded 212 total career tackles, 113 solo … Had 43 tackles for loss for 191 yards … Had 17.5 quarterback sacks … Forced five fumbles and recovered four.

Defensive Line – Michael Williams (2015-17) – All-Region … All-GSC …Played on the interior of defensive line … Recorded 83 career tackles, 31 solo … Had 15.5 career tackles for loss … Had 8.5 quarterback sacks.

Defensive Line – Ridge Wilson (2012) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … 2012 GSC Defensive Player of the Year … In his one season at UWA recorded 69 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback sacks … One of only two defensive players in the final 24 for the Harlon Hill Trophy … 18 tackles for loss led the GSC.

Linebacker – Ryan Jones (2008, 2012-13) – All-GSC … Made 122 tackles in three seasons, 80 solo … Recorded 30.5 tackles for loss, more than anyone on the all-decade team … In on 11 quarterback sacks.
Linebacker – Deon Lacey (2009-12) All-American … All-region … … All-GSC … 2011 GSC Defensive Player of the Year … Recorded 267 career tackles, including nine quarterback sacks, six forced fumbles and five interceptions.

Linebacker – Terry Samuel (2015-18) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … 2017 GSC Defensive Player of the Year … Two-time Cliff Harris Award Finalist for best defensive player in Division II … Recorded 269 career tackles, 141 solo … Had 21.5 career tackles for loss … Recorded nine quarterback sacks and broke up seven passes.

Defensive Back – Malcolm Butler (2012-13) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Tied with four other players for UWA single game interception record with three … Member of Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame … In two years recorded 89 career tackles, 70 solo … Had seven interceptions and 33 passes broken up … 40 career passes defended, including 18 in 2013 … Averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff return over 25 career runbacks.

Defensive Back – Otha Foster (2011-12) – All-GSC … All-Region … All-American … In UWA top eight with 10 career interceptions in just two seasons … Tied with four other players for UWA single game interception record with three … Led the conference in 2012 with six interceptions … Finished his two-year career at West Alabama with 96 tackles, 16 pass deflections and 10 interceptions.

Defensive Back – Tevin Madison (2017) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Cliff Harris Award Finalist for best defensive player in Division II … 17 passes broken up and 22 passes defended lead GSC in 2017 … Recorded 66 total tackles in his only year as a Tiger, 43 solo … Had three tackles for loss.

Defensive Back – Taderion Myhand (2014-17) – All-Region … All-GSC … 159 career tackles, 95 solo, while playing in 44 games … Intercepted six passes … Broke up 16 passes … Had eight career tackles for loss from the safety position.

Punter – Zach Gaines (2016-19) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Holds UWA career records for punts (181), total punting yards (7,778) and yards per punt (43.0) … Had 62 career punts inside the opponents 20 yard line … Had 48 punts of 50-plus yards … Holds single season UWA record for punting yards in a season with 2,841.

Place Kicker – Ryne Smith (2011-12) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Set NCAA and GSC records with 24 consecutive made field goals … Also put together a string 80 consecutive extra points made … Only missed six placement kicks in career … Converted 96-of-99 extra point attempts and 27-of-30 field goal attempts … Third on UWA all-time kick scoring list.

Returner – Tyreek Hill (2015) – All-American … All-Region … All-GSC … Accounted for 1,403 all-purpose yards in his one season … Returned 20 kickoffs for 465 yards and two touchdowns … Returned 20 punts for 257 yards and two touchdowns … Averaged 23.25 yards per kickoff return and 12.85 yards per punt return.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Donta Armstrong: WR; 5' 10"; Senior

#3 Taderion Myhand: FS; 6' 0"; Senior

#99 Michael Williams: DT; 6' 1"; Senior

#7 Tevin Madison: CB; 5' 10"; Senior

#10 Darius Ellis: DE; 5' 10"; Senior

#14 Terry Samuel: LB; 6' 2"; Senior

#75 Brandon Anderson: OL; 6' 4"; Senior

#18 Qua Boyd: TE; 6' 5"; Senior

#55 Call Dyer: C; 6' 4"; Senior

#17 Zach Gaines: P; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#17 Donta Armstrong
: 5' 10"; Senior
: WR

#3 Taderion Myhand
: 6' 0"; Senior
: FS

#99 Michael Williams
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DT

#7 Tevin Madison
: 5' 10"; Senior
: CB

#10 Darius Ellis
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DE

#14 Terry Samuel
: 6' 2"; Senior
: LB

#75 Brandon Anderson
: 6' 4"; Senior
: OL

#18 Qua Boyd
: 6' 5"; Senior
: TE

#55 Call Dyer
: 6' 4"; Senior
: C

#17 Zach Gaines
: 6' 1"; Senior
: P