University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Jeff Fannon
Delaware has 13 Selected to 2021 CAA Football All-Conference Teams
11/23/2021 3:01:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, DEL. – The University of Delaware football team had 13 student-athletes named to the 2021 CAA Football All-Conference Teams, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon. Three Blue Hens earned selections to the All-CAA First Team, while six were placed on the second team and four more received nods to the third team. The postseason teams were selected by votes of the league's 12 head coaches who could not vote for their own players.
FIRST TEAM
Offensive lineman David Kroll earned his second-consecutive selection to the first team after another strong season in 2021. The graduate student was a First Team All-American following the spring season and followed that up by starting all 11 games this fall at left tackle and was also a key member of the Blue Hens' punt unit.
Sophomore punter Tyler Pastula put together a stellar campaign in 2021, leading the CAA and ranking 21st in the country with an average of 42.5 yards per punt. He was also atop the conference as he landed 24 punts inside of the opponent's 20-yard line and had 13 kicks travel at least 50 yards. Pastula was named twice named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week after Delaware's victories over Dixie State and William & Mary.
Senior safety Kedrick Whitehead ranked second on the defense with 76 tackles in 2021, earning his second-straight selection to the first team, and third All-CAA honor overall. The two-time All-American was a force in Delaware secondary, breaking up eight passes and creating a turnover at Rhode Island. Whitehead finished with 1.5 TFL and had three games with at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 15 against James Madison.
SECOND TEAM
Linebacker Johnny Buchanan received his second All-CAA postseason honor after leading the Blue Hens, and ranking 11th in the CAA with 81 tackles. The senior was also third on the team with 5.5 TFL and had three games with at least 10 tackles, all coming against ranked conference opponents including a career-high 13 tackles against James Madison. An All-CAA First Team selection in the spring, Buchanan recorded one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Cornerback Nijuel Hill earned his second all-conference nod this fall after recording 30 tackles and 2.0 TFL as a fifth-year senior. An All-CAA First Team selection and Second Team All-American in the spring, Hill was third on the Blue Hens in the fall with eight passes defended, including a key fourth-quarter interception against Albany.
Running back Dejoun Lee wrapped up his decorated career with his second All-CAA selection. The graduate student, who was named the 2021 Spring CAA Offensive Player of the Year, led the Blue Hens in rushing with 814 yards on 178 carries. He was fourth in the conference with 4.6 yards per carry and 74.0 yards per game, and had four games with at least 100 rushing yards, including a stretch of three-straight contests. A threat in multiple ways, Lee also ranked sixth in the CAA with 102.1 all-purpose yards per game as he also caught 13 passes for 90 yards and returned 11 kickoffs for 219 yards.
Thyrick Pitts led the Delaware wide receivers for the third-straight year to earn his second all-conference nod. The graduate student finished with team highs of 43 receptions for 669 yards and he ranked fourth in the CAA with seven touchdown receptions. He was fifth in the conference with 66.9 receiving yards per game and had three games against CAA opponents with at least 100 receiving yards, including a career day of 11 catches for 169 yards against Richmond.
Safety Noah Plack received his second-straight nod to the All-CAA Second Team after ranking fourth on the team with 57 tackles despite missing the first three games of the season due to injury. The redshirt junior was a dominant force both in the secondary and near the line of scrimmage, finishing with three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and 0.5 TFL.
Junior Jourdan Townsend earned his first career postseason honor as he has turned into one of the most dominant punt returners in the conference. He returned 16 punts on the season, averaging 8.9 yards per return to rank third in the CAA. In Delaware's victory over Albany, Townsend had a season-long return of 38 yards to set up the go-ahead touchdown.
THIRD TEAM
Junior placekicker Ryan Coe put together a very strong season to earn his second all-conference selection. He connected on 37-of-40 of his total kicks, including going a perfect 23-of-23 on PAT attempts to extend his overall streak to 47-consecutive makes to start his career. Coe finished 14-of-17 on field goals, including making six of his eight tries from beyond 40 yards to tie a UD record and kicked three of the five longest field goals in CAA (53, 51, 48).
Artis Hemmingway earned his first postseason honor after appearing in nine games with eight starts on the defensive line in 2021. The redshirt senior finished with 28 total tackles while ranking third on the team with 2.5 sacks and fifth with 4.5 TFL. He finished with five tackles and a sack against Rhode Island, while also adding five tackles and a TFL against William & Mary.
Chase McGowan put together his second-straight All-CAA campaign after receiving second-team honors in the spring. The junior appeared in all 11 games this season, finishing with 20 tackles while leading the Blue Hens with 4.0 sacks and ranking second with 6.0 TFL. He had two sacks against both Stony Brook and Dixie State, while also finishing with a season-high five tackles against the Trailblazers.
Despite missing three games due to injury, Colby Reeder put together an all-conference caliber season to earn his first postseason honor since being named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017. The redshirt senior finished 2021 with 55 tackles to rank fifth on the team and was also second on the UD defense with 3.5 sacks and third with 5.5 TFL. He had a season-high 12 tackles, a sack and 1.5 TFL against Stony Brook.
For the latest on the Delaware football program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFB and Instagram @DelawareFootball, and like "Delaware Football" on Facebook.
FIRST TEAM
Offensive lineman David Kroll earned his second-consecutive selection to the first team after another strong season in 2021. The graduate student was a First Team All-American following the spring season and followed that up by starting all 11 games this fall at left tackle and was also a key member of the Blue Hens' punt unit.
Sophomore punter Tyler Pastula put together a stellar campaign in 2021, leading the CAA and ranking 21st in the country with an average of 42.5 yards per punt. He was also atop the conference as he landed 24 punts inside of the opponent's 20-yard line and had 13 kicks travel at least 50 yards. Pastula was named twice named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week after Delaware's victories over Dixie State and William & Mary.
Senior safety Kedrick Whitehead ranked second on the defense with 76 tackles in 2021, earning his second-straight selection to the first team, and third All-CAA honor overall. The two-time All-American was a force in Delaware secondary, breaking up eight passes and creating a turnover at Rhode Island. Whitehead finished with 1.5 TFL and had three games with at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 15 against James Madison.
SECOND TEAM
Linebacker Johnny Buchanan received his second All-CAA postseason honor after leading the Blue Hens, and ranking 11th in the CAA with 81 tackles. The senior was also third on the team with 5.5 TFL and had three games with at least 10 tackles, all coming against ranked conference opponents including a career-high 13 tackles against James Madison. An All-CAA First Team selection in the spring, Buchanan recorded one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Cornerback Nijuel Hill earned his second all-conference nod this fall after recording 30 tackles and 2.0 TFL as a fifth-year senior. An All-CAA First Team selection and Second Team All-American in the spring, Hill was third on the Blue Hens in the fall with eight passes defended, including a key fourth-quarter interception against Albany.
Running back Dejoun Lee wrapped up his decorated career with his second All-CAA selection. The graduate student, who was named the 2021 Spring CAA Offensive Player of the Year, led the Blue Hens in rushing with 814 yards on 178 carries. He was fourth in the conference with 4.6 yards per carry and 74.0 yards per game, and had four games with at least 100 rushing yards, including a stretch of three-straight contests. A threat in multiple ways, Lee also ranked sixth in the CAA with 102.1 all-purpose yards per game as he also caught 13 passes for 90 yards and returned 11 kickoffs for 219 yards.
Thyrick Pitts led the Delaware wide receivers for the third-straight year to earn his second all-conference nod. The graduate student finished with team highs of 43 receptions for 669 yards and he ranked fourth in the CAA with seven touchdown receptions. He was fifth in the conference with 66.9 receiving yards per game and had three games against CAA opponents with at least 100 receiving yards, including a career day of 11 catches for 169 yards against Richmond.
Safety Noah Plack received his second-straight nod to the All-CAA Second Team after ranking fourth on the team with 57 tackles despite missing the first three games of the season due to injury. The redshirt junior was a dominant force both in the secondary and near the line of scrimmage, finishing with three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and 0.5 TFL.
Junior Jourdan Townsend earned his first career postseason honor as he has turned into one of the most dominant punt returners in the conference. He returned 16 punts on the season, averaging 8.9 yards per return to rank third in the CAA. In Delaware's victory over Albany, Townsend had a season-long return of 38 yards to set up the go-ahead touchdown.
THIRD TEAM
Junior placekicker Ryan Coe put together a very strong season to earn his second all-conference selection. He connected on 37-of-40 of his total kicks, including going a perfect 23-of-23 on PAT attempts to extend his overall streak to 47-consecutive makes to start his career. Coe finished 14-of-17 on field goals, including making six of his eight tries from beyond 40 yards to tie a UD record and kicked three of the five longest field goals in CAA (53, 51, 48).
Artis Hemmingway earned his first postseason honor after appearing in nine games with eight starts on the defensive line in 2021. The redshirt senior finished with 28 total tackles while ranking third on the team with 2.5 sacks and fifth with 4.5 TFL. He finished with five tackles and a sack against Rhode Island, while also adding five tackles and a TFL against William & Mary.
Chase McGowan put together his second-straight All-CAA campaign after receiving second-team honors in the spring. The junior appeared in all 11 games this season, finishing with 20 tackles while leading the Blue Hens with 4.0 sacks and ranking second with 6.0 TFL. He had two sacks against both Stony Brook and Dixie State, while also finishing with a season-high five tackles against the Trailblazers.
Despite missing three games due to injury, Colby Reeder put together an all-conference caliber season to earn his first postseason honor since being named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017. The redshirt senior finished 2021 with 55 tackles to rank fifth on the team and was also second on the UD defense with 3.5 sacks and third with 5.5 TFL. He had a season-high 12 tackles, a sack and 1.5 TFL against Stony Brook.
For the latest on the Delaware football program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFB and Instagram @DelawareFootball, and like "Delaware Football" on Facebook.
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