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Sophomores Mack and Nichols named to all-conference first team.
Mack just third Bull to earn first-team honors twice.
TAMPA, DEC. 2, 2015 – A USF team that posted a program-record six conference wins and produced one of the biggest in-season turnarounds in the nation by winning seven of its last eight games was recognized Wednesday by American Athletic Conference coaches, who named a program-record eight Bulls to the all-conference team.
USF (8-4, 6-2 American) was represented on the all-conference first team by sophomores Marlon Mack (RB, Sarasota) and Deatrick Nichols (CB, Miami). Mack joins running back Andre Hall (2004 & 2005) and defensive end George Selvie (2007 & 2008) as just the third Bull to earn first-team all-conference honors twice. Quarterback Marquel Blackwell (2001 & 2002) and defensive back/returner J.R. Reed (2001 & 2002) earned first-team FBS All-Independent honors twice.
The Bulls had six second-team selections led by two-time all-conference punter Mattias Ciabatti (P, Tampa) who was a first-team selection last year. He was joined by fellow seniors Thor Jozwiak (G, Eagle Lake), Sean Price (TE, Citra) and Eric Lee (DE, Daphne, Ga.), junior Rodney Adams (WR, St. Petersburg) and sophomore Auggie Sanchez (LB, St. Petersburg). Adams was named a second-team selection as a return specialist and an honorable-mention choice as a wide receiver.
The eight all-conference selections tie the program record of eight set in 2005 in USF's first year as a member of the Big East Conference. USF has now earned a total of 15 all-conference selections in three years in The American, five of those first-team selections, and has 71 all-conference selections overall in 13 years as a member of a conference.
Mack, the 2014 Conference Rookie of the Year, earned his second first-team all-conference selection after leading The American for the second-straight year in rushing, posting 115.7 yards per game - 16 yards per game higher than the next closest player. Mack's eight 100-yard games led the conference and his 230-yard, three-touchdown performance vs. No. 21 Temple stands as the best rushing performance in the conference this season. Mack added eight rushing touchdowns and 16 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown to a season that sees him 101 yards shy of the USF season rushing record of 1,374 yards.
Nichols lead the team with four interceptions, including one returned 29 yards for a touchdown in a rout of Cincinnati, and tied for third on the team with 58 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. He also added a fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and a four pass break-ups in a stellar sophomore campaign.
Adams exploded during the conference season, posting a touchdown in six of the Bulls' last eight games and becoming a major weapon in the return game. His 97-yard kick return for a touchdown at Navy helped propel his return average to 30.5 yards per return and rank third in the nation. He set a USF season record with eight touchdown receptions, six in conference play, and his 692 yards receiving, 620 in conference play, stand just 42 shy of the USF season record.
Ciabatti averaged 43.2 yards on 57 punts in 2015, downing 19 of those inside the 20-yard line and launching 15 50 yards or farther. USF's all-time punting record holder, Ciabatti owns the career punting yardage mark with 8,333 yards, the season punting average record (44.4 ypp in 2014) and will set the career average record with his 42.5 yards per kick average.
Jozwiak anchored a USF offensive line that plowed the way for a school record 2,915 rushing yards and led The American in fewest sacks allowed in conference games (1.12 per game). Jozwiak started every game at guard and was the emotional leader for the unit that helped USF produce 5,144 yards of offense. The Bulls are on pace to break the program's total offense record.
Lee brought leadership as the captain of a Bulls' defense that ranked 15th in the nation in tackles for loss (7.5 tpg) and 22nd in scoring defense (21.1 ppg). He logged career-bests with 42 tackles, a team-high 11 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks on the year.
Price posted a career-best year, logging 19 receptions for 296 yards and five touchdowns, including back-to-back games with two touchdown catches in the Bulls' routs of Cincinnati and UCF. USF's all-time leader in receptions (75) and receiving yards (897) for a tight end, Price was also a very effective blocker in the Bulls' rushing attack.
Sanchez became just the 10th Bull to post 100 tackles in the season and leads USF with 106 stops. His 10.1 tackles per game in conference play are tied for second in the league and are just one-tenth behind the conference lead. The sophomore also tied for third on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and added a fumble recovery on the year.
USF All-Conference Selections
First Team
Marlon Mack So. Running Back
Deatrick Nichols So. Defensive Back
Second Team
Rodney Adams Jr. Return Specialist (HM Wide Receiver)
Mattias Ciabatti Sr. Punter
Thor Jozwiak Sr. Guard
Eric Lee Sr. Defensive End
Sean Price Sr. Tight End
Auggie Sanchez So. Linebacker
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