MIAMI (June 10, 2015) – Athlon Sports' 2015 Preseason All-Conference USA Teams were announced on Wednesday and FIU football had nine players recognized. Junior
Jonnu Smith, seniors
Michael Wakefield and
Richard Leonard were named a first-team selection, while junior
Jordan Budwig and seniors
Aaron Nielsen, Denzell Perine and
Davison Colimon received third-team honors. Juniors
Treyvon Williams and
Austin Taylor were named to the fourth team.
Smith, who was named a first-teamer at tight end, started in all 12 games for the Panthers. The Ocala, Fla., native led FIU with 710 yards on 61 catches and eight touchdowns. He led all tight ends nationally in touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions. This past season, Smith set the school record for tight ends in receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions. His eight receiving touchdowns broke the previous season-best of seven set by T.Y. Hilton (2008, 2011) and Cory McKinney (2002). His 710 yards ranks seventh all-time at FIU for a season and his 61 catches are tied for fourth. At UAB (Sept. 27), Smith registered the sixth-longest reception in school history (75 yards). He was an SI.com All-America Honorable Mention selection, a Mid-season All-American (
CBSSports.com), a Mackey Tight End of the Week (Week 2) and was named to the John Mackey Watch List.
Wakefield, who earned first-team recognition as a defensive end, appeared and started in all 12 games for the Panthers. The Valdosta, Ga., native recorded 38 tackles (26 solo) and led the team in tackles for loss (14.5) and sacks (8.0). Wakefield ranked No. 3 in C-USA in sacks and No. 3 in tackles for loss and was No. 34 in the nation in sacks-per-game (0.67). His 14.5 tackles for loss ranked No. 6 all-time at FIU in a season and his 8.0 sacks ranked No. 2. He forced three fumbles and recovered four on the year. The three fumble recoveries ranked tied for No. 8 in the nation and No. 2 in C-USA. He registered three pass breakups and blocked an extra point at UTSA. Wakefield, who was a game captain in all 12 games last season, was a two-time Defensive Lineman Performer of the Week (CFPA).
Leonard, who received first-team honors as a punt returner and a cornerback and fourth-team recognition as a kick returner, appeared and started all 12 games for the Panthers. Leonard was a two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week and a two-time C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the first player in C-USA history to accomplish this feat. On the year, he recorded a school-record five interceptions (No. 2 in C-USA; No. 18 nationally), including two for touchdowns. Leonard also led the nation in fumble recoveries (4), including a 100-yard fumble recovery versus Florida Atlantic (Oct. 2) – the first NCAA player to do so since 1999. Leonard recorded 616 kick return yards on just 24 attempts and 309 punt return yards on just 13 returns. He averaged 25.7 yards-per-kick return and 23.8 yards-per-punt return, while setting the school record for most punt return yards in a season (309). Leonard broke the FIU single-game punt return record (148 vs. Bethune-Cookman) – also the 3
rd-most in C-USA history. A mid-season All-American (
Phil Steele), Leonard was recognized by the College Football Performance Awards three times in 2014.
Budwig and Nielsen, third-team honorees on the offensive line, both appeared in all 12 games for the Panthers. The pair helped FIU record 1,502 net rushing yards (4th-most in school history). They also led FIU's offense to 125.5 net yards-per-game (5th-best average all-time at FIU) and 11 rushing touchdowns (10th-most in school history). They helped the Panthers gain 144 yards on the ground and 231 through the air as FIU scored four offensive touchdowns versus Middle Tennessee (Nov. 15) and anchored a line that produced 256 yards on the ground (seventh-most in FIU history) at Old Dominion (Nov. 8). With Budwig and Nielsen on the line, FIU's offense recorded a season-high of 388 yards of total offense versus the Monarchs. They also helped the Panthers' offense produced a season-high 236 yards though the air versus Pittsburgh (Sept. 13), including two passing touchdowns.
Perine, a third-team selection on the defensive line, appeared in all 12 games, starting five for FIU. The native of Mobile, Ala., recorded 40 tackles and had 9.5 tackles for loss (No. 2 on the team and No. 15 in C-USA) as well as 6.5 sacks (No. 2 on the team and No.5 in C-USA). Perine also had one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries and forced two fumbles. Perine recovered two fumbles to help FIU to 19 total fumble recoveries (No. 1 in the nation). He notched a sack in seven games, while recording a tackle for loss in eight games last season. His 3.5 tackles for loss vs. Bethune-Cookman were the seventh-most by a Panther in school history.
Colimon, a third-teamer at linebacker, appeared in 12 games, starting nine for FIU, recording 46 tackles (No. 4 on the team). The West Palm Beach, Fla., native recovered three fumbles (tied for No. 8 in the nation; tied for No. 2 in the C-USA). A 2014 All-C-USA Honorable Mention selection, Colimon recorded his first-career interception (79-yard interception for a TD) vs. Middle Tennessee (Nov. 15). The pick six was the second-longest interception for a touchdown in school history. For his performance versus the Blue Raiders, Colimon was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week (Week 12) and
College Football Performance Awards recognized him as Linebacker of the Week for the MTSU game. On the year, he had 8.0 tackles for loss (No. 3 on the team), including 4.0 sacks (No. 4 on the team).
Williams, who was named to the fourth team as a linebacker, appeared in all 12 games for the Panthers, starting in nine. The Miami native finished second on the team in total tackles with 50 (35 solo). Williams recorded a career-best 4.5 tackles for loss (tied for No .5 on the team), including his first-career sack (versus Bethune-Cookman – Aug. 30). The FIU linebacker notched four-or-more tackles eight times, including a then-career-high six tackles (all solo) versus Florida Atlantic (Oct. 2) and a career-best seven tackles at North Texas (Nov. 22). Williams also tallied one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry on the season.
Taylor, named fourth-team as a kicker, appeared in all 12 games for the Panthers, taking all of FIU's field goal attempts. The Punta Gorda, Fla., native converted 15-of-21 field goal attempts and 29-of-30 extra point attempts. Taylor finished 2014 ranked tied for No. 3 in the conference in field goals-per-game (1.25), No. 8 in the league in field goal percentage (71.4) and No. 9 in C-USA in point after attempt percentage (96.7). He led the team in scoring with 74 points. The 5-foot-8 kicker made four field goals of 40 yards-or-more, including a season-long of 43 (twice). He was also responsible for the majority of the team's kickoff, recording 55 for an average of 58.5 yards-per-kick, with six touchbacks.
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The 2015 FIU football season will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 3, when the Panthers travel to Orlando, Fla., to take on the UCF Knights. FIU's home opener will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19, as the Panthers host the N.C. Central Eagles.
FIU's 2015 schedule is highlighted with games against Boca Raton Bowl and 2014 C-USA champion Marshall, Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl champion Louisiana Tech, Popeyes Bahamas Bowl champion WKU, Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl participant UCF, and Gildan New Mexico Bowl participant UTEP. In addition, the Panthers will face Indiana, N.C. Central, UMass, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, Florida Atlantic and Charlotte.
FIU Football 2015 season ticket packages are currently available. Fans can purchase online at FIUSports.com or over the phone by calling (305) FIU-GAME.
For the latest information on Panthers football, follow us on Twitter, @FIUFootball, and check out
Pete Pelegrin's in-depth coverage of FIU Athletics on his official blog, The Prowl, at
www.FIUSports.com.
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium. About FIU:
Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
