CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel football team had 13 individuals recognized by the Southern Conference's 2015 yearly awards, it was announced Tuesday.

Head coach Mike Houston was named Coach of the Year by the media and coaches, and senior defensive lineman Mitchell Jeter was voted the coaches' Defensive Player of the Year. Jeter is the first Bulldog to earn the conference's Defensive Player of the Year honor from the coaches, and Houston's Coach of the Year sweep is the second by The Citadel.

Eleven other Bulldogs were voted All-Southern Conference performers by the coaches or media. Jeter, senior offensive lineman Sam Frye and sophomore defensive back Dee Delaney earned first-team honors on both ballots, and redshirt freshman Quinlan Washington was voted the coaches' first-team return specialist.

Junior offensive lineman Kyle Weaver and junior linebacker Tevin Floyd were named second-team by both votes. Junior kicker Eric Goins was voted to the media's second-team, along with Washington as a return specialist, and senior defensive lineman Mark Thomas and sophomore defensive back Kailik Williams were second-team coaches' picks.

The Southern Conference All-Freshman Team, voted on only by the coaches, featured offensive lineman Tyler Davis, B-Back Evan McField, defensive lineman Ken Allen and Washington, who was recognized for his primary position of linebacker.

Coach Houston led The Citadel to its first Southern Conference championship since 1992 and third overall while putting the Bulldogs in the playoffs for the fourth time and first since 1992. The Citadel finished the regular season 8-3, including a 6-1 mark in conference, and enter the postseason ranked No. 18 in both major polls. The eight wins are tied for the second-highest single-season total in school history and the six conference wins matched the program record. The Citadel concluded its regular season with a 23-22 win at South Carolina last Saturday, giving the Bulldogs their first win over an FBS opponent since 1992 and giving the SoCon just its third victory over an SEC team.

Jeter has been a constant presence in opponents' backfields all season. He has started all 11 games this season and collected 40 tackles, including 11.0 for loss with 8.0 sacks, and one quarterback hurry. The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native ranks second in the SoCon and tied for 18th in FCS with his average of 0.73 sacks per game and ranks third in the conference with an average of 1.00 tackle for loss per game. In conference play, he tied for first with an average of 0.93 sacks per game and ranked second with 1.29 tackles for loss per game. He ranks second on The Citadel's all-time career sacks list with 19.5 and is sixth in school history with 31.0 career tackles for loss.

Frye, Weaver and Davis have blocked for one of the nation's best offenses. Frye and Weaver have started each game, and Davis has played nearly 200 snaps as a true freshman. The Citadel leads the FCS with 3.45 tackles for loss allowed per game and ranks second with 0.64 sacks allowed. The Bulldogs are second in the country in rushing offense at 344.3 yards per game, third with 37 rushing touchdowns and fourth with an average of 5.76 yards per carry. Their average of 17.63 yards per completion is third in FCS.

Delaney has started all 11 games at cornerback and registered 41 tackles, five interceptions, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. The Seabrook, South Carolina, native's interception total is first in the SoCon and tied for eighth in FCS this season and is tied for sixth on The Citadel's single-season list. His 13 passes defended are also tied for sixth on the program's single-season list and lead the Southern Conference. Delaney has seven interceptions in his career and already is tied for ninth on The Citadel's all-time career list.

Washington has returned 19 kickoffs for 471 yards, an average of 24.8 yards per return that ranks first in the Southern Conference and 30th in FCS. He also has a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown this season. The Gainesville, Florida, native has recorded 17 tackles, including 1.0 sack, two interceptions and one forced fumble at linebacker.

Floyd has started each game this season and recorded 47 tackles, including 6.5 for loss with 1.0 sack, three interceptions, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. He is tied for first in FCS with two interception return touchdowns, and his 132 interception return yards are second in the nation. The Tallahassee, Florida, native is one of two players to be named Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.

Thomas is an 11-game starter and has 29 tackles, including 6.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The Brunswick, Georgia, native is tied for fifth in program history with 14.5 career sacks.

Williams has started eight games at rover and collected 72 tackles, including 5.5 for loss with 1.0 sacks, eight pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The Ormond Beach, Florida, native is tied for the team lead in pass breakups and tied for third in the conference.

Goins is a perfect 37-for-37 on PAT attempts and 12-for-14 on field goal attempts this season while adding 28 touchbacks on 64 kickoffs. The Herndon, Virginia, native made a career-long 48-yard field goal, the longest by a Bulldog against an FBS opponent and tied for ninth-longest in program history, at South Carolina. He is second in the Southern Conference in PATs made and field goal percentage and ranks in the top six on The Citadel's single-season lists for kick scoring, field goals made and PATs made.

McField started two games of his redshirt freshman campaign and has gained 416 yards and three touchdowns on 72 carries. The Goose Creek, South Carolina, native rushed for a career-high 163 yards, including a career-long 60-yard touchdown run, at Georgia Southern and gained 132 rushing yards in his collegiate debut against Davidson.

Allen is prominent in the Bulldogs' defensive line rotation. The true freshman from Elberton, Georgia, has 11 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and one quarterback hurry this season. He has twice recorded a career-high three tackles, including in the Bulldogs' 39-12 win against Wofford.

The Citadel opens the NCAA Playoff by playing at Coastal Carolina on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a game available on ESPN3 and via the WatchESPN app.

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