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Conference USA has announced its 2022 Players of the Year Wednesday, as selected by the league’s 11 head football coaches.
UTSA QB Frank Harris was selected as the C-USA Most Valuable Player after his incredible season in San Antonio for the Roadrunners. Harris led CFP No. 25 UTSA to its second consecutive league crown and currently has the Roadrunners on a 10-game winning streak, lifting UTSA to its second straight season with 11 or more wins. Harris has completed 305-429 passes for 3,865 yards and 40 total touchdowns (31 through the air), while also rushing for 588 yards on 120 carries. The Schertz, Texas, native ranks third nationally in completion percentage (71.1%), fourth in total offense per game (342.5), sixth in passing yards, sixth in points responsible for (244), seventh in passing efficiency (167.4), eighth in yards per pass attempt (9.01), ninth in passing touchdowns, ninth in points responsible for per game (18.8), 11th in passing yards per game (297.3) and 18th in completions per game (23.46),
UAB RB DeWayne McBride is the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. The nation’s leading rusher has carried 233 times for 1,713 yards (eighth-most in a single season in league history) and 19 touchdowns in 11 appearances. The Starke, Florida, native enters bowl season ranked first nationally in rushing yards, first in rushing yards per game (155.7), second in rushing touchdowns, third in yards per carry (7.35), third in scoring (10.4 points per game), third in total touchdowns (19), seventh in all-purpose yardage per game (156.6) and seventh in total points scored (114).
North Texas LB KD Davis has earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honors, the first to earn the distinction since the Mean Green joined C-USA in 2013. Davis led the conference in total tackles with 132 and recorded three tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a pass break-up in 13 appearances for the Mean Green, all starts. The Ennis, Texas, native helped lead the Mean Green to the 2022 Ryan C-USA Championship Game, where he became the program’s career leader in tackles with 419. Davis enters bowl season ranked 10th nationally in total tackles per game (10.2) and 16th in solo tackles per game (5.2).
UTEP K Gavin Baechle is the league’s Special Teams Player of the Year after a stellar season for the Miners in El Paso. The Lou Groza Award semifinalist finished 22-24 on field goals with a long of 54 yards, and he finished a perfect 31-31 on extra points. After missing his first field goal attempt of the season, Baechle hit his next 22 attempts for the Miners. Additionally, the McKinney, Texas, native registered 40 touchbacks on 63 kickoff attempts. Baechle finished the season ranked fourth nationally in field goals per game (1.83) and 12th in field goal percentage (91.7%).
UTSA RB Kevorian Barnes was selected as the C-USA Freshman of the Year after a breakout campaign for the league champion Roadrunners. The redshirt freshman from San Augustine, Texas, carried 114 times for 713 yards (6.3 yards per carry) and six touchdowns with four games over 100 yards, while also catching eight passes for 107 yards. Barnes was instrumental in UTSA’s 48-27 win in the 2022 Ryan C-USA Championship Game, carrying 28 times for 175 yards (both career highs) and a touchdown in the win. Barnes ranks eighth in C-USA among all players in rushing yardage and rushing yardage per game.
WKU QB Austin Reed was named C-USA Newcomer of the Year following his exceptional season as the signal-caller for the Hilltoppers. The St. Augustine Beach, Florida, native completed 353-548 passes for a league-high 4,247 yards with 44 total touchdowns (36 through the air), while also rushing for 199 yards. Reed enters bowl season ranked second nationally in passing yardage, second in passing yardage per game (326.7), second in points responsible for (272), fourth in passing touchdowns, fourth in completions per game (27.15), fourth in points responsible for per game (20.9) and fifth in total offense per game (342.2).
2022 C-USA Players of the Year
MVP: Frank Harris, UTSA, QB
Offensive Player of the Year: DeWayne McBride, UAB, RB
Defensive Player of the Year: KD Davis, North Texas, LB
Special Teams Player of the Year: Gavin Baechle, UTEP, K
Freshman of the Year: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA, RB
Newcomer of the Year: Austin Reed, WKU, QB