MIAMI – A total of eight members of the FIU football team were recognized with All-Conference USA Honorable Mention honors, as part of the 2022 All-Conference USA Football Teams, which were announced by league officials on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Panthers had a total of three players honored on the offensive side of the ball that included sophomore quarterback Grayson James, junior offensive lineman Jacob Peace and sophomore tight end Rivaldo Fairweather.
 
FIU had four players earned the nod on the defensive side – three of which were linebackers – alongside senior defensive tackle Davon Strickland.  Among the linebacker group was junior Shaun Peterson Jr., junior Donovan Manuel and sophomore Gaethan Bernadel.
 
Sophomore punter Daton Montiel represented the Panthers among the special teams honorees.
 
James enjoyed one of the best opening seasons as a starting signal caller in FIU history.  He completed 209-of-357 pass attempts for 1,962 yards and 11 touchdowns.  James threw for over 300 yards in two contests and tossed three or more TDs in three games.
 
Peace was an anchor for the Panthers on the offensive line as he started 11 of 12 games at multiple positions.  The FIU offensive line allowed the 34th-fewest sacks nationally this season and the fourth-fewest in Conference USA.
 
Fairweather hauled in a total of 28 receptions for 426 yards and three touchdowns.  His top performance came in the season finale vs. Middle Tennessee, which saw him post 152 yards and three touchdowns on eight receptions – all of which were career highs.
 
Strickland posted 26 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss (-8) and one sack during his senior campaign.  He also recovered a fumble and had a pair of quarterback hurries.  Strickland was a repeat choice as he also earned All-CUSA Honorable Mention in 2021.
 
Among the linebackers, Bernadel (103) and Manuel (97) ranked first and second on the squad in total tackles.  Manuel had the team lead with 8.5 TFLs (-26), while Bernadel added 8.0 (-24).
 
Peterson Jr. enjoyed a breakout season after shifting from running back during spring drills – he tabbed a season-high three sacks in the Panthers' win at Charlotte on Oct. 22 - it tied for the fourth-best single game total by an FIU player and the best individual performance since 2015.
 
His six overall sacks are tied for the 10th-highest single-season total in FIU annals.  Peterson Jr. finished the season with 28 total tackles, including 8.0 TFLs (-45), two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries – both of which came off strip sacks.
 
Montiel posted a solid initial season as the Panthers' primary punter – ranking 56th nationally with an average of 42.1 yards per boot.  He placed 17 punts inside the 20 and forced 37 fair catches.  Montiel blasted a total of 13 punts over 50 yards, including a season-long 64 yarder at New Mexico State.  He attempted 69 punts overall that went for a total of 2,907 yards.
 
2022 All-Conference USA Teams
First Team
OFFENSE
QB: Frank Harris, UTSA
RB: DeWayne McBride, UAB
RB: Larry McCammon III, Florida Atlantic
WR: Zakhari Franklin, UTSA
WR: Malachi Corley, WKU
WR: Tre Harris, LA Tech
TE: Var'Keyes Gumms, North Texas
OL: Ahofitu Maka, UTSA
OL: Manase Mose, North Texas
OL: Jeremiah Byers, UTEP
OL: Sidney Wells, UAB
OL: Kadeem Telfort, UAB
 
DEFENSE
DE: Jadrian Taylor, UTEP
DT: Brandon Brown, UTSA
DT: Keivie Ross, LA Tech
DE: Jordan Ferguson, Middle Tennessee
LB: KD Davis, North Texas
LB: Noah Wilder, UAB
LB: JaQues Evans, WKU
DB: Clifford Chattman, UTSA
DB: Corey Mayfield Jr., UTSA
DB: Ridge Texada, North Texas
DB: Starling Thomas V, UAB
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Gavin Baechle, UTEP
P: Kyle Ulbrich, Middle Tennessee
LS: Brody Butler, Middle Tennessee
KR: Kaylon Horton, North Texas
PR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech
 
Second Team
OFFENSE
QB: Austin Reed, WKU
RB: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB
RB: Deion Hankins, UTEP
WR: De'Corian Clark, UTSA
WR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA
WR: Grant DuBose, Charlotte
TE: Joshua Simon, WKU
OL: Will Rykard, UAB
OL: Shea Baker, Rice
OL: Brendan Bordner, Florida Atlantic
OL: Gunner Britton, WKU
OL: Quincy McGee, UAB
 
DEFENSE
DE: Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
DT: Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic
DT: Fish McWilliams, UAB
DE: Amir Siddiq, Charlotte
LB: Mazin Richards, North Texas
LB: Jamal Ligon, UTSA
LB: Tyrice Knight, UTEP
DB: Teldrick Ross, Middle Tennessee
DB: Grayson Cash, UAB
DB: Kahlef Hailassie, WKU
DB: Myles Brooks, LA Tech
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Jared Sackett, UTSA
P: Lucas Dean, UTSA
LS: Angelo Tejada, UTEP
KR: Smoke Harris, LA Tech
PR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
 
HONORABLE MENTION
QB: Austin Aune, North Texas
QB: Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee
QB: Chris Reynolds, Charlotte
QB: Grayson James, FIU
RB: Marquis Crosby, LA Tech
RB: Brenden Brady, UTSA
RB: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA
RB: Frank Peasant, Middle Tennessee
RB: Kye Robichaux, WKU
WR: Tyrin Smith, UTEP
WR: Daewood Davis, WKU
WR: Trea Shropshire, UAB
WR: Bradley Rozner, Rice
WR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
WR: Elijah Spencer, Charlotte
WR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic
WR: Tejhaun Palmer, UAB
WR: Jyaire Shorter, North Texas
TE: Jake Roberts, North Texas
TE: Oscar Cardenas, UTSA
TE: Rivaldo Fairweather, FIU
TE: Jack Bradley, Rice
TE: Izaiah Gathings, Middle Tennessee
OL: Rusty Staats, WKU
OL: Ernesto Almaraz, UTSA
OL: Andrew Meyer, UTEP
OL: Quantavious Leslie, WKU
OL: Kevin Davis, UTSA
OL: Walker Baty, UTSA
OL: Ashton Gist, Charlotte
OL: Nick Weber, Florida Atlantic
OL: Carson Bruno, LA Tech
OL: Joshua Mote, LA Tech
OL: Jacob Peace, FIU
OL: Vincent Murphy, WKU
OL: Clay Servin, Rice
OL: Justin Mayers, UTEP
OL: Terrell Haynes, UTSA
OL: Jordan Palmer, Middle Tennessee
OL: Matthew Trehern, UAB
OL: Elijah Klein, UTEP
OL: Steven Hubbard, UTEP
OL: Dakota White, LA Tech
OL: Bert Hale, LA Tech
DE: Ikenna Enechukwu, Rice
DE: Nick Booker-Brown, UTSA
DE: Markees Watts, Charlotte
DE: Juwuan Jones, WKU
DE: Zaylin Wood, Middle Tennessee
DE: Trey Schuman, Rice
DE: Drew Tuazama, UAB
DT: Kelton Moss, UTEP
DT: Keenan Stewart, UTEP
DT: Brodric Martin, WKU
DT: Isaiah Forte, UAB
DT: Joe Evans, UTSA
DT: Marley Cook, Middle Tennessee
DT: Davon Strickland, FIU
LB: Trey Moore, UTSA
LB: Derrick Smith, WKU
LB: Trevor Harmanson, UTSA
LB: Cal Wallerstadt, UTEP
LB: Gaethan Bernadel, FIU
LB: Josh Pearcy, Rice
LB: Shaun Peterson Jr., FIU
LB: Donovan Manuel, FIU
LB: Tyler Taylor, UAB
DB: Decorian Patterson, Middle Tennessee
DB: Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee
DB: Nicktroy Fortune, UTSA
DB: Kobe Hylton, UTEP
DB: DeShawn Gaddie, North Texas
DB: Teja Young, Florida Atlantic
DB: Kaleb Oliver, WKU
DB: Geo Howard, Charlotte
DB: Jaylen Key, UAB
DB: Armani Adams, Florida Atlantic
DB: Logan Wilson, North Texas
DB: Dennis Barnes, UTEP
DB: Willie Roberts, LA Tech
DB: Upton Stout, WKU
DB: Keondrae Swoopes, UAB
DB: Dadrian Taylor, UTSA
DB: Jordan Dunbar, Rice
K: Ethan Mooney, North Texas
K: Brayden Narveson, WKU
K: Zeke Rankin, Middle Tennessee
P: Kyle Greenwell, UAB
P: Tom Ellard, WKU
P: Daton Montiel, FIU
P: Riley Thompson, Florida Atlantic
P: Joshua Sloan, UTEP
LS: J.P. Hadley, North Texas
LS: Jake Bowman, WKU
LS: Cole Kizziah, UAB
LS: Caleb Cantrell, UTSA
LS: Nicholas Marino, Florida Atlantic
KR: Chris Carpenter, UTSA
KR: Shadrick Byrd, Charlotte
KR: Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB
KR: Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee
PR: Marcus Bellon, UTEP
PR: LaJohntay Wester, Florida Atlantic
PR: Joshua Cephus, UTSA
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers shift focus to the early national signing period - which is slated for Dec. 21-23, 2022.
 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Football season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office
 
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