Butler leads KJCCC with 22 all-conference selections

The conference champion Butler football team also leads the Jayhawk Conference in post-season honors, as the Grizzlies had has 22 players named all-conference selections, as announced by the league office this week.

Of those 22, Butler had eight first-team selections – five on offense, two on defense and one on special teams – also the most of any team in the conference.

Tight end Matt Jones, offensive tackle Bennet Powers, guard Garrison Wright, center Blaise Fountain and fullback Trevor Crain were Butler's first-team selections on offense. Defensive end Tramal Ivy and linebacker Tony Jones earned first team honors on defense, while kicker Lane Brewer was a first-team special teams selection.

On the KJCCC second team were wide receivers Byron Pringle (28 receptions for 414 yards and nine touchdowns) and Julian Burris (28 receptions for 416 yards and two touchdowns) and running back Kobe McCrary. He led the nation in touchdowns with 22 and rushing for 1,190 yards, an average of 108.2 per game, which was second-best in the conference.

Offensively, quarterback Justice Hansen was named honorable mention after completeing 163-of-211 passing attempts (77 percent) for 1,694 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He also ran for 226 yards and four touchdowns in eight games.

Defensively, Butler had second-team selections in defensive lineman Mychealon Thomas and Zach Befort and cornerback Octavious Morgan, who led the conference in interceptions with six.

Defensive honorable mention selections for Butler were defensive lineman Patrick Dugan, linebackers Sean Rodriguez and DeMarcus Lloyd, cornerback DeSean Washington and safeties Adonis Saunders and Aaron Peak. Michael Mason was also an honorable mention at punter after averaging 35.4 yards per kick with 10 punts dropped inside the 20.