CARBONDALE, Ill. – Five Southern Illinois football players were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference all-conference team on Monday.
Linebacker Ben Bogle and safety Ubayd Steed were named All-MVFC Second-Team, while safety Iverson Brown, center Chase Evans and wide receiver Keontez Lewis earned honorable mention distinction.
Bogle, who last week was named one of 35 finalists for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award, had a breakout season with 16.5 tackles for loss, which led all linebackers in the MVFC. A sophomore from Ponte Vedra, Florida, Bogle had 87 tackles and 5.5 sacks, and added two interceptions, two pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
Steed led SIU and finished third in the MVFC in tackles (95), the most by a defensive back. He had four games with double-digit tackles, including games vs. North Dakota State and South Dakota State. He also created three turnovers with two forced fumbles and an interception. A senior from Philadelphia, Steed started all 12 games this season and 25-straight games the last two seasons.
Brown started all 12 games for SIU last season and finished third on the team in tackles (76) and had two interceptions. The Belleville, Illinois native led the team and was 10th in the MVFC in pass breakups (10) and had double-digit tackles at South Dakota (13) and versus North Dakota State (11).
Evans was the team’s top-graded blocker in efficiency, with 21 knockdowns and zero sacks allowed last season. He earned the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after the team’s win in Week 3 over nationally ranked Incarnate Word, the second time in his career he won the award. A native of Mason, Ohio, Evans started all 12 games at center and made 50 starts in his career.
A transfer from Wisconsin, Lewis finished second in the MVFC in yards per catch (16.59), fourth in receiving yards per game (73.9), sixth in receiving yards (813) and seventh in touchdowns (5). He played in 10 games, missing two due to injury, and played the majority of the season with a broken wrist. The East St. Louis, Illinois native had three 100+ receiving yardage games and also added 10 carries for 121 yards and one TD.