BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football led Conference USA with 15 players receiving 2024 All-CUSA honors, the league announced Tuesday.
WKU had a league-high nine players named to the All-CUSA First or Second Team, while six received All-CUSA Honorable Mention status. That group is led by All-CUSA First Team Defense selections in defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler and defensive back Upton Stout, as well as an All-CUSA First Team Special Teams selection in kicker Lucas Carneiro.
Those three are joined by All-CUSA Second Team Offense honorees in quarterback Caden Veltkamp, wide receiver Kisean Johnson and offensive linemen Quantavious Leslie and Marshall Jackson, as well as an All-CUSA Second Team Defense pick in defensive back Devonte' Mathews and an All-CUSA Second Team Special Teams selection in long snapper Rex Robich.
WKU had six All-CUSA Honorable Mention picks in wide receiver Easton Messer, offensive lineman Travon Taylor, offensive lineman Evan Wibberley, defensive tackle Dallas Walker, defensive end Deante McCray and linebacker Darius Thomas.
In addition to the 15 players on the All-CUSA teams, WKU had two players selected to the 2024 CUSA All-Freshman Team in wide receiver Cameron Flowers and linebacker Lofton Howard.
Wheeler ranks second on the team in total tackles with 74, while adding five tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, as well as two blocked kicks. He is first in CUSA in tackles from a defensive tackle, while his two blocked kicks are also first in the league and fourth nationally. Wheeler was on the Lombardi Award Watch List prior to the season, and was recently named to the 2024 CUSA Football All-Academic Team.
Stout is one of the premier defensive backs in CUSA and the country. He has recorded 52 tackles, with 7.5 for loss and a sack, plus an interception, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries. Stout has already accepted an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Carneiro has been nearly perfect at kicking for WKU this fall. He is 17-for-18 on field goals, with 17 straight makes, and he has gone 39-for-39 on PATs. His 17 consecutive field goals made marks the longest streak in program history. He has gone 6-for-6 on field goals of 50-plus yards this season, including two 54-yard makes, which are career highs and are tied for the second-longest in program history. He also made a 50-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining in the regular-season finale against Jax State to send WKU to the CUSA Championship game. He is the only CUSA kicker to go 6-for-6 from 50-plus yards in a season since 1996, while only four others have gone at least 3-for-3. Carneiro is fourth in the league in scoring, second in the league in scoring by a kicker, second in the league in field goals made and first in the league in field goal percentage. Carneiro was named CUSA's Special Teams Player of the Year three times, and he was the only kicker in the league that was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Veltkamp replaced injured starter TJ Finley in WKU's third game and has started every game since. He has 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns on 233-350-10 passing. He's also rushed for 162 yards and seven scores on 109 attempts. Veltkamp has been named the CUSA Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, and has also been a Davey O'Brien Great 8 honoree, a Manning Star of the Week, and a member of the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Class of 2024. He ranks first in CUSA in points responsible for, first in points responsible for per game, second in passing yards, first in passing touchdowns, second in completion percentage and second in efficiency. Nationally, Veltkamp ranks 21st in completion percentage, 25th in passing efficiency, 22nd in passing touchdowns, 15th in points responsible for and 17 in points responsible for per game.
Johnson started each game at receiver this season and led the team with 855 yards and seven touchdowns on 66 receptions. He had back-to-back 100-yard receiving games against EKU and Middle Tennessee, and against the Blue Raiders he had season highs of 129 yards and two touchdowns receiving. He ranks second in the league in receptions, fifth in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns.
Leslie, who was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List prior to the season, started each game for WKU at left guard, while Jackson did the same at right tackle to help one of the top offenses in CUSA.
Mathews started each game this season from his safety position and led the Hilltoppers with 89 tackles, including one for loss. He totaled four fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and two interceptions. The interceptions came in the final two minutes against Toledo – in the end zone and at the 1-yard line – to help clinch WKU's win, and he was named CUSA's Defensive Player of the Week following the victory. His fumble recoveries have come on big stages, including at Alabama, at Boston College, at preseason CUSA favorite Liberty, and at New Mexico State. His four fumble recoveries rank first in CUSA and second nationally, and his two interceptions are tied for fifth-most in the league. He's one of just four players in the league to have multiple interceptions in a game this season.
Robich served as WKU's long snapper, helping WKU to four CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week awards this fall. His biggest individual moment came in WKU's win over Toledo, when he helped down a punt at the 2-yard line, setting up a safety on the next play as part of the Hilltopper comeback.
Messer was second on the team in receiving, posting 725 yards and four touchdowns on 52 catches. He also serves as WKU's primary kick returner, and was on the 2024 Paul Hornung Award Watch List and was a Burlsworth Trophy nominee prior to the season. Taylor was WKU's starter at left tackle during the regular season, while Wibberley has started every game for the Hilltoppers at center.
Walker started at nose tackle all season for WKU. He posted 45 tackles, with four for loss, plus an interception, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. McCray was WKU's starting defensive end and tallied 53 tackles, with three for loss, 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. Thomas started at linebacker for WKU and had 54 tackles, with 6.5 for loss, four sacks, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Flowers and Howard made the CUSA All-Freshman Team after playing primarily on special teams this season, while providing depth at wide receiver and linebacker, respectively.
CUSA will announce individual Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
WKU will face James Madison in the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 18, in Boca Raton, Florida. Kickoff at FAU Stadium is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN. Tickets to the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl can be purchased HERE, or by calling the WKU Ticket Office at 270-745-5222.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
2024 CUSA ALL-CONFERENCE (WKU)
FIRST TEAM
DEFENSE
DT Hosea Wheeler
DB Upton Stout
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Lucas Carneiro
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Caden Veltkamp
WR Kisean Johnson
OL Quantavious Leslie
OL Marshall Jackson
DEFENSE
DB Devonte' Mathews
SPECIAL TEAMS
LS Rex Robich
HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
WR Easton Messer
OL Travon Taylor
OL Evan Wibberley
DEFENSE
DT Dallas Walker
DE Deante McCray
LB Darius Thomas
2024 CUSA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM (WKU)
OFFENSE
WR Cameron Flowers
DEFENSE
LB Lofton Howard
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