It is time for the last of my All-Decade teams, the Northwestern State football team. There were a lot of talented players who came through Natchitoches this past decade, some of whom made it to the NFL. There were several records broken this past decade and those players most likely made their way onto this team.
Quarterbacks: Shelton Eppler, Zach Adkins, Brad Henderson
If you break virtually every single school passing record in program history, you have to be the starter on this team, right? Passing yards in a season, career passing care and career passing touchdowns are just a few of the 18 records Shelton broke during his two seasons in Natchitoches. Eppler was honorable mention All-Southland as a junior when he threw for 2,639 yards and 26 touchdowns. His best game came that year when he broke program records for both passing yards (474) and passing touchdowns (6) in a thrilling 49-48 win at Lamar.
Before Eppler came along, Zach Adkins had many of the school's passing records. He threw for at least four touchdowns on four occasions, including five in 2014 against Nicholls. Adkins had the top two seasons for passing completions and yards in a season until Eppler broke them in 2019. One record he still does have, though (albeit tied with Shelton), is 28 passing touchdowns in a season. Brad Henderson started in the early part of the decade and did a solid job. His 14 passing touchdowns in 2012 is the sixth most in school history and his 12 in 2011 rank tied for ninth. Both seasons rank in the top 10 in school history for passing yards in a season and he led the team in rushing in 2012.
Running Backs: De'Mard Llorens, Chris Jones, Garrett Atzenweiler
Chris Jones was a big-play threat, as evidenced by his 90-yard touchdown run at Sam Houston State in 2017. He averaged more than six yards per carry in two of his three seasons with the Demons. Atzenweiler led the Demons in rushing in 2013 and 2014, averaging 4.5 yards per carry both seasons. In 2014, he scored 10 touchdowns.
Wide Receivers: Jazz Ferguson, Ed Eagan, Jaylen Watson, Quan Shorts, Bobby Chan-Chan, Louis Hollier Jr.
There was not anything Jazz Ferguson did not do in his one year at Northwestern State. He shattered the season record for yards (1,117) and receiving touchdowns (13). His season was so impressive that he ranks fifth all-time in career touchdown receptions. His 66 receptions ranked second at the time of graduation. He was so dominant that near the goal line, offensive coordinator Brad Smiley always threw the fade because he knew no one would out jump or out muscle Jazz for the football. It was really a thrill to be able to watch him for the one season. The other starter on the All-Decade team is Ed Eagan. Before Quan Shorts had 100 catches in 2019, Eagan held the record with 73 in 2014. Ed's 177 total receptions is tops in Demons history and his 908 yards receiving in that season is fourth in program history. Eagan is the receiving yards leader with 1,228 and is tied with Jazz for career touchdown receptions with 13.
Jaylen Watson was fantastic in his two seasons with the Demons. Jaylen's 14 touchdown receptions rank fourth in the NSU record books, including 10 as a senior, which is third. His 761 receiving yards in 2018 ranks seventh. Watson was really good making him and Jazz one of the top receiving duos in the country in 2018. Quan was the No. 3 guy in that 2018 season and made the most of his opportunity as the lead guy in 2019. His 100 receptions in 2019 obliterated the previous record for catches in a season, held by Eagan with 73. His 994 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns ranked second.
Bobby Chan-Chan was a solid wide receiver for NSU. He was a big play waiting to happen. In his best season in 2016, he caught 32 passes for 614 yards and six scores, despite the Demons being a running team. His 19.19 yards per catch ranks fifth in school history (min. 30 rec.). Hollier was another good Demons receiver, ranking 13th in program history for receiving yards (1,448) and fifth in receptions (114). His best season came in 2016 when he caught 38 balls for 637 yards and seven touchdowns. The seven scores is ranked sixth in program history.
Tight Ends: Justin Aldredge, Corey Simmons, David Fitzwater
Justin Aldredge was an easy choice for the starting tight end on this team. He was one of the best at the position in school history, hauling in 86 passes for 1,131 yards and 10 scores. As a senior, he caught 39 passes for 514 yards, earning him second team FCS All-American honors and second team All-Louisiana honors in addition to being named First Team All-Southland Conference. His solid season as a junior earned him Second Team All-Southland Conference honors.
Corey Simmons took over for Aldredge after his graduation and played well. Simmons led the team in receiving touchdowns in 2012 and scored three more touchdowns as a senior in 2014. David Fitzwater came over and played well in 2019. He had 187 yards receiving and his lone touchdown came at Death Valley against eventual champion LSU that cut it to a 17-14 deficit in the second quarter. Fitzwater led the team with 68 receiving yards in the game.
Offensive Tackles: Pace Murphy, Michael Booker, Larry Calcote, Zach Case
When you make the NFL, you deserve a spot on this team and Pace Murphy did just that. In his final two seasons with the Demons, he was named to the Second Team All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana. He graded as the best offensive lineman when he helped Zach Adkins broke several quarterback records. While Michael Booker only played one year this past decade, he was a really good offensive lineman for the Demons. As a senior in 2010, he was named First Team All-Southland and First Team All-Louisiana.
Larry Calcote was a really solid offensive tackle for NSU. He had a nice career with the Demons. In 2011, he was named Second Team All-Southland. Zach Case played everywhere along the NSU offensive line, but I have him playing at tackle on this team. He was named Second Team All-Southland Conference selection.
Offensive Guards: Chris Zirkle, Terrance Boyd, Frank Boudreaux, Jonathan Hubbard
The award list for Chris Zirkle is a lengthy one. He was named Honorable Mention All-Southland as a sophomore in 2016 when the Demons ranked second in the conference in rushing yards per game during league play. In 2017, he was named First Team All-Louisiana and Second Team All-Southland. Blocking for a record-setting quarterback in Shelton Eppler, he was once again named First Team All-Southland as a senior in 2019. Terrance Boyd was another good guard for NSU. In 2015, he had a solid year for the Demons, earning Honorable Mention All-Southland. In 2016, he helped pave the way for De'Mard Llorens to be named First Team All-Southland.
Frank Boudreaux was a three-year starter for the Demons at guard and was a steady presence for NSU. He was on the line along with Zirkle in 2016 when the Demons ranked second in the conference in rushing yards per game during league play. He was named Honorable Mention All-Southland as a senior. Jonathan Hubbard is still competing for a roster spot with the NFL's Miami Dolphins. That alone makes him worthy of being on the team. He was a main starter the last two years and started half the games in 2017. His best game as a senior was against Southeastern Louisiana when he graded at 82 percent.
Centers: Warren Jones, Cameron Hussey
Warren Jones was a two-year starter after transferring in and he was named Second Team All-Southland in 2013. The previous season he was named Honorable Mention All-Southland. He played outstanding his two seasons as a Demons.
Cameron Hussey started the final season and a half, including 2016 earning a Second Team All-Southland selection. In 2016 when the Demons ranked second in the conference in rushing yards per game during league play, and helping De'Mard Llorens earn a First Team All-Southland Conference selection.
Defensive Linemen: LeDell Love, Obi Iheoma, Leroy Armstrong, Ricky Isaac, Cornist Broadway, JeMarcus Marshall, Lesley Deamer, Deon Simon
This is a good group of defensive linemen for NSU. JaMarcus Marshall's 8.5 sacks in 2013 ranks seventh in school history, while Obi Iheoma brought down opposing quarterbacks eight times in both 2017 and 2018, which is tied for eighth in Demons history. While Iheoma only played two seasons in Natchitoches, his 16 sacks are fifth all-time. Marshall's 12 sacks are 10th.
There are plenty of All-Southland players on the list, as current defensive line coach LeDell Love was named Second Team All-Southland in 2010, and Ricky Isaac and Lesley Deamer also received conference honors. That list didn't even include Deon Simon, who was drafted in the seventh round in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Outside Linebackers: Marion Chapman, Pat Black, Lyn Clark, Peyton Guidry
Marion Chapman was named First Team All-Southland in 2014, making 134 tackles and leading the Demons in sacks with 4.5. In a win against Sam Houston State that season, he registered 20 tackles. Pat Black was named Second Team All-Southland in 2013 after being named honorable mention in 2012. In that 2012 season, he finished the season with a career-high 15 tackles against rival Stephen F. Austin.
Lyn Clark led the team in sacks in 2016 with 3.5 sacks and added five more in 2017. He had 37 tackles in both 2016 and 2017. He had seven tackles for loss as a senior and forced and recovered two fumbles. Peyton Guidry led the Demons in tackles with 85 in 2017 and was second on the team with nine tackles for loss. He was second on the team in 2016 as well with 5.5 tackles for loss.
Middle Linebackers: Derek Rose, Ja'Quay Pough
Derek Rose was a great Northwestern State middle linebacker and he had a long list of honors. He was a three-time All-Southland Conference selection, including a First Team selection in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, he had 138 tackles and in 2012, he made 100 tackles. He led the Demons in tackles all three of those years. As a senior, he was second in both tackles for loss (7) and pass break-ups (4). Rose was an All-Louisiana First Team in 2010 and All-Louisiana Second Team in 2011. Also in 2011, he was a Buck Buchanan Award finalist and was named an Associated Press FCS All-American Third Team. So, yeah, he was pretty good.
In his lone season in the decade for the Demons, Ja'Quay Pough was a monster. He had 109 tackles and six tackles for loss, including three sacks. He also led the team with three forced fumbles and added a fumble recovery. For his efforts, he was selected Third Team All-Southland. He could make an appearance in the next decade as well.
Defensive Backs: Imoan Claiborne, Jamaal White, Adam Jones, Cortez Paige, Hayden Bourgeois, Shemar Bartholomew, Austin Balthazor, Ike Warren
The defensive backfield is littered with All-Conference performers. Imoan Claiborne and Hayden Bourgeois were First Team All-Southland selections in 2014 and 2018, respectively. Claiborne was second on the team with four interceptions in 2014 and led the team in both pass break-ups (7) and fumble recoveries (3). Claiborne was selected Second Team All-Southland in 2013 when he finished with two picks and four pass break-ups. In 2018, Bourgeois picked off five passes, including two in the home opener against Grambling, and recovered two fumbles. Hayden scored just before halftime on one of his interceptions against Sam Houston State. His seven combined takeaways (fumble recoveries and interceptions) are ninth in program history. Adam Jones was named Second Team All-Conference in 2014, picking off a team-high five passes and was tied for the best on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss. In 2015, Jones scored on a 95-yard fumble return against Lamar, which is a program-record for the longest fumble return. Jamaal White was named Second Team All-Southland Conference three times. In all those three years, he led the team in interceptions, including picking off a pair against FBS school SMU in 2011.
Shemar Bartholomew wasn't expected to play much as a freshman, but injuries pressed him into action, and he responded with two interceptions in his second game against Sam Houston State. He carried on the momentum gained from his freshman season into his sophomore season in 2019 when he was named Third Team All-Southland Conference. He likes playing against SHSU because he returned a pick 95 yards to the house in the thrilling 31-28 win in Hunstville. Cortez Paige was named Second Team All-Southland in 2012 when he picked off three passes and added 4.5 tackles for loss. He led the team with 12 pass break-ups in 2011. In his first season with Northwestern State, Austin Balthazor was named Honorable Mention All-Southland when he was second on the team in tackles with 63. He had 64 tackles in 2017 and added four pass break-ups, which was third on the team. Finally, Ike Warren led the team in interceptions in 2016 and 2017. He also added nine pass break-ups in 2017. In 2016, he led the team in interceptions (3) and tied for the lead in pass break-ups (4) despite only playing in four contests.
Kicker: Chris Moore
Chris Moore was a terrific kicker for the Demons. In 2014, he kicked the game-winning field goal to knock off Louisiana Tech. He improved his accuracy all three years with NSU, which was capped off by an impressive senior season in which he went 16-of-19 (84.2 percent) and drilled a career-long 52-yard field goal at Mississippi State. In that final season, he also made both of his field goals from beyond 50 yards.
Punter: Parker Pastorello
Parker Pastorello was the punter for three years for the Demons and plaued well. In 2019, he had a career-high 41 yards per punt. Pastorello improved every year in his career and is the first punter to be have average 40+ yards per punt in back-to-back years since Mark Holmes in 1999 and 2000. He is more than deserving of being named the punter for the All-Decade team.
Return Specialist: Ed Eagan
There is really no other choice to be the return specialist than Ed Eagan, as he makes the All-Decade team at a second position. Eagan led the team is kickoff and punt returns from 2013-15. In 2015, he was named First Team All-Southland Conference as a return specialist and 2014, he was named to the second team. He holds the Demons record for career and single season kickoff return average and he has multiple return touchdowns in his career.
NSU Offensive Player of the Decade: Jazz Ferguson
NSU Defensive Player of the Decade: Derek Rose
NSU Coach of the Decade: Jay Thomas
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