ARLINGTON, Texas – Eight members of Eastern Kentucky University's football team have been named to the United Athletic Conference's All-Conference and/or All-Academic teams as announced by the league office on Friday afternoon.
 
Earning first-team all-conference recognition from EKU were Payton Collins, Mike Smith Jr., Maddox Marcellus, Jacob Baker, and Patrick Nations.
 
They were joined by second-team members Darrian Baker and Jaheim Ward.
 
The seven all-conference selections mark the most for EKU under head coach Walt Wells, with the five first-team selections being the third most of any team in the conference this season.
 
Cracking the all-academic team was Collins again along with fellow offensive lineman John Stone.
 
Leading the way in the first-team selections was kicker Patrick Nations who, along with being a unanimous selection was named the UAC's Specialist of the Year.
 
A preseason All-American, Nations ended his EKU career with the program records in field goals made with 54 and kicking points in a Colonel career with 309.
 
In 2024, Nations went 9-of-13 on field goals with a long of 48, with 3,758 total kickoff yards including a conference-leading 40 touchbacks.
 
For the third season in a row, Payton Collins earned All-Conference honors earning his second consecutive first-team selection in the UAC.
 
A preseason All-UAC selection, Collins was dominant upfront in 2024 anchoring the Colonels' offensive line for the sixth straight season finishing his career with 56 career starts for EKU including all 13 in 2024 as EKU went 8-4 in the regular season finishing in the FCS Playoffs.
 
A Hula Bowl All-Star invitee, Collins helped pave the way for EKU's rushing attack that posted 2,422 rushing yards, the third most in the conference and 4,522 yards of total offense and 36 total touchdowns.
 
For the entire season, he earned a pass block grade of 87.3 per Pro Football Focus.
 
His all-academic selection marks the second of his career earning it with a 3.71 cumulative GPA between his undergraduate studies as a business major and Master of Business Administration degree program.
 
On defense, both linebacker Maddox Marcellus and Mike Smith Jr. were unanimous selections.
 
A defensive captain, preseason All-UAC selection, Shrine Bowl Watchlist selection, and Hula Bowl Invitee, Smith led the Colonel defense in allowing only 23.7 points per game.
 
Despite being avoided by every offense he faced, Smith still posted impressive numbers with four interceptions (tied for the most in the UAC), 63 total tackles, and six pass breakups as a safety.
 
Smith's interceptions were also timely with his ones against Tarleton State and North Alabama coming in the final seconds of regulation to seal wins for the Colonels.
 
His stellar performance throughout the season saw him rank as the 10th highest-rated safety in all of Division I football, FCS or FBS by Pro Football Focus with a grade of 87.8.
 
Joining Smith as a unanimous first-team selection, Marcellus had a breakout sophomore season at inside linebacker totaling, 97 tackles, the most for EKU and fifth most in the conference.
 
He also added seven TFLs, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery that he returned 23 yards for a scoop-and-score in EKU's Homecoming win over Utah Tech.
 
His lone Defensive Player of the Week award came as Marcellus anchored the EKU defense in the 17-13 road upset of then #7 Tarleton State with nine tackles. He also added an interception that provided a spark for the EKU offense in the second half.
 
Paced by Marcellus, EKU's defense stifled the Texans in the second half, shutting them out and holding them to just 152 yards of total offense.
 
The first team selection is the first of the young Colonel's career.
 
Rounding out the first team selections was punter Jacob Baker as just a redshirt freshman.
 
The Corbin, Ky. native was the top punter in the UAC as he posted a punting average of 43.7 yards per punt with 17 punts of 50 yards or longer (most in the UAC) while also having a long of 65 yards.
 
Along with his power, Baker showed precision with 24 punts downed inside the 20, the most in the UAC as well as delivered critical punts late in games giving EKU an edge in the field position battle.
 
Making the second-team all-conference defense from EKU as Darrian Baker and Jaheim Ward.
 
The first all-conference selection of his career, Baker was the top defensive lineman statistically for the Colonels in 2024, helping the Colonels earn their second appearance in the FCS Playoffs in three seasons as the defense allowed the second-fewest points per game in the UAC this season.
 
Recording 43 total tackles on the season, the Harrodsburg, Ky. native had 10.5 TFLs a top-10 mark in the conference while adding three sacks, four pass deflections, and one interception.
 
He also had two interceptions on the line including one in the FCS Playoffs setting up an EKU score. Against the Wildcats he had his best individual game with seven total tackles, three TFLs, and one sack to go with the INT.
 
At defensive back Ward earned all-conference honors in his first season at EKU after transferring from Austin Peay.
 
In his first season wearing Maroon and White, Ward posted 66 total tackles, 5 TFLs, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, and eight pass breakups.
 
His nine passes defended put him in the top 10 of the UAC.
 
Along with Collins, center John Stone earned a spot on the UAC All-Academic Team in his senior season after starting every game for EKU for two consecutive seasons while pursuing an MBA and receiving a bachelor's in accounting last fall.
 
The UAC's All-Conference teams are voted on by the league's head coaches from a pool of nominations at each position submitted by each team's athletic communication staff members, with no coach being allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
 
The league's All-Academic team is voted on by an athletic communication staff member from each institution.