RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University's football team had 19 total selections to Phil Steele's annual awards publication of All-American and All-Conference teams.
 
Leading the way were left tackle Payton Collins and safety Mike Smith Jr. who earned All-American status as second and fourth-team selections respectively from Steele.
 
The two were named First Team sections for Steele's All-UAC Team, with Collins being named the UAC's Offensive Lineman of the Year.
 
The All-American honor is the third selection for Collins in 2024.
 
 A preseason All-UAC and All-American selection at left tackle, Collins anchored 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.
 
The Columbus, Ohio native's selection as the offensive lineman of the year is the second of Collins' career, having earned the honor in 2022 when EKU competed in the ASUN Conference.
 
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.
 
In 2024, Smith led the Colonel defense as a captain allowing only 23.7 points per game.
 
The Jacksonville, Fla. native posted 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.
 
Earning their second Freshman All-American honors of the postseason were Marcus Calwise Jr. and Tyrell Green with Calwise earning First Team honors and Green being named Third Team by Steele.
 
A freshman wide receiver from Covington, Ga., Calwise emerged as the top target for EKU with five touchdown receptions and 526 yards on 42 receptions, averaging 12.5 yards per catch.
 
Calwise was also named the UAC's Freshman of the Week three times in 2024 and scored in each of EKU's last four games.
 
Green's second Freshman All-American honors come as the first-year product from Toledo, Ohio appeared in each of the Colonels' 13 games starting the last 10.
  
 Green played a pivotal role in the success of EKU's offense helping 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.
 
Joining Collins and Smith as First Team All-UAC selections for Phil Steele from EKU were Maddox Marcellus, Jordon Thomas, Patrick Nations, and Jacob Baker.
 
A unanimous First Team All-UAC selection by the league's coaches, Maddox led the Colonels in tackles with 97 total, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery that he returned for a score.
 
Thomas earned first-team honors after being the top pass defender in the UAC for 2024, recording a conference-high 14 total pass breakups averaging 1.08 a game.
 
Along with the breakups, Thomas recorded 45 total tackles and one fumble recovery as a corner starting every game for EKU.
 
A unanimous First Team All-UAC selection and the league's specialist of the year, Nations ended his EKU career with the program records in field goals made with 54 and kicking points in a Colonel career with 309 as the Colonels went 8-4 making it to the FCS Playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
 
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.
 
Nations is joined by his special team counterpart and fellow First Team All-UAC selection Jacob Baker at punter.
 
The top punter in the UAC, Baker 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 delivering critical punts late in games giving EKU an edge in the field position battle.
 
Five Colonels earned second-team honors with Joshua Carter, Darrian Baker, Jaheim Ward, and Jonathan Duff earning the honors joined by Jalen Montgomery as a kick returner.
 
The bell cow of EKU's offense, Carter powered his way to 1,256 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, the third most in the UAC this season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
 
Carter came up clutch throughout EKU's season as the Colonels finished 8-4 in the regular season, 6-2 in conference play earning their second berth in the FCS Playoffs in three seasons.
 
For three-straight games in EKU's five-game winning streak to end the regular season, Carter provided the game-winning score with touchdown runs coming under three minutes left in regulation the last of which being a 23-yard walk-off touchdown run in overtime against Austin Peay delivering the Colonels to a 30-27 win.
 
Darrian Baker's second team selection marks the second all-conference honor the Harrodsburg, Ky. native has earned in 2024 having previously been named to the league's all-conference team.
 
The top defensive lineman statistically for the Colonels in 2024, Baker helped 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.
 
For Ward, the transfer also adds the all-conference honor for the second time this postseason.
 
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.
 
Cracking the All-UAC Second Team from Steele as a long snapper, Duff was the unsung hero of EKU's special team units in 20-24.
 
He played every game for the Colonels in 2024 going 8-4 in the regular season as well as making it to the FCS Playoffs.
 
Duff took every snap on special teams helping the Colonels allow only an average of 3.4 yards per punt return adding a tackle in EKU's upset of then No. 7 Tarleton State and playing a critical role in EKU's UAC leading field goal percentage of .692.
 
He has also accepted an invite to the Dream Bowl All-Star Game beginning on Jan. 11 in Texas.
 
At punt returner, Montgomery was a weapon for EKU in the return game averaging 23.9 yards per kick return attempt.
 
He also recorded the highest punt return average in the conference at 14.3 yards per return including a long of 54 against Central Arkansas in the Colonels second straight win over a nationally ranked opponent.
 
Making third-team all-conference honors were Vincent Munlin Jr. and Braden Sullivan with fourth-team selections Matt Morrissey, John Stone, Calwise Jr., Jeremiah Bailey, Ryan Jackson, and Montgomery rounding out the honors for EKU.
 
Montgomery earned two spots on the fourth all-conference team as a punt returner and all-purpose selection.
 
In his final season at EKU, Munlin's all-conference selection comes after a strong season at right tackle, starting every game for the Colonels in 2024.
 
At linebacker, Sullivan had a strong first season as a Colonel finishing the season as EKU's second-highest tackler this season.
 
Sullivan provided a spark for the Colonels defense as a sophomore posting 92 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one forced fumble against Miss St., one recovery, and one pass breakup.
 
Making Steele's All-UAC Fourth Team at quarterback, Morrissey helped lead the Colonels to their winningest season in the Walt Wells era, going 8-4 in the regular season and 6-2 in UAC play as EKU made it to the First Round of the FCS Playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
 
Morrissey started all 13 games in 2024 including EKU's five-game winning streak to end the regular season with back-to-back ranked wins over No. 7 Tarleton State and No. 16 Central Arkansas.
 
On the season he finished with the third most completions in the UAC with 187, throwing for 2,088 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also added three touchdowns on the ground including a late score against APSU in EKU's come-from-behind win over the Governors on the road.
 
His best statistical game came in the UAC opener for EKU against West Georgia as the Illinois native threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns while going 17-of-30 through the air.
 
Joining Morrissey is center John Stone who for the second season in a row, started every single game for the Colonels.
 
On the defensive side, the duo of Jeremiah Bailey and Ryan Jackson earn fourth-team honors.
 
A force up front for EKU's tenacious defense, the redshirt junior posted 43 total tackles, five TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and one pass deflections.
 
The Tennessee native saved the best for last with his best individual performance coming in the First Round of the FCS Playoffs against No. 11-seed Villanova recording 8 total tackles, three TFLS, and 2 sacks.
 
As a defensive unit, Bailey helped the Colonels only give up 23.7 points per game, the second-best average in the conference as well as the second-best defensive efficiency rating of 129.6.
 
As a captain, Jackson helped lead the Colonels to only allowing 23.7 points per game, the second-best average in the conference as well as the second-best defensive efficiency rating of 129.6.
 
Individually, Jackson compiled 34 total tackles, 4.5 TFLs, one sack, and two pass deflections.