Meet The 2016 All-Forgotten 5 Football Squad
Marking the end of the first football season for the Forgotten 5, we put our heads together and made our inaugural “All Forgotten 5 Team.” Through days of discussion and nominations, we narrowed the squad down to a first team and second team with members of every G5 conference represented.
Despite a lackluster season as a whole, Conference USA led the way with an impressive 12 players making the squad. Conference champion Western Kentucky and runner-up Louisiana Tech combined for eight of the 11 selections, including three Hilltoppers on the first team.
The AAC and Mountain West both landed 11 players on the squad, including record-breaking players Donnell Pumphrey of San Diego State and Zay Jones of East Carolina. The Aztecs were one of two teams to land three players on the first team squad with WKU being the other.
The MAC, led by Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis, landed eight players on the All-Forgotten 5 squad. Many of their selections were on the second team, but Akron surprisingly landed two players on the first team.
The Sun Belt, coming off an impressive bowl season, landed eight players on the squad. Pass rushing duo Ja’Von Rolland-Jones and Chris Odom of Arkansas State highlighted a group that saw five different programs represented.
Rounding out the group of five was a single selection of linebacker Andrew King of Army. He was one of three Service Academy players to make the team with Weston Steelhammer of Air Force and Adam West of Navy also selected.
Without further ado, here is the 2016 All-Forgotten 5 Team.
First Team
Offense:
- QB: Mike White, Western Kentucky
- RB: Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State
- RB: Aaron Jones, UTEP
- TE: Gerald Everett, South Alabama
- WR: Zay Jones, East Carolina
- WR: Corey Davis, Western Michigan
- OL: Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
- OL: Cameron Tom, Southern Miss
- OL: Nico Siragusa, San Diego State
- OL: Will Hernandez, UTEP
- OL: Mario Yakoo, Boise State
Defense:
- DL: Ed Oliver, Houston
- DL: Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, Arkansas State
- DL: Hasson Reddick, Temple
- DL: Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
- LB: Shaquem Griffin, Central Florida
- LB: Rodney Butler, New Mexico State
- LB: Ulysses Gilbert, Akron
- DB: Damontae Kazee, San Diego State
- DB: Weston Steelhammer, Air Force
- DB: Xavier Woods, Louisiana Tech
- DB: Horace Richardson, SMU
Special Teams:
- P: Rigoberto Sanchez, Hawaii
- K: Austin Rehkow, Idaho
- KR: Kylen Towner, Western Kentucky
- PR: JoJo Natson, Akron
Second Team
Offense:
- QB: Ryan Higgins, Louisiana Tech
- RB: Jeremy McNichols, Boise State
- RB: Brian Hill, Wyoming.
- TE: Michael Roberts, Toledo
- WR: Richie James, Middle Tennessee
- WR: Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech
- OL: Antonio Garcia, Troy
- OL: Adam West, Navy
- OL: Dion Dawkins, Temple
- OL: Taylor Morton, Western Michigan
- OL: Fred Zerblis, Colorado State
Defense:
- DL: Rashad Dillard, Troy
- DL: Chris Odom, Arkansas State
- DL: Tarell Bashum, Ohio
- DL: David Moa, Boise State
- LB: Andrew King, Army
- LB: Keith Brown, Western Kentucky
- LB: Nico Marley, Tulane
- DB: Clifton Duck, Appalachian State
- DB: Howard Wilson, Houston
- DB: Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut
- DB: Andrew Wingard, Wyoming
Special Teams:
- P: Joe Davidson, Bowling Green
- K: Louie Zervos, Ohio
- KR: Tony Pollard, Memphis
- PR: Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
Coming Friday will be the superlatives of Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams player of the year. In addition, we will also choose offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and head coach of the year.