Pair of Gardner-Webb Standouts Earn FCS All-America Honors From Phil Steele Football
January 03, 2023 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb defensive end Ty French and receiver TJ Luther each earned a spot on the 2022 Phil Steele FCS All-America Teams.
French (Moultrie, Ga. / Colquitt County HS) was a second-team selection by the organization. Luther (Arcadia, Fla. / Port Charlotte HS) earned third-team honors.
French, also an All-America choice by Stats Perform and the Associated Press, set a Big South Conference single-season record with 11.5 sacks in 2022 – earning Big South Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big South honors in the process.
A finalist for the 2022 Buck Buchanan Award, French finished his junior season with 72 total tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss (minus-97 yards) and 18 quarterback hurries to go with his record-setting sack total.
French finished sixth in voting for the Buchanan Award, was named to the Ted Hendricks Award final Watch List and earned his third All-Big South medal in three seasons.
He has 37.5 career tackles for loss nd 24.0 sacks – just five sacks away from breaking the Gardner-Webb career mark held by Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Famer Gabe Wilkins. French is only one sack away fron the Big South's career mark.
Luther is the program's 89th FCS/I-AA All-America selection and the 122nd All-America choice in Gardner-Webb's senior college football history.
The NFL prospect finished his career in style, hauling in 63 passes for 1,166 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games – averaging 18.5 yards per reception. Luther had seven games with at least 100 yards receiving in 2022, paced by a five-catch, 188-yard outing at FBS Coastal Carolina on September 10.
Luther had 131 yards and a score on eight catches at FBS Liberty on October 15 and helped GWU to a BBQ Bowl win at Campbell with eight catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
In two seasons with the Runnin' Bulldogs, Luther caught 84 passes for 1,550 yards and 12 touchdowns in 20 games. He finished his overall college career with 125 catches for 2,428 yards and 20 scores. He had 3,455 all-purpose yards as well.
Luther, a first-team All-Big South Conference choice in 2022, recently accepted an invitation to play in the prestigious NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in advance of April's NFL Draft. Blessed with sub-4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder is one of the most intringuing prospects in the Football Championship Subdivision.
French (Moultrie, Ga. / Colquitt County HS) was a second-team selection by the organization. Luther (Arcadia, Fla. / Port Charlotte HS) earned third-team honors.
French, also an All-America choice by Stats Perform and the Associated Press, set a Big South Conference single-season record with 11.5 sacks in 2022 – earning Big South Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big South honors in the process.
A finalist for the 2022 Buck Buchanan Award, French finished his junior season with 72 total tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss (minus-97 yards) and 18 quarterback hurries to go with his record-setting sack total.
French finished sixth in voting for the Buchanan Award, was named to the Ted Hendricks Award final Watch List and earned his third All-Big South medal in three seasons.
He has 37.5 career tackles for loss nd 24.0 sacks – just five sacks away from breaking the Gardner-Webb career mark held by Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Famer Gabe Wilkins. French is only one sack away fron the Big South's career mark.
Luther is the program's 89th FCS/I-AA All-America selection and the 122nd All-America choice in Gardner-Webb's senior college football history.
The NFL prospect finished his career in style, hauling in 63 passes for 1,166 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games – averaging 18.5 yards per reception. Luther had seven games with at least 100 yards receiving in 2022, paced by a five-catch, 188-yard outing at FBS Coastal Carolina on September 10.
Luther had 131 yards and a score on eight catches at FBS Liberty on October 15 and helped GWU to a BBQ Bowl win at Campbell with eight catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
In two seasons with the Runnin' Bulldogs, Luther caught 84 passes for 1,550 yards and 12 touchdowns in 20 games. He finished his overall college career with 125 catches for 2,428 yards and 20 scores. He had 3,455 all-purpose yards as well.
Luther, a first-team All-Big South Conference choice in 2022, recently accepted an invitation to play in the prestigious NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in advance of April's NFL Draft. Blessed with sub-4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder is one of the most intringuing prospects in the Football Championship Subdivision.
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