Ten Runnin' Bulldogs Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors from The Bluebloods
August 02, 2023 | Football
It is the second-most selections for a team in the Big South-OVC
The Big South-OVC All-Conference team of 62 players represents all 10 teams in the conference. Southeast Missouri State leads the conference with 11 all-conference selections, including seven first-team selections. Gardner-Webb has the second-most selections with 10 All-Conference selections.
The Bluebloods honored three Runnin' Bulldogs earlier this preseason, with Ty French, William McRainey, and Raequan Ousley earning Preseason All-American honors in June.
French continues to haul in preseason All-American honors. The Moultrie, Ga. native previously earned a spot as a First Team All-American this preseason from STATS Perform, and Second Team All-American honors, along with the Preseason Big South-OVC Defensive Player of the Year Award from Phil Steele.
French was a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year Award, Ted Hendricks Award and the first Runnin' Bulldog to be voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year since 2008. He finished the regular-season as the Big South leader in sacks with 11.5 -- setting the league single-season record. He tallied 72 total tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss, one interception and one forced fumble. French is ninth nationally in sacks per game (0.88) and 44th in TFL per contest (1.2). French had 4.5 sacks in three games vs. FBS opponents this season and held a streak of three-straight games with 2.0 sacks. During the five-game Big South season, French was tops with 5.5 sacks, ranked sixth with 6.5 TFL, and amassed 23 total tackles. He posted a tackle-for-loss in ten of 13 appearances, as well as a sack in nine outings.
French enters the season just one sack away from tying Chima Uzowihe (2012-15) for most sacks in Big South football history (25.0). He needs five sacks to tie GWU Hall of Famer and 1996 Super Bowl Champion Gabe Wilkins for the school record (29.0).
McRainey led the team last season with 104 total tackles last season, an average of 8.0 per game. He also had 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks to his credit to go along with two pass breakups and an interception.
The rising senior was clutch for the Runnin' Bulldogs, as he forced a fumble in the de-facto Big South Championship game against N.C. A&T and had two fumble recoveries during the year. McRainey was a consistent force in the middle of the field, recording at least one tackle for loss in all five games during the Big South slate. He also picked up at least one solo sack in four consecutive games including the first three conference games.
Off the field, McRainey has also shined in the classroom, as he was the 2022 Big South Football Scholar Athlete of the Year, while also earning 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District honors and was an Academic All-America nominee. McRainey currently carries a 3.59 GPA in Economics and Finance.
Ousley finished last season with 56 tackles (29 solo), two interceptions, and 19 pass deflections. His 19 pass deflections ranked inside the top-15 in all of the FCS and are the second-most in a season in program history, behind James Harbison, who had 20 PBUs in 14 games during the 1992 season. Ousley also forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble.
Earlier this week, Ousley earned Third Team Preseason All-American honors from STATS Perform, while also earning a spot on the Big South-OVC Watch List.
Hours after being named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List, Narii Gaither earns the honor from The Bluebloods. Gaither returns to Gardner-Webb after earning First Team All-Conference honors last season. The Rock Hill, S.C. native played in nine games at running back last season, rushing for 1,019 yards on 154 carries and seven touchdowns. In the FCS Playoffs, Gaither rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns at Eastern Kentucky. That mark is the second most rushing yards by a GWU player in program history, and the most ever by a Gardner-Webb player in the Division I era (Since 2000). Gaither also rushed for over 100 yards in five games during the 2022 season.
Gaither now has 2,462 yards rushing for his career, moving the Rock Hill, S.C., native into fifth on the school's all-time rushing list, passing Juanne Blount (2,439 yards). Gaither is now second on the school's all-time Division I career rushing list, trailing only Tyrell Maxwell (2,944).
Yesterday, STATS Perform announced Gaither as a Preseason Third Team All-American. The senior was also named a Preseason All Big South-OVC honoree by Phil Steele, and earned a spot on the Big South-OVC Preseason Watch List.
Gabriel Thompson earned First Team preseason honors. Last season, Thompson earned First Team All-Conference honors, starting ten games at center. Thompson helped GWU rush for 2323 yards, an average of 4.5 yards per game, while the offensive line helped the offense convert 45 percent of their third downs and 38 percent of their fourth downs.
Jamari Brown rounds out the list of First Team Preseason All-Conference honors. Brown finished the 2022 season with 60 tackles (35 solo), three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. Brown recorded five tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception at Coastal Carolina (9/10) to earn Big South Player of the Week and STATS Perform National Player of the Week Honorable Mention honors (9/12). He also came up clutch for GWU, securing a 40-yard fumble return to set up the 'Dawgs for a score in the de-facto Big South Championship game vs NC A&T (11/19).
Despite missing most of the 2022 season with an injury, Justin Franklin earned a spot on the Second Team list. In his lone game against Limestone, Franklin caught three passes during the game for 71 yards, including a season-long 46 yard reception during the contest.
Willie Harris earned a spot on the second team after a solid 2022 campaign. Harris recorded 27 tackles (nine solo), 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. His best outing came at Robert Morris (10/8), where he tallied 2.5 sacks.
Anderson slides onto the list after a phenomenal 2022 campaign, during which he earned Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year honors, recording 39 tackles (15 solo), six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. He earned Big South Freshman of the Week honors (10/3) after recording nine tackles (three solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and a 45-yard pick six at Marshall (10/1). Anderson also earned STATS Perform National Player of the Week Honorable Mention honors (10/3) for his play against the Thundering Herd.
AJ Thomas rounds out the list for the Runnin' Bulldogs, earning second team honors. Thomas recorded 45 tackles (24 solo) and picked off three passes last season. His best performance came on Oct. 29, when he tallied two interceptions vs Bryant while also picking up three tackles. Thomas had a season-high six tackles at Coastal Carolina (9/10), at Marshall (10/1), and at William & Mary (12/3).
Gardner-Webb opens the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 at Appalachian State before playing their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 6:00 PM inside Spangler Stadium vs Elon. Fans can purchase season tickets at gwusports.com.
2023 Preseason Big South-OVC All-Conference Team
First Team Offense:
QB: Paxton DeLaurent (Southeast Missouri State)
RB: Geno Hess (Southeast Missouri State)
RB: Narii Gaither (Gardner-Webb)
WR: Ryan Flournoy (Southeast Missouri State)
WR: Landon Ruggieri (Bryant)
WR: DeVonte Tanksley (UT Martin)
WR: Anthony Frederick (Bryant)
TE: DJ Nelson (UT Martin)
OL: Zack Gieg (Southeast Missouri State)
OL: Gavin Olson (UT Martin)
OL: Gabriel Thompson (Gardner-Webb)
OL: Lamar Morgan (UT Martin)
OL: JaMichael Watts (Bryant)
First Team Defense:
DL: Ty French (Gardner-Webb)
DL: Daylan Dotson (UT Martin)
DL: Terrell Allen (Tennessee State)
DL: Kenny Dyson Jr. (Bryant)
LB: Bryce Norman (Southeast Missouri State)
LB: William McRainey (Gardner-Webb)
LB: K'Vaughan Pope (Tennessee State)
LB: Elijawah Tolbert (Eastern Illinois)
LB: Christian Fuhrman (Southeast Missouri State)
DB: Lawrence Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
DB: Raequan Ousley (Gardner-Webb)
DB: Darion Bolden (Lindenwood)
DB: Jamari Brown (Gardner-Webb)
DB: Bryce Phillips (Tennessee State)
First Team Special Teams:
K: Ethan Gettman (Bryant)
P: Nick Bigelow (Tennessee Tech)
RS: Anthony Frederick (Bryant)
Second Team Offense:
QB: Zevi Eckhaus (Bryant)
RB: Sam Franklin (UT Martin)
RB: JD Moore (Charleston Southern)
RB: Juwon Farri (Eastern Illinois)
WR: Damoriea Vick (Southeast Missouri State)
WR: Metrius Fleming (Tennessee Tech)
WR: Justin Franklin (Gardner-Webb)
WR: Karate Brenson (Tennessee State)
TE: Jihad Edmond (Bryant)
OL: Chad Strickland (Eastern Illinois)
OL: Ethan Johnson (Lindenwood)
OL: Nathan Hodnett (Tennessee Tech)
OL: Gareth Warren (Lindenwood)
OL: Trevor Smith (Bryant)
Second Team Defense:
DL: Kobe McClendon (Lindenwood)
DL: Jalen Bell (Tennessee State)
DL: Kali Dava (Tennessee Tech)
DL: Willie Harris (Gardner-Webb)
DL: Jay Rogers (UT Martin)
LB: James Green (Tennessee State)
LB: Ty Anderson (Gardner-Webb)
LB: Keandre Booker (Southeast Missouri State)
LB: Jamar Shegog (Robert Morris)
LB: Monroe Beard III (Tennessee State)
DB: AJ Thomas (Gardner-Webb)
DB: Josh Green (Tennessee State)
DB: Ty Leonard (Southeast Missouri State)
DB: Jamel Johnson (Charleston Southern)
DB: Oshae Baker (UT Martin)
Second Team Special Teams:
K: Stone Galloway (Eastern Illinois)
P: George Souders III (Robert Morris)
RS: Dalyn McDonald (Southeast Missouri State)
