Five Eastern Kentucky University football players have been named to the inaugural United Athletic Conference (UAC) Postseason All-Conference teams, announced by the league office on Friday afternoon.
The selections were made by a vote of the nine UAC head coaches, excluding their own players.
Offensive Domination
Quarterback Parker McKinney and tight end Hunter Brown led the EKU charge with unanimous first-team offensive selections, garnering recognition from all nine head coaches. EKU boasted the most unanimous first-team selections across the conference, with seven overall.
McKinney adds this honor to his already impressive trophy case after a record-setting 2023 season. The senior passed for 3,033 yards and 20 touchdowns, finishing his career with 12,751 passing yards (11th most in FCS history) and 94 passing touchdowns (most in program history).
Brown’s dominant debut season earned him the lone first-team tight end spot. The Wellsboro, PA native led the UAC for tight ends with 387 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 33 receptions.
Offensive linemen Payton Collins and Josiah Ezirim rounded out the Colonels’ offensive selections with first-team honors.
Ezirim, a senior from Hilliard, Ohio, started every game in 2023, paving the way for the top offense in the conference (437.4 yards per game). The Colonels amassed 4,811 total yards and 37 touchdowns on the season.
Collins, a fellow Ohio native, earned his third consecutive all-conference selection after anchoring the offensive line for every game this season. His contributions were key to EKU’s dominance on offense.
Defensive Standout
Linebacker Logan Blake earned first-team recognition on the defensive side of the ball. The transfer from Indiana made an immediate impact, leading the UAC and finishing fourth in FCS football in total tackles with 132. Blake’s 132 tackles were the most by a Colonel since Teddy McCombs in 1994. He also recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, good for sixth in the conference.
A Bright Future Ahead
With five players earning UAC Postseason All-Conference honors, the future of Eastern Kentucky football appears bright. The Colonels have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the UAC, and their talented young core promises continued success in the years to come.
