BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol was named Louisiana's Newcomer of the Year and the Bulldogs had five players receive accolades as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) announced its annual All-Louisiana football teams Thursday.

Offensive lineman Mitchell Bell and running back Kenneth Dixon received first team honors while Sokol, defensive end Houston Bates and safety Xavier Woods received second team honors.

Receiver Trent Taylor was listed in the honorable mention rolls. The team, traditionally released on Christmas Day, is built off nominations from the media relations directors at the football playing schools in the state. From there, a panel of LSWA members makes their selections with those nominating unable to vote for athletes from their own schools. This year, a total of 33 ballots from all part of the state were turned in for the final vote.

Sokol received his second superlative award of the season as he was also named Conference USA's Newcomer of the Year. He entered bowl season ranked 11th in the nation in passing touchdowns as his 29 touchdowns this season to date ranks tied for sixth in school history, matching Luke McCown's 2001 performance. Sokol is ranked 22nd in the nation in passing yards (3,189 yards) and led Tech to six games where the Bulldogs scored 40 or more points this season. The Phoenix native was second team behind Southeastern Louisiana's Bryan Bennett as the Lions signal caller passed for 2,357 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

Dixon received first team honors at running back after leading Conference USA and ranking fifth in the nation in scoring while being the only FBS player in the nation to have a rush and a reception of over 80 yards this year. He enters bowl season five yards shy of Louisiana Tech's all-time rushing record as only a junior. A native of Strong, Arkansas, Dixon finished second to Louisiana-Lafayette's Elijah McGuire in the Offensive Player of the Year voting (McGuire received 13 votes to Dixon's eight) despite McGuire only rushing for 15 yards on seven carries against Louisiana Tech's stout defense, a unit that received no All-Louisiana First Team honorees. Dixon had 184 rushing yards on 12 carries - an average of 15.2 yards per rush - in Tech's 48-20 win over the Cajuns in a game where Dixon set new Louisiana Tech, Conference USA and Cajun Field records with his 99-yard touchdown run.

Bell received first team honors after also receiving first team All-Conference USA honors as he led an offensive line that ranked 19th in the nation in sacks allowed and fifth in the nation in most-improved scoring offense, as well as a unit that entered bowl season ranked 12th in the nation in scoring offense overall.

Bates received second team honors after leading the Bulldogs in sacks (5.5) and in QB hurries (12) this season. He forced a fumble and was one of nine Bulldogs to record an interception as LA Tech entered bowl season ranked first in the nation in turnovers gained (40) and tied for first in the nation in interceptions (25). A team captain, Bates led a defense that was ranked 16th in the nation and first in C-USA in rushing defense while also ranking seventh in the nation while leading C-USA in tackles for a loss.

Woods entered bowl season ranked third in the nation with 161 interception return yards as he was 25th in the nation in interceptions (5). A sophomore from West Monroe, Woods blocked a kick in the Conference USA Championship Game at Marshall, returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown at Louisiana-Lafayette and was one of four different Bulldogs to record two interceptions in a game this season.

Tickets are still available to the game and can be purchased online at LATechSports.com 24 hours a day. A ticket Will Call table will also be open in the lobby of the Omni Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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LSWA All-LOUISIANA COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
OL/Vadal Alexander, LSU/Jr./Buford, Ga./Second Team All-SEC, 73 knockdowns, 2nd on team
OL/Mitchell Bell, Louisiana Tech/Sr./Houston, Texas/First Team All-C-USA, 12 games started
OL/Jonathan Braddock, Southeastern/Sr./Ripley, Miss./First Team All-SLC, Starter at RT
OL/La'el Collins, LSU/Sr./Baton Rouge, La./First Team All-SEC, Jacobs Award (top OL in SEC)
OL/Daniel Quave, UL-Lafayette/Sr./Gautier, Miss./First Team All-SBC, 51 consecutive starts
RB/Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech/Jr./Strong, Ark./Second Team All-C-USA, Fifth in nation in scoring
RB/Elijah McGuire, UL-Lafayette/So./Houma, La./SBC POY, 1,165 yds, 14 TDs, 1,695 All-Purpose
WR/Ed Eagan, Northwestern State/Jr./New Orleans, La./First Team All-SLC, 908 yards, 6 TDs
WR/Travin Dural, LSU/So./Breaux Bridge, La./758 yards, 7 TDs, 2nd SEC in YPC 20.5
TE/Larry Pettis, UL-Lafayette/Sr./Oxford, Miss./All-SBC HM, 16 catches, 117 yds, 1 TD
QB/Bryan Bennett, Southeastern/Sr./Granada Hills, Calif./SLC POY, Peyton Finalist, 2,357 yds, 18 TDs

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
DL/Justin Hamilton, UL-Lafayette/Sr./Natchez, Miss./First Team All-SBC, 26 TT, 9.0 TFL, 5 sacks
DL/Danielle Hunter, LSU/Jr./Katy, Texas/Led LSU with 12 TFL, 64 TT, 6 PBUs
DL/Gerrand Johnson, ULM/Jr./Rayville, La./First Team All-SBC, 93 TT, 6.0 sacks, 12.5 TFL
DL/Christian Ringo, UL-Lafayette/Sr./Jackson, Miss./First Team All-SBC, 7th nation in TFL 19.5
LB/Kwon Alexander, LSU/Jr./Oxford, Ala./First Team All-SEC, 79 TT, 7.5 TFL
LB/Kendell Beckwith, LSU/So./Clinton, La./68 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks, moved to starter mid-season
LB/Isiah Corbett, Southeastern/Sr./Belle Glade, Fla./First Team All-SLC, Finalist Buchanan Award
DB/Imoan Claiborne, Northwestern State/Sr./Alexandria, La./First Team All-SLC, 4 int., 3 FR, 7 PBU
DB/Mitch Lane, ULM/Jr./Pine Bluff, Ark./First Team All-SBC, 91 TT, 3 int, 1 TD, 4 PBU
DB/Sam Scofield, Tulane/Sr./Lafayette, La./Second team All-AAC, 94 TT, 5 TFL, 4 PBU, 3 INT
DB/Tre'Davious White, LSU/So./Shreveport, La./32 TT, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs, 1 sack

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
K/Ryan Adams, Southeastern/Sr./Dayton, Ohio/First Team All-SLC, 16-18 FG, 60-62 PAT, 7th FCS FG% (89)
P/Jamie Keehn, LSU/Jr./Miners Rest, Australia/Second Team All-SEC, 2nd in SEC 45.0 avg., 25 inside 20
RS/Ed Eagan, Northwestern State/Jr./New Orleans, La./Double honoree, 1,254 KR yards (1st FCS)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Elijah McGuire, UL- Lafayette
Voting - McGuire 13, Dixon 8, Bennett 4, Collins 3, Eagan 2, Willie Quinn (Southern) 1, Sokol 1, Johnathon Williams (Grambling) 1

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Christian Ringo, UL-Lafayette
Voting - Ringo 15, Beckwith 6, Corbett 6, Xavier Woods (Louisiana Tech) 3, Gerrand Johnson (ULM) 2, Beau Brewer (Louisiana College) 1

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Leonard Fournette, LSU
Voting - Fournette 16, Carlos Henderson (Louisiana Tech) 5, Austin Howard (Southern) 5, Korliss Johnson (Northwestern State) 3, Parry Nickerson (Tulane) 2, Ryan Ross (McNeese) 2

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Cody Sokol, Louisiana Tech
Voting - Sokol 23, Marion Chapman (Northwestern State) 10

COACH OF THE YEAR - Broderick Fobbs, Grambling State
Voting - Fobbs 24, Skip Holtz (Louisiana Tech) 4, Mark Hudspeth (UL-Louisiana) 3, Dawson Odums (Southern) 1, Ron Roberts (Southeastern) 1.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

OL - Zach Brown, Southern (Sr., Missouri City, Texas); Antoine Everett, McNeese (Sr., Richmond, Texas); Pace Murphy, Northwestern State (Jr., Houston, Texas); Brandon Porche, Louisiana College (Sr., Opelousas, La.); Mykhael Quave, UL-Lafayette (Gautier, Miss.).

RB - Leonard Fournette, LSU (Fr., New Orleans, La.); Lenard Tillery, Southern (So., Baton Rouge).

WR - Rashon Ceaser, ULM (Jr., Clinton, La.); Willie Quinn, Southern (Jr., Miami, Fla.)

TE - Alec Osborne, ULM (Jr., Geismar, La.)

QB - Cody Sokol, Louisiana Tech (Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.)

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Leroy Armstrong, Northwestern State (Jr., Natchitoches, La.); Houston Bates, Louisiana Tech (Sr., Covington, La.); Kevin Dorn, McNeese (Sr., Pineville, La.); Royce LaFrance, Tulane (Jr., Harvey, La.); Arthur Miley, Southern (Sr., Mangham, La.).

LB -- Beau Brewer, Louisiana College (Sr., Diana, Texas); Marion Chapman, Northwestern State (Sr., Waynesboro, Miss.); Hunter Kissinger, ULM (Jr., Springdale, Ark.).

DB - Lorenzo Doss, Tulane (Jr., New Orleans, La.); Ronald Martin, LSU (Sr., White Castle, La.); Aaron Sam, McNeese (Sr., Lake Charles, La.); Xavier Woods, Louisiana Tech (So., West Monroe, La.).

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K - Justin Manton, ULM (Sr., Prairieville, La.).
P - Daniel Cadona, UL-Lafayette (Sr., Toowoomba, Australia)
RS - Ira Jewitt, Louisiana College (Sr., Shreveport, La.)

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE: OL -- DeWayne Houston, Southern (Sr, Lafayette, La.). RB - Michael Henry, Nicholls (Jr., Baton Rouge, La.). WR - Devante Scott, Southeastern (Sr., Ferriday, La.); Trent Taylor, Louisiana Tech (So., Shreveport, La.). QB - Terrance Broadway, UL-Lafayette (Sr., Baton Rouge, La.). DEFENSE: DB - Harlan Miller, Southeastern (Jr., Kentwood, La.). Specialists: P - Justin Manton, ULM (Sr., Prairieville, La.). RS - Xavier Roberson, Southeastern (Jr., Atlanta, Ga.).