RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech football team had 15 players earn postseason honors from the College Football Network. Wide receiver Tru Edwards and kickoff specialist Buck Buchanan were named to the CFN All-CUSA First Team, with Buchanan also being named the CFN CUSA Specialist of the Year and an honorable mention place kicker.
 
CFN All-CUSA First Team
 
Tru Edwards | WR: Played in all 12 games with 11 starts at wide receiver … Led the team in receptions (77), receiving yards (897) and receiving touchdown receptions (six) … Was the only player in CUSA to record 70+ receptions … Finished second in the league in yards and tied for fourth in touchdown grabs … Caught multiple passes in 11 games … Had two games with multiple touchdown receptions … Finished with 5+ receptions 10 times … Hauled in a season-high 10 receptions in the season finale versus Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Finished with 100+ receiving yards in four games … Caught four passes for 148 yards and a touchdown at NC State (Sept. 14) … Hauled in six receptions for 127 yards and one score in the win over MTSU (Oct. 10) … Finished with two touchdowns on nine receptions with 110 yards on the road at New Mexico State (Oct. 15) … Logged two touchdowns and 142 yards on six receptions versus Jax State (Nov. 9) … Finished with eight catches against FIU (Sept. 28), Sam Houston (Oct. 29) and Arkansas (Nov. 23) … Had eight receptions of 20+ yards and four from 40+ yards … Had long receptions of 71, 75 and 86 yards, all of which were scoring plays … His 86-yard reception versus Jax State is the 10^th longest passing play in LA Tech history … Finished 2024 season with 1,017 all-purpose yards.
 
Buck Buchanan | KOS: Kicked off 56 times for 3,633 yards … Recorded 51 touchbacks, while allowing just four returns  … His 51 touchbacks led the CUSA.   
 
CFN All-CUSA Second Team

Solo Lewis | PR: Returned 13 punts for 218 yards, for an average of 16.7 yards per return … Registered a 49-yard punt return and a season-high 93 punt return yards in the season finale against Kennesaw State (Nov. 30).
 
CFN All-CUSA Third Team
 
Eli Finley | TE: Played and started in all 12 games at tight end … Was one of four players on the offensive side of the ball to start in every game … Finished with 23 receptions for 279 yards and two touchdowns … Ranked third on the team in all three categories … Caught at least one pass in 10 games … Recorded multiple receptions in seven games … Caught three passes for 91 yards and a touchdown versus Tulsa (Sept. 21) … Finished with one touchdown on three receptions with 15 yards at Arkansas (Nov. 23) … Caught a season-high five passes for 46 yards at Sam Houston (Oct. 29) … Had four receptions of 20+ yards, including a 53-yard catch against Tulsa … Helped pave the way for seven 100+ yard rushing games and three 200+ yard games as a blocker.
 
Patrick Rea | P: Saw action in all 12 games as the team's punter and holder … Tallied 2,511 yards on 64 punts for an average of 39.23 yards per punt … Had 22 punts land inside the 20-yard line and 22 punts that were fair caught … Ranked second in CUSA in both categories … Had five 50+ yard punts including a season-long of 70 yards against Nicholls (Aug. 31) … Finished with 304 yards on seven punts versus Nicholls … Recorded three punts inside the 20-yard line against Tulsa (Sept. 21) and UTEP (Oct. 22) … Punted twice for 113 yards to average 56.60 yards per punt against MTSU (Oct. 10) … Five of his eight punts versus Arkansas were fair caught (Nov. 23) … Had one carry for 26 yards against Arkansas.
 
CFN Honorable Mention All-CUSA
 
Omiri Wiggins | RB: Played in all 12 games while making eight starts at running back … Started in seven of the final eight games … Finished the season with 487 rushing yards and four rushing scores on 103 attempts … Averaged 4.7 yards per rush … Led LA Tech in rushing yards and attempts, while finishing tied for rushing touchdowns … Caught 20 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns … Finished tied for the team lead in total touchdowns … Ran for a season-high 129 yards and three touchdowns in the season finale versus Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Ran for 63 yards and one touchdown at New Mexico State (Oct. 15) … Caught two receiving touchdowns on two receptions against MTSU (Oct. 10) … Tallied 67 yards on the ground against Jax State (Nov. 9) … Hauled in four passes for 28 yards against UTEP (Oct. 22).
 
Jimmy Holiday | WR: Saw action in all 12 games while starting the final five at wide receiver … Finished the season with 642 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns … Hauled in 37 receptions for 461 yards and two touchdowns … Carried the ball 47 times for 181 yards and four scores… Ranked second on the team in receptions and receiving yards … Finished tied for the team lead in rushing scores and total touchdowns … Averaged 12.46 yards per catch and 38.42  receiving yards per game … Finished with a season-high 103 receiving yards on a season-high seven catches against Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Caught six passes for 93 yards versus UTEP (Oct. 22) … Caught receiving touchdowns against MTSU (Oct. 10) and on the road at Arkansas (Nov. 23) …Carried the ball nine times for 41 yards and a touchdown against Jax State (Nov. 9) … Ran the ball four times for 40 yards against MTSU … Had back-to-back games with rushing scores against Tulsa (Sept. 21) and FIU (Sept. 28) … Averaged 53.50 all-purpose yards per game.
 
Bert Hale | OG: Played and started in all 12 games at left guard … One of two Bulldog offensive lineman to start all 12 games … Helped pave the way for seven 100+ yard rushing games and three 200+ yard games … Helped pass block for an offensive unit that ranked fourth in CUSA with 228.0 passing yards per game … Pass blocked in one 300+ yard passing performance.

J'Dan Burnett | DE: Saw action in all 12 games with three starts at defensive end …Finished with 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup … Tallied five tackles, .5 TFL, .5 sacks and a quarterback hurry in the opener against Nicholls (Aug. 31) … Collected four stops at NC State (Sept. 14) … Tallied one sack versus Tulsa (Sept. 28) … Logged one sack at WKU (Nov. 16).
 
Jessie Evans | DE: Played in all 12 games with 10 starts at defensive end … Registered 37 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and three sacks … Logged four quarterback hurries … Had at least .5 TFLs in seven games … Recorded a season-high seven tackles against New Mexico State (Oct. 15) … Collected four tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a sack against FIU (Sept. 28).
 
David Blay | DT: Despite being name a First Team All-CUSA performer, Blay received Honorable All-CUSA honors from CFN … Started and played in all 12 games at defensive tackle … One of three Bulldog defenders to start in all 12 games … Led LA Tech's defensive front with 46 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries … Led the team in sacks and TFLs … Finished third in CUSA in sacks and tied for third in TFLs … Registered at least .5 TFLs in 10 games … Made a season-high six stops against Tulsa (Sept. 21), UTEP (Oct. 22), Jax State (Nov. 9) and Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Added 1.5 sacks vs. UTEP … Finished with five tackles, two TFLs and a sack at Arkansas (Nov. 23) … Logged multiple tackles in 11 games … Had at least one sack in five of the final six games. 
 
Zach Zimos | LB: Started and played in all 12 games at defensive tackle … One of three Bulldog defenders to start in all 12 games … Led LA Tech's defensive front with 46 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries … Led the team in sacks and TFLs … Finished third in CUSA in sacks and tied for third in TFLs … Registered at least .5 TFLs in 10 games … Made a season-high six stops against Tulsa (Sept. 21), UTEP (Oct. 22), Jax State (Nov. 9) and Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Added 1.5 sacks vs. UTEP … Finished with five tackles, two TFLs and a sack at Arkansas (Nov. 23) … Logged multiple tackles in 11 games … Had at least one sack in five of the final six games. 
 
Demarcus Griffin-Taylor | CB/KR: Played and started in all 12 games at cornerback for the Bulldogs … Finished fourth on the team with 54 tackles to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries … Made a season-high nine stops on the road at NC State (Sept. 14) … Finished with four tackles and a forced fumble in the season opener against Nicholls (Aug. 31) … Recorded seven stops, one PBU and .5 TFLs against Tulsa (Sept. 21) …Logged five tackles and two pass breakups at Sam Houston (Oct. 29) … Totaled 5+ tackles in five games … Registered multiple tackles in all 12 games … Returned 20 kickoffs for 500 yards … Had a long return of 58 yards versus UTEP (Oct. 22) … Recorded a 49-yard return against MTSU (Oct. 10).

Cedric Woods | CB: Started and played in 11 games at cornerback … Finished the season with 26 tackles and five pass breakups … Tallied a season-high seven tackles on the road at NC State (Sept. 14) … Collected three tackles and two pass breakups in the win over MTSU (Oct. 10) … Recorded four tackles and a pass breakup versus Jax State (Nov. 9).
 
Blake Thompson | SS: Saw action in 11 games, starting nine at safety … Finished third on the team with 55 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss … Forced two fumbles and had two pass breakups … Tallied five tackles, one TFL and a forced fumble in the season opener against Nicholls (Aug. 31) ... Recorded a season-high 12 tackles and a TFL against Tulsa (Sept. 21) … Logged nine stops and a forced fumble against Jax State (Nov. 9) … Recorded 5+ tackles in seven games.
 
Buck Buchanan | PK: Connected on 13-of-20 field goal attempts … Made 29-of-31 extra point attempts … Finished as the team's leading scorer with 68 total points … Made two field goals from 50+ yards … Had four makes of 40+ yards … Tied the school record with a 57-yard make on the road versus NC State (Sept. 14) … Connected on a 55-yard try in the season finale against Kennesaw (Nov. 30) … Accounted for all of LA Tech's points in the 12-7 road win over WKU (Nov. 16) after connecting on four field goals … Made three field goals at New Mexico State (Oct. 15) … Logged eight touchbacks versus MTSU (Oct. 10).
 
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