-Tim Clark, TLU Sports Information
(Seguin) – Texas Lutheran senior safety James Bell earned his fourth All-ASC First Team honor and was one of 17 Bulldogs to receive honors as the American Southwest Conference released its 2020-21 football awards.
Bell was one of five Bulldogs to claim All-ASC First Team spots. He was joined on the First Team by teammates Nike Gooden (offensive tackle), Chris Monroe (running back), Juan Ocampo (place-kicker), and Jackson Worley (defensive line).
Bell played and started in 33 career games as Bulldog. He collected 199 total tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, and 11 interceptions. In the 2020-21 season, Bell secured 43 total tackles (8.6 per game) and had four tackles for loss.
Ocampo claimed his second All-ASC First Team selection and his third overall selection to the All-ASC squad. The junior kicker missed one kick all season. He was 7-for-8 in field goal attempts, with a long make of 44, and he was 17-for-17 on point-after attempts.
Gooden, Monroe and Worley were named to the All-ASC First Team for the first time in their careers. Gooden starred at right tackle for the Bulldogs. He led an offensive line that was the driving force behind a rushing attack that led the ASC in rushing yards per game, at 244.8. The Bulldogs were third in total offense with 18 touchdowns scored and an average of 5.3 yards per play.
Monroe was third in the league in rushing, with 387 yards. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored three rushing TDs. He concluded his four-year Bulldog career with 1,928 yards and a career yards per carry average of 6.1. In TLU’s DIII era, Monroe is third in career rushing yards. His 6.1 yards per carry are the most yards per carry for a back in TLU’s DIII era (with at least 100 carries).
Worley earned All-ASC honors for the second time. (He was an Honorable Mention selection in 2019). In 2020-21, Worley took on constant double teams and still managed 16 tackles in five games. He had one sack and one tackle for loss. Worley recorded 6.5 career sacks and 63 total career tackles. His lone interception, which he returned for a touchdown, clinched the 2019 upset road win over then No. 6-ranked Hardin-Simmons.
Senior linebacker Dakwa Davis, who was lost for the year due to an injury early in the spring season, was named TLU’s representative on the ASC’s Outstanding Sportsman Team of the Year. Davis played in two games before an injury in the second game of the year. He was leading the team in tackles, with 20, when his season ended. He had a half-sack and 4.5 tackles for loss in the two games. He was named the ASC West Defensive Player of the Week after the home win over Sul Ross State.
Bulldogs named to the All-ASC Second Team included: senior wide receiver Mason Perkins, junior center Trevor Hopkins, senior linebacker Keyshawn Holman, and junior punter Justice Porter.
All-ASC Third Team selections included: junior offensive guard NaKoven Lewis, freshman running back DaKory Willis, Perkins again (this time as a return specialist), and junior cornerback Robert Ramirez III.
All-ASC Honorable Mention honors went to: sophomore tight end Aaron Sotelo, senior guard Levi Torres, and sophomore quarterback Seth Cosme.
Perkins averaged 86.6 yards of receiving per game over the five-game season. He caught four touchdown passes and was named the ASC West Offensive Player of the Week after leading TLU to a comeback road win over Howard Payne. Perkins also averaged 16.5 yards per punt return and had a long return of 66.
Hopkins started all five games at center for TLU and, like Gooden, was a huge part of the Bulldogs’ offense that led the conference in rushing and was third in total offense.
Holman led a depleted TLU linebacking corps and moved from outside to inside linebacker during the year. He was third on the team in total tackles, with 29. He had nine solo tackles and 20 tackles assists.
Porter punted 13 times and averaged 41.0 per punt. He had a long of 70 and put four punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
Lewis was another offensive lineman that started all five games (at right guard) and propelled TLU to the team rushing title. Willis was one of the backs that benefited from the work of Lewis and the offensive line. The true freshman rushed for 343 yards and ranked fourth in the conference in rushing yards. He averaged 6.1 yards per rush and scored three rushing touchdowns.
Ramirez III started all five games at cornerback and collected an interception, a fumble recovery, and 17 total tackles.
Sotelo, the team’s starting H-back, was a huge part of the Bulldogs’ rushing attack. He also had six receptions for 100 yards, with a long of 33.
Torres was the fourth starting offensive lineman to collect All-ASC honors this year. Torres started in all five games at left guard.
Cosme started all five games at quarterback for TLU. Cosme began the year when returning All-ASC quarterback Wade Freeman III was unable to play. Cosme led TLU to the comeback win at Howard Payne and then split time with Freeman in wins over Sul Ross State and McMurry. Cosme threw for 600 yards and five touchdowns (with one interception). He also rushed 62 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
TLU went 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the American Southwest Conference West Division in the abbreviated 2020-21 spring football season. TLU was the ASC West runner-up and dropped the No. 2 seed ASC playoff game against East Texas Baptist.