MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football players Brian Ankerson and Nick Mobley were named to the 2019 Academic All-District® Football Team, which was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday. The honor marked the second straight for Ankerson, while it was Mobley's first.
With Ankerson's back-to-back selections to the academic team, the Theodore, Ala., native becomes just the third player in program history to receive the accolades in consecutive seasons and the first to accomplish the feat since Rush Hendricks during the 2013 and '14 seasons. Trey Clark was also selected in back-to-back years in 2011 and '12.
The district includes the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, while to be eligible for consideration for honors individuals must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or higher, be a starter or important reserve, and must have sophomore status both academically and athletically. The pair has been moved forward to the national ballot, with the NCAA Division I Academic All-America team set to be released in early December.
Ankerson — a 6-foot-1, 295-pound offensive lineman — has both the highest assignment and overall grades on the team this season, and he also stands tied for third with 36 knockdown blocks. The second-year starter has been under center for all nine games this fall and has been called for just three penalties while making over 591 snaps. Ankerson has been named to the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List following each of his first three years at South.
Mobley leads the team in total tackles (75) and assisted tackles (41), while his 34 solo tackles are second-most on the Jaguar roster. The sophomore linebacker has also been credited with two tackles for loss as well as a sack and a quarterback hurry, while starting all nine games at the "Will" position. He has led South in tackles five times, recording double digits on a team-best four occasions, including a career-best 14 against Georgia Southern. Last season, Mobley was selected to the Sun Belt's Academic Honor Roll after making the Commissioner's List in 2017-18.
The Jaguars will next host Louisiana on Saturday at 4 p.m. (CST) at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give
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