KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville football All-Decade team presented by Whataburger was released on Wednesday, commemorating the best student-athletes to take the field for the Javelinas from the 2010 through 2019 seasons.
In addition to the All-Decade team, Myles Carr was named Offensive Player of the Decade, while Brandon Jones took home the Defensive Player of the Decade honor.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE DECADE
Myles Carr
Carr, a two-year letter winner from Arcadia, Calif., transferred to Kingsville after spending two seasons at Fresno State and immediately made the move to quarterback his first campaign in 2015. He finished his junior year in the Blue and Gold with 2293 passing yards and 21 touchdowns through the air coupled with four touchdowns on the ground.
The 2016 season saw Carr fully emerge as the signal-caller by starting all 12 games under center and finishing the year with 2702 passing yards and 31 touchdowns en route to the LSC Offensive Player of the Year award. He was also named Second Team All-LSC, Third Team All-Super Region IV by Don Hansen, and finished his career with the third-most passing yards in a season in program history in 2016 and seventh-most career passing yards with 4995.
Carr etched his name throughout the program’s record book following his senior season as his 31 touchdowns are the most of any Javelina, while his 52 career scores are second only to Karl Douglas’ 54 from 1967-70. His 64.1 completion percentage that season is also highest in program history, while his 60.4 career percentage is third all-time, and to round out his time at Javelina Stadium his career passing efficiency of 152.1 is slotted atop the list in program history ahead of Richard Ritchie’s 150.4 set from 1973-76.
ALL-DECADE TEAM – OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Myles Carr
Carr’s record-breaking 2016 featured three games with over 300 yards, including a season-high 376 against A&M-Commerce on September 24 coupled with three touchdowns, and he threw multiple touchdowns in 10 of the 12 games that year, including a string of seven straight to close out the season.
A 313-yard and three-touchdown performance against Incarnate Word on September 3 set the tone for the rest of the year for Carr as the Hogs defeated the Cardinals 31-22, while his final 300-yard game came against Western New Mexico on November 5 when he finished with 313 yards and three touchdowns.
Carr also finished with four touchdowns twice in 2016 as the first came in only seven completions against Simon Fraser for 163 yards on September 10, and he matched the feat on October 15 with four scores and 271 yards against UT Permian Basin as both games went in the win column.
RUNNING BACK
Jonathan Woodson
A four-year letter winner from Missouri City, Texas, Woodson is the Javelinas’ lone two-time First Team All-American on the All-Decade squad as he gathered the honor in 2011 from both Football Gazette and the Associated Press. His 2011 campaign featured 1017 rushing yards and nine touchdowns for the only 1000-yard season by a running back in the decade.
That 2011 campaign featured 228 yards and three touchdowns against Abilene Christian on November 5 in a hard-fought 42-34 loss against the 16th-ranked team in the nation. He also put away 170 yards and a score against Minot State on September 10, finished with 105 yards and two touchdowns on October 8 against Lindenwood and followed up with 162 yards and a touchdown against Incarnate Word the next week.
In this decade, Woodson finished with 1937 yards on the ground, second-most behind Nick Pelrean, along with a 2011 Daktronics Second Team All-America award, a 2011 D2Football.com All-America honorable mention selection, two First Team All-Super Region IV honors, and was named to the 2011 All-LSC first team in two different positions.
Nick Pelrean
Pelrean, a four-year letter winner and two-time All-LSC honorable mention honoree out of Houston, anchored the ground game for three seasons straight starting in 2016 where he finished with 568 yards and nine touchdowns behind 111 attempts. He put away two scores and 109 yards against West Texas A&M on October 8 and followed up with two touchdowns and 103 yards against Oklahoma Panhandle State on November 12.
The 2017 season saw Pelrean close out his junior year with 731 yards and seven touchdowns on 115 attempts. He put away two touchdowns and 94 yards against UT Permian Basin on October 14, while he rumbled his way for 171 yards and a score against Tarleton the very next week.
Pelrean’s 2018 ended with five touchdowns and 752 yards on 134 attempts as he scrambled for two scores and 111 yards against Texas Wesleyan on September 8. He added another 153 yards and a touchdown against Western New Mexico on October 27, while his senior day against UTPB ended up with 104 yards on the ground. His career rushing total of 2135 yards is the most of any Javelina this decade and slotted him 10th on the career rushing yards list in program history, and he is the first Hog to eclipse 2000 career rushing yards since Raymorris Miller pulled off the feat following the 2007 campaign.
TIGHT END
Torrey Thomas
Torrey Thomas, a four-year letter winner out of Katy, Texas, pulled double duties on the line starting in 2015 between receiving and blocking. His efforts resulted in two First Team All-LSC selections in 2016 and 2018, a Second Team All-LSC spot in 2015 as a freshman, and an All-LSC honorable mention nod in 2017.
2015 saw Torrey Thomas put up 125 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 11 games, and he followed up with 188 yards and three more touchdowns the following year in 2016 as he was also named Don Hansen First Team All-Super Region IV.
Torrey Thomas’ 2017 had him tack on another 122 receiving yards and a score, while his senior campaign finished with 217 yards and two touchdowns to push his career totals to 652 yards and nine touchdowns.
WIDE RECEIVER
Jordan Thomas
Jordan Thomas, a four-year letter winner from San Antonio, was the primary target for Javelina quarterbacks nearly all four years on the gridiron for the Blue and Gold. His freshman campaign in 2014 saw him put up 547 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and he followed that up with 703 yards and five scores as a sophomore in 2015.
173 of Jordan Thomas’ yards came against A&M-Commerce on September 19 in the 2015 season and he maintained that momentum later in the year with 132 yards and a score against Midwestern State on October 31. The 2016 season featured 509 yards and five touchdowns as he compiled 152 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Lions yet again on September 24, but it was his senior season in 2017 where he saved the best performances of his career.
The 1073 receiving yards Jordan Thomas put up were the most by any Javelina in this decade, fourth-most all-time in program history and his 13 touchdowns are second only to Glenn Starks’ 14 in 1976 in program history. He was tabbed for two touchdowns and 135 yards against Simon Fraser on September 9, added another two scores and 121 yards against UT Permian Basin on October 14, tallied 212 yards and a touchdown against Eastern New Mexico on October 28, and closed the year with three touchdowns and 95 yards against William Jewell on November 8.
Jordan Thomas was rewarded for his efforts in 2017 with the LSC Receiver of the Year honor and First Team All-LSC nod. He was twice named Second Team All-Super Region IV by both the D2CCA and Don Hansen and rounded out his awards with a Don Hansen All-America honorable mention selection. His 2832 career receiving yards are the most of any Javelina from 2010-19 and put him third all-time in the record books.
Robert Armstrong
A four-year letter winner from Cuero, Texas, Armstrong was the primary target from 2010-13 for the Javelina receiving corps and started his career with 590 yards and six touchdowns in 2010, featuring a 95-yard, two-touchdown performance against West Texas A&M on October 16.
The 2011 year included 626 yards and eight more touchdowns for Armstrong, including 175 yards and a score against A&M-Commerce on October 1 coupled with 103 yards and two touchdowns against Minot State on September 10. His junior season in 2012 was the breakout year with 849 yards and 11 scores, including 100 receiving yards each in the last three games of the year with 137 yards and two touchdowns against Valdosta State on November 1, 144 yards and three touchdowns versus ENMU on November 10, and 109 yards against Emporia State.
Armstrong’s final season saw him finish with 761 yards and eight touchdowns to push his career total to 2826 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns. His efforts on the gridiron included the 2012 LSC Receiver of the Year award and three separate First Team All-LSC selections. In the record book, he trails Jordan Thomas on the all-time receiving yards list but owns the most receiving touchdowns all-time with 33, breaking the record of 30 first set by Dwight Harrison from 1967-70 and matched by Glenn Starks from 1974-77.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Stuart Sanchez
A four-year letter winner from Corpus Christi, Texas, Sanchez was one of many anchors on the offensive line from late in the decade. He was named Don Hansen Second Team All-Super Region IV in 2016 along with a First Team All-LSC selection that same year before being named Second Team All-LSC in 2017 and participating in Dream Bowl VI in Salem, Virginia.
Sanchez appeared in 36 games across for years for the Javelinas and did most of his work in the aforementioned 2016 and 2017 seasons. In 2016 he was part of the group that paved the way for 2163 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground, including a team-high 267 yards and three scores against WT on October 8.
The following year featured 1432 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns with Sanchez leading the way, including a team-high 215 yards and one touchdown against Tarleton on October 21.
Bo Villareal
A four-year letter winner from San Antonio, Villareal was another member of the 2016 team alongside Sanchez who paved the way for 219 yards and four touchdowns on the ground against UT Permian Basin on October 15 as the Javelinas eclipsed 200 rushing yards as a team in five separate contests that year.
Villareal was a Don Hansen Third Team All-Super Region IV selection in 2016 and participated in the Dream Bowl following the regular season. His efforts also led the way for 2802 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air, including 376 yards and three touchdowns against A&M-Commerce on September 24. In total, Villareal was named First Team All-LSC in 2016 and Second Team All-LSC in 2015.
Christian Garcia
A four-year letter winner from Eagle Pass, Texas, Garcia pulled double duty on the track and field team along with his spot on the football team where he was named Second Team All-LSC in 2015 and twice named All-LSC honorable mention in 2013 and 2014.
The 2015 team finished with 2114 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground to go with 2661 yards and 26 touchdowns through the air. The Hog ground game rumbled its way for 328 yards and two scores against Tarleton on November 7 and followed up with 274 yards and two touchdowns the next week against West Texas A&M. Meanwhile, the passing game put away at least 340 yards and three touchdowns in three separate games, starting with 342 yards and three scores against West Alabama on September 26, followed by 349 yards and three touchdowns the following week against Eastern New Mexico, and wrapped up with 349 yards and three scores against Midwestern State on October 31.
Aundra Long
A four-year letter winner from Huntsville, Texas, Long was another key component on the offensive line from 2013-16 and saved his best for last in the 2016 season as he was named All-LSC honorable mention. That year featured seven games in total with multiple rushing touchdowns along with three games over 300 yards passing and 10 with at least two passing touchdowns.
Long’s first full year on the line came in 2014, however, when the Hogs rushed for 1937 yards and 20 touchdowns to go with 1700 passing yards and six passing touchdowns. TAMUK had two separate games with at least 300 yards rushing, starting with 316 yards and three scores against Angelo State on October 18 followed by 301 yards and two scores against WT the following week. The Javelinas saved the best for last, though, as the season finale against McMurry featured 239 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Ralph Rubalcaba
Another component from the 2016 and 2017 teams, Rubalcaba is a four-year letter winner from Raymondville, Texas, and was critical in securing 2884 passing yards and 22 touchdowns in 2017. That year featured four 300-yard passing games with a season-high 367 yards and three touchdowns against UT Permian Basin on October 14 while the ground game put away three rushing touchdowns.
Rubalcaba was eventually selected to participate in Dream Bowl VI in 2017 with Sanchez and finished his career with 26 games played across four seasons. The 2016 campaign also featured two games with four passing touchdowns, first against Simon Fraser on September 10 and second against UTPB on October 15. The Javelinas also put away 351 passing yards and two scores against ENMU in 2017 on October 28, coupled with 334 yards and two touchdowns against Angelo State on September 30 and 326 yards and three touchdowns against William Jewell on November 11.
HONORABLE MENTION – OFFENSE
Nate Poppell
A four-year letter winner from Spring, Texas, Poppell became the top quarterback on the depth chart ahead of the 2010 season and came away with 2671 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. He followed that up with 1102 passing yards and nine touchdowns as a junior in 2011 before tacking on 1805 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.
Poppell’s 5616 career passing yards are third-most all-time in program history while his 5578 in this decade are the most by any Hog signal-caller. His 38 passing touchdowns slot him eight all-time on the career boards while he owns the single-season records in completions (237) and attempts (819), along with the career records for completions (490) and attempts (819).
Stehly Reden
Reden, a two-year letter winner from Valley Center, Calif., was twice named First Team All-LSC in 2016 and 2017 and was named Don Hansen Third Team All-Super Region IV and D2CCA Second Team All-Super Region IV following the 2016 season.
The 2016 campaign featured 397 receiving yards and eight touchdowns from Reden as he caught two touchdowns twice on the year, first against Tarleton on October 22 and second against Western New Mexico on November 5. He caught a season-high 90 yards to go with one touchdown against OPSU on November 12 and added another 74 yards and a score against West Texas A&M on October 8.
Reden’s 2017 season was cut short though he still managed to record at least 40 receiving yards in each of the first three games of the season, culminating in 40 yards and a score against Simon Fraser on September 9.
Michael O’Neal
The final component of the offensive line from the 2016 season, O’Neal is a four-year letter winner from Cibolo, Texas, who appeared in 30 games during his time in the Blue and Gold. The 2016 season saw O’Neal start all 12 games on the offensive line as part of the group that racked up 4965 yards of total offense along with 61 total touchdowns.
O’Neal first got his opportunity on the line in the 2014 season when he appeared in seven games, eventually leading the way for 3637 yards of total offense along with 27 touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE DECADE
Brandon Jones
Jones, a four-year letter winner from Houston, is a two-time All-LSC honorable mention selection in 2017 and 2018 but performed his best work in the 2016 campaign as he was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year en route to a First Team All-LSC nod, a D2CCA and Don Hansen Second Team All-Super Region IV selection, and a D2Football.com Second Team All-America award.
Following his time in the Blue and Gold, Jones sits alone atop the career tackles for loss list with 54.5 and third in sacks with 26.5. He is also tied with the fifth-most tackles for loss in a single season with 17 following the 2018 season, and his 9.5 sacks in 2016 are good enough for sixth-most all-time.
Jones’ illustrious career features 215 total tackles, seven forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, with an emphatic 41-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown against Midwestern State on October 13.
ALL-DECADE TEAM – DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Brandon Jones
Jones started his career with 58 tackles and 12.5 for loss in 2015, including four sacks, coupled with three forced fumbles. He followed that up with 49 tackles and 11.5 for loss in his 2016 season, adding another forced fumble, and posted 41 more tackles in 2017, including 13.5 for loss, to go with 6.5 sacks.
The 2018 season saw Jones close his career with 67 tackles, 17 for loss, and 6.5 sacks to go with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He had a season-high eight tackles in three separate games, first against A&M-Commerce on August 30 before matching the feat against Angelo State on September 15 and Western New Mexico on October 27. He also put away 3.5 tackles for loss against WNMU as he recorded at least a half-tackle for loss in 10 of the 11 games.
Jones’ best game came in the stellar 2016 campaign when he put away four sacks and six tackles for loss against West Texas A&M on October 8, besting his three-sack performance against Simon Fraser earlier that year on September 10.
Valentine, a four-year letter winner from Fulshear, Texas, was a contemporary of Jones from 2016-18 before closing his career after the 2019 season. His four years saw him come away with an All-LSC honorable mention selection in 2017 as he finished his career with 184 tackles, 42 for loss, and 15.5 sacks.
The 15.5 sacks from Valentine are good enough for seventh all-time in program history and second only to Jones in this decade, while his 42 tackles for loss are slotted fifth on the career record board, third-most from 2010-19. He began his career with 42 tackles, nine for loss and four sacks in 2016 across from Jones and he followed up with 57 tackles, 15 for loss, and seven sacks in 2017 for his spot on the All-LSC honorable mention list, while 2018 saw him put away 61 tackles, 16.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Valentine’s 2018 season featured a career game against Western New Mexico on October 27 where he put away a career-high 11 tackles, five for loss, to go with 2.5 sacks. He closed that year with at least a half-sack in the final three games as he posted one against West Texas A&M the next week and added the half-sack against UT Permian Basin on November 10.
Zane Brown
A three-year letter winner from Houston, Brown transferred from Harding ahead of the 2011 season and position himself on the defensive line from day one. He finished his career with 136 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and eight sacks. His efforts resulted in a 2012 Second Team All-LSC nod along with a 2013 All-LSC honorable mention selection.
The 2011 season featured 28 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a half-sack against AM-Commerce on October 1. He followed up with 41 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and 4.5 sacks in 2012, including two sacks each against the Lions on September 29 and ENMU on November 10.
Brown’s senior year in 2013 included 67 tackles, 13 for loss and 3.5, culminating in nine tackles against WT on September 28 and a sack each against McMurry on September 21, ENMU on October 26, and Angelo State on November 9.
LINEBACKER
Jeremy Aguilar
A two-year letter winner from Los Angeles, Aguilar transferred to Kingsville for the start of the 2011 season after two years at Pasadena City College. His first season included 91 tackles, 14 for loss, and 3.5 sacks while he was named the LSC Linebacker of the Year and First Team All-LSC.
Aguilar’s efforts that year also resulted in a Second Team All-America selection from Daktronics, an All-America honorable mention nod from D2Football.com and Don Hansen, along with two separate Second Team All-Super Region IV selections. He followed his junior season with 97 tackles in 2012, 17 for loss, and three more sacks, pushing his total to 188 tackles, 31 for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
2012 saw Aguilar named First Team All-America by the AFCA and Second Team All-America by D2Football.com, coupled with another First Team All-LSC nod.
Tutt, a three-year letter winner from Channelview, Texas, has been the primary stopper on the defensive half of the field for TAMUK the past two years and already established himself in the Javelina record books. He was twice named All-LSC honorable mention in 2018 and 2019, has totaled 211 tackles in three seasons and set the single-game record for tackles this past year with 22 against Eastern New Mexico.
Before his record-setting performance as a redshirt junior, Tutt filled in the starting role in 2018 and came away with 89 tackles, 49 solo and 12 for loss, to go with two sacks and one forced fumble. The 2018 campaign saw him come away with 11 tackles twice, first against Angelo State on September 15 and again versus Western New Mexico on October 27, before closing out the season with 14 tackles against UT Permian Basin on November 10.
Tutt’s team-leading performance in 2018 was followed by 120 tackles in 2019, the most since Deandrae Fillmore compiled 130 in the 2005 season and only the 10th time a Javelina has totaled at least 120 in a season since 1969. He started the year with nine tackles in the first three games before his breakout against ENMU. He followed that effort with 13 against Western Oregon on October 12 and then 17 more against West Texas A&M as he recorded at least eight tackles in all 11 contests.
Braedon Robinson
Robinson, a four-year letter winner from San Antonio, was named First Team All-LSC as a junior in 2016 and added an All-LSC honorable mention selection in 2017 as he tallied 196 tackles in his four seasons as a member of the Blue and Gold. He grabbed 51 tackles in each of his first three seasons before closing his career with 43. His 43.5 tackles for loss put him fourth all-time in program history, trailing only Jones for most this decade.
The 2014 campaign was a breakout year for Robinson even as a freshman as his 51 tackles were supplemented by 12.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He followed that up with 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries as a sophomore in 2015, before his First Team All-LSC performance in the 2016 season that had him with 51 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks and a blocked kick against Western New Mexico on November 5.
His final year featured 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and an interception against UT Permian Basin on October 14, along with a career-best 11 tackles against Angelo State on September 30, pushing his career sack total to 14.5, currently eighth all-time in program history.
Trevor Moses
Another key piece from the 2016 team that reached the Live United Bowl, Moses is a four-year letter winner out of Corpus Christi, Texas, and was twice named All-LSC honorable mention as his career featured 238 tackles, 15.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Moses’ freshman campaign in 2014 was his first as All-LSC honorable mention as he finished with 81 tackles, 4.5 for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He had a string of at least 10 tackles in five contests in the middle of the season starting with 14 against Eastern New Mexico on October 4. He added 17 tackles two weeks later against Angelo State on October 18, tallied 11 more against WT the following week, posted 14 against Midwestern State on November 1 and finished with 11 against Eastern New Mexico on November 8, cementing his honorable mention status.
Following a shortened year in 2015, Moses finished with 51 tackles in 2016, 2.5 for loss, and closed his career with 82 in 2017 behind 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery. He had 14 tackles against ENMU in the 2017 season on November 4 to go with 11 tackles each against A&M-Commerce on September 23 and Central Washington on September 2 en route to his second honorable mention selection.
CORNERBACK
Kelechi Amushie
A four-year letter winner from Richmond, Texas, Amushie took over the cornerback slot in 2013 as a redshirt freshman and made his presence felt in the defensive backfield with 24 tackles, six pass breakups and one fumble recovery. He followed that performance with an All-LSC honorable mention selection in 2014 behind 40 tackles, one interception, 10 pass breakups and one blocked kick against Humboldt State on September 6.
Amushie’s lone interception in 2014 came against McMurry in the final game of the season as the Hogs finished with a 41-16 win over the War Hawks. He kept his momentum rolling into 2015 with 35 tackles, four for loss, nine pass breakups, one fumble recovery and another blocked kick, this time coming against West Alabama on September 26.
His final season in the Blue and Gold saw Amushie compile 21 tackles, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. His career totals stand at 120 tackles, six for loss, one interception, 26 pass breakups and three fumble recoveries.
Joe Crowe
Another four-year letter winner from Houston anchoring the second corner position, Crowe was Amushie’s contemporary from 2013-16 and finished his career with 68 tackles, six for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, 17 pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.
Crowe wasted little time making his presence felt as he intercepted a pass against Tarleton on November 2 while finishing the year with 14 tackles. He added 22 tackles as a sophomore in 2014 along with a blocked kick against A&M-Commerce on September 20 and followed that up with 16 tackles, one interception and another blocked kick in 2015.
The 2015 season featured Crowe’s second career interception on November 7, against Tarleton once again while he started the year with a blocked kick against Missouri S&T on September 12. His final season included 16 tackles and his final interception against Oklahoma Panhandle State on November 12.
SAFETY
Devonte Williams
A four-year letter winner from Houston, Williams was twice named All-LSC honorable mention in 2017 and 2018 after behind named Second Team All-LSC in 2016. His career featured nine interceptions, most of any Javelina in this decade, 190 tackles, three sacks, 33 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries.
Williams started his career with 51 tackles and three interceptions as a freshman in 2015. He intercepted a pass in each of the first two games of the year, first against Incarnate Word on September 5 followed by another against Missouri S&T on September 12, while his third came against Tarleton on October 10. The 2016 campaign featured 30 tackles and two more picks, one against Oklahoma Panhandle State on November 12 and another versus Southern Arkansas in the Live United Bowl. His interception against OPSU was returned for 70 yards and the touchdown, while his interception return against SAU also went the distance for 58 yards.
Another interception return for a touchdown awaited Williams in 2017 as he finished the year with 53 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He had a 68-yard pick off against Tarleton on October 14 in a hard-fought 41-34 loss in Kingsville, while he added another interception against Simon Fraser on September 9. His final season in the Blue and Gold included a career-high 56 tackles, six for loss and two interceptions along with three fumble recoveries. He cut off a pass against Texas Wesleyan on September 8 before matching the feat against UT Permian Basin on November 10.
Rockeem Collins
A four-year letter winner from Gonzales, Texas, Collins anchored the defensive backfield from 2010-13 and finished his career with 97 tackles, 7.5 for loss and four interceptions. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 2011, first with a 49-yard return against Midwestern State on September 24 followed by a 34-yard return against A&M-Commerce the following week.
Collins’ career-best game came against Abilene Christian on November 5 in the 2011 season as he posted 11 tackles, seven solo, just two weeks after he tallied eight tackles, one for loss, against Tarleton on October 22.
HONORABLE MENTION – DEFENSE
AA Vaaulu
A two-year letter winner from Los Angeles, Vaaulu transferred to Kingsville following a one-year stint at New Mexico State and Long Beach City College. The 2014 season saw him put away 12 tackles and a blocked kick coming against McMurry on September 27, while his final year featured 58 tackles, seven for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Vaaulu tabbed a career-best 14 tackles against WT on October 24 to go with two tackles for loss and a half-sack. He also posted 1.5 tackles for loss each against West Alabama on September 26, Tarleton on November 7 and West Texas A&M on November 14.
Demarcus Spurlock
A four-year letter winner and three-time All-LSC honorable mention selection from Houston, Spurlock’s career overlapped with Moses and Robinson from the All-Decade team to create a formidable second-line of defense for the Blue and Gold from 2014-17. His first season for the Javelinas featured 20 tackles before his breakout season in 2015 that included 79 tackles, 5.5 for loss and one fumble recovery to go with his honorable mention selection as he put way a career-high 13 tackles against West Texas A&M on October 24.
The 2016 campaign saw Spurlock add 44 tackles, 4.5 for loss and three sacks along with his lone interception against WT on October 8. Meanwhile, his final year featured 36 tackles, 7.5 for loss and four sacks to push his career totaled to 179 tackles, 19 for loss and 8.5 sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
KICKER
Julio De La Garza
A four-year letter winner from Brownsville, Texas, De La Garza was a three-time All-LSC honorable mention selection and 2016 First Team All-LSC who took over kicking duties in 2015 as a true freshman and methodically worked his way into the program’s record book. The 2015 season included seven field goals made in nine attempts with a 49-yard field goal coming against ENMU on October 3 as he finished the year with 68 points behind a 25-for-26 mark on PATs.
De La Garza followed up with nine made field goals in 12 attempts in 2016 along with a 52-for-54 mark on PATs, tacking on another 86 points to his career total, the most points from a kicker in single-season program history. 2017 featured 10 field goals in 14 attempts as he took over punting duties while putting away all 31 point-after tries for 66 points. His final season saw him tab nine field goals in 15 attempts and 29-for 30 on PATs for 59 points to push his career total to 279.
In the Javelina record books, De La Garza’s 279 points are second-most all-time behind Richard Hammond’s 302. His 156 successful PATs is tied for second along with Richard Ritchie, while his 41 made field goals trail behind Hammond’s 49 for most all-time. De La Garza also slotted himself as one of the more accurate kickers in program history as he was 34-for-47 on field goal attempts in his career for a 72.3 percentage, third-most all-time among kickers with at least 20 attempts.
PUNTER
Angel Millan
A four-year letter winner from Edinburg, Texas, Millan took the field all four years as the punter from 2010-13 and averaged 38.7 yards per punt with a career-long of 87 coming in the 2012 season. His 87-yard punt came in the contest against Tarleton on October 20 in 2012 as he had 14 punts over 50 yards that year.
2013 featured six punts over 50 yards for Millan, including nine pinned inside the 20-yard line, coupled with another 18 inside the 20 in 2012 and 11 in 2011 to push his career total to 39 punts deep in opposing territory.
The Javelina Football All-Decade team was selected after consideration by the Sports Information Office, emeritus Sports Information Director Fred Nuesch, Senior Associate Athletic Director Ruben Cantu, Head Football Coach Mike Salinas, and former longtime Javelina football assistant coach Jaime Martinez