NEW ORLEANS – Highlighted by first-team members AJ Gillie and Zylan Perry, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football team placed five members on the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference squad, the league office announced on Monday.

Joining Gillie (offensive line) and Perry (return specialist) on the team which was picked by the league’s 14 head coaches were second-team selections K.C. Ossai (linebacker), Jordan Lawson (defensive line) and Tyrone Lewis, Jr. (defensive back).

In the preseason poll, Louisiana was picked to finish third in the SBC West Division behind Texas State and Troy.

Gillie, a third-team All-SBC selection in 2023, started in all 13 games at left guard while helping the Ragin’ Cajuns rank second in the SBC in rushing offense and second in the league in scoring. The Natchitoches, La., native tallied 41 knockdowns during the regular season and posted a season-high grade of 94 percent at Minnesota.

Perry finished the season as the FBS leader in kick return yards (862) and appeared in all 13 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns. The Franklin, La., native finished among the SBC leaders with 1,100 all-purpose yards (213 rushing, 25 receiving, 862 kick returns).

He posted a season-high 178 all-purpose yards in Louisiana’s SBC opener at Old Dominion (Sept. 9), including a season-high 167 in kick return yards.

Ossai, the leader on the Ragin’ Cajuns defensive unit, played in all 13 games while starting in 12 for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Ossai, an honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference pick in 2023, finished as the team leader with 95 total tackles with 4.5 tackles for a loss. The senior capped off the 2023 season with a career high 18 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss against Jacksonville State in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Lawson appeared in all 13 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns and recorded 43 tackles on the season with 8.5 tackles for a loss and 7.0 sacks. He opened the season with six tackles and a pair of sacks in a win against Northwestern State and added three tackles with 2.0 sacks in the regular-season finale against ULM.

Lewis started in all 13 games for the Cajuns while tying for the team-lead with three interceptions. The former Hammond High product and Kansas State transfer finished third overall on the team with 74 tackles. Lewis had a pair of interceptions and three tackles in a win at South Alabama.

He posted season-high 11 stops at Troy (Nov. 18) and had nine tackles in a win against Texas State.

Louisiana will report for fall camp on August 1 before officially opening the season on August 31 against in-state opponent Grambling at Cajun Field.

2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense^

QB – Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)

QB – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)

RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., RB – Daleville, Ala.)

RB – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RB – Murphy, Texas)

OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State (Sr., OL – Grandview, Texas)

OL – Makilan Thomas, Arkansas State (RS Jr., OL – Little Rock, Ark.)

OL – Cole Potts, James Madison (Sr., OL – Johnstown, Ohio)

OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)

OL – Daniel King, Troy (Sr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)

TE – Eli Wilson, App State (Sr., TE – Piedmont, S.C.)

WR – Kaedin Robinson, App State (RS Sr., WR – Asheville, N.C.)

WR – Derwin Burgess Jr., Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Riverdale, Ga.)

WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

DL – Santana Hopper, App State (RS So., DL – Shelby, N.C.)

DL – Nate Martey, Arkansas State (Sr., DL – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

DL – Justin Rhodes, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., DL – Durham, N.C.)

DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Greensboro, N.C.)

LB – Nate Johnson, App State (So., LB – Gaffney, S.C.)

LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)

LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)

LB – Ben Bell, Texas State (Sr., LB – Cedar Park, Texas)

DB – Jordan Favors, App State (RS Jr., DB – Griffin, Ga.)

DB – Ethan Johnson, App State (Jr., DB – Huntersville, N.C.)

DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Baltimore, Md.)

DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

K – Mason Shipley, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Liberty Hill, Texas)

P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Sr., P – Elgin, Texas)

RS – Zylan Perry, Louisiana (RS So., RS – Franklin, La.)

AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense^

QB – Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State (So., QB – Kernersville, N.C.)

RB – Kanye Roberts, App State (RS So., RB – Wallace, N.C.)

RB – Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RB – Hampton, Ark.)

OL – Chandler Strong, Georgia Southern (RS So., OL – Warner Robins, Ga.)

OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Jr., OL – Newnan, Ga.)

OL – Tyshawn Wyatt, James Madison (Sr., OL – Richmond, Va.)

OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)

OL – Eli Russ, Troy (Jr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)

TE – Kendall Karr, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., TE – Belmont, N.C.)

WR – Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State (RS Sr., WR – Monroeville, Pa.)

WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)

WR – Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Jackson, Ala.)

WR – Kole Wilson, Texas State (Jr., WR – Katy, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense

DL – Will Whitson, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DL – Cincinnati, Ohio)

DL – Eric O’Neill, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Staten Island, N.Y.)

DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)

DL – Denzel Lowry, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DL – Virginia Beach, Va.)

DL – Wy’Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Sr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)

LB – Charles Willekes, Arkansas State (RS Sr., LB – Rockford, Mich.)

LB – Kevin Swint, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)

LB – KC Ossai, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Conroe, Texas)

DB – TJ Smith, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DB – Atlanta, Ga.)

DB – Chauncey Logan, James Madison (Jr., DB – Salem, Va.)

DB – Tyrone Lewis Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DB – Hammond, La.)

DB – Kaleb Culp, Texas State (Sr., DB – Dallas, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

K – Michael Hughes, App State (Sr., K – Charleston, W.Va.)

P – Robert Cole, Troy (Sr., P – Coral Springs, Fla.)

RS – DeAndre Buchannon, Georgia Southern (So., RS – Atlanta, Ga.)

AP – Ja’Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Hampton, Ark.)

^ Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team & Second Team Offense Expanded Due to Ties in Voting

2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

East Division

1. App State – 96 Points (12)

2. James Madison – 79 Points (2)

3. Coastal Carolina – 67 Points

4. Georgia Southern – 50 Points

5. Marshall – 49 Points

6. Old Dominion – 32 Points

7. Georgia State – 19 Points

West Division

1. Texas State – 92 Points (9)

2. Troy – 68 Points (4)

3. Louisiana – 66 Points (1)

4. Arkansas State – 65 Points

5. South Alabama – 54 Points

6. Southern Miss – 31 Points

7. ULM – 16 Points