Erath star Mitchell among Cajuns earning preseason honors

LAFAYETTE — The UL Lafayette football team continues to collect preseason accolades.

The Ragin’ Cajuns had a total of 18 total players placed on Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Teams which were released last weekend.

Those 18 selections are the most of any team in the Sun Belt Conference’s West Division.

Ragin’ Cajuns earning first-team honors are running back Elijah Mitchell, offensive lineman Max Mitchell, pass rusher Joe Dillon, punter Rhys Byrns and punt returner Eric Garror.

Mitchell, a former star at Erath, rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2019 as he earned second-team All-SBC honors. Mitchell started all 14 games for the Cajuns in 2019, Dillon led the team with 8 sacks, Byrns set the program record for punt average in a single season (44.2), while Garror ranked 30th in the FBS for punt yards per game (6.7).

Senior quarterback Levi Lewis, senior offensive lineman Zach Robertson, senior defensive lineman Tayland Humphrey, senior running back Trey Ragas, junior defensive back Percy Butler and junior defensive lineman and former Catholic High star Zi’Yon Hill earned second-team honors.

Sophomore offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence and senior linebacker Chauncey Manac picked up third-team honors.

Long snapper Paul Boudreaux, tight end Johnny Lumpkin, wide receiver and former Catholic High star Peter LeBlanc, cornerback Eric Garror, and linebacker Kris Moncrief earned fourth-team honors from Phil Steele.

UL is scheduled to open the 2020 season on Saturday, September 5, when it welcomes in-state foe McNeese State to Cajun Field.

Torrence Named to Outland List

O’Cyrus Torrence meanwhile picked up another preseason honor on Tuesday.

The Ragin’ Cajuns sophomore offensive lineman was named to the 2020 Outland Trophy preseason watch list. Torrence is one of 21 guards and one of just five players from the Sun Belt to be named on the list, which recognizes the best interior lineman in college football.

This now makes the second consecutive season in which a Ragin’ Cajun player has earned the preseason recognition. Robert Hunt earned the same honor heading into the 2019 season. Hunt was a second-round NFL draft pick by the Miami Dolphins this spring.

Torrence started in 13 of the team’s 14 games as a freshman, picking up his first career start on Sept. 7 against Liberty. Torrence helped the Ragin’ Cajuns’ rushing attack rank third in yards per carry (6.28), sixth in total rushing yards (3,604) and tied for third in rushing touchdowns (42) in 2019.