South Carolina honored as Beamer, Kennard win SEC awards from Associated Press

On Wednesday, South Carolina football received some conference honors from the Associated Press. The AP selected head coach Shane Beamer as its SEC Coach of the Year. EDGE Kyle Kennard also is the Associated Press’ SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Kennard also made the AP’s All-SEC 1st team. Joining him on the 1st team is safety Nick Emmanwori. Running back Rocket Sanders and defensive lineman TJ Sanders made the AP’s All-SEC 2nd team.

[GamecockCentral: Subscribe for $1 for 7 days]

From the Associated Press release:

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks’ Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league.

Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league’s fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote.

Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles.

Beamer led the Gamecocks to a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They’ve won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl.

Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama.

The 2024 Associated Press All-SEC team, as selected by a panel of 17 sports writers who regularly cover the league. Players at all positions are listed alphabetically with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown; “u-” denotes unanimous selections:

First team offense

QB — Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, 6-2, 225, Sr., Kaysville, Utah

u_RB — Dylan Sampson, Tennessee, 5-11, 201, Jr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana

RB — Jarquez Hunter, Auburn, 5-10, 209, Jr., Philadelphia, Mississippi

WR — Tre Harris, Ole Miss, 6-3, 210, Sr., Lafayette, Louisiana

WR — Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas, 6-4, 202, R-Sr., Dallas, Texas

TE — Gunnar Helm, Texas, 6-5, 250, Sr., Englewood, Colorado

u-OT — Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, 6-4, 320, Jr., Humble, Texas

OT — Will Campbell, LSU, 6-6, 323, Jr., Monroe, Louisiana

OG — Tyler Booker, Alabama, 6-5, 325, Jr., New Haven, Connecticut

OG — Tate Ratledge, Georgia, 6-6, 320, Sr., Rome, Georgia

C — Jake Slaughter, Florida, 6-5, 308, R-Jr., Sparr, Florida

PK — Alex Raynor, Kentucky, 6-0, 185, Sr., Kennesaw, Georgia

All-purpose — Barion Brown, Kentucky, 6-1, 18-2, Nashville, Tennessee.

First team defense

DE — Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, 6-5, 254, R-Sr., Atlanta

DE — Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss, 6-4, 255, Sr., Austin, Texas

DT — Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, 6-3, 305, Jr., Powell, Tennessee

DT — Alfred Collins, Texas, 6-5, 320, Sr., Bastrop, Texas

LB — Anthony Hill Jr., Texas, 6-3, 235, So., Denton, Texas

LB — Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, 6-4, 243, Sr., Windermere, Florida

LB — Whit Weeks, LSU, 6-2, 228, So., Watkinsville, Georgia

u-CB — Jahdae Barron, Texas, 5-11, 200, Sr., Austin, Texas

CB — Jermod McCoy, Tennessee, 6-0, 193, So., Whitehouse, Texas

S — Malaki Starks, Georgia, 6-1, 205, Jr., Jefferson, Georgia

S — Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina, 6-3, 227, Jr., Irmo, South Carolina

P — Jesse Mirko, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 222, grad, Fremantle, Western Australia

Second team offense

QB — Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt, 6-0, 207, grad, Albuquerque, N.M.

RB — Raheim Sanders, South Carolina, 6-0, 230, Sr., Rockledge, Florida

RB — Ja’Quinden Jackson, Arkansas, 6-2, 233, R-Sr., Dallas

WR — Ryan Williams, Alabama, 6-0, 175, Fr., Mobile, Alabama

WR — (tie) KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Auburn, 6-1, 182, Sr., Norfolk, Virginia; Kyren Lacy, LSU, 6-2, 213, R-Sr., Thibodaux, Louisiana

TE — Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 235, Grad., Denton, Texas

OT — Emery Jones, LSU, 6-6, 315, Jr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana

OT — Armand Membou, Missouri, 6-3, 314, Jr., Lee’s Summitt, Missouri

OG — Dylan Fairchild, Georgia, 6-5, 315, R-Jr., Cumming, Georgia

OG — Cam’Ron Johnson, Missouri, 6-3, 310, Grad, Houston

C — Cooper Mays, Tennessee, 6-4, 310, Sr., Kingston, Tennessee

PK — Peyton Woodring, Georgia, 5-10, 185, So., Lafayette, Louisiana

All-purpose — Davon Booth, Mississippi State, 5-10, 205, Sr., North Las Vegas, Nevada

Second team defense

DE — James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, 6-5, 243, Jr., Charlotte, North Carolina

DE — (tie) Nic Scourton, Texas A&M 6-4, 285, Jr., Bryan, Texas; Landon Jackson, Arkansas, 6-7, 280, Sr., Texarkana, Texas

DT — TJ Sanders, South Carolina, 6-4, 290, Jr., Marlon, South Carolina

DT — Deone Walker, Kentucky, 6-6, 345, Jr., Detroit, Michigan

LB — Jalon Walker, Georgia, 6-2, 245, Jr., Salisbury, North Carolina

LB — Jihaad Campbell, Alabama, 6-3, 244, Jr., Erial, New Jersey

LB — Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss, 6-1, 235, Jr., Cordele, Georgia

CB — Trey Amos, Ole Miss, 6-1, 190, Sr., New Iberia, Louisiana

CB — Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky, 6-1, 186, Jr., West Bloomfield, Michigan

S — Malachi Moore, Alabama, 6-0, 201, Grad, Trussville, Alabama

S — Andrew Mukuba, Texas, 6-0, 190, Sr., Austin, Texas

P — Brett Thorson, Georgia, 6-2, 235, Jr., Melbourne, Australia

Coach of the Year — Shane Beamer, South Carolina

Offensive Player of the Year — Dylan Sampson, Tennessee

Defensive Player of the Year — Kyle Kennard, South Carolina

Newcomer of the Year — Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!