Football’s Rayshawn Pleasant Named A CFN Third Team All-American
Dec 11, 2024 | Football
NEW ORLEANS  – Tulane football's Rayshawn Pleasant was named a 2024 College Football Network (CFN) Third Team All-American as a kick returner to headline the CFN All-AAC Teams for the Green Wave.
Pleasant was one of three Tulane players that were named All-American by CFN along with running back Makhi Hughes, offensive center Vincent Murphy and offensive guard Shadre Hurst. All three earned Honorable Mention distinction.
This season, through the first 13 games, Pleasant is leading the conference and the nation with his two kick return touchdowns. He also is averaging 34.5 yards a return with 449 yards in 13 returns with a long of 100 yards.
Hughes leads the team and is placed second in the conference with his 1,372 yards rushing. He also has ran for 15 touchdowns and totaled 17 touchdowns to rank third in the AAC in both of those categories. He has topped 100 yards in seven contests in 2024.
Murphy and Hurst have helped the offense rank among the top five in the league in eight categories including third down conversions (1st – 52.5), completion percentage (1st – 65.8), scoring offense (1st – 37.2), interceptions thrown (2nd – 6), red zone offense (4th – 87.3), passing efficiency (2nd – 166.86), rushing (3rd - 205.4), time of possession (3rd - 33:05), first downs (3rd – 280) and passing yards per completions (4th – 14.32).The offense has scored 20+ points in 11 of the team's 13 games
Tulane also had five individual players that garnered an AAC specialty award by the CFN in Adin Huntington (AAC Newcomer of the Year, AAC Defensive Newcomer of the Year, AAC Defensive Transfer of the Year), Hughes (AAC Running Back of the Year), Hurst (AAC Offensive Guard of the Year), Patrick Jenkins (AAC Interior Defensive Lineman of the Year), Tulane (Defensive Line of the Year) and Pleasant (Kick Returner of the Year).
The Tulane football team (9-4) was selected to participate in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The game will be played on Friday, Dec. 20, in Tampa, Florida at Raymond James Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT against Florida (7-5).
This is the sixth time in the last seven years that Tulane has been selected to play in a bowl game (2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 – Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl). Overall, this will be Tulane's 17th bowl appearance (1932 – Rose Bowl, 1935 – Sugar Bowl, 1939 – Sugar Bowl, 1970 – Liberty Bowl, 1973 – Astro Bluebonnet Bowl, 1979 – Liberty Bowl, 1980 – Hall of Fame Bowl, 1987 – Independence Bowl, 1998 – Liberty Bowl, 2002 – Hawaii Bowl, 2013 – New Orleans, 2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 -Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl) with the program sporting an all-time record of 7-9 in bowl games.
Tulane will face off with Florida for the 22nd time in school history, but the first time since 1984. This will only be the third time that schools have played against each other since 1969. The Green Wave have lost 11 straight to the Gators and are looking for their first win over Florida in 78 yards. Tulane was a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) from 1933-1965. Florida has been an SEC member since the official founding of the league in 1933. The first time that Tulane and Florida played was in 1915 with the Gators earning a 14-7 victory. Tulane is 3-8 all-time against Florida as a non-conference opponent. This will be the first neutral site contest between the schools.
Tulane is coming in off the team's third straight AAC Championship Game appearance. The program sports a 32-9 record over the last three seasons. The team's 32 wins is the fourth-most nationally. The team placed first or second in the AAC in 10 different categories including leading the league in third down conversions (52.5), defensive touchdowns (6), completion percentage (65.6), scoring offense (37.2) and passing efficiency defense (111.65). The team was the national leader in defensive touchdowns with six.
The team had a league-high 18 players selected All-AAC this season including Derrick Graham (First Team – offensive tackle), Shadre Hurst (First Team – offensive guard), Makhi Hughes (First Team – running back), Patrick Jenkins (First Team – defensive line), Mario Williams (Second Team – wide receiver), Josh Remetich (Second Team – offensive guard), Vincent Murphy (Second Team – center), Tyler Grubbs (Second Team – linebacker), Sam Howard (Second Team – linebacker), Bailey Despanie (Second Team – defensive back), Micah Robinson (Second Team – cornerback), Rayshawn Pleasant (Second Team – return specialist), Rashad Green (Third Team – offensive tackle), Alex Bauman (Third Team – tight end), Kameron Hamilton (Third Team – defensive line), Adin Huntington (Third Team – defensive line), Caleb Ransaw (Third Team – cornerback) and Yulkeith Brown (Honorable Mention – wide receiver).
Hughes ranked second in the conference and 10th nationally in rushing with 1,372 yards. He also ran for 15 touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 176 yards and two scores. His 17 total touchdowns placed him third in the conference and 13th nationally. Mensah was 189-for-287 for 2723 yards and 22 touchdown passes. His 166.7 passing efficiency was tops in the conference and placed him sixth nationally.
Grubbs led a balanced Tulane defense with 59 tackles. He had six stops for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Howard totaled 57 tackles, five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception and a school-record five fumble recoveries. Matthew Fobbs-White led the team with 7.5 tackles for loss. Hamilton and Jenkins tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Robinson and Grubbs tied for the team with two interceptions.
The Green Wave's football team was chosen for third in the AAC Preseason Media Poll with 362 points plus two first-place votes at the annual conference media day.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native has been one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last three seasons with a record of 32-8, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returned to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
Tulane On 2024 College Football Network Specialty Awards
Rayshawn Pleasant – Third Team All-American (KR)
Makhi Hughes – Honorable Mention All-American (RB)
Vincent Murphy – Honorable Mention All-American (C)
Shadre Hurst – Honorable Mention All-American (G)
Makhi Hughes – AAC Running Back of the Year
Shadre Hurst – AAC Offensive Guard of the Year
Patrick Jenkins – AAC Interior Defensive Lineman of the Year
Tulane – AAC Defensive Line of the Year
Rayshawn Pleasant – AAC Kick Returner of the Year
CFN All-AAC First Team (5)
Makhi Hughes – Running Back
Mario Williams – Wide Receiver
Shadre Hurst – Offensive Guard
Patrick Jenkins – Defensive Line
Rayshawn Pleasant – Kickoff Returner
CFN All-AAC Second Team (6)
Darian Mensah – Quarterback
Vincent Murphy – Offensive Center
Rashad Green – Offensive Tackle
Adin Huntington – Defensive Line
Caleb Ransaw – Defensive Back
Ethan Head – Kickoff Specialist
CFN AAC Third Team (2)
Derrick Graham – Offensive Tackle
Micah Robinson – Defensive Back
CFN AAC Honorable Mention (6)
Dontae Fleming – Wide Receiver
Josh Remetich – Offensive Guard
Kameron Hamilton – Defensive Line
Matthew Fobbs-White – Edge
Javion White – Defensive Back
Jalen Geiger – Defensive Back
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2024 bowl game, the men's and women's basketball teams and the upcoming 2025 baseball season can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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