University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Coley Named Conference USA Defensive Player Of The Year
11/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 30, 2005
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Senior linebacker Kevis Coley was named Conference USA's Defensive Player of the Year today, as selected by the league's head football coaches and media members in each conference city.
He becomes the seventh Golden Eagle to earn the honor, as a Southern Miss player wins Defensive Player of the Year for the third-straight season (Michael Boley, 2004, Rod Davis, 2003). Cedric Scott earned the honor in 2000, while Adalius Thomas won back-to-back awards in 1999 and 1998. Patrick Surtain earned the school's first Defensive Player of the Year honor in 1997.
Coley, selected first team All-Conference USA defense on Tuesday, finished the regular season with a team-high 144 total tackles (13.1 tackles per game), leading Conference USA and ranking No. 4 nationally. It was also the ninth best single-season performance in school history. He also had 78 solo tackles on the season, leading the team and Conference USA, while tying for No. 6 nationally. He also had 66 assisted tackles, which led the team and tied for first in Conference USA.
Memphis' DeAngelo Williams was named Conference USA Offensvive Player of the Year, while Memphis' Stephen Gostkowski earned Special Teams Player of the Year. UCF running back Kevin Smith earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors. UCF Head Coach George O'Leary earned Coach of the Year honors.
Southern Miss finished the 2005 season with a 6-5 record and 5-3 record in Conference USA, as it finished with its 12th consecutive non-losing season. The Golden Eagles are awaiting a possible bowl berth for the fourth consecutive season.
