Trio Tabbed Phil Steele All-America, Nine Named All-Big 12

HOUSTON – Three Houston Football players were named to Phil Steele Magazine All-America team while nine Cougars were tabbed Phil Steele Magazine All-Big 12 Conference selections following standout seasons to lead Houston to a 10-win season.

Tight end Tanner Koziol, wide receiver Amare Thomas and long snapper Jacob Garza were Houston's three All-America selections by the publication.

Koziol earned All-America Fourth-Team honors after his 74 catches led all FBS tight ends and his 727 receiving yards ranked second among tight ends. Thomas and Garza both earned All-America Honorable Mention honors following strong seasons. Thomas hauled in the third-most receiving touchdowns nationally with 12 and finished second in the Big 12 with 966 receiving yards. Nationally, Thomas's 966 yards ranked 26th. A National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist, Garza helped ensure Houston has not allowed a blocked kick since 2014 and habitually was down field helping down punts.

Thomas and Garza headlined Houston's Phil Steele Magazine All-Big 12 selections, earning First-Team honors. The pair were joined by a trio of Second-Team honorees – Koziol and defensive backs Will James and Latrell McCutchin Sr. Defensive linemen Eddie Walls III and Carlos Allen Jr., earned Third-Team recognition while running back Dean Connors and kicker Ethan Sanchez were named to the Fourth Team.

James snagged two picks and forced a fumble at UCF, becoming the first Cougar since Loyce Means to force three turnovers in the same game since 2008.

McCutchin Sr., allowed only 50% of passing attempts at his covered receiver to catch passes, the fifth best rate in the Big 12 with at least 265 snaps, and his eight pass breakups were third-most in the Big 12.

Walls III led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks while batting down five passes. His 11.5 tackles for loss were sixth in the Big 12 and his seven sacks were fifth in the league.

Allen Jr., led the team in tackles and led all interior defensive lineman nationally with 80 tackles. His 7.5 tackles for loss ranked second on the team.

Connors led Houston with 977 rushing yards, the most by a Cougar since Greg Ward Jr., in 2015. Connors found the endzone nine total times, with six coming on the ground.

Sanchez made the second-most field goals in a single season with 21 field goals while knocking down all 43 point after attempts.

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