Photo by: Rhonda Taormina | Rice Athletics
Taylor Named to All-AAC Second Team
12/3/2024 12:49:00 PM | Football
Connors, Fresch and Sykes earn honorable mention
Gabriel Taylor, Dean Connors, Sean Fresch, and Matt Sykes were honored by conference coaches by being named to the 2024 All-AAC Football team, which was announced on Tuesday.
Taylor was named to the second team, while Connors, Fresch, and Sykes earned honorable mention accolades.
Taylor led the Owls with 57 tackles and three interceptions and tied for the team lead with 10 passes defended while also registering a career-best three sacks and seven tackles for loss. His three interceptions raised his career total to 10, which matches Jason Hebert for the seventh-best total in school history. He was an honorable mention honoree by AAC coaches in the Owls' first season in the conference in 2023.
Connors led the Owls in rushing (780 yards), touchdowns (11), rushing touchdowns (9), and all-purpose yards (1,265) and was second with 62 receptions and receiving yards (485). His 62 receptions were the most by a running back in the country in the regular season and he set Rice career running back records for receptions (113) and receiving yards (912).
Fresch tied for third on the team with a career-best 52 tackles while tying Taylor the team lead with 10 passes defended. In the Owls' 29-27 win over UTSA, Fresch was credited with a career-high 11 tackles, broke up a pass, and chipped in on offense with his first career reception to 40 yards to set up the Owls' third touchdown.
Sykes led the Owls with 65 receptions, 782 yards, and five touchdowns. While he was ranked fourth in the AAC overall in receptions and was tied for seventh in receiving yards, he led all AAC receivers in conference games with 52 receptions and was second with 631 yards. His 65 receptions rank eighth on the Rice single-season list.
Taylor was named to the second team, while Connors, Fresch, and Sykes earned honorable mention accolades.
Taylor led the Owls with 57 tackles and three interceptions and tied for the team lead with 10 passes defended while also registering a career-best three sacks and seven tackles for loss. His three interceptions raised his career total to 10, which matches Jason Hebert for the seventh-best total in school history. He was an honorable mention honoree by AAC coaches in the Owls' first season in the conference in 2023.
Connors led the Owls in rushing (780 yards), touchdowns (11), rushing touchdowns (9), and all-purpose yards (1,265) and was second with 62 receptions and receiving yards (485). His 62 receptions were the most by a running back in the country in the regular season and he set Rice career running back records for receptions (113) and receiving yards (912).
Fresch tied for third on the team with a career-best 52 tackles while tying Taylor the team lead with 10 passes defended. In the Owls' 29-27 win over UTSA, Fresch was credited with a career-high 11 tackles, broke up a pass, and chipped in on offense with his first career reception to 40 yards to set up the Owls' third touchdown.
Sykes led the Owls with 65 receptions, 782 yards, and five touchdowns. While he was ranked fourth in the AAC overall in receptions and was tied for seventh in receiving yards, he led all AAC receivers in conference games with 52 receptions and was second with 631 yards. His 65 receptions rank eighth on the Rice single-season list.
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