DALLAS – Highlighted by first-year head coach
Jerry Mack being named Conference USA Coach of the Year and redshirt senior linebacker
Baron Hopson being named Conference USA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Kennesaw State football dominated the 2025 CUSA annual awards and all-conference teams, which were announced Thursday by the league office.
The Owls racked up a league-best 16 all-conference selections and the most first- and second-teamers (10) in program history since 2021 (Big South).
Mack earns his second-career conference coach of the year honor (2016 – MEAC) after orchestrating on of the best turnarounds in college football this season, taking a 2-10 Kennesaw State team in their first year of FBS play and turning them into a 9-3, 7-1 CUSA Co-Regular Season Champion with a shot at the conference championship title this Friday.
Mack was able to mesh a strong group of transfers with the fifth-fewest returns (43) in FBS to a seven-game win differential year-over-year – which is tied for the 26
th-best single-season improvement in NCAA FBS history, 16
th-best since 2000 and ninth-best since 2015.
Overall on the season, the Owls rank top 5 in Conference USA in 23 statistical categories and top-50 nationally in 50.
Hopson earns co-defensive player of the year honors after finishing the regular season as KSU's leading tackler on CUSA's No. 3 scoring defensive team (25.1), also ranking second in CUSA with a program record 120 tackles on the year (10.9/game). He's also racked up 7.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and a crucial interception.
With 16 tackles in the regular-season finale against Liberty (including a school-record 12 solo stops), Hopson recorded a whopping eight games with double-digit tackles this year – good for third nationally.
KENNESAW STATE 2025 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SELECTIONS:
First Team
r-So. QB
Amari Odom
r-Sr. WR
Gabriel Benyard
r-Jr. OL
Brandon Best
r-So. OL
Josiah Chenault
Fr. DE
Elijah Hill
r-Sr. LB
Baron Hopson
r-Sr. PR
Gabriel Benyard
Second Team
r-Sr. OL
JT Pennington
r-Sr. DT
Tylon Dunlap
r-Sr. DB
Caleb Offord
Honorable Mention
r-Sr. RB
Coleman Bennett
r-Sr. DT
Adam Watkins
r-Sr. P
Joshua Huiet
All-Freshman Team
WR
Clayton Coppock
DE
Elijah Hill
LB
Tywon Christopher
Coach of the Year
Jerry Mack
Kennesaw State will travel to Jacksonville, Ala. for a rematch against longtime foe Jax State. Kickoff of the 21
st annual championship game is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network and the KSU Owls app.
MORE INFO:
Odom has been a star newcomer for Kennesaw State, rolling up 2,139 passing yards and 17 touchdowns on 145-of-224 passing (.647) in his first year with the Owls. He's also rushed for 379 yards and seven scores to give him a whopping 2,518 yards of offense and 24 touchdowns responsible for in just 10 games of action.
The California native leads the conference in yards/pass attempt (9.55 – 2nd in FBS), passing yards/completion (14.75 - 4th in FBS), passing efficiency (164.6 – 10th in FBS), total offense (251.8) and points responsible for overall (144), while also ranking top 5 in CUSA in passing TDs (17 - 2nd), passing yards/game (213.9 – 3rd), completions/game (14.50 – 5th) and total passing yards (2,139 – 3rd), points responsible per game (14.4 – 2nd), completion percentage (.647 – 2nd).
Odom set the program record for single-game total offense twice this season – 419 yards vs. Missouri State and 409 vs. Arkansas State, when he became one of only six FBS quarterbacks this season (and one of just two CUSA QB's since 2019) to record 300 yards passing, 100 yards rushing, one passing TD and one rushing TD in a single game.
He rewrote the Kennesaw State record book against Missouri State, setting program records for passing yards (387), total offense (419), passing touchdowns (5) and touchdowns responsible for (6). It was the most passing yards that Missouri State had allowed in two and a half seasons. He is one of just three FBS quarterbacks (and only Group of Five QB) in 2025 to record 350 passing yards, 5 passing TDs, one rushing TD and amass 400 total yards of offense in a single game and the fist CUSA QB since 2017
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Kennesaw State's top receiver,
Benyard has hauled in 54 passes for 977 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, all while also being one of the top punt returners at 25 returns for 234 yards (10.0/return) and a touchdown. He also leads the team in all-purpose yards with 1,125 on the season (102.3/game).
The Ocilla, Ga. native is one of just four Conference USA receivers to record multiple 100-yard receiving games this season and the only receiver to accomplish the feat four times. His four 100-yard receiving games ranks tied for eighth in Group of Five.
One of the nation's top deep threats, he's tied for the top deep receiving grade (99.9) in the country, according to
Pro Football Focus.
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Best has helped lead one of the top offensive line groups in the country, ranking 31
st in sacks allowed per game (1.42) and ranking second in CUSA with just 17 allowed on the season.
In 431 passing snaps (843 total), Best hasn't allowed a single sack or QB hit, and has surrendered just four hurries and four pressures, according to
Pro Football Focus. He holds the best PFF pass blocking grade (86.7) in Group of Five (min. 800 snaps).
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Chenault has helped lead one of the top offensive line groups in the country, ranking 31
st in sacks allowed per game (1.42) and ranking second in CUSA with just 17 allowed on the season.
In 411 passing snaps, Chenault has allowed zero sacks, three QB hits, five QB hurries and eight pressures, according to
Pro Football Focus, He holds the fourth-best PFF pass blocking grade (81.7) in Group of Five (min. 800 snaps). He was named CUSA Offensive Lineman of the Week after his performance against New Mexico State (Nov. 8)
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A jolt of lightning to the defensive line for Kennesaw State, true freshman
Hill co-leads all FBS freshmen with 7.0 sacks on the season (with Maryland's Sidney Stewart), which also leads all defenders in Conference USA.
The Bryant, Ark. native helped lead a Kennesaw State defense that leads Conference USA in sacks (29) and sacks in conference play (20). He is second on the team with 9.5 tackles for loss on the year and has just 18 tackles total. He earned CUSA Freshman of the Week honors against New Mexico State (Nov. 8) with 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
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Pennington has helped lead one of the top offensive line groups in the country, ranking 31
st in sacks allowed per game (1.42) and ranking second in CUSA with just 17 allowed on the season.
Has not allowed a sack in 378 pass blocking snaps (725 total snaps). Earned a league-best three Conference USA Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
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Dunlap helped lead a Kennesaw State defense that leads Conference USA in sacks (29) and sacks in conference play (20). He broke onto the scene this season with 36 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks, while also tallying two fumble recoveries, a pass breakup and a QB hurry
His 5.0 sacks and 0.45 sacks per game rank sixth in CUSA, while his 9.0 tackles for loss (0.82/game) on the season rank tied for seventh in Conference USA. He had perhaps his finest outing as an Owl against LA Tech when he had eight tackles and 2.0 sacks, earning CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors.
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Offord has been a sensational newcomer for the Owls in the backend of the defense. In just 10 games played (missed two due to injury), he has recorded 38 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a scoop and score, as well as a whopping 11 pass breakups.
He ranks second in CUSA with 11 (0.75/game) passes defended on the season. He almost single-handedly thwarted Middle Tennessee's fourth-quarter surge en route to CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors, breaking up two passes in the final MTSU drive, including a fourth-and-12 to seal the victory.
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Kennesaw State's leading rusher as the Owls rank fifth in CUSA in rushing yards per game (161.6),
Bennett has recorded 634 rushing yards on 131 carries with three rushing TDs and one receiving touchdown for 905 all-purpose yards. He ranks 10th in CUSA in rushing yards/game (49.3) and 11th in CUSA for all-purpose yards per game (70.5).
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Watkins helped lead a Kennesaw State defense that leads Conference USA in sacks (29) and sacks in conference play (20). He led all KSU defensive lineman with 41 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. He also ranks second nationally with two blocked kicks on the season.
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Huiet has been a key piece in the Owls' success, with 53 punts for 2,194 yards on 41.4 yards per attempt. He's pinned the opponent inside the 20 a total of 27 times, ranking eighth in the FBS and only having 2 touchbacks
Huiet has also showed off the big leg with 10 punts traveling over 50 yards, his longest being 61.
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One of the top true freshman receivers in the country,
Coppock has become one of Kennesaw State's top targets down the stretch. He's hauled in 23 catches for 283 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and also has 12 carries for 53 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
He's caught a touchdown pass in three of the final four games to end the regular season. His five touchdowns on the season rank tied for seventh nationally among freshmen wideouts and tied for third in Group of Five. He became one of only 13 freshmen receivers to haul in two touchdown catches in a single game against Missouri State, earning CUSA Freshman of the Week honors.
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Coming on late in the season due to a season-ending injury,
Christopher has been sensational since in the end of October, earning CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors in his first career start against UTEP (Oct. 28) – Prior to Oct. 21, he didn't play more than 17 snaps in a game.
On the season, he ranks second on the team with 67 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Against UTEP, he forced a fumble that was scooped and scored and recorded a team-best and certainly career-high 12 tackles. He then hauled in his first-career interception against New Mexico State (Nov. 8) the next week.
He recorded back-to-back games with 10+ tackles to finish the regular season, making 11 stops vs. Missouri State and 12 tackles at Liberty.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
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