University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Land 13 On Phil Steele All-CAA Teams
12/19/2024 | Football
Richmond, Va. — Thirteen members of the University of Richmond football team found their name on the Phil Steele All-America and All-CAA teams announced Thursday, highlighted by Jeremiah Grant being named a First Team All-American and Matthew Traynor taking home CAA Freshman of the Year recognition.
Grant, a redshirt senior from South Orange, N,J., and First Team All-CAA standout, recorded 53 tackles (38 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss (120 yards), and an FCS-high 13.5 sacks (98 yards) to be named an All-American. In addition, he forced two fumbles, recovered one, added eight quarterback hurries, and broke up two passes. Grant recorded three sacks in two separate games—against Delaware State and at home against Towson. He finished the season second on Richmond's all-time list for sacks in a season and fifth in career sacks with 21.5. For his standout performance, Grant is one of three finalists for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in FCS football. So far, he's been named a First Team All-American by Associated Press, Stats Perform, AFCA and now Phil Steele.Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
Grant, a redshirt senior from South Orange, N,J., and First Team All-CAA standout, recorded 53 tackles (38 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss (120 yards), and an FCS-high 13.5 sacks (98 yards) to be named an All-American. In addition, he forced two fumbles, recovered one, added eight quarterback hurries, and broke up two passes. Grant recorded three sacks in two separate games—against Delaware State and at home against Towson. He finished the season second on Richmond's all-time list for sacks in a season and fifth in career sacks with 21.5. For his standout performance, Grant is one of three finalists for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in FCS football. So far, he's been named a First Team All-American by Associated Press, Stats Perform, AFCA and now Phil Steele.
Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
Jeremiah Grant, DE
- One of three Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
- Associated Press First Team All-American
- Stats Perform First Team All-American
- AFCA First Team All-American
- First Team All-CAA
- Started all 13 games
- Recorded 53 tackles (38 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss (120 yards), and an FCS-high 13.5 sacks (FCS-leading 98 sack yards)
- Forced two fumbles, recovered one fumble, added eight quarterback hurries and broke up two passes
- Recorded three sacks in two separate games—against Delaware State (09/21/24) and at home against Towson (10/02/24)
- Named CAA Defensive Player of the Week following Towson game (10/02/24)
- Finished the career second on Richmond's all-time list for sacks in a season (13.5) and fifth in career sacks with 21.5
- Named Preseason All-CAA
- Named First Team Preseason All-CAA by Phil Steele
- Named Second Team All-CAA
- Played in all 13 games, starting 11
- Ran for 1,382 yards on 263 carries
- Lost just 21 yards all season
- Averaged 5.3 yards per carry and 106.31 yards per game
- Second in the CAA and seventh in the country in rushing yards per game
- Recorded seven receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown
- 263 attempts were the sixth-most ever by a Spider and most since 2015
- Turned in six games with 100+ rushing yards this season, the most for any Spider since 2015
- Became the first Spider to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season since 2015
- His 1,382 yards rank fifth all-time in a single season for the Spiders
- His 13 rushing touchdowns are fourth and his 14 total touchdowns are tied for seventh all-time at UR
- Rushed for over 150 yards in three consecutive games to become the first Spider to pull off the feat since 2015
- Was the first Spider to rush for over 200 yards in a single game since 2015 as well, doing so against North Carolina A&T (10/05/24)
- His 25 carries needed to do so were the least for any Spider since 1987
- Ranked second in the CAA and fifth in the nation this season in rushing yards
- Named CAA Offensive Player of the Week following the North Carolina A&T game (10/05/24)
- Team Captain
- Named Second Team All-America by Associated Press
- Recorded 64 tackles (fourth on the team) including 51 solo stops
- Led the Spiders and was tied for sixth in the country with five interceptions and took two to the house (Charleston Southern 09/14/24 and Towson 11/02/24)
- Recorded two interceptions in the First Round of the FCS Playoffs against Lehigh (11/30/24)
- Led the nation in interception return yards at 247, nearly 100 more (151) than the next closest
- Pair of pick-sixes tied for first in the nation
- Played a crucial role in Richmond reaching 11th in the country and first in the CAA in scoring defense and tied for 10th in the country (second in CAA) in defensive touchdowns
- Added a pass breakup, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble
- Named Preseason All-CAA
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
Tom Elia, OL
- Team captain
- Started all 13 games, playing nearly every offensive snap
- Named First Team All-CAA
- Part of an offensive line that helped Richmond average 27.15 points per game as well as 380.4 yards per game.
- Part of an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks all year
- Helped lead the Spiders to fourth in the CAA with 4945 5 yards of total offense
- Helped running back Zach Palmer-Smith become the first Spider since 2015 to rush for over 1,000 yards
- Led Richmond to second in the CAA in rushing yards with 2527
- Named Preseason Second Team All-CAA by Phil Steele
- Played in 13 games, starting 11
- Named Second Team All-CAA
- Recorded 45 tackles including 29 solo
- Tallied 8.5 tackles for loss (-57 yards) including seven sacks
- Added a forced fumble, fumble recovery, five quarterback hurries and a pass breakup
- Started all 13 games
- Named Second Team All-CAA
- Led the Spiders with 87 tackles including 53 solo
- Recorded seven tackles for loss (-23 yards), 3.0 sacks, three pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble
- Recorded a season-high 15 tackles and a sack in the win over Hampton to help Richmond earn a share of its second-consecutive CAA title and earn the conference's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs
- Handled punting and holding duties in all 13 games
- Named Second Team All-CAA
- Named Touchdown Club of Richmond's Kicking Specialist of the Year
- Semifinalist for FCS Punter of the Year
- Named a Firat Team Preseason All-American by Stats Perform and Phil Steele
- Named a Second Team Preseason All-CAA selection by Phil Steele
- Helped Richmond reach fifth in the country in net punting with 41.82 yards a kick
- Punted 39 times for 1,773 yards (45.46 yards per punt)
- Notched five touchbacks, 16 fair catches, 14 inside the 20-yard line and 11 over 50 yards
- Led Richmond's punt coverage unit to rank ninth nationally with just 42 opponent punt return yards allowed all season
- Recorded a 75-yard punt, the second-longest of his career, against North Carolina A&T (10/05/24)
- Ends Richmond career responsible for three of the 10 longest punts in program history with kicks of 76, 75 and 74 yards
- Picked up 13 yards and a first down on a fake punt at Hampton (10/16/24)
- Ends career first all-time for the Spiders in single-game punting average (52.8 against North Carolina A&T), season punting average (43.9) and is second (by .1 yards) in career punting average (41.8), following NFL veteran Mike Bragg
- Named First Team Preseason All-American by Stats Perform
- Named Preseason All-CAA
- Named Second Team Preseason All-CAA by Phil Steele
Phil Steele All-CAA Third Team
Cade Salyers, OL- Played in 13 games, starting 12
- Named Honorable Mention All-CAA
- Part of an offensive line that helped Richmond average 27.15 points per game as well as 380.4 yards per game.
- Part of an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks all year
- Helped lead the Spiders to fourth in the CAA with 4945 5 yards of total offense
- Helped running back Zach Palmer-Smith become the first Spider since 2015 to rush for over 1,000 yards
- Led Richmond to second in the CAA in rushing yards with 2527
- Team Captain
- Started all 13 games
- Named Third Team All-CAA
- Second on team in tackles with 78 including 41 solo
- Recorded 8.5 tackles for loss (-49 yards) including 4.0 sacks (-40 yards)
- Added an interception, three pass breakups and four quarterback hurries
- Added two points with a safety against Wofford (09/07/24)
- Named to the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team
- Named Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention
- Named Second Team Preseason All-CAA By Phil Steele
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
Camden Coleman, QB- Played in 11 games, making 10 starts
- Named Third Team All-CAA
- Went 160-for-248 and 2,031 yards and 13 touchdowns
- Ran for 342 yards on 76 attempts with six touchdowns
- Tallied career-high 59-yard rush in win vs Delaware (10/19/24)
- Went 15-for-16 with four passing touchdowns and a fifth on the ground in win at Bryant (10/26/24)
- 93.8 completion percentage from Bryant game (10/26/24) was second-best in a single game in the FCS in 2024 among passers making five or more attempts
- 322.2 pass efficiency rating from Bryant game (10/26/24) was a single-game highs in the FCS in 2024
- Named CAA Offensive Player of the Week following Bryant game (10/26/24)
- Started nine games, missing rest to injury
- Third Team All-CAA
- Hauled in 40 catches for 576 yards and four touchdowns
- Recorded a career-high 162 yards on seven catches in the win at Bryant (10/26/24)
- Averaged 4.44 receptions and 64 receiving yards a game
- Named to Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List
- Named First Team Preseason All-CAA by Phil Steele
- Named to Walter Payton Award Watch List
- Named First Team Preseason All-America by Stats Perform
- Named Preseason All-CAA
- Named to the Shrine Bowl 1,000
- Named Preseason All-America by FCS Football Central
- Named the No. 5 returning wide receiver in the FCS by Hero Sports ahead of the 2024 season
- Played in all 13 games, making eight starts
- CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Third Team All-CAA
- Stats Perform Freshman All-American
- FCS Football Central Freshman All-American
- Jerry Rice Award Finalist
- Third on team with 69 tackles including 52 solo
- Recorded 4.5 tackles for loss (-8 yards)
- Contributed a pair of interceptions and three pass breakups
- Added a career-high 12 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and an interception in win at Campbell (11/09/24)
- Named CAA Defensive Player of the Week following Campbell game (11/09/24)
Phil Steele All-CAA Fifth Team
Nick DeGennaro, PR- Returned nine punts for 93 yards
- Turned in a season-long 19-yard punt return in win against Charleston Southern (09/14/24)
- Handled long snapping duties in all 13 games
- Named Third Team Preseason All-CAA by Phil Steele
Players Mentioned
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