North Texas running back Lance Dunbar added one more accolade in a remarkable comeback season on Wednesday when he was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference first team.

Dunbar led the Sun Belt in total touchdowns with 19 and in rushing touchdowns with 17, while his 1,378 rushing yards ranked second during in the league the regular season.

DRC/David Minton

UNT running back Lance Dunbar, right, searches for room to run behind the block of Gabe Hollivay against Army on November 21 at Fouts Field.

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Wide receiver Jamaal Jackson and offensive lineman Esteban Santiago were both second-team selections, while linebacker Craig Robertson and offensive lineman Kelvin Drake were honorable mention picks.

Troy quarterback Levi Brown was the Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Year, while Louisiana-Monroe linebacker Cardia Jackson and defensive lineman Chris McCoy were the co-Defensive Players of the Year.

Troy running back Shawn Southward was the Freshman of the Year. Troy’s Larry Blakeney and MTSU’s Rick Stockstill were the co-Coaches of the Year.

Dunbar seemed like an unlikely candidate to be UNT’s lone first-team all-conference selection at the beginning of the season. The former Haltom standout played in just five games his freshman season in 2008 before he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for the rest of the season.

Dunbar began his sophomore year as the backup to senior Cam Montgomery before bursting onto the

scene in a loss to MTSU in the fourth game of the season. He rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries against what turned out to be one of the best defenses in the league.

Dunbar went on to rush for at least 100 yards in eight games while posting the fourth-highest rushing total for a season in school history. His 17 rushing touchdowns moved him into a tie for second place in school history for a single season with former UNT standout Jamario Thomas, who finished with 17 in 2004, the year he won the national rushing title.

Santiago helped clear the way for Dunbar’s breakout season, while Jackson leads the Sun Belt in receptions with 71 and also ranks third in receiving yards with 701.

Robertson finished third in the Sun Belt with 107 tackles during the regular season. Drake was a key member of UNT’s offensive line that allowed 12 sacks on the season, a total that is tied for 12th nationally.

UNT ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring with an average of 26.6 points a game, but struggled to get over the hump while finishing 2-10. The Mean Green lost six games by a touchdown or less.

UNT posted a 1-7 record in Sun Belt Conference play and finished eighth in the nine-team league, just one spot in front of Western Kentucky, which finished 0-12.

All five of UNT’s all-conference selections are slated to return next season, which will be the Mean Green’s fourth under head coach Todd Dodge.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com  .

Player of the Year — Levi Brown (Troy, Sr., QB)

Offensive Player of the Year — Levi Brown (Troy, Sr., QB)

Co-Defensive Players of the Year — Cardia Jackson (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., LB), Chris McCoy (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL)

Freshman of the Year — Shawn Southward (Troy, Fr., RB)

Co-Coaches of the Year — Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee; Larry Blakeney, Troy

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB — Levi Brown, Troy, Sr.

RB — Alfred Morris, Florida Atlantic, R-So., RB; Lance Dunbar, UNT, So.

WR — LaGregory Sapp, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.; Jerrel Jernigan, Troy, Jr.

TE — Jason Harmon, Florida Atlantic, R-Sr.

OL — Brad Bustle, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.; Chris Fisher, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.; Mark Thompson, Middle Tennessee, Sr.; Danny Franks, Troy, Sr.; Tyler Clark, Troy, Jr.

DEFENSE

DL — Alex Carrington, Arkansas State, Sr.; Aaron Morgan, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.; Chris McCoy, Middle Tennessee, Sr.; Brandon Lang, Troy, Sr.

LB — Cardia Jackson, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.; Boris Lee, Troy, Sr.; Bear Woods, Troy, Sr.

DB — Greg James, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.; Jeremy Kellem, Middle Tennessee, Jr.; Alex Suber, Middle Tennessee, Sr.; Marcus Udell, Middle Tennessee, Sr.

SPECIALISTS

PK — Alan Gendreau, Middle Tennessee, So.

P — Spencer Ortego, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.

RS — T.Y. Hilton, FIU, So.

All purpose — Jerrel Jernigan, Troy, Jr.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB — Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee, Jr.

RB — Frank Goodin, Louisiana-Monroe, Jr.; Bobby Rainey, WKU, So.;

WR — T.Y. Hilton, FIU, So.; Jamaal Jackson, UNT, Jr.;

TE — Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette, So.

OL — Derek Newton, Arkansas State, Jr.; David Matlock, Florida Atlantic, R-Sr.; Brad Serirni, FIU, Jr.; Esteban Santiago, UNT, Jr.; Mark Fisher, Middle Tennessee, Jr.

DEFENSE

DL — Bryan Hall, Arkansas State, Jr.; Jamari Lattimore, Middle Tennessee, Jr.; Cameron Sheffield, Troy, Sr.; Kevin Dixon, Troy, Sr.

LB — Antwyne Zanders, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.; Danny Carmichael, Middle Tennessee, Sr.; Cam Robinson, Middle Tennessee, Sr.

DB — Anthony Gaitor, FIU, Jr.; James Truxillo, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.; Courtland Fuller, Troy, Sr.; Bryan Willis, Troy, Fr.

SPECIALISTS

K — Josh Arauco, Arkansas State, Sr.

P — Carlos Munera, FIU, Sr.

RS — Jerrel Jernigan, Troy, Jr.

All purpose — Bobby Rainey, WKU, So.

UNT HONORABLE MENTION

Kelvin Drake (UNT, Jr., OL); Craig Robertson (UNT, Jr., LB)