Record-setting running back Lance Dunbar and Matt Tomlinson, one of the offensive linemen who helped clear his path, are among three first-team selections from North Texas on the All-Sun Belt Conference team.
Punter Will Atterberry also was named to the team, which was selected in a vote of the league's head coaches and media members and released Wednesday.
UNT had two players named to the second team. Each team in the league had two honorable-mention selections.
Defensive end Brandon Akpunku and linebacker Zach Orr were UNT's second-team selections, while offensive lineman Cyril Lemon and wide receiver Brelan Chancellor received honorable mention.
Chancellor was selected as an all-purpose player.
Dunbar rushed for a school-record 313 yards in the final game of his career, a 59-7 win over Middle Tennessee, and broke the school's career rushing record. Dunbar finished with 4,224 rushing yards, including 1,115 gained as a senior.
The previous record was held by Patrick Cobbs, who went on to play in the NFL after rushing for 4,050 yards at UNT from 2001-05. Dunbar became just the sixth player in NCAA history with 4,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career.
He had 1,033 receiving yards at UNT.
Head coach Dan McCarney, who is in his first season at UNT, said that Dunbar made a dramatic impact on the program during the only season he had a chance to coach him.
"His legacy will be here for a long, long time," McCarney said heading into Dunbar's final game. "I have loved him and respected him since the day I got here."
Tomlinson started every game of the season at right tackle and graded out as UNT's best offensive lineman.
Atterberry led the Sun Belt in punting with an average of 43.5 yards an attempt, and had 16 punts of more than 50 yards and 26 that were downed inside opponents' 20-yard line.
Akpunku led UNT in sacks (7 1/2) and tackles for loss (10) in addition to ranking third in tackles with 55.
"Brandon has really grown as a man and matured as a football player," McCarney said before UNT's final game. "He has had a good senior year."
Orr moved into UNT's starting lineup full time for the first time this year and was named to the all-conference team despite missing the final three games of the season due to injury.
Orr still led UNT with 74 tackles, a total that ranked seventh in the Sun Belt.
Lemon started all 12 of UNT's games at right guard, while Chancellor led the Mean Green with 1,628 total yards.
Chancellor accumulated 1,094 yards on kickoffs and led UNT with 457 receiving yards.
Hugh Freeze led Arkansas State to the conference title and was named the Sun Belt's Coach of the Year. ASU quarterback Ryan Aplin was named Player of the Year, while Red Wolves defensive end Brandon Joiner was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Louisiana-Lafayette running back Alonzo Harris took home Freshman of the Year honors.
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com . ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State, Jr., QB
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky, Sr., RB
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brandon Joiner, Arkansas State, Sr., DL
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Alonzo Harris, Louisiana-Lafayette, RB
COACH OF THE YEAR
Hugh Freeze, Arkansas State
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State, Jr., QB; Lance Dunbar, North Texas, Sr., RB; Bobby Rainey, WKU, Sr., RB; Dwayne Frampton, Arkansas State, Sr., WR; T.Y. Hilton, Florida International, Sr., WR; Javone Lawson, Louisiana-Lafayette, WR, Jr.; Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette, TE, Sr.; Tom Castilaw, Arkansas State, Sr., OL; Colin Boss, Middle Tennessee, Sr., OL; Matt Tomlinson, North Texas, Sr., OL; Wes Jeffries, Western Kentucky, Sr., OL; James Brown, Troy, Sr., OL
DEFENSE
Brandon Joiner, Arkansas State, Sr., DL; Bernard Smith, Louisiana-Lafayette, DL, Sr.; Ken Dorsey, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., DL; Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy, Jr., DL; Demario Davis, Arkansas State, Sr., LB; Lance Kelley, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., LB; Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky, So., LB; Darryl Feemster, Arkansas State, Sr., DB; Kelcie McCray, Arkansas State, Sr., DB; Dwight Bentley, Louisiana-Lafayette, DB, Sr.; Darius Prelow, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., DB
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jack Griffin, Florida International, Jr., K; Will Atterberry, North Texas, Jr., P; T.Y. Hilton, Florida International, Sr., RS; T.Y. Hilton, Florida International, Sr., all-purpose
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Blaine Gautier, Louisiana-Lafayette, QB, Jr.; Alfred Morris, Florida Atlantic, Sr., RB; Kedrick Rhodes, Florida International, So., RB; Josh Jarboe, Arkansas State, Jr., WR; Brent Leonard, Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., WR; Eric Thomas, Troy, So., WR;. Jack Doyle, Western Kentucky, Jr., TE; Delano Moore, Arkansas State, Sr., OL; Caylin Hauptmann, Florida International, Jr., OL; Leonardo Bates, Louisiana-Lafayette, OL, Jr.; Brandon McLeroy, Middle Tennessee, Sr., OL; Adam Smith, Western Kentucky, Jr., OL
DEFENSE
Dorvus Woods, Arkansas State, Sr., DL; Tourek Williams, Florida International, Jr., DL; Brandon Akpunku, North Texas, Sr., DL; Quanterus Smith, Western Kentucky, Jr., DL; Nathan Herrold, Arkansas State, Jr., LB; Winston Fraser, Florida International, Jr., LB; Zach Orr, North Texas, So., LB; Darron Edwards, Arkansas State, Sr., DB; Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International, Jr., DB; Brynden Trawick, Troy, Jr., DB; Derrius Brooks, Western Kentucky, Sr., DB
SPECIAL TEAMS
Brett Baer, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., K; Brett Baer, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., P; Luther Ambrose, ULM, Sr., Return Specialist; Dwayne Frampton, Arkansas State, Sr., all-purpose
NORTH TEXAS HONORABLE MENTION SELECTIONS
OL Cyril Lemon, Fr.; all-purpose Brelan Chancellor, So.
