HBCU Football: Jackson State Coach, Players Dominate SWAC Postseason Honors

Several honors for Jackson State as the SWAC announced its postseason awards.

Coach TC Taylor Smiles At Postgame Interview - Texas Southern Game / Credit: Kyle T. Mosley, HBCU Legends; Sept. 28, 2024 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, TX.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced its 2024 Football Postseason Individual Awards. The individual awards were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

In order to be considered for postseason awards a student-athlete must have participated in a minimum of 75 percent of team games played this season.

Jackson State’s T.C. Taylor was named Coach of the Year while the Tigers’ Irv Mulligan was tabbed Offensive Player of the Year.

Southern’s Ckelby Givens was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Grambling State’s Andrew Jones. Florida A&M’s Daniel Richardson was selected Newcomer of the Year and Jackson State’s Travis Terrell Jr. was named Freshman of the Year rounding out the list of individual selections.

T.C. Taylor / Credit: JSU Athletics

Coach of the Year

In his second season as the head coach at Jackson State, T.C. Taylor has led the team to a 10-2 record and a perfect regular season record (8-0) in league play. For his efforts Taylor was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, the National Coach of the Year.

Jackson State Tigers' running back Irv Mulligan (5) celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Southern Jaguars in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Offensive Player of the Year

Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Irv Mulligan has helped lead Jackson State to a 9-1 record during a 10-game stretch and helped lead the Tigers to a 10-2 regular season record and a SWAC East Division title. The league’s leading rusher has tallied 100-plus yards five times and leads the conference as the only rusher with 1,000 yards on the season (becoming the 13th player in school history to reach that mark). For his efforts Mulligan was named a finalist the Walter Payton Award Watch List.

Ckelby Givens, Southern / Southern Athletics

Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Ckelby Givens leads the nation and the league in tackles for loss (26.5) and has been a key contributor for a Southern Jaguars team that claimed the 2024 SWAC West Division title with a 7-1 conference record. He ranks eighth in the nation in sacks while racking second in the league in that category.

Andrew Jones / CREDIT: GSU

Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Andrew Jones has been a significant contributor for the Grambling State Tigers defense this season as he led the league in total tackles with 122 during the season. He was one of two players in the conference to tally over 100 stops this season. He ranks ninth in the country in tackles and fourth in tackles for loss this season.

Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson (10) passes against Alabama State during their game on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday October 5, 2024. / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Newcomer of the Year

Daniel Richardson stepped into the role of starting quarterback for the Florida A&M Rattlers and made an immediate impact for the Rattlers offensively. During 12 games played he passed for league leading 2,662 yards (14th in the nation) while throwing a league leading 23 touchdown passes ranking 16th in the country. He averaged 221.8 yards per game while tallying a league leading 231 total completions.

Travis Terrell, Jr. / Credit: JSU Athletics

Freshman of the Year

Travis Terrell Jr. was named one of 25 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, the National Freshman of the Year award after an impressive debut campaign for Jackson State. He is among the nation’s leaders in several categories including leading the nation in kickoff return touchdowns with two. He also ranks fourth in kickoff returns (30.4), third in punt returns (17.3), fourth in combined kick returns (792), and 19th in all-purpose yards (116.6).

2024 SWAC Football Postseason Awards

Coach of the Year

T.C. Taylor, Jackson State

Offensive Player of the Year

Irv Mulligan, Jackson State

Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Ckelby Givens, Southern

Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Andrew Jones, Grambling State

Newcomer of the Year

Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M

Freshman of the Year

Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State

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