FLORENCE, Ala. (December 2, 2025) – The United Athletic Conference announced all-conference postseason awards for the 2025 season on Monday, as three players from the University of North Alabama received honors.
Junior punter
Adam Watford was named the Co-Specialist of the Year and earned first-team all-conference honors, marking his second time being on the all-conference list. He was a second team all-conference punter in 2023.
Long snapper
Nathan Curry— who snapped to Watford for all 66 punts — was voted as a first team all-conference long snapper. On the defensive side, senior linebacker
Demarcious Robinson was voted to the all-conference second team.
Curry and Robinson are both first time all-conference honorees. The all-conference teams are determined in a vote of the UAC's nine head coaches.
Watford was one of the top punters in FCS this season, ranking fifth in the country with 46.6 yards per punt. He was the only punter in both FBS and FCS to have three punts go for over 70 yards. He had a 74 yarder against Central Arkansas and a pair of 72 yarders against Utah Tech and Tarleton State — the latter of which landed on the one-yard line.
The Dothan, Ala. native punted 66 times for 3,073 yards and finished with 12 fair catches, 18 punts inside the 20 yard line and 21 punts over 50 yards. Watford broke the FCS single-season record at UNA for most 50-yard punts while also setting the all-time career record for most 50-yard punts with 36. The previous record was set by former national champion punter Tony Faggioni in 1996.
Watford led the UAC in punting and led Division I with the longest punt two times this season. He shares the UAC Specialist of the Year award with Austin Peay kicker Carson Smith. Watford was an FCS Football Central and Phil Steele Freshman All-American in 2023.
Curry has started all 35 games of his career at long snapper for the Lions. He was voted to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team in 2024. In addition to his snapping this season, Curry recorded three tackles on special teams. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native also caught a two-point conversion trick play in 2024.
Robinson, who played one season for the Lions as a transfer from Georgia Southern, had an outstanding season at linebacker. He led the team and ranked third in the UAC with 98 tackles, including 56 solo. He added 11.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
The Warner Robins, Ga. native was also key in other aspects of the defense with two fumble recoveries, one force, an interception that he returned for 36 yards against UAC champion Abilene Christian and two QB hurries.
Southern Utah won both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year with Joshua Dye and Lando Brown, while Austin Peay's Montreze Smith Jr. was the Freshman of the Year. West Georgia's second year coach Joel Taylor was unanimously voted the UAC Coach of the Year.
2025 UAC FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS & AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Joel Taylor (West Georgia)*
Offensive Player of the Year: Joshua Dye (Southern Utah)*
Defensive Player of the Year: Lando Brown (Southern Utah)
Specialist of the Year: Carson Smith (Austin Peay)* &
Adam Watford (North Alabama)*
Freshman of the Year: Montreze Smith Jr. (Austin Peay)*
| First Team |
Second Team |
| QB - Chris Parson (Austin Peay)* |
QB - Victor Gabalis (Tarleton State)* |
| RB - Joshua Dye (Southern Utah)* |
RB - Tre Page III (Tarleton State) |
| RB - Landen Chambers (Central Arkansas) |
RB - Latrelle Murrell (West Georgia) |
| WR - Malachi Henry (Central Arkansas) |
WR - Shane Carr (Southern Utah) |
| WR - Peyton Kramer (Tarleton State) |
WR - Cody Jackson (Tarleton State) |
| TE - Jackson Head (Austin Peay) |
TE - Eric Olsen (Utah Tech) |
| OL - Joshua Sales Jr. (Austin Peay)* |
OL - Kandiyeli Sirri (Southern Utah) |
| OL - Luke Roaten (Abilene Christian) |
OL - Aidan Moe (Tarleton State) |
| OL - Nick Hilliard (Austin Peay) |
OL - Braden Smith (Tarleton State) |
| OL - Hunter Smith (Tarleton State) |
OL - Brody Balliew (West Georgia) |
| C - Edward Riley (Southern Utah) |
C - Colter Lynch (Abilene Christian) |
* - Denotes unanimous selection (included on all coaches ballots)
DEFENSE
| First Team |
Second Team |
| DL - Lando Brown (Southern Utah)* |
DL - Kaghen Roach (Abilene Christian) |
| DL - Chris Wright (Abilene Christian) |
DL - Jeremiah Bailey (EKU) |
| DL - Angelo Anderson (Tarleton State) |
DL - Brad Gurley (EKU) |
| DL - David Hoage (West Georgia) |
DL - Brandon Tolvert (Tarleton State) |
| LB - Will Shaffer (Abilene Christian) |
LB - Demarcious Robinson (North Alabama) |
| LB - Rashon Myles Jr. (Abilene Christian) |
LB - Sebastian Adamski (Southern Utah) |
| LB - Montreze Smith Jr. (Austin Peay) |
LB - Yasir Holmes (Tarleton State) |
| DB - Kasyus Kurns (Tarleton State)* |
DB - Dillon Williams (Central Arkansas) |
| DB - Dorian Plumley (Abilene Christian) |
DB - Vito Tisdale (EKU) |
| DB - Ellis Ellis Jr. (Austin Peay) |
DB - Omar Emmons (Tarleton State) |
| DB - Jaheim Ward (EKU) |
DB - Jalen Burton (West Georgia) |
* - Denotes unanimous selection (included on all coaches ballots)
SPECIAL TEAMS
| First Team |
Second Team |
| K - Carson Smith (Austin Peay)* |
K - Tommy Holden (West Georgia) |
| P - Adam Watford (North Alabama) |
P - Ryan Marks (Utah Tech) |
| RS - Deandre Buchanon (West Georgia)* |
RS - TJ Mitchell III (EKU)* |
| LS - Nathan Curry (North Alabama) |
LS - Gavin Lipkin (Southern Utah) |
* - Denotes unanimous selection (included on all coaches ballots)
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