Larry Dean, who was named the Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year in November, earned Super Region Two's Defensive Player of the Year honor while also being named as one of the three linebackers to earn first team All-Region honors. Dean was a unanimous choice first team All-GSC selection after leading the conference and Super Region Two with 11.1 tackles per game this year, a figure that currently ranks him seventh nationally. The senior from enjoyed a fantastic season as he tallied 122 tackles in VSU's 11 games while becoming the GSC and VSU career tackles record holder. He finished his career with 368 career tackles, eclipsing the old GSC mark by 25 while besting the Valdosta State career mark of 340 previously held by Jessie Tuggle. Dean also registered one interception return for a touchdown and one fumble return for a touchdown, had 8.5 tackles for loss and blocked one kick on the year.
Jack Fulford earned first team All-Region as a punter after averaging 41.5 yards per punt on the year. Fulford, who was named GSC Special Teams Player of the Week on three occasions this season, tallied 24 kicks inside the opponent's 20, 11 inside the opponent's 10 and seven inside the opponent's 5. He ranked 17th nationally in punting average while VSU was 17th nationally in net punting. Fulford's pin-point control and high booming punts held opponents to returns on only 15 of 62 punts and led to opponents starting inside their own 20 on 20 of 62 punts. For the season, he had 15 punts travel 50 yards or more.
Stevie Harden also earned first team All-Region honors on defense as was named to the squad as one of two cornerbacks. Harden tied an NCAA and GSC record by returning four interceptions for touchdowns this year while earning first team All-GSC. On the season, he tallied eight interceptions, eight passes broken up, 32 tackles and two blocked kicks. His eight interceptions ranked second-highest in VSU single season and sixth overall in GSC history. Additionally, Harden also returned a fumble for a touchdown to give him five defensive scores on the year and registered 229 yards in interceptions returns. His eight interceptions currently rank as the second highest number in the nation while his 229 return yards on interceptions also rank second nationally.
The Daktronics All-Region Team is determined by a vote of the sports information directors at members institutions in the Gulf South, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic and South Atlantic Conferences. All first team honorees advance to the national ballot and a vote conducted of all sports information directors nationwide.
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