When considering the job as the head coach of the newly revived Southwestern football program, Joe Austin wanted some assurances from the university.
"To borrow a quote from [former Associate Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics] Dr. [Glada] Munt: The only thing worse than not playing football in Texas is being bad at football in Texas," Austin said. "It was important to me to find out whether Southwestern was content with fielding a football team or if the school wanted to be good at football. We got on the same page quickly."
Austin quickly set to work building the program's culture, empowering his student-athletes to set their own terms by allowing the player to establish their own "Southwestern Man" team virtues.
It took three losing seasons before the work began to show in the standings. "Eighteen-year-olds don't beat up on 22-year olds," Austin said. But once his first recruiting class hit its senior year, the Pirates skyrocketed to the top of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), winning the 2016 SCAC championship.
As Southwestern moved into a tougher American Southwest Conference (ASC), loaded with nationally-ranked programs, Southwestern maintained its winning ways with a pair of 6-4 seasons in 2017 and 2018. Only an injury-plagued 2019 season dropped the Pirates down to 4-6.
Over the modern program's first decade of existence, the Pirates produced two All-Americans, four conference player of the year awards, and 84 all-conference selections.
With the 2011-2020 decade coming to a close, Southwestern proudly announces its first all-decade team, highlighted by Player of the Decade Nik Kelly.
Offense
Hicks is a three-time All-SCAC selection, earning honorable mention nods in 2014 and 2015, then peaking in 2016 with an All-SCAC First Team award, serving as team captain in the Pirates' championship season.
Hicks completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,692 yards and 14 touchdowns in that final season and a 138.3 efficiency rating.
Hicks threw for 5,515 yards and 40 touchdowns for his career and is the career leader in almost every passing statistical category in school history.
QB | Frederick Hover (2016-2018)
Hover brought a vastly different play style from the quarterback position, finishing his career as the Pirates' all-time leader in rushing yards (2,661) and rushing touchdowns (35) while completing 58.1 percent of his 499 passes for 4,479 yards and 39 touchdowns with a 154.5 efficiency rating.
For his efforts, Hover was named All-ASC First Team in 2017 and 2018 with an All-SCAC honorable mention in 2016. He was a 5-time ASC Player of the Week, team MVP in 2018, and team offensive MVP in 2017 and 2018—serving as team captain both seasons.
RB | Elijah Smith (2017, 2019)
In two seasons, Smith ran for 1,095 yards on 5.1 yards per attempt, scoring eight touchdowns and earning two All-ASC selections, earning an All-ASC selection in 2017 with 594 yards and four touchdowns and honorable mention in 2019 with 501 yards and four touchdowns.
RB | Dylan Wilburn (2013-2016)
On Sep. 14, 2013, Wilburn scored the first rushing touchdown in the modern program's history on an eight-yard run. He remains second on the Pirates' all-time rushing yardage list and first among running backs, accumulating 1,762 yards on 342 carries for a 5.2 average and 14 touchdowns.
Wilburn was All-SCAC Honorable Mention in 2014 and earned All-SCAC First Team honors in 2016, running for 595 yards and five touchdowns in the Pirates' championship season.
Daniels was a team captain in 2017 and 2018, earning All-ASC Second Team honors in 2017 and All-ASC First Team in 2018. A strong blocker in the running game, Daniels also finished with 606 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
Gillen was a four-time First Team All-SCAC wide receiver, earning a share of the SCAC Offensive Player of the Year award in 2016 after leading the conference in receiving yards (951) and receptions (73).
He set a SCAC record with five receiving touchdowns on Oct. 15, 2016, and is seventh in SCAC history for career receiving yards with 2,523, sixth in career receiving average (76.5 yards per game), and fifth in career receptions (187).
WR | Micah Sherman (2014-2015)
Sherman is a two-time All-SCAC First Team receiver and was the team offensive MVP in 2014 with 584 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He finished his career with 1,098 receiving yards on 87 receptions and six touchdowns.
Shea scored the modern program's first touchdown on a 68-yard pass from Dante Smith, finishing the first game with nine receptions for a SCAC-record 258 yards and two touchdowns. He received two SCAC honorable mention selections, finishing his career with 1,065 yards and nine touchdowns.
WR | David Brandenburg (2017-2019)
Brandenburg was All-ASC in each of his three seasons, earning honorable mention nods in 2017 and 2018, and Second Team All-ASC in his senior season while serving as team captain.
A threat on the ground or through the air, Brandenburg finished with 1,118 receiving yards and 603 rushing yards, scoring a combined 14 touchdowns.
Vela earned All-ASC Second Team honors as a sophomore. After missing most of his junior year with a season-ending injury, Vela returned in 2019 as a team captain, leading the offensive line with another All-ASC Second Team selection.
A two-sport star in football and track & field, Devine was the 2014 SCAC shot put champion and First Team All-SCAC in 2015 and 2016.
Smat was a two-time All-ASC Second Team selection, earning the award in 2017 and 2018. In the 2018 season, Smat proved his versatility by cycling through all five lineman positions due to injuries throughout the unit.
Defense
Lee was All-SCAC Honorable Mention in each of his two seasons, finishing his career with 6 sacks for a loss of 47 yards, 15 tackles for loss (85 yards), 88 total tackles (37 solo tackles), 2 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 3 pass breakups.
DL | Justin Broussard (2013-2016)
Broussard was a four-time All-SCAC First Team selection and the first All-American in modern program history, earning Second Team All-American status in 2016. He was the team defensive MVP in 2013, 2015, and 2016, and team captain in 2015 and 2016.
He was the 2016 SCAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 15.5 sacks for a loss of 94 yards with 60 tackles (28 solo tackles), including 20.5 for loss (121 yards). Broussard also earned two All-Region honors.
Broussard holds the SCAC record for most sacks in a game (5.5, set on Oct. 15, 2016) and has the second-most career sacks in conference history with 37.
DL | Brandon Fleischmann (2013-2016)
Fleischmann is a three-time All-SCAC player, earning First Team selections in 2015 and 2016 and Honorable Mention in 2013. He finished his career with 122 total tackles (62 solo tackles), including 29.5 for loss (121 yards) and 16.5 sacks for 84 yards. He also had five pass breakups.
DL | Kyle Perlowski (2014-2017)
Perlowski was voted the team's most improved player in 2015 after earning the first of three honorable mention all-conference selections. He finished his career with 94 total tackles (44 solo tackles), including 19.5 for loss (46 yards), 4.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.
DL | Garrett Womack (2016-2019)
Womack was voted Southwestern defensive MVP by his teammates in 2018 and 2019, earning All-ASC Honorable Mention honors in 2019 after leading the conference in sacks with 8.5. He finished his career with 90 tackles (53 solo tackles), including 28.5 for loss with 16.5 sacks.
Frisby was the 2013 team defensive MVP and a three-time All-SCAC selection, earning First Team selections in 2013 and 2016, and Honorable Mention in 2015. He finished with 192 career tackles (98 solo tackles), including 21.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks. He had 4 interceptions with 59 return yards and 12 pass breakups.
Brockman earned All-ASC Honorable Mention selections in 2017 and 2018 before injury wiped out his 2019 season. He has 148 total tackles (84 solo tackles), including 15.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks. To date, Brockman has also recorded four pass breakups, three blocked kicks, and one interception.
Smith earned All-ASC Honorable Mention in 2018 and was a team captain in 2019, missing half the season due to injury. He finished his career with 150 total tackles (87 solo tackles), including 23 for loss (114 yards) and 6 sacks. He had three pass breakups with two interceptions.
Kelly is a four-time First Team all-conference selection as a defensive back. He earned All-American Honorable Mention status in 2017 and Second Team All-Region.
He was the 2014 SCAC Newcomer of the Year and two-time SCAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Kelly finished with 134 tackles (98 solo). He led the SCAC in interceptions in 2014 (6) and 2016 (4), finishing with a school-record 17 interceptions and 41 pass breakups.
DB | Deejay Johnson (2014-2017)
Another member of the best defensive backfield in the SCAC and ASC, Johnson is a four-time all-conference selection with two First Team All-SCAC selections, one First Team All-ASC selections, and one All-SCAC Honorable Mention selection. He finished his career with 89 tackles and 35 pass breakups, including 5 interceptions.
DB | Aaron Robinson (2016, 2018)
Robinson earned two all-conference selections, including First Team All-SCAC in 2016 and Second Team All-ASC in 2018. Robinsons finished with 181 total tackles (118 solo tackles), 2.5 sacks, 7 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions.
Fann earned All-SCAC honorable mention in 2014 and 2015. He finished with 159 tackles (104 solo tackles). He had 21 pass breakups and 10 interceptions.
Special Teams
The 2016 SCAC Newcomer of the Year was a two-time all-conference selection, earning honorable mention selections in the SCAC (2016) and ASC (2017). He finished his career connecting on 18 of 30 field-goal attempts and connected on 92 of his 100 extra-point attempts for 146 points.
Beck was All-SCAC Honorable Mention in 2016 and All-ASC Honorable Mention in 2017, punting for 3,178 career yards on 85 attempts for a 37.4-yard per punt average. He delivered 19 inside the 20-yard line and forced 24 fair catches.
In addition to being an All-American defensive back, Kelly was a dynamic threat in special teams, earning two SCAC Special Teams Player of the Year awards. Kelly finished with 949 kick return yards on 40 attempts for an average of 23.7 yards, scoring one touchdown of 89 yards. He returned 42 punts for 256 yards and a touchdown.