Rideaux Leads Eight All-SAA Football Picks

ATLANTA, Ga. - Eight members of the Austin College football team have been named All-Southern Athletic Association honorees and Aaron Rideaux was named the league's West Division Offensive Player of the Year for the 2021 spring season, the league office has announced.

Aaron Rideaux, Broderick Hampton, and Sharun Jones were all selected as first team All-SAA picks while Tyler James was picked as a first team All-SAA punter and second team All-Conference quarterback and Keegan Nichols, Kolbie Banks, Jarius Williams, and John Aldridge were second team All-Conference selections.

Rideaux, a junior wide receiver from Beaumont, earned West Division Offensive Player of the Year and first team All-SAA after leading the league in virtually every receiving category, including catching 31 passes for 438 yards with four touchdowns. Rideaux had 10 catches in each of the team's final two games, going for 178 yards in the team's win over Millsaps and 120 in the season finale against Centre. 

Hampton, a senior tight end from Princeton, was a first team All-League pick while also ranking among the conference leaders in nearly every receiving category. Hampton caught 16 passes for 276 yards on the year, an average of 69.0 yards-per-game and 17.3 yards-per-catch, and hauled in three touchdown receptions on the year.

Jones, a senior defensive back and punt returner from Houston, was a first team All-SAA selection after coming away with an interception from his safety spot and also averaging 19.8 yards-per-return on punt, including breaking a 75-yard touchdown return in the final game of the year. Jones also averaged 23.5 yards-per-return on kickoffs.

James, a junior punter and quarterback, was a first team All-Conference pick at punter after leading the SAA with 43.0 yards-per-punt, and was a second team All-SAA pick at quarterback after completing 53.4% of his attempts for 904 yards, an average of 226.0 yards-per-game through the air. James threw seven touchdown passes against just one interception in his first year as the team's staring quarterback.

Nichols, a junior linebacker from Cedar Park, was a second team All-SAA pick after making 24 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and forcing a fumble. Nichols finished the season third on the team in tackles, averaging 6.0 per-game.

Banks, a senior offensive lineman from Galveston, was a second team All-Conference honoree after helping the 'Roos put up 325.8 yards-per-game of total offense and average 25.5 points-per-game. In the final three games of the year, the 'Roos averaged 123.6 yards-per-game on the ground behind Banks and the offensive line.

Williams, a junior defensive back from Cedar Hill, was a second team All-SAA pick after finishing fourth on the team with 22 tackles, averaging 5.5 stops-per-game, and making an interception. He also lead the 'Roos in pass breakups on the year, with four.

Aldridge, a sophomore placekicker from Richardson, was a second team All-Conference selection after remaining perfect on the year on both field goals and point after attempts, connecting on 4-of-4 field goals with a long of 38 yards and 12-of-12 point after attempts.