Four Cougars named Associated Press All-Big 12

The Associated Press announced its annual Big 12 football individual award winners for the 2024 season, including four BYU student-athletes on offense and defense.

Four Cougars named Associated Press All-Big 12Four Cougars named Associated Press All-Big 12

NEW YORK — The Associated Press announced its annual Big 12 football individual award winners for the 2024 season, including four BYU student-athletes on offense and defense. 

BYU was led by junior Will Ferrin, who was named AP All-Big 12 first-team place kicker. Three other Cougars were named to the second team including senior defensive end Tyler Batty, senior offensive tackle Caleb Etienne and junior kickoff returner Keelan Marion

A Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, Ferrin led the Big 12 in field goals with 21, good for eighth nationally. His 21 field goals also tied the BYU single-season record set by Justin Sorensen in 2013. Ferrin also converted all 39 of his extra-point attempts to lead all conference kickers in scoring with 101 points (8.4 per game). Ferrin was named the Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and was the College Football Network kicker of the year. Ferrin is majoring in business management.

In addition to being named to the first team by the league, Batty was also named all-conference by College Football News. The senior edge rusher led all BYU defensive linemen with 55 tackles, including seven for loss, while adding eight quarterback hurries and being the only defensive lineman in the nation with two interceptions. He was on the Rotary Lombardi Award Final Watchlist as well as the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and East-West Shrine Bowl. Batty graduated with a degree in communications studies in April 2024.

Etienne, who started all 12 games for BYU at left tackle, was previously named All-Big 12 First Team by the league as well as College Football News. Etienne anchored a Cougar offensive line that surrendered just 1.3 sack per game and helped BYU average 160 yards rushing and 238 yards passing per game. Etienne is majoring in sociology. 

Marion was previously named first-team All-America by Walter Camp, CBS Sports and Pro Football Focus. He is also one of three finalists for the Jet Award, which honors the premier return specialist in college football. Marion is the FBS co-leader in kick-return touchdowns with two and is 12th nationally in yards per return at 26.2. He has returned 18 kickoffs for 472 yards. Following his 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Utah, Marion was named the Jet Award return specialist of the week on Nov. 11. His other kick return for a touchdown was for 100 yards against Wyoming in week three of the season. Marion is a geography global studies major.

The 2024 AP All-Big 12 team was determined by the votes from a panel of 18 sports writers and sportscasters who regularly cover the league.

AP First-Team All-Big 12
PK: Will Ferrin
 
AP Second-Team All-Big 12
DE: Tyler Batty
OT: Caleb Etienne
All-purpose: Keelan Marion