Four Mustangs earn preseason All-American Athletic Conference football honors

DALLAS (SMU) - Four Mustangs have earned preseason All-American Athletic Conference honors from AthlonSports, the news outlet has announced.

Kenneth Acker

Headlining the SMU group was senior corner Kenneth Acker, who garnered a first-team nod. Joining him on the three-team list were third-teamers Jeremy Johnson, Randall Joyner and Traylon Shead.

Acker was named second-team All-Conference USA last season after starting all 13 games. He led the team with 12 PBUs and tied for team lead with three interceptions, and was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 10 after notching two interceptions and scoring two touchdowns - one on an interception return and one on a blocked field goal try - against SFA.

Johnson, a senior, was named All-Conference USA honorable mention last season after leading the Mustangs with 67 grabs for 679 yards and three TDs. He was a key part of an SMU offense that posted top-10 school efforts in scoring, scoring average, total offense, passing yards, passing TDs, completions, attempts, completion percentage and first downs among others.

Joyner ranked second on the team and 17th in the league with 93 tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions in 2012. The senior-to-be set career-highs with 14 tackles and two interceptions at UTEP and was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week as SMU shutout UTEP. On the year, Joyner and Acker were both part of an SMU defense that posted two shutouts, tied an NCAA season record for pick-sixes, and tied for third in the country in total takeaways and second in fumble recoveries for TDs.

Shead is a newcomer to the Hilltop, having enrolled at SMU in January 2013. The junior-to-be spent 2012 at Navarro Junior College, where he was named an honorable mention All-American.

On the heels of their fourth-straight bowl appearance, the Mustangs' 2013 schedule is highlighted by six games at Ford Stadium on the SMU campus. That includes a season-opening, Friday-night matchup against Texas Tech to be aired nationally on ESPN. Other 2013 visitors to Ford Stadium will be Montana State and American Athletic Conference foes Rutgers, Temple, UConn and UCF.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, by visiting SMUMustangs.com/Tickets, or by calling the SMU Ticket Office directly at 214-SMU-GAME (214-768-4263).