SUWANEE, GA – Coming off an incredible comeback victory in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championship game, McMurry University was rewarded with four of the league's five major awards in exclusive voting by the head coaches and sports information directors of the conference.

War Hawk standouts Dylan Plake and Bryce Neves were recognized as the league's Offensive and Defensive Players-of-the-Year, respectively, Jax Rodriguez was selected Special Teams Player-of-the-Year, and McMurry head coach Jordan Neal earned Coach-of-the-Year honors.

Following the completion of the regular season, all six conference teams embarked upon historic War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark., for the inaugural SCAC Championship Weekend. A tripleheader of action determined both fifth and third place in the conference this season and culminated with the title game, which was won by McMurry after scoring 20 unanswered fourth-quarter points to pull off a miraculous 27-19 come-from-behind victory over Texas Lutheran.

Dylan Plake, a first-year quarterback from Harker Heights, Texas, who transferred to McMurry from East Texas A&M, made an immediate impact this season for the War Hawks, after taking over as starter in Week 4. Plake led the SCAC in completions (177), passing yards (2,250), passing yards per game (250.0), completion percentage (63.2) and total offense (2,207) and was second in touchdown passes (18). He was a two-time SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week during the regular season, including in Week 8 when he accounted for five total touchdowns, completing 24 of 32 passes for 386 yards in the War Hawks' 52-6 victory at Centenary. He earned the honor again two weeks later when he led McMurry to a come-from-behind 34-28 victory over Hendrix behind a three-touchdown, 343-yard passing performance where the first year completed 72.7 percent of his passes without an interception. The second consecutive McMurry quarterback to earn SCAC Offensive POTY honors, Plake stepped in for last year's co-winner, Jess Hoel, who was injured in Week 3 this season.

Plake received seven votes in the balloting for Offensive Player-of-the-Year, followed by senior running back Auvic White of Hendrix College, who picked up four votes. Junior quarterback Jaylon Talton of Austin College received the remaining first place vote.

Bryce Neves, a sophomore linebacker from Abilene, Texas, finished tied for second in the conference with 70 tackles (7.0 per game), including 9.5 tackles for loss, which was good for fourth in the league. He had 6.5 sacks (tied for third in the SCAC), eight pass breakups (tied for second in the SCAC), three quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and league-leading totals in fumble recoveries (four) and defensive touchdowns (two). One of those touchdowns came midway through the fourth quarter of last Saturday's SCAC championship game, when Neves pounced on a loose ball in the end zone that tied the game and helped lead to McMurry's 27-19 come-from-behind victory over Texas Lutheran. That performance earned him Defensive POTW honors for the second time in 2025 as he also received the accolade following Week 1. Neves was an integral part of a defensive unit that led the league in points allowed per game, total defense, sacks and fumble recoveries while finishing second in both rushing yards and passing yards allowed per contest. His selection marks the second consecutive year a McMurry has won at least a share of the Defensive POTY award, following Kane Strohman who was Co-Defensive POTY a year ago.

Neves received seven votes from the coaches and sports information directors in the balloting for Defensive Player-of-the-Year while senior defensive back Ryan Maxwell of Hendrix picked up three votes. Senior linebacker Pablo Cantu of Austin College was named on two ballots.

Jax Rodriguez, a sophomore placekicker and punter from Lago Vista, Texas, broke the McMurry single-season school record with 11 made field goals this season, which led the SCAC and ties for the 11th most in a single season in league history. He hit 11 of 15 field goal attempts (73.3 percent) with a long of 44 yards (which he did twice), was 34 of 36 on extra point attempts, and finished second in the conference with 67 points (tops among kickers). The sophomore also handled punting duties for the War Hawks, averaging 37.3 yards per punt with a long of 60 yards.

Rodriguez, who was a two-time SCAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Week selection during the regular season, attempted three on-side kicks this season and McMurry recovered two of those. Rodriguez, who is the first War Hawk to earn SCAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Year honors, picked up seven votes in the balloting for this year's award, followed by senior placekicker Caleb Balderas of Austin College who received four votes. Senior receiver/returner Caleb Camarillo of Texas Lutheran was the recipient of the remaining first-place vote.

McMurry head coach Jordan Neal, in his seventh season at the helm, led his team to a 6-4 overall mark (4-1 in conference) and the SCAC championship game where the War Hawks pulled off an amazing 27-19 come-from-behind victory over Texas Lutheran to earn the league crown. After producing just five wins in his first four seasons in Abilene, Neal has turned the program around and is 19-11 since 2023, which includes a pair of SCAC titles (the War Hawks were co-champions in 2024) the last two seasons.
 
This season, McMurry led the SCAC in total defense, allowing a league-low 326.2 yards per game which included league-high totals in sacks (34), fumble recoveries (14) and defensive touchdowns (four). Offensively, the War Hawks were tops in passing yards (322.5 per game) and third in both total yards (398.3) and points (33.7) per game.
 
Neal's Coach-of-the-Year honor is the first of his career and the first for a McMurry head coach in any fall sport since joining the SCAC prior to the 2024-25 academic year.
 
2025 SCAC Football Offensive Player-of-the-Year
Dylan Plake                    McMurry           Fr.         QB        5-10      204               Harker Heights, Texas
 
2025 SCAC Football Defensive Player-of-the-Year
Bryce Neves                  McMurry           So.        LB         6-1        189               Abilene, Texas
 
2025 SCAC Football Special Teams Player-of-the-Year
Jax Rodriguez                 McMurry           So.        PK         6-0        186               Lago Vista, Texas
 
2025 SCAC Football Coach-of-the-Year
Jordan Neal                    McMurry           6-4 overall / 4-1 conference / SCAC Champions

2025 All-SCAC First Team Offense
Jeremiah Hayes             McMurry           Jr.          G           6-3        326               Houston Heights, Texas
Zach Thomas                 McMurry           So.        T            6-5        242               Van Alstyne, Texas
Thomas Chandler          McMurry           Jr.          WR        5-11      168               Waco, Texas
Dylan Plake                    McMurry           Fr.         QB        5-10      204                Harker Heights, Texas
Jax Rodriguez                McMurry           So.        PK         6-0        186                Lago Vista, Texas
 
2025 All-SCAC First Team Defense
Jackson Harris               McMurry           Jr.          DE         5-11      244               Kilgore, Texas
Dorian LeBlanc              McMurry           Sr.         DT         6-1        320               Beaumont, Texas
Bryce Neves                  McMurry           So.        LB         6-1        189                Abilene, Texas
Zach Mitchell                 McMurry           So.        LB         6-1        221                Fort Worth, Texas
Dylon Davis                   McMurry           Sr.         S            5-11      187               Abilene, Texas
Kimani Smith                 McMurry           Sr.         CB         5-11      172                Austin, Texas
 
2025 All-SCAC Honorable Mention Offense
Jacob Ingram                 McMurry           Jr.          G           6-4        275              Cayuga, Texas
Kevin Avila                     McMurry           Jr.          T            6-4        295              Brady, Texas
David Seagroves           McMurry           So.        T            6-4        298               Brownsboro, Texas
Karmelus Card              McMurry           Sr.         WR        5-10      158                El Paso, Texas
Xavier Williams              McMurry           Jr.          WR       6-0        155               Waco, Texas
Jadyn Pruitt                   McMurry           Fr.         WR       5-11      187                 Odessa, Texas
Rhett Butler                   McMurry           So.        TE          5-11      210               Waxahachie, Texas
 
2025 All-SCAC Honorable Mention Defense
Ryland Hurst                 McMurry           Jr.          DE         5-11      235                New Caney, Texas
Brayden Youree            McMurry           So.        LB         5-9        198                 Franklin, Texas
Noah Hatcher                McMurry           So.        DB        5-11      195                 Abilene, Texas
Cole Riha                      McMurry           So.        S            6-1        196                Boerne, Texas

For complete list of All-Conference Winners visit: SCAC Announces 2025 All-Conference Football Team