• Complete 2022 The Bluebloods FCS All-American Team (PDF)
Three Ohio Valley Conference football players have been named to the 2022 The Bluebloods FCS All-American Team. The picks were Southeast Missouri State running back
Geno Hess, UT Martin offensive lineman
Matthan Hatchie and UTM linebacker
John H. Ford II.
Hess was a first-team pick, Hatchie was a second-team selection and Ford was a third-team pick.
Hess, the OVC Offensive Player of the Year, finished fifth in this year's Walter Payton Award balloting, the highest finish for an OVC player since Jimmy Garoppolo won the award in 2013. Hess ran for 1,691 yards (seventh-most in OVC history) and 21 touchdowns (second-most in OVC history) in 12 games and added nine catches for 114 yards and two additional touchdowns. During the regular season he led the FCS in total touchdowns (21) and shared the lead for rushing touchdowns (19) while ranking second in yards per carry (7.62) and third in total rushing yards (1,569). He accomplished all of that despite having only eight rushing yards in the season-opener at FBS foe Iowa State. He guided the Redhawks to a 9-3 overall record and the program's third OVC Championship. He broke the OVC single-game rushing record with 317 yards on 26 carries against Murray State in the season finale and was is the only FCS player to break the 300-yard plateau in 2022. He had two other games where he rushed for 200 yards and overall had six games with at least 100 rushing yards. Hess had four rushing touchdowns in two different games and tallied 10 total touchdowns over his final three regular season games (and added two more in the FCS Playoffs against Montana. Hess broke the OVC career scoring record (330 points) during the playoffs, while his 138 points this season were the second-most in Conference single-season history. He currently ranks ninth in OVC history for career rushing yards (4,111) and second in career rushing touchdowns (53). He was previously named a first-team Associated Press All-American this year.
Hatchie was a key part of the UT Martin team that shared the OVC Championship this season. In the regular season, the Skyhawks ranked 17th nationally in total offense (442.5 yards/game), 19th in passing offense (269.4 yards/game) and 20th in scoring offense (34.7 points/game). He helped block for a quarterback who threw for 2,928 yards and a rushing tandem that combined for 1688 yards and 24 touchdowns in 11 games.
Ford, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year and finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, helped his team to a share of the OVC Championship, its second-straight title. He tallied 105 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, 5.0 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. During the regular season he ranked third in the OVC (and 21st nationally) in tackles (9.5/game), second in sacks (0.45/game) and third in tackles for loss (0.95/game). Ford had double-digit tackles in five games, including a season-high 13 stops in wins over Western Illinois and Murray State. His play helped UTM rank first nationally in turnovers gained (28) and in the Top 20 nationally in tackles for loss (17th) and sacks (20th). He was previously named a third-team Associated Press All-American this year.