It wasn't that long ago that Ja'Von Rolland-Jones struggled to get on the field consistently for Arkansas State.
The junior defensive end started only one of the team's first six games. Coaches favored other players because they couldn't trust Rolland-Jones enough in defending the run.
But after a final month of the season that coaches had long desired from Rolland-Jones, he joined a club that includes only one other ASU player before Wednesday.
Rolland-Jones was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year on Wednesday when the conference released its year-end awards. The award was based on a vote by coaches and selected media members.
Rolland-Jones finished with 11½ sacks while breaking both the school and Sun Belt career record. He also tallied 18½ tackles for a loss, tied for most in the Sun Belt, while earning an award that only quarterback Ryan Aplin previously had won for ASU.
He said he learned about the honor in a text message from teammate Chris Odom, who had a case for the award with 12½ sacks but settled for a first-team all-Sun Belt nod.
"I didn't think I was going to get it," Rolland-Jones said. "I expected first team, yeah. But not player of the year."
Rolland-Jones improved upon his shortcomings to reach these heights.
He was a proven pass rusher, entering this season with 17 career sacks, which was tied for sixth on the ASU career list. But after missing five starts early in the year, coaches told him he needed to learn to defend the run.
He started in an Oct. 29 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, accumulating 1 sack and 1½ tackles for a loss, and he hasn't been out of the lineup since. He had 7½ of his 11½ sacks in the final six games, and 12 of his 18½ tackles for a loss came in the same span. He broke the Sun Belt career record for sacks in a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette and the ASU career record the next week. He has 28½ career sacks with one year to play.
He said the improvement happened gradually.
"It's really just a day at a time," he said. "You can't just flip a switch and say, 'OK, I'm going to get better at my run defense.' You've got to work at it every day."
Defensive line coach Brian Early said last month that he thinks Odom's breakout season helped Rolland-Jones' progress. Odom led the Sun Belt with 12½ sacks and was third in tackles for a loss at 17½.
Odom, Rolland-Jones and safety Money Hunter were first-team Sun Belt picks off ASU's defense. Left tackle Jemar Clark also was picked for the first team.
ASU's defense, third in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (22.2 points per game), had second-team selections in linebacker Xavier-Woodson Luster, safety Cody Brown and nickelback Justin Clifton. Blaise Taylor was picked to the second team as a punt returner and Warren Wand was as an all-purpose player.
Tight end Blake Mack and offensive lineman Colton Jackson also were picked for the second team.
Defensive tackle Waylon Roberson, wide receiver Kendall Sanders, cornerback Chris Humes and quarterback Justice Hansen each earned honorable mention. Linebacker Kyle Wilson was named to the all-newcomer team. The 16 ASU players who were honored tied for the program's most ever.
Idaho's Paul Petrino was named coach of the year after leading the Vandals to an 8-4 season and a spot in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Appalachian State's Jalin Moore, who led the Sun Belt with 1,367 yards rushing, was Offensive Player of the Year. Troy defensive tackle Rashad Dillard, who had 7½ sacks and 13½ tackles for a loss, was named Defensive Player of the Year.
All-Sun Belt Conference teams
PLAYER OF THE YEAR Ja’Von Rolland Jones, Arkansas State
COACH OF THE YEAR Paul Petrino, Idaho
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jalin Moore, Appalachian State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Rashad Dillard, Troy
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Clifton Duck, Appalachian State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR Aikeem Coleman, Idaho
NOTE Players and teams chosen by the 11 conference head coaches and select media representatives.
FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Brandon Silvers, Troy RB Jalin Moore, Appalachian State RB Jordan Chunn, Troy WR Robert Davis, Georgia State WR Al Riles, Louisiana-Lafayette WR Emanuel Thompson, Troy TE Gerald Everett, South Alabama OL Parker Collins, Appalachian State OL Colby Gossett, Appalachian State
OL Jemar Clark, Arkansas State
OL Andy Kwon, Georgia Southern OL Antonio Garcia, Troy
DEFENSE
DL Chris Odom, Arkansas State DL Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, Arkansas St.
DL Randy Allen, South Alabama DL Rashad Dillard, Troy LB Ironhead Gallon, Georgia Southern LB Otha Peters, Louisiana-Lafayette LB Rodney Butler, New Mexico State DB Clifton Duck, Appalachian State DB Mondo Williams, Appalachian State
DB Money Hunter, Arkansas State
DB Bobby Baker, Georgia State DB Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Younghoe Koo, Georgia Southern P Austin Rehkow, Idaho RS Jabir Frye, Troy
AP Jordan Chunn, Troy
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Matt Linehan, Idaho RB Marcus Cox, Appalachian State RB Elijah McGuire, Louisiana-Lafayette WR Saedon Meadors, Appalachian State WR Josh Magee, South Alabama WR Deondre Douglas, Troy
TE Blake Mack, Arkansas State
OL Beau Nunn, Appalachian State
OL Colton Jackson, Arkansas State
OL Steve Matlock, Idaho OL Jeff Savage, Louisiana-Monroe OL Tyler Lassiter, Troy
DEFENSE
DL Dezmin Reed, Appalachian State DL Tee Sims, Appalachian State DL Aikeem Coleman, Idaho DL Tueni Lupeamanu, Idaho DL Joe Dillon, Louisiana-Lafayette LB Eric Boggs, Appalachian State LB Kennan Gilchrest, Appalachian State
LB Xavier Woodson-Luster, Arkansas St.DB Cody Brown, Arkansas State DB Justin Clifton, Arkansas State
DB Jaden Wright, New Mexico State DB Jalen Rountree, Troy
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Austin Rehkow, Idaho P Brandon McKee, South Alabama
RS Blaise Taylor, Arkansas State AP Warren Wand, Arkansas State
Sports on 12/08/2016