NATCHITOCHES – Blake Gotcher and Chancellor Owens entered the 2024 Northwestern State football season at opposite ends of the experience spectrum.
 
They ended it with at least one postseason honor in common – an All-American honor.
 
For the second time in as many days, Gotcher was named to an All-American team after leading the country in tackles. Meanwhile, Owens picked up the first such nod of his career.
 
Gotcher, a junior linebacker from Little Elm, Texas, was selected a third-team FCS All-American by STATS Perform after racking up 162 tackles, the fourth-highest total in Northwestern single-season history. The honor came one day after Gotcher was picked to The Associated Press FCS All-American second team.
 
A 6-foot-1, 225-pounder, Gotcher finished eighth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
 
Gotcher's 162 tackles, in addition to being fourth in school single-season history, topped qualifying FCS players by 29. Through the FCS semifinals, Gotcher's tackle total remains tops in the country by 25.
 
In his first season at Northwestern, Gotcher collected double-figure tackles in 11 of his 12 games, topped by a 23-tackle, two-sack, forced-fumble performance against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 7 that earned him Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. That game also led Gotcher to net honorable mention FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors from Stats Perform.
 
In addition to his 162 tackles, Gotcher had 4.5 sacks – two each against Prairie View A&M and Weber State – and 10 tackles for loss for 31 yards. He added two forced fumbles, two pass breakups, an interception he returned 24 yards against McNeese on Nov. 16 and a quarterback hurry.
 
Gotcher recorded at least 16 tackles in five games and 12 or mor tackles in eight games. He was Northwestern's first Buchanan Award finalist since linebacker Derek Rose in 2011.
 
Owens, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Fort Worth, Texas, picked up the first individual honor of his career when he was named to Sports Illustrated's FCS Freshman All-American Team.
 
Owens led Northwestern with 10.5 tackles for loss, totaling 32 yards. His 70 tackles and four sacks both ranked second on the team behind Gotcher.
 
A product of V.R. Eaton High School, Owens saved his most productive performance for the Demons' season finale at Houston Christian, racking up a career-best 17 tackles, eclipsing his previous high of eight.
 
He added a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss and finished the season with sacks in consecutive games.
 
Like Gotcher, Owens started all 12 games for the Demons, collecting a team-best four quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup.
 
Owens becomes Northwestern's first Freshman All-American since punter Scotty Roblow earned the honor following the spring 2021 season.
 
The full STATS Perform All-American team can be found here.