SATURDAY STARS: 15 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns college football athletes who shined in 2021

Conference championship weekend is done, and the College Football Playoff field is set. Bowl season has arrived.

The CFP committee paired Alabama with Cincinnati, and Michigan with Georgia, for national semifinals on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, no athletes from the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns area are currently on those four rosters.

However, plenty of hometown heroes shined across the country throughout the 2021 campaign. Here are 15 local players who produced the biggest numbers and garnered the most significant accolades.

Andre Bodison, New Mexico State

One of the few Matanzas grads to reach the Football Bowl Subdivision level, Bodison developed into a dependable target for independent New Mexico State.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound redshirt senior caught 32 balls for 403 yards this fall. He had a season-high six receptions against Utah State, and set a single-game career-high with 84 yards against UMass.

Qua Brown, Southern Illinois

One of the Salukis' leaders as a sixth-year senior, University product Brown had a hand in 88 tackles — including 58 solo stops. He set a career-high with three interceptions as well, making two picks in a first-round playoff win at South Dakota.

Quietly, Southern Illinois has been a bit of a conveyor belt for defensive backs — including Carolina Panthers standout Jeremy Chinn. Four former members of the Salukis' secondary are currently on NFL rosters.

Brown certainly produced enough film to get noticed at the FCS level. It remains to be seen if a team will take a chance on him.

Que'Shaun Byrd, Bethune-Cookman

The hometown Wildcats had a disappointing first year in the SWAC, though former Flagler Palm Coast speedster Byrd was a consistent bright spot.

Byrd, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior, gashed Prairie View A&M for 176 yards, scored twice in a prime-time contest against Alabama A&M and housed a kickoff return in a win over Alcorn State.

In total, Byrd amassed 1,025 all-purpose yards with six touchdowns.

Shane Calhoun, TE, East Carolina

Most of Calhoun's offensive production came in one game this season, a monster outing against Marshall.

The 6-foot-2, 243-pound former Creekside star hauled in eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in that Sept. 18 showdown with the Thundering Herd.

Calhoun hauled in a 9-yard touchdown against Temple. He finished with 18 receptions for 190 yards and two scores.

Tank Dell, WR, Houston

Few players had as much influence on their teams this fall than Dell, a Mainland grad who blossomed into a major college recruit during his time at Independence (Kan.) Community College.

Dell had team-highs in receptions (80), receiving yards (1,179) and touchdown catches (12). He averages 90.7 yards per game, more than double any other player on the Cougars' roster.

Houston went 11-2 this season, losing to Group of Five trailblazer Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game Saturday. The Cougars will face Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 28.

Jordan Helm, DB, Florida Atlantic

The Owls' leading tackler, and by some distance, Helm earned All-Conference USA third team honors from Pro Football Focus.

Helm, a grad student hailing from Bartram Trail, recorded 96 tackles, recovered four fumbles and picked off a pass against UTEP. He topped double digits for tackles on four separate occasions, including 15 apiece against Air Force and Old Dominion.

John Huggins, DB, Jackson State

Following stints at Florida, Robert Morris and Garden City (Kan.) Community College, Huggins has seemingly found a home in Deion Sanders' secondary at Jackson State.

Huggins, who was an All-Area honorable mention for both Pine Ridge and Mainland, tallied 43 tackles (33 solo) and five pass breakups — three alone in Saturday's SWAC Championship win over Prairie View A&M.

Jackson State (11-1) finished the season 14th in the FCS Coaches' Poll. The Tigers draw a network television spotlight on Dec. 18 against MEAC champ South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl.

Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State

For the second straight season, Bartram Trail grad Hutchinson paced the Cyclones' receiving corps.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior totaled 82 receptions for 953 yards and five touchdowns. Hutchinson produced his biggest statistical game of the season in Iowa State's 24-21 home upset of Oklahoma State with 12 catches, 125 yards and two scores.

A potential NFL draft prospect for 2022, Hutchinson will showcase his skills close to home this month. Iowa State faces Clemson in an intriguing Cheez-It Bowl matchup Dec. 29 in Orlando.

Tre'Vez Johnson, DB, Florida

The Gators spiraled down the stretch, save for an inspired win over rival Florida State to ensure bowl eligibility. In September, when things were going well, Johnson played a pivotal role in Todd Grantham's defense.

The Bartram Trail grad made seven starts and collected 23 tackles (15 solo). He had a sack against Florida Atlantic, two pass breakups against Alabama and an interception against Kentucky.

Finishing his sophomore season, Johnson has appeared in 21 games for Florida to date.

Taron Keith, RB, Bowling Green

A late addition to Bowling Green's 2020 signing class, Mainland product Keith blossomed into a multi-purpose weapon in his redshirt freshman campaign.

Keith bulked up to 190 pounds and caught at least one pass in all 12 of the Falcons' games. He ended the year with 26 receptions, 244 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.

Keith contributed on special teams, too. He returned 23 kicks for 500 yards, likely entrenching himself as a vital part of the squad going forward.

Tai Lavatai, QB, Navy

All eyes will be on the storied Army-Navy game this weekend from the Meadowlands, and Creekside grad Lavatai will take center stage.

At the controls of the Midshipmen's flexbone option attack, Lavatai enters the regular season finale with 309 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 150 carries. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore has attempted 55 throws, completing 30 for 367 yards with five scores and a pair of picks.

Lavatai completed a season-long pass of 49 yards and rushed for two touchdowns in an upset win of UCF on Oct. 2.

Kenny Logan Jr., DB, Kansas

Selected to Pro Football Focus' All-Big 12 second team, Logan led the conference with 118 tackles — the highest total for a Jayhawk since 2018, and tops among safeties in the NCAA.

Logan, a Menendez grad, set a career-high with 15 tackles in a Nov. 20 loss to TCU. He added six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Additionally, Logan was Kansas' primary return man on kickoffs, averaging 27.9 yards per return.

Austin Reed, QB, West Florida

Typically, Saturday Stars exclusively looks at NCAA Division I football. But it's impossible to ignore Reed's D-II regular season dominance.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound redshirt sophomore from St. Augustine became the first Argonaut named a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the top honor in Division II. He threw for 3,418 yards, 38 touchdowns and eight interceptions this fall, and rushed for another four scores.

West Florida went 9-2, bowing out in a surprising 33-30 upset defeat to Newberry as Reed threw three picks.

Marcus Tatum, OT, UCF

The Mainland grad, and Tennessee transfer, started all 12 games at left tackle for the Knights. Tatum, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound redshirt senior, earned an All-AAC honorable mention from both the league's coaches and Pro Football Focus.

In six college seasons, Tatum has participated in 40 games and made 25 starts on both sides of the line. He'll suit up one last time for UCF in the highly anticipated Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23 against Florida.

Avantae Williams, DB, Miami

The DeLand grad, the highest-rated recruit in the Hurricanes' 2020 signing class, was reinstated after aggravated battery charges against him were dropped in August. He sat out the first six games of the season, but made a handful of plays as Miami started to heat up.

Williams snagged his first career interception in a Nov. 6 win over Georgia Tech, an acrobatic leaping grab over wide receiver Kyric McGowan followed by a 32-yard return. He made 15 solo tackles in an expanding role at safety.

Wins in five of Miami's final six games was not enough to save head coach Manny Diaz's job.

Miami officially hired Mario Cristobal several hours later. Williams committed to Oregon in December 2018 while Cristobal was in charge.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NCAA football: 15 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns stars for 2021 season