Jacksonville State University Athletics

JSU CAREER
2014: Received a medical redshirt after missing the season with a knee injury.

2013: Started all 15 games at cornerback for the Gamecocks as a junior, joining Jermaine Hough as the team’s starting corners for every game…recorded 49 tackles, 32 solo, while breaking up 10 passes and intercepting one…had three tackles for a loss and one sack…his interception came at Austin Peay on Nov. 2 and he returned it 95 yards for a touchdown, the sixth-longest interception return in school history…was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 27 after recording six tackles and three pass break-ups in a win at Tennessee Tech, a game that saw him lead a JSU secondary that held TTU to just 8-for-23 passing for only 99 yards with one interception.…notched a season-high eight tackles at UT Martin on Oct. 5 and had five or more in two other games…recorded at least one tackle in every game…had his only sack of the year in the second round of the playoffs at McNeese State, a game that also saw him break-up two passes.

2012:  Started in all 11 of the Gamecocks’ games as a sophomore…finished third on the team with 56 tackles…finished with 40 solo stops and 16 assists…finished second on the team with two interceptions while leading the team with nine pass break-ups…also had one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery…finished with a career-high 15 tackles against UT Martin on Nov. 3, making seven solo stops and eight assists while also recording his first career tackle for loss…recorded seven tackles in his first career start against Arkansas on Sept. 1 and then again against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 22…came up with his first career interception against Eastern Illinois on Oct. 13 to go with six tackles…recorded his second interception of the season against Murray State on Oct. 27…led the JSU defense with five tackles, including a fumble recovery at Tennessee Tech on Oct. 6…finished with two pass break-ups in four different games.

2011:  Saw action in nine of the Gamecocks’ 11 games as a true freshman…saw limited action in the offensive backfield before moving to the defensive side of the ball at Murray State on Oct. 1…carried the ball 12 times for 52 yards on offense and totaled eight tackles on the other side of the ball…had one carry for six yards in his collegiate debut at Chattanooga on Sept. 10…at Southeast Missouri on Nov. 12, when starting tailback Washaun Ealey sat with a hamstring injury, ran seven times for 46 yards, including a season-long 18-yard scamper…had a season-high four tackles at Kentucky on Oct. 22.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Mardy Lee at First Coast High School…finished his senior season with more than 930 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns…had his best game with 103 yards on eight carries with three touchdowns against Ed White…was selected for the Shrine Bowl…was named Florida Times-Union Player of the Week during his senior year…also recruited by Appalachian State, Southern Miss and UMass.

PERSONAL: Full name is Rashod A. Byers…born on April 2, 1993, in Jacksonville, Fla…the son of Robert Byers and Rolunda Bailey…has two brothers, Robert and Rashamell, and four sisters, Ashley, Diamond, Sariyah and Raniyah…majoring in criminal justice at JSU.