Southland Announces Preseason All-Conference Football Teams
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – A total of 34 of the 58 Southland Conference all-conference positions from the 2014 season return for the 2015 season and garner spots on the preseason all-conference teams, the league office announced Wednesday, a week ahead of its media day at L’auberge Resort in Lake Charles, La.
Reigning conference defensive player of the year Jonathan Woodard from Central Arkansas and freshman of the year P.J. Hall from Sam Houston State highlight a talented list of 20 defensive players and 14 offensive players who return from last season’s all-conference squads to earn a spot on the preseason teams. Hall is one of seven Sam Houston first-team selections and one of 13 Bearkats to be represented on the two teams.
Defending co-champion Sam Houston leads all league schools with 13 all-conference selections while two-time defending champion Southeastern Louisiana has eight players on the two teams along with Abilene Christian. Central Arkansas and Northwestern State land six players on the preseason teams followed by Lamar with five, McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin with four and UIW with two. Nicholls and Houston Baptist each place one player on the preseason all-conference teams.
Sam Houston returns 21 starters from a team that went 7-1 in league play and reached the semifinals of the FCS playoffs for the third time in four years. First-team all-conference selections returning for the Bearkats are junior quarterback Jared Johnson, senior offensive lineman Donald Jackson III, junior placekicker Luc Swimberghe, sophomore defensive end Hall, junior linebacker Myke Chatman, senior defensive back Trenier Orr and senior punter Lachlan Edwards.
Hall was not only one of the top defensive players in the conference last season, but also in the country. The Jerry Rice Award finalist, which is an award given to the top freshman in FCS, was the only freshman in the top 30 in the FCS for tackles for a loss with 20. His 20 tackles for loss is the fourth-highest season total in school history. Hall also had eight sacks, three blocked field goals, one interception, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles last season.
Earning second-team honors for Sam Houston include junior running back Jalen Overstreet, senior wide receiver LaDarius Brown, sophomore wide receiver Yedidiah Louis, junior offensive lineman Brandon DeWitt, junior defensive lineman Mouf Abedo and senior defensive back Mikell Everette.
Southeastern, which is coming off its second consecutive league title with a 7-1 league mark, has two first-team all-conference selections and six second-team honorees. Earning a spot on the first team for the Lions is a pair of senior defensive backs with Harlan Miller and Denzel Thompson. The second-team members for Southeastern include senior all-purpose player and kick returner Xavier Roberson, senior defensive lineman A.J. Bowen, senior linebacker Herbert Harris and senior defensive backs Jordan Batiste and Micah Eugene.
Northwestern State has the second-most first-team picks with six players, led by senior Ed Eagan, who earned first-team spots as a wide receiver, all-purpose player and punt returner. Also earning first-team accolades for the Demons are senior offensive lineman Pace Murphy, senior defensive lineman Leroy Armstrong and junior defensive back Adam Jones.
McNeese has four first-team members followed by ACU with three. The Cowboys are represented by senior offensive lineman Quentin Marsh, senior defensive back Brent Spikes and senior linebackers Wallace Scott and Bo Brown. The three Wildcats to earn the preseason first-team distinction include sophomore running back De’Andre Brown, senior wide receiver Cedric Gilbert and junior offensive lineman Codey Funk.
Central Arkansas and UIW place two players on the first team while Lamar, Nicholls and Stephen F. Austin complete the team with one player each. The Bears are led by Woodard and junior kick returner Jatavious Wilson and UIW is paced by senior tight end Cole Wick and junior defensive lineman Corey Lee. Lamar’s first-team selection is senior wide receiver Reggie Begelton, while Nicholls is represented by senior running back Michael Henry. Senior offensive lineman Bryon Williams is the lone Lumberjack to earn first-team nods.
Returning student-athletes who earned all-conference honors at the conclusion of the 2014 season were automatically named to the preseason teams. Head coaches from the 11 schools that play football in the Southland Conference voted for the remaining 24 positions, which included two on the first-team offense, 12 positions on the second-team offense and 11 on the second-team defense. Coaches could not vote for their own players.
The conference’s two preseason polls – coaches and sports information directors – will be announced July 29 at media day.
2015 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams
|
First-Team Offense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Jared Johnson |
Sam Houston State |
6-1 |
215 |
Jr. |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
|
RB |
De’Andre Brown |
Abilene Christian |
5-9 |
190 |
So. |
Lewisville, Texas |
|
RB |
Michael Henry |
Nicholls |
6-2 |
225 |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
|
TE/HB |
Cole Wick |
UIW |
6-7 |
255 |
Sr. |
Hallettsville, Texas |
|
WR |
Ed Eagan |
Northwestern State |
5-10 |
181 |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
|
WR |
Reggie Begelton |
Lamar |
6-0 |
210 |
Sr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
|
WR |
Cedric Gilbert |
Abilene Christian |
6-2 |
215 |
Sr. |
Lancaster, Texas |
|
OL |
Donald Jackson III |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
277 |
Sr. |
Kilgore, Texas |
|
OL |
Byron Williams |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-4 |
302 |
Sr. |
Dickinson, Texas |
|
OL |
Pace Murphy |
Northwestern State |
6-6 |
279 |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
OL |
Quentin Marsh |
McNeese State |
6-3 |
310 |
Sr. |
Dickinson, Texas |
|
OL |
Codey Funk |
Abilene Christian |
6-5 |
320 |
Jr. |
Gridley, Ill. |
|
AP |
Ed Eagan |
Northwestern State |
5-10 |
181 |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
|
PK |
Luc Swimberghe |
Sam Houston State |
6-0 |
197 |
Jr. |
Tyler, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First-Team Defense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
DL |
P.J. Hall |
Sam Houston State |
6-1 |
270 |
So. |
Seguin, Texas |
|
DL |
Jonathan Woodard |
Central Arkansas |
6-6 |
271 |
Sr. |
Brentwood, Tenn. |
|
DL |
Leroy Armstrong |
Northwestern State |
6-1 |
242 |
Sr. |
Natchitoches, La. |
|
DL |
Corey Lee |
UIW |
6-0 |
285 |
Jr. |
Humble, Texas |
|
LB |
Wallace Scott |
McNeese State |
6-1 |
211 |
Sr. |
Weyanoke, La. |
|
LB |
Bo Brown |
McNeese State |
6-1 |
232 |
Sr. |
Katy, Texas |
|
LB |
Myke Chatman |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
216 |
Jr. |
Sealy, Texas |
|
DB |
Trenier Orr |
Sam Houston State |
5-11 |
180 |
Sr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
|
DB |
Harlan Miller |
Southeastern La. |
6-1 |
180 |
Sr. |
Kentwood, La. |
|
DB |
Denzel Thompson |
Southeastern La. |
6-3 |
200 |
Sr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
|
DB |
Brent Spikes |
McNeese State |
6-1 |
196 |
Sr. |
Newton, Texas |
|
DB |
Adam Jones |
Northwestern State |
6-2 |
196 |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
|
P |
Lachlan Edwards |
Sam Houston State |
6-5 |
214 |
Sr. |
Victoria, Australia |
|
KR |
Jatavious Wilson |
Central Arkansas |
5-9 |
171 |
Jr. |
Bastrop, La. |
|
PR |
Ed Eagan |
Northwestern State |
5-10 |
181 |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second-Team Offense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Zach Conque |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-6 |
237 |
Jr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
|
RB |
Jalen Overstreet |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
212 |
Jr. |
Tatum, Texas |
|
RB |
Kade Harrington |
Lamar |
5-9 |
190 |
Jr. |
Kingwood, Texas |
|
TE/HB |
Jamie Walker |
Abilene Christian |
6-3 |
240 |
Sr. |
North Richland Hills, Texas |
|
WR |
Desmond Smith |
Central Arkansas |
6-1 |
201 |
Jr. |
Bentonville, Ark. |
|
WR |
LaDarius Brown |
Sam Houston State |
6-2 |
220 |
Sr. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
|
WR |
Yedidiah Louis |
Sam Houston State |
5-8 |
187 |
So. |
Richardson, Texas |
|
OL |
Brandon DeWitt |
Sam Houston State |
6-3 |
277 |
Jr. |
Lawton, Okla. |
|
OL |
Riley Mayfield |
Abilene Christian |
6-7 |
315 |
So. |
Spokane Valley, Wash. |
|
OL |
Justin Brock |
Lamar |
6-5 |
310 |
Sr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
|
OL |
Kyle Stouffer |
Central Arkansas |
6-7 |
316 |
Sr. |
Dallas, Texas |
|
OL |
Anthony Pullins |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-3 |
296 |
Jr. |
Cedar Hill, Texas |
|
AP |
Xavier Roberson |
Southeastern La. |
5-9 |
180 |
Sr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
|
PK |
Nik Grau |
Abilene Christian |
6-1 |
210 |
Jr. |
Grapevine, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second-Team Defense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
DL |
Omar Tebo |
Lamar |
6-0 |
330 |
Jr. |
Liberty, Texas |
|
DL |
Mouf Adebo |
Sam Houston State |
6-1 |
230 |
Jr. |
Mansfield, Texas |
|
DL |
A.J. Bowen |
Southeastern La. |
6-2 |
320 |
Sr. |
Olive Branch, Miss. |
|
DL |
Lance Skyler |
Stephen F. Austin |
6-2 |
285 |
Sr. |
Lancaster, Texas |
|
LB |
Sam Denmark |
Abilene Christian |
6-1 |
225 |
So. |
Canyon, Texas |
|
LB |
Ricky Wyatt |
Central Arkansas |
5-11 |
222 |
Sr. |
Monroe, La. |
|
LB |
Herbert Harris |
Southeastern La. |
6-1 |
225 |
Sr. |
Clinton, Miss. |
|
DB |
Xavier Bethany |
Lamar |
6-1 |
195 |
Jr. |
Burton, Texas |
|
DB |
Jordan Batiste |
Southeastern La. |
5-10 |
185 |
Sr. |
Gramercy, La. |
|
DB |
Micah Eugene |
Southeastern La. |
5-10 |
188 |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
|
DB |
Mikell Everette |
Sam Houston State |
5-11 |
185 |
Sr. |
Covington, Wash. |
|
DB |
Dillion Winfrey |
Central Arkansas |
5-8 |
174 |
Sr. |
Bryant, Ark. |
|
P |
Christian Guzman |
Houston Baptist |
5-9 |
160 |
So. |
Brookshire, Texas |
|
KR |
Xavier Roberson |
Southeastern La. |
5-9 |
180 |
Sr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
|
PR |
Jonathan Epps |
Abilene Christian |
5-10 |
165 |
Sr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |