2007 Southland Conference Preseason Football Polls And Preseason All-Southland Conference Teams Announced
FRISCO, Texas - McNeese State, a team which has won as many league titles as the other seven members combined, has been picked by the head coaches and sports information directors to win the 2007 Southland Conference regular season football championship.
The defending champion Cowboys received six of the possible eight first-place votes from the coaches while five SIDs tabbed the Pokes to be the best. Voters may not vote for their own teams in the preseason polls.
Stephen F. Austin received the other two first-place nods from the head coaches and ranks second in their poll with 42 total points to McNeese’s 48. Sam Houston State, with the addition of highly-touted quarterback Rhett Bomar, finds itself third with 36 tallies. Northwestern State (31 points) placed fourth, ahead of Texas State (27) and Nicholls State (20).
Central Arkansas (10) and Southeastern Louisiana (10) will tie for seventh according to the coaches.
Five SIDs voted for McNeese to finish first while three think the impact of Bomar will be enough to get the Bearkats to the top. Four points
(47-43) separate the two in the publicists’ poll. SFA (32) ranks third with Texas State (27) and Northwestern State (24) rounding out the top five. UCA (23), Nicholls (19) and SLU (9) complete the SID picks.
McNeese State captured its 11th SLC regular-season title by posting a 5-1 league record in 2006 to finish one game ahead of Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin. It was the fourth title in six years for McNeese. The other seven Southland clubs have combined to win 11 crowns with Northwestern State garnering four, followed by SHSU (3), SFA (2) and Nicholls State and Texas State with one apiece. McNeese did get a 15-year jump on the competition as the Cowboys joined the SLC for the 1972 football season. Four others, SHSU, Northwestern, Texas State and SFA entered the Southland in 1987. Nicholls State came on board in 1991 with Southeastern Louisiana starting its football play in the league in 2005.
Central Arkansas is the newest member of the league as the Bears embark on an SLC schedule this year for the first time.
McNeese head coach Matt Viator begins his first full season with the Cowboy program after taking over mid stream and guiding his team to the championship in 2006. He will have a dozen preseason All-Southland Conference selections helping him try to secure the 12th trophy to place in the department display case. Included are 2006 SLC Player of the Year Steven Whitehead at wide receiver and SLC Defensive Player of the Year Bryan Smith on the defensive side of the ball.
With the Cowboys off to a 1-3 start, Viator was named McNeese State’s head coach on Sept. 13, 2006. He went on to lead the Cowboys to the NCAA championship playoffs by posting a 6-2 record in his partial season. He was named both the SLC Coach of the Year and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year and was a finalist in the balloting for the national Football Championship Subdivision’s Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.
2007 Southland Conference Football Preseason Polls
COACHES (1st Place Votes)
1. McNeese State (6) 48
2. Stephen F. Austin (2) 42
3. Sam Houston State 36
4. Northwestern State 31
5. Texas State 27
6. Nicholls State 20
7. Central Arkansas 10
Southeastern Louisiana 10
SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTORS
1. McNeese State (5) 47
2. Sam Houston State (3) 43
3. Stephen F. Austin 32
4. Texas State 27
5. Northwestern State 24
6. Central Arkansas 23
7. Nicholls State 19
8. Southeastern Louisiana 9
--www.southland.org--
2007 All-Southland Conference Preseason Football Teams Released; Reigning Players of the Year Return To Head Up Squads
FRISCO, Texas -
Preseason favorite McNeese State leads all teams with nine first-team selections on the 2007 Preseason All-Southland Conference football squads and has three on the second unit. Included among the first teamers are reigning SLC Player of the Year Steven Whitehead and 2006 Defensive Player of the Year Bryan Smith.
All eight Southland teams placed at least four student-athletes on the preseason first and second teams. The teams are comprised of players voted All-SLC following last season as automatic selections. The remaining spots are nominated for and voted upon by the eight head coaches of the league.
Texas State landed 10 total student-athletes on the preseason teams with five on each side of the ball. Stephen F. Austin has a total of eight selections with five of those being offensive players. Nicholls State garners five picks with the other four teams each placing four.
After ranking in the top three in five different statistical categories during the regular season and helping the McNeese State Cowboys to an 11th regular-season league championship, Whitehead was named the 2006 Southland Conference Football Player of the Year.
Whitehead (5-8, 170 pounds), a senior from Slidell, La., is a preseason first-team All-Southland Conference pick at wide receiver and return specialist. He ranked second in the Southland with 130 yards of all-purpose yards per game. He accumulated 1,560 yards in 12 games to help McNeese post a 7-5 overall record and go 5-1 in SLC play to win its fourth regular-season crown in the last six years.
A junior defensive lineman, Smith ranked 20th in the SLC with 68 tackles, but was first by a long shot with 13.5 quarterback sacks and 21 tackles for lost yardage. The Newton, Texas, product established a new Southland single game record with five of his quarterback sacks.
Joining Whitehead on the offensive side of the ball are fellow wide receivers Carlese Franklin and Quinten Lawrence, giving the Cowboys a triple threat. Franklin (5-11, 178) joins Whitehead on the first-team while Lawrence (6-1, 180) was voted to the second-team by the league’s head coaches. The three ranked among the top six in the league last year for receiving yards per game. Lawrence ranked fifth with 39.9 yards while Franklin was sixth at 39.2 as each caught 29 passes on the season.
Offensive lineman Eman Naghavi (6-2, 235) and kicker Blake Bercegeay (6-2, 168) also represent McNeese on the first-team offense. Naghavi, a junior from Katy, Texas, was a second-team selection after last season.
Bercegeay finished second in the Southland a year ago with 87 points as he hit on 18-of-20 field goals and 33-of-36 extra points.
Kirby Joseph (6-2, 256) joins Smith on the first-team defensive line while teammates Trey Bennett (6-1, 227) and Jonathan Walker (5-11, 175) are also on the top squad for McNeese. Joseph ranked seventh in the league with 3.5 sacks as a junior. From his linebacker position, Bennett had 55 tackles as a junior while Walker ranked No. 4 in the SLC with three interceptions as a junior.
Both quarterback positions on the 2007 preseason teams were automatic selections as Danny Southall of SFA and Bradley George of Texas State each return. Southall (6-3, 214) was the 2006 first-teamer after leading the Southland in total offense (208.6 ypg) and passing average (170.6 ypg) in helping the Lumberjacks to a 4-2 SLC record during his junior season. George (6-6, 230), a sophomore from New Braunfels, Texas, ranked second to Southall with 178.0 yards of total offense and 167.6 ypg passing. He was also second in pass efficiency with a 120.6 rating.
Texas State’s five first-team picks are Blake Burton (6-0, 226) at fullback, Matt Jenkins (6-3, 301) on the offensive line, Nate Langford (6-1, 248) on the defensive line, Daniel Varvel (6-3, 220) at defensive back and Chris MacDonald (6-4, 215) at punter.
Burton, a junior from Hungerford, Texas, was voted first-team All-SLC following the 2006 season after being used primarily as a blocking back.
He went the season without a rush, but caught six passes, including two for touchdowns.
Jenkins, a senior from San Antonio, Texas, and Langford, a senior from San Marcos, Texas, are both elevated from last year’s second team.
MacDonald was a first-team punter in 2006 after leading the SLC with a 43.4 average as a junior.
SFA’s other four first-team picks include Louie Runnels (6-0, 250) at running back, Taylor Cobb (6-2, 296) and Brock Pasteur (6-6, 290) in the offensive line and Damian Perkins (6-0, 212) at linebacker.
Runnells, a senior from Bellville, Texas, finished fourth a year ago with 709 yards rushing and fourth with six rushing touchdowns for the ?Jacks.
Perkins, a junior from Hallsville, Texas, tied for league leadership with 92 total tackles, an average of 8.4 per game. He ranked second in tackles for loss with 11.5 and ninth in sacks with 3.
Two of Sam Houston State’s preseason first-teamers landed on the top team following the 2006 season while a third was voted on by the coaches.
Tight end Blake Martin (6-3, 236) and offensive lineman Brandon Hale (6-3, 311) return for their senior seasons as automatics. Defensive lineman David Branch was voted onto the team after missing much of the 2006 campaign with an injury. Martin, a senior from Hemphill, Texas, caught 39 passes to tie for second in the SLC, averaging 12.3 yards per catch.
Southeastern Louisiana’s Jay Lucas (5-11, 220) and Tommy Connors (6-0, 195) represent the Lions on the first team after being voted second-team in 2006.
Lucas, a junior running back from Baton Rouge, La., finished fifth in the SLC with 684 rushing yards as a sophomore and was ninth with 44 points scored. Connors, a defensive back, was one of two freshmen to appear on the 2006 All-SLC teams after finishing 12th in the league with 68 total tackles.
Northwestern State’s C.L. Grogan (5-10, 177) and Nicholls State’s Kareem Moore (6-2, 210), both senior defensive backs, round out the list of first-team selections.
Grogan, a product of Patterson, La., was nominated and voted onto the team by the coaches while Moore, who’s from Okolona, Miss., was elevated from last year’s second-team. Grogan was the top pass defender for the Demons and second best in the league as he broke up eight and intercepted four for a total of 12 passes defended. His interception total was good for second in the Southland. Moore finished tied with Connors with 68 tackles a season ago.
UCA did not land any first-team selections as it transitions into the SLC, but did have three student-athletes occupy four spots on the second unit. Running back Ross Brown (5-9, 184), defensive back and return specialist Tristan Jackson (5-9, 192) and punter James Paul represent the Bears on the expected-to-perform lists.
The Bears will be playing their first Southland schedule after the university joined the league for the 2006-07 academic year.
2007 All-Southland Conference Football Preseason Teams
First Team Offense
POS -- NAME -- UNIVERSITY -- HT. -- WT. -- CL. -- HOMETOWN
QB -- Danny Southall -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-3 -- 214 -- Sr. -- Hitchcock, Texas
RB -- Louie Runnels -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-0 -- 250 -- Sr. -- Bellville, Texas
RB -- Jay Lucas -- Southeastern Louisiana -- 5-11 -- 220 -- Jr. -- Baton Rouge, La.
FB -- Blake Burton -- Texas State -- 6-0 -- 226 -- Jr. -- Hungerford, Texas
WR -- Steven Whitehead -- McNeese State -- 5-8 -- 170 -- Sr. -- Slidell, La.
WR -- Carlese Franklin -- McNeese State -- 5-11 -- 178 Sr. -- Kentwood, La.
TE -- Blake Martin -- Sam Houston State -- 6-3 -- 236 -- Sr. -- Hemphill, Texas
OL -- Brandon Hale -- Sam Houston State -- 6-3 -- 311 -- Sr. -- Grand Prairie, ,Texas
OL -- Eman Naghavi -- McNeese State -- 6-2 -- 325 -- Jr. -- Katy, Texas
OL -- Taylor Cobb -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-2 -- 296 -- Sr. -- Conroe, Texas
OL -- Brock Pasteur -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-6 -- 290 -- Sr. -- Orlando, Fla.
OL -- Matt Jenkins -- Texas State -- 6-3 -- 301 -- Sr. -- San Antonio, Texas
PK -- Blake Bercegeay -- McNeese State -- 6-2 -- 168 -- Jr. -- Gonzales, La.
First Team Defense
DL -- Bryan Smith -- McNeese State -- 6-3 206 -- Sr. -- Newton, Texas
DL -- Nate Langford -- Texas State -- 6-1 -- 248 -- Sr. -- San Marcos, Texas
DL -- Kirby Joseph -- McNeese State -- 6-2 -- 256 -- Sr. -- Lake Charles, La.
DL -- David Branch -- Sam Houston State -- 6-1 -- 250 -- Sr. -- Houston, Texas
LB -- Trey Bennett -- McNeese State -- 6-1 -- 227 -- Sr. -- Newton, Texas
LB -- Damian Perkins -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-0 -- 212 -- Jr. -- Hallsville, Texas
DB -- Kareem Moore -- Nicholls State -- 6-0 -- 210 -- Sr. -- Okolona, Miss.
DB -- Jonathan Walker -- McNeese State -- 5-11 -- 175 -- Sr. -- Lake Charles, La.
DB -- Tommy Connors -- Southeastern Louisiana -- 6-0 -- 195 -- So. -- Marrero, La.
DB -- Daniel Varvel -- Texas State -- 6-3 -- 220 -- Sr. -- Bakersfield, Calif.
DB -- C.L. Grogan -- Northwestern State -- 5-10 -- 177 -- Sr. -- Patterson, La.
P -- Chris MacDonald -- Texas State -- 6-4 -- 215 -- Sr. -- Mesa, Ariz.
RS -- Steven Whitehead -- McNeese State -- 5-8 -- 170 -- Sr. -- Slidell, La.
Second Team Offense
QB -- Bradley George -- Texas State -- 6-6 -- 230 -- So. -- New Braunfels, Texas
RB -- Zack Morgan -- Nicholls State -- 5-9 -- 190 -- Jr. -- Marianna, Fla.
RB -- Ross Brown -- Central Arkansas -- 5-9 -- 184 -- Sr. -- Gosnell, Ark.
FB -- Leonard Lynce -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-0 -- 220 -- Jr. -- Yokosuka, Japan
WR -- Quinten Lawrence -- McNeese State -- 6-1 -- 180 -- Jr. -- Carencro, La.
WR -- Dominique Edison -- Stephen F. Austin -- 6-3 -- 200 -- Jr. -- San Augustine, Texas
TE -- Clay Broyles -- Northwestern State -- 6-3 -- 248 -- Sr. -- Hallsville, Texas
OL -- Ben Gombossy -- Nicholls State -- 6-0 -- 300 -- Sr. -- Monroe, La.
OL -- James Jordan -- McNeese State -- 6-4 -- 300 -- Sr. -- Eunice, La.
OL -- Crawford May -- Texas State -- 6-2 -- 305 -- Sr. -- Miami, Fla.
OL -- Demetrius Bell -- Northwestern State -- 6-5 -- 263 -- Sr. -- Summerfield, La.
OL -- Brennan Williams -- Sam Houston State -- 6-0 -- 290 -- Sr. -- Decatur, Texas
PK -- Andrew Ireland -- Texas State -- 5-8 -- 194 -- Jr. -- Cedar Hill, Texas
Second Team Defense
DL -- Ray Martin -- Northwestern State -- 6-0 -- 223 -- Sr. -- Lafayette, La.
DL -- Nick Clark -- Texas State -- 6-0 -- 255 -- Sr. -- Everman, Texas
DL -- Jordan Stone -- Nicholls State -- 6-1 -- 290 -- Sr. -- Chicago, Ill.
DL -- Ramel Borner -- Texas State -- 6-0 -- 305 -- Sr. -- Dallas, Texas
LB -- Allen Nelson -- McNeese State -- 6-1 -- 210 -- Jr. -- Beaumont, Texas
LB -- Dominic Cooper -- Nicholls State -- 6-3 -- 230 -- Sr. -- New Orleans, La.
DB -- Tristan Jackson -- Central Arkansas -- 5-9 -- 192 -- Sr. -- Beaumont, Miss.
DB -- Marquis Powell -- Southeastern Louisiana -- 5-10 -- 207 -- Jr. -- Madison, Fla.
DB -- Jarrod Dale -- Central Arkansas -- 6-3 -- 214 -- So. -- Memphis, Tenn.
DB -- Travis Williams -- Southeastern Louisiana -- 5-10 -- 192 -- Jr. -- Ocean Springs, Miss.
DB -- Johnny Thacker -- Stephen F. Austin -- 5-11 -- 185 -- Sr. -- Alto, Texas
P -- James Paul -- Central Arkansas -- 6-2 -- 200 -- Sr. -- Jacksonville, Ark.
RS -- Tristan Jackson -- Central Arkansas -- 5-9 -- 192 -- Sr. -- Beaumont, Miss.