Selection of 50th Anniversary Football Team Continues with DL, LB
Southland Conference
VOTE NOW ON FACEBOOK
FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference, as part of its year-long 50th Anniversary commemoration, will announce an All-Time Football team in November, and fans can participate in the voting through an interactive process presented by MidSouth Bank. The Southland’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/SouthlandConference) will host weekly voting by position throughout the season, with selection of the all-time defensive linemen and linebackers occurring from Oct. 31-Nov. 7.
A blue-ribbon panel of approximately 80 individuals with coaching, administrative and media expertise will also participate in the balloting, and the fan voting will be included a portion of the final tally. The overall balloting includes more than 200 outstanding former and current student-athletes and 15 legendary coaches that have patrolled Southland sidelines. The positional and coaching ballots will continue to throughout the remainder of the season.
The weekly Facebook voting will also coincide with Southland Conference Television Network football broadcasts throughout the season. The Southland TV package continues with the Stephen F. Austin vs. Sam Houston State game on more than 20 affiliate stations Saturday at 3 p.m. CT, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 23, when the exclusive squad will be announced. Additionally, the all-time team balloting will be actively promoted on the Southland’s new ESPN3-exclusive football broadcasts that continue Saturday with the Central Arkansas-Northwestern State contest.
The weekly voting schedule for fans selecting the All-Time team:
Week 1: Oct. 3-10, Quarterback (completed)
Week 2: Oct. 10-17, Running Backs (completed)
Week 3: Oct. 17-24, Receivers and Tight End (completed)
Week 4: Oct. 24-31, Offensive Line (completed)
Week 5: Oct. 31-Nov. 7, Defensive Line and Linebackers
Week 6: Nov. 7-14, Defensive Backs
Week 7: Nov. 14-21, Specialists (kicker, punter, return specialist) and Head Coach
Week 8: Nov. 23, Announcement of 50th Anniversary Team
Week 5 Ballot:
DEFENSIVE LINE
Clenton Ballard, Texas State
2000 and 2001 All-Southland first-team selection; 2002 6th Round Pick of Jacksonville Jaguars; Played two seasons with Jaguars and San Diego Chargers
Michael Bankston, Sam Houston State
1989, 1990 and 1991 All-Southland first-team selection; 1992 4th Round Pick of Arizona Cardinals; 9-year NFL Veteran with Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals; 1991 first-team All-American (AP, Walter Camp, Sports Network)
Gary Crockett, Lamar
1969, 1970 and 1971 All-Southland first-team selection; 1972 14th Round Pick of Houston Oilers
Dick Croxton, Lamar
1965, 1966 and 1967 All-Southland first-team selection
Fred Dean, Louisiana Tech
1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 All-Southland first-team selection; First 4-time All-SLC first-team player; 1974 First-team All-American (AFCA, AP); 1972 & 1974 Defensive Player of the Year; 1975 2nd Round Pick of San Diego Chargers; 11-year NFL Veteran with Chargers and San Francisco 49ers; 1981 NFC Player of the Year; Four-time Pro Bowler; First Southland Conference player elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008); Also inducted to College Football Hall of Fame (2009); Participated in Super Bowls XVI and XVIII
Fred Evans, Texas State
2004 and 2005 All-Southland first-team selection; 2005 Defensive Player of the Year; 2004 Newcomer of the Year; 2005 first-team All-American (AFCA); 2006 7th Round Pick of Miami Dolphins; Current 8th year pro with Minnesota Vikings
James Folston, Louisiana-Monroe
1992 and 1993 All-Southland first-team selection; 1993 first-team All-American (AP, Walter Camp, Football Gazette); Participated in two all-star games following senior season (East-West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl); 1994 2nd Round Pick of Los Angeles Raiders; 8-year NFL Veteran with Raiders and Arizona Cardinals
Rusty Guilbeau, McNeese State
1980 and 1981 All-Southland first-team selection; 1981 Defensive Player of the Year; 1982 3rd Round Pick of St. Louis Cardinals; 6-year NFL Veteran with New York Jets and Cleveland Browns
Larry Hart, Central Arkansas
2008 and 2009 All-Southland first-team selection; 2008 Defensive Player of the Year; 2009 Defensive Co-Player of the Year; 2008 first-team All-American (AP, Walter Camp, Sporting News); 2010 5th Round Pick of Jacksonville Jaguars
Walter Johnson, Louisiana Tech
1984, 1985 and 1986 All-Southland first-team selection; 1986 Defensive Co-Player of the Year; 1983 Freshman of the Year; SLC Career Sacks leader (38); First-team All-American in 1984 (AP) and 1986 (AFCA, AP); Participated three seasons in NFL with Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints
Tim Knicky, Stephen F. Austin
2008 and 2009 All-Southland first-team selection; 2009 Defensive Co-Player of the Year; 2009 first-team All-American (Walter Camp)
Al Lucas, Troy
1998 and 1999 All-Southland first-team selection; 1999 Recipient of Sports Network’s Buck Buchanan Award as nation’s top defender; First-team All-American in 1998 (Football Gazette) and 1999 (AP, Walter Camp, Football Gazette, Sports Network); Participated two seasons with Carolina Panthers
Dave Muckensturm, Arkansas State
1970, 1971 and 1972 All-Southland first-team selection
Marvin Neloms, Arkansas State
1984, 1985 and 1986 All-Southland first-team selection
Ken Ozee, Texas-Arlington
1965 and 1966 All-Southland first-team selection; 1966 First-team All-American (AP); 1966 Defensive Player of the Year
Kavika Pittman, McNeese State
1994 and 1995 All-Southland first-team selection; 1995 Defensive Player of the Year; 1995 first-team All-American (AFCA, AP, Sports Network, Walter Camp); 1996 2nd Round Pick of Dallas Cowboys; 9-year NFL Veteran with Cowboys, Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers; Participated in Super Bowl XXXVIII
Johnny Robinson, Louisiana Tech
1978, 1979 and 1980 All-Southland first-team selection; 1979 Defensive Player of the Year; 1981 4th Round Pick of Los Angeles Raiders; Participated in Super Bowl XVIII
Dana Scott, McNeese State
1992, 1993 and 1994 All-Southland first-team selection
Bryan Smith, McNeese State
2006 and 2007 All-Southland first-team selection; 2007 Player of the Year; 2006 Defensive Player of the Year; First-team All-American in 2006 (AP, Sports Network) and 2007 (AFCA, AP, Walter Camp, College Sporting News); 2008 3rd Round Pick of Philadelphia Eagles
Marcus Spriggs, Troy
1997 and 1998 All-Southland first-team selection; 1998 first-team All-American (AFCA, Walter Camp, USA Today/ESPN); 1999 6th Round Pick of Cleveland Browns; 3-year NFL Veteran, all with Browns
Clovis Swinney, Arkansas State
1967, 1968 and 1969 All-Southland first-team selection; 1969 First-team All-American (AFCS, AP); 1968, 1969 Defensive Player of the Year; 1970 3rd Round Pick of New Orleans Saints
Marvin Upshaw, Trinity
1966 and 1967 All-Southland first-team selection; 1967 First-team All-American (AFCA); 1967 Defensive Player of the Year; 1968 1st Round Pick of Cleveland Browns; 9-year NFL Veteran with Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals
LINEBACKERS
Lish Adams, Sam Houston State
1987 and 1988 All-Southland first-team selection; 1988 first-team All-American (Football News)
Chip Bennett, Abilene Christian
1968 and 1969 All-Southland first-team selection; 1969 First-team All-American (AP, AFCA); 1970 3rd Round Pick of Cincinnati Bengals
Bill Bergey, Arkansas State
1967 and 1968 All-Southland first-team selection; 1968 First-team All-American (AFCS, AP); SLC single-leader with 196 tackles (1968); 1969 2nd Round Pick of Cincinnati Bengals; 12-year NFL veteran; Four-time Pro Bowler with Philadelphia Eagles; Participated in Super Bowl XV
Andre Carron, Northwestern State
1989, 1990 and 1991 All-Southland first-team selection; 1991 Defensive Player of the Year; All-Time SLC Leading Tackler (521); 1991 first-team All-American (AP, Walter Camp, Football Gazette, Kodak, Sports Network)
Anthony Guillory, Lamar
1964 All-Southland first-team selection; 1965 7th Round Pick of Los Angeles Rams; 4-year NFL Veteran with Rams and Philadelphia Eagles
Terry Irving, McNeese State
1991, 1992 and 1993 All-Southland first-team selection; 1992 & 1993 first-team All-American (AP, Walter Camp, Kodak, Sports Network); 1993 Defensive Player of the Year; 1994 4th Round Pick of Arizona Cardinals; 5-year NFL Veteran, all with Cardinals
Bruce Jackson, Trinity
1969, 1970 and 1971 All-Southland first-team selection
Jamall Johnson, Northwestern State
2003 and 2004 All-Southland first-team selection; 2004 Defensive Player of the Year; 2003 Newcomer of the Year; 2004 first-team All-American (AP)
Doug Landry, Louisiana Tech
1983, 1984 and 1985 All-Southland first-team selection; 1984 & 1985 Defensive Player of the Year; 1982 Freshman of the Year; First-team All-American in 1984 (AFCA, AP, Football News) and 1985 (AP, Football News); 1986 5th Round Pick of San Diego Chargers
Eric Lokey, Stephen F. Austin
1987 and 1988 All-Southland first-team selection; 1988 Defensive Player of the Year; 1988 first-team All-American (AFCA, Walter Camp, Sports Network)
Vernon McManus, Lamar
1964 and 1965 All-Southland first-team selection; 1965 Defensive Player of the Year
Joe McNeely, Louisiana Tech
1972 and 1973 All-Southland first-team selection; 1973 Defensive Player of the Year
Jerry Muckensturm, Arkansas State
1975 All-Southland first-team selection; 1975 Defensive Player of the Year; 1976 7th Round Pick of Chicago Bears; 7-year NFL Veteran, all with Bears
Anthony Rabb, Troy
1998 and 1999 All-Southland first-team selection; 1999 Defensive Player of the Year; 1999 first-team All-American (Football Gazette)
Roderick Royal, McNeese State
2002 and 2003 All-Southland first-team selection; 2002 Newcomer of the Year; First-team All-American in 2002 (AP, Walter Camp, Football Gazette, Sports Network) and 2003 (AFCA, AP, Football Gazette, Sports Network)
Eugene Seale, Lamar
1983, 1984 and 1985 All-Southland first-team selection; 1983 Defensive Player of the Year; 1983 first-team All-American (AP); Participated six seasons with NFL’s Houston Oilers
Willie Thomas, Texas-Arlington
1976, 1977 and 1979 All-Southland first-team selection
Jeremiah Trotter, Stephen F. Austin
1996 and 1997 All-Southland first-team selection; 1994 Freshman of the Year; 1996 first-team All-American (AFCA, Walter Camp, Sports Network); 1998 3rd Round Pick of Philadelphia Eagles; 11-year NFL Veteran with Eagles, Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Participated in Super Bowl XXXIX; Four-time Pro Bowl Selection
Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin
2008, 2009 and 2010 All-Southland first-team selection; 2010 Defensive Player of the Year