The SIAC Football Coaches Association has voted and is proud to announce the 2009 Preseason All Conference Football Team and Predicted Order of Finish. This year’s team returns 20-1st Team All Conference Players and 24 total returning players. In a close poll by the coaches Albany State was voted as the team to beat in the conference followed by Tuskegee and Morehouse.
Two time 1,000 yard rusher, Winston Thompson of Clark Atlanta University, returns as the top running back in the conference and leads a list of seven (7) Panthers named to the list including five (5) who were named to the 2nd team. Tuskegee, for the second year in the row, has double digit members on the All Conference team. This year’s team features 12 players including five (5) on the first team, four of which are either defensive or secondary players. Morehouse had the most players on the 1st team with six (6) players, four (4) of which were on offense.
The preseason 1st team offense is comprised of all but three returning players including: Winston Thompson (JR/RB Clark Atlanta), Quinn Porter (SR/RB Stillman), Juwan Jones (SR/WR Kentucky State), Robert Smith (SR/TE Lane), Eric Martinear (JR/OL Lane), Ramone Harewood (SR/OL Morehouse), Michael Stevens (SR/OL Tuskegee), and Chris Hymel (SR/OL Stillman).
Newcomers to the 1st team were all Morehouse Men including William Brack (JR/QB Morehouse), Achille Hendje (SR/WR Morehouse) and Joseph Williams (SR/OL Morehouse). Hendje, along with Juwan Jones and Robert Smith led the SIAC in receiving last year with each averaging 5 catches per game and over 10 yards per catch.
Highlighting the defense is Marcus Winston of Clark Atlanta. Winston was 4th in the conference in sacks and 5th in tackles for a loss last season en route to leading the 12th ranked defense in the nation. Other notables on the 1st Team Defense include Joshua Ingram (JR/DL Albany State), Danny Anderson (SR/DL Tuskegee), Dejuan Holmes (SR/DL Morehouse), James Graham (SR/LB Benedict), Cordell Key (SR/LB Kentucky State), Jonathan Hall (SR/LB Tuskegee), Justin Hannah (SR/DB Tuskegee), Derrick Shelton (SR/DB Lane), Derrick Addai (JR/DB Kentucky State) and Mario Fuller (SR/DB Albany State).
The Special Teams lists include Jamar Rodriquez (JR/KR Morehouse), Antoine Mitchell (JR/PR Tuskegee), Alper Keskin (SR/PK Benedict) and Anthony Foster (JR/P Benedict).
The second team offense is comprised of impact players including a pair of star wideouts, Mortimer Lightburn (SR/WR Clark Atlanta) and Antoine Mitchell (JR/WR Tuskegee). Other standouts include Anthony Boykins (JR/RB, Kentucky State) and Alphonso Johnson (SR/OL Clark Atlanta). For the defense, impact players include DJ Nettles (SR/DL, Morehouse), Trent Newton (SR/LB Fort Valley State) and Zimier McCloud (SR/LB Clark Atlanta).
Albany State was chosen as the favorite for the SIAC title followed by Tuskegee, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta. Tuskegee was also ranked #16 by the Sporting News and Lindsey Magazine Top 25.
For a complete listing of the SIAC Predicted Order of Finish and 2009 Preseason All Conference team please visit www.thesiac.com. The Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All Conference teams were chosen by the SIAC Football Coaches Association.
