Atlanta, Ga. — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference released their annual Football Preseason All-Conference Teams as voted on by the league’s head coaches on Monday, with a pair of Albany State players coming away with the top honors.
Taking home the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year award was a name familiar to those in the SIAC, running back Jarvis Small, who won the 2014 Offensive Player of the Year Award after leading the SIAC in rushing with 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Joining him in the superlatives is teammate Tavarius Washington, a senior linebacker who is the top returning tackler from a year ago recording 93 tackles, with 17.5 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage. In addition to these recognitions, both players were also placed on the Preseason All-Conference First Team.Highlighting the Second Team is 2014 Freshman of the Year, Tuskegee linebacker Osband Thompson. Thompson recorded 80 tackles last season, good enough for 12th best in the conference, while adding three sacks along the way.Three teams placed the most student-athletes on the two preseason squads, as Albany State, Central State and Tuskegee all had nine recipients, with ASU and TU having five selected to the first team.
In addition to the individual awards, the league also announced the projected order of finish for the 2015 season. Foreseeing a repeat of last season’s championship game, the coaches picked Albany State to win the East Division with six first place votes, and Tuskegee in the West Division in a unanimous decision.
Fort Valley State (3) and Benedict (2) were the only other schools to receive first place votes in their respective divisions.
2015 SIAC FOOTBALL PRE-SEASON ALL CONFERENCE
Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year
Jarvis Small (Albany State)
Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year
Tavarius Washington (Albany State)
OFFENSE
| FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | |||
| Josh Straughan | Stillman | QB | Monqavious Johnson | Morehouse |
| Jarvis Small | Albany State | RB | Otis Brown | Fort Valley State |
| Jonathan Clark | Miles | RB | Isaiah Grooms | Central State |
| Drelon Freeman | Fort Valley State | WR | Christopher Murray | Central State |
| Marquel Gardner | Tuskegee | WR | Devon Mann | Morehouse |
| Zach Thomas | Central State | TE | Leonard Walker | Albany State |
| D’Mon Tucker | Lane | OL | Kenneth Averhart | Albany State |
| Javoris Wilburn | Albany State | OL | Devin Radcliffe | Central State |
| Tyree Bell | Stillman | OL | Michael Brown | Fort Valley State |
| Kelvin Shelton | Tuskegee | OL | Justice Thomas | Morehouse |
| Terrence Owens | Miles | OL | Montell Collins | Miles |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| Braysean Jones | Miles | DL | Darian Hall | Tuskegee |
| Artrell McMillan | Central State | DL | Grover Stewart | Albany State |
| Julian Morgan | Tuskegee | DL | Tayvin Ziegler | Central State |
| Jack Ndem | Albany State | DL | Gabriel Mass | Lane |
| Lydell Simon | Kentucky State | LB | Osband Thompson | Tuskegee |
| Jewell Ratliff | Tuskegee | LB | Gervell Morgan | Central State |
| Tavarius Washington | Albany State | LB | Trevon Spencer | Kentucky State |
| Will Lacy | Lane | DB | Okoye Bozeman | Central State |
| Brian Walker | Fort Valley State | DB | Dashad Tucker | Central State |
| Michael Robinson | Tuskegee | DB | Jermaine Graham | Kentucky State |
| Nick Scott | Albany State | DB | Cedric Cuff | Tuskegee |
| Juan Serna | Fort Valley State | K | Zachery Gayden-Holley | Albany State |
| Juan Serna | Fort Valley State | P | Temitayo Argoro | Morehouse |
| Corey Slaughter | Kentucky State | KR | Darrius Mitchell | Lane |
| Darius Mitchell | Lane | PR | Devozea Gaines | Tuskegee |
EASTERN DIVISION WESTERN DIVISION
Albany State University (6) Tuskegee University (10) **
Fort Valley State University (3) Miles College
Benedict College (2) Stillman College
Morehouse College Central State University
Clark Atlanta University Kentucky State University
Lane College
