Southern’s Lee, Prairie View A&M’s East claim top honors
Jackson State, Grambling State predicted division winners
BIRMINGHAM – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announces its 2008 Preseason All-Conference Football Team with Southern quarterback Bryant Lee and Prairie View A&M linebacker Zach East taking top honors. The team was selected by nominations and votes from the member schools’ coaches and sports information contacts along with selected members of the media.
Named the preseason offensive player of the year, Lee (6-2, 195, Jr.) spearheaded an offensive unit that finished first in passing offense, second in total offense and fourth in scoring offense last season. The Boutte, La., native tallied 2,326 passing yards in ten games in 2007. He threw for 23 touchdowns (leading the SWAC) while finishing with a pass efficiency rating of 152.6 (11th in the FCS). He ended the season garnering second-team All-Conference honors.
Tabbed the preseason defensive player of the year, East (6-1, 240, Sr.) came on strong during the end of the 2006 season and continued his strong play in 2007. He finished the 2007 campaign with 127 total tackles (67 solo) while being named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. He also tallied 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles and a blocked kick. He had double-digit stops in nine games last season including an 18-tackle performance versus Grambling State and a 19-tackle performance against Jackson State. In two years with the Panthers, he has totaled 187 total tackles.
In the predicted order of finish, voters decided that the 2007 division winners will repeat in 2008. In the Eastern Division, SWAC champion Jackson State received 17 first-place votes en route to 105 total points. Alabama A&M, the 2006 SWAC champion, received five first-place tallies as they received 92 points. Mississippi Valley State (51 pts), Alabama State (49 pts) and Alcorn State (33 pts) rounded out the divisional voting. In the Western Division, 2005 champion Grambling State claimed 11 first-place votes as they earned 96 points. Southern – the 1999 and 2003 champion – received seven first-place votes as en route to 89 total points. Prairie View A&M earned four first-place tallies as they finished with 75 points. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (38 pts) and Texas Southern (32 pts) rounded out the Western Division.
In all, there were 12 seniors selected to the first team and 13 for the second team. Ten juniors were chosen for the first team while 11 were selected second team. Three sophomores were first-team selections while one was chosen for the second team.
Alabama A&M and Southern led the count with nine preseason selections each. The Bulldogs received six first-team selections while Southern had five. Jackson State ended with seven preseason choices – three on first team and four on second team. Grambling State had three on each team for a total of six selections. Arkansas-Pine Bluff received four first-team honors and one second-team selection for a total of five. Mississippi Valley State and Alabama State each garnered four selections while Prairie View A&M had three. Alcorn State and Texas Southern carried two and one selections, respectively.
Twenty players who received all-conference honors in 2007 were named preseason all-conference in 2008. Those who received first-team honors last season were: Banks (AAMU), Lands (SU), Maddox (AAMU), East (PVAMU), Johnson (ALST), Turner (UAPB), Donaldson (AAMU), Palmer (JSU) and Duran (SU). Those who were named second-team in 2007 include: Stewart (SU), Turner (AAMU), Manuel (AAMU), Warren (GSU), Lee (SU), Anthony (UAPB), Peters (UAPB, Licea (AAMU) and Speaks (JSU).
Coaches’ Predicted Order of Finish
(first place votes in parentheses)
|
Eastern Division |
Western Division |
2008 SWAC Preseason All-Conference Selections
|
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year |
ht |
wt |
cl |
hometown |
|||
|
QB |
Bryant Lee |
Southern |
6-2 |
195 |
Jr. |
Boutte, LA |
|
|
|
2,326 passing yards, 23 TDs, 65.7 comp. %, 232.6 yards/game; 274 rush yards, four rush TDs |
|
|||||
|
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
LB |
Zach East |
 Prairie View A&M |
6-1 |
240 |
Sr. |
Houston, TX |
|
|
|
127 tackles (67 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles |
|
|||||
|
First-Team Offense |
|
ht |
wt |
cl |
hometown |
|
|
OL |
Muhammad Karim |
Grambling State |
6-4 |
300 |
Sr. |
Dallas, TX |
|
|
Offensive guard; team had 222.8 pass ypg (5th in SWAC) and 350.5 total offensive yards (4th in SWAC) |
|||||
|
OL |
Demarcus Stewart |
Southern |
6-0 |
285 |
Sr. |
Plaquemine, LA |
|
|
2007 2nd-team All-SWAC; team has 247.1 pass ypg (1st in SWAC) and 386.1 off. yards (2nd in SWAC) |
|||||
|
OL |
Darius Turner |
Alabama A&M |
6-4 |
297 |
Sr. |
Birmingham, AL |
|
|
2007 2nd-team All-SWAC; team had 395.5 offensive. yards (1st in SWAC) |
|||||
|
OL |
Mikael Harshaw |
Jackson State |
6-4 |
310 |
Jr. |
Memphis, TN |
|
|
Team averaged 139.2 rushing yards (3rd in SWAC) and averaged 377.2 offensive yards |
|||||
|
OL |
Xavier Manuel |
Alabama A&M |
6-1 |
307 |
Jr. |
Vinegar Bend, AL |
|
|
2007 2nd-team All-SWAC; team had 395.5 offensive. yards (1st in SWAC) |
|||||
|
TE |
Abner Brown |
Mississippi Valley State |
6-3 |
210 |
Sr. |
Daytona Beach, FL |
|
|
34 receptions, 403 yards, 11.9 yards/catch, one touchdown in 2007 |
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|
WR |
Thomas Harris |
Alabama A&M |
6-0 |
210 |
Jr. |
Alexander City, AL |
|
|
51 receptions, 936 yards, seven TDs, 18.4 yards/catch, 1,009 all-purpose yards in 2007 |
|||||
|
WR |
Del Roberts |
Southern |
5-9 |
185 |
Jr. |
Tallahassee, FL |
|
|
42 receptions, 474 yards, two TDs |
|||||
|
RB |
Frank Warren |
Grambling State |
6-0 |
185 |
So. |
Pleasant Grove, AL |
|
|
196 carries, 901 rushing yards, five rushing TDs, 995 all-purpose yards |
|||||
|
RB |
Ulysses Banks |
Alabama A&M |
5-8 |
172 |
Jr. |
Birmingham, AL |
|
|
164 carries, 887 rushing yards, nine rushing TDs; two receiving TDs, 128.5 all-purpose yards/game |
|||||
|
QB |
Bryant Lee |
Southern |
6-2 |
195 |
So. |
Boutte, LA |
|
|
2,326 passing yards, 23 TDs, 65.7 comp. %, 232.6 yards/game; 274 rush yards, four rush TDs |
|||||
|
K |
Eric Perri |
Jackson State |
5-8 |
155 |
Jr. |
Miama, FL |
|
|
17-24 FGs, 70.8%, long of 50, nine made longer than 30 yards |
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|
First-Team Defense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DL |
Vincent Lands |
Southern |
6-1 |
250 |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, LA |
|
|
60 total tackles (32 solo), 22 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven pass breakups |
|||||
|
DL |
Ledarius Anthony |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
6-6 |
270 |
Sr. |
Pine Bluff, AR |
|
|
66 tackles (22 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles |
|||||
|
DL |
Jeremy Maddox |
Alabama A&M |
6-0 |
244 |
Jr. |
Grand Bay, AL |
|
|
29 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three pass breakups |
|||||
|
DL |
Christian Anthony |
Grambling State |
6-4 |
246 |
Jr. |
Birmingham, AL |
|
|
57 tackles (30 solo), 14 tackles for loss, six sacks, three pass breakups |
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|
LB |
Zach East |
Prairie View A&M |
6-1 |
240 |
Sr. |
Houston, TX |
|
|
127 tackles (67 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles |
|||||
|
LB |
Rechard Johnson |
Alabama State |
5-11 |
190 |
Jr. |
Montgomery, AL |
|
|
121 stops (62 solo), 22.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles |
|||||
|
LB |
Tim Turner |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
6-2 |
215 |
Sr. |
Little Rock, AR |
|
|
Team-high 122 tackles (51 solo), seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups |
|||||
|
DB |
Al Donaldson |
Alabama A&M |
5-10 |
173 |
Sr. |
Crawfordville, FL |
|
|
51 tackles (37 solo), eight interceptions, 11 pass breakups |
|||||
|
DB |
Malcolm Palmer |
Jackson State |
5-11 |
175 |
Jr. |
Autaugaville, AL |
|
|
68 tackles (46 solo), four interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two blocked kicks |
|||||
|
DB |
Brandon Averett |
Alabama State |
5-8 |
175 |
Sr. |
Phenix City, AL |
|
|
60 tackles, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups |
|||||
|
DB |
Stewart Franks |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
6-3 |
218 |
Sr. |
Little Rock, AR |
|
|
56 tackles (38 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two pass breakups |
|||||
|
P |
Josh Duran |
Southern |
5-9 |
180 |
So. |
Eunice, LA |
|
|
Averaged 40.3 yards per punt, long of 65 yards |
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|
RS |
Bruce Peters |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
5-11 |
185 |
Sr. |
Orlando, FL |
|
|
11.0 punt return average, long of 60 yards, 20.5 kickoff return average, 115 receiving yards |
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|
Second-Team Offense |
|
ht |
wt |
cl |
hometown |
|
|
|
OL |
Nelson Baddelle |
Mississippi Valley State |
6-3 |
295 |
Sr. |
Jackson, MS |
|
|
OL |
Cleveland Collie |
Prairie View A&M |
6-2 |
285 |
Sr. |
Royal Palm Beach, FL |
|
|
|
Team allowed conference-low 12 sacks, team averaged 137.3 rushing yards per game (5th in SWAC) |
||||||
|
OL |
Bronson Carvalho |
Alcorn State |
6-3 |
335 |
Sr. |
Kapaa, HI |
|
|
|
Team passed for 1,945 yards (6th in SWAC), Team had 61.5 red-zone scoring rate |
||||||
|
OL |
Andrew Showalter |
Alabama State |
6-3 |
300 |
Jr. |
Opp, AL |
|
|
|
Team led SWAC in rushing yardage (172.5 ypg) while scoring 14 rushing touchdowns |
||||||
|
OL |
Eric Jones |
Jackson State |
6-3 |
285 |
Jr. |
Birmingham, AL |
|
|
|
Team rushed for 1,671 yards (19 rush TDs) and passed for 2,856 yards (20 pass TDs) |
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|
TE |
Todd Leichtfuss |
Alabama A&M |
6-1 |
223 |
Jr. |
Ventura, CA |
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
WR |
Juamorris Stewart |
Southern |
6-3 |
195 |
Jr. |
Baton Rouge, LA |
|
|
|
23 receptions, 237 yards, one TD |
||||||
|
WR |
Brian Haith |
Texas Southern |
6-1 |
180 |
Jr. |
Upland, CA |
|
|
|
48 receptions, 564 yards, two TDs |
||||||
|
RB |
Ronald Brewer |
Mississippi Valley State |
5-11 |
210 |
So. |
Memphis, TN |
|
|
|
190 rushes, 762 yards, seven TDs |
||||||
|
RB |
Rahmod Traylor |
Alabama State |
5-11 |
205 |
Jr. |
Memphis, TN |
|
|
|
64 rushes, 356 yards, 5.6 yards per carry, five TDs |
||||||
|
QB |
Brandon Landers |
Grambling State |
6-0 |
200 |
Sr. |
Monroe, LA |
|
|
|
42 stops (14 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles |
||||||
|
K |
Jeremy Licea |
Alabama A&M |
5-7 |
147 |
Jr. |
Ventura, CA |
|
|
|
16-21 FG, 11 made over 30 yards (four over 40 yards) |
||||||
|
Second-Team Defense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DL |
Marcus Benard |
Jackson State |
6-4 |
260 |
Sr. |
Ypsilanti, MI |
|
|
|
45 tackles (26 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks |
||||||
|
DL |
Dalvin Nettles |
Prairie View A&M |
6-1 |
320 |
Jr. |
Houston, TX |
|
|
|
32 tackles (13 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks |
||||||
|
DL |
Melvin Matthews |
Grambling State |
6-5 |
305 |
Sr. |
Clinton, LA |
|
|
|
19 stops,2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, interception |
||||||
|
DL |
Kenneth Leichman |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
6-2 |
260 |
Jr. |
Compton, CA |
|
|
|
42 stops (14 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles |
||||||
|
LB |
Marcellus Speaks |
Jackson State |
6-2 |
230 |
Sr. |
Jackson, MS |
|
|
|
85 tackles (42 solo), 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, interception |
||||||
|
LB |
Johnathan Malveaux |
Southern |
6-6 |
250 |
Jr. |
Baton Rouge, LA |
|
|
|
79 tackles (34 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five pass breakups |
||||||
|
LB |
Keefe Hall |
Grambling State |
6-4 |
220 |
Sr. |
Houston, TX |
|
|
|
64 tackles (32 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups |
||||||
|
DB |
Glenn Bell |
Southern |
5-9 |
185 |
Sr. |
New Orleans, LA |
|
|
|
Team-high 80 stops (42 solo), nine tackles for loss, three interceptions, 1.5 sacks |
||||||
|
DB |
Roderick Williams |
Alcorn State |
5-10 |
203 |
Sr. |
Mobile, AL |
|
|
|
24 tackles (3Â tackles for loss), two interceptions, six pass breakups |
||||||
|
DB |
Dominique Johnson |
Jackson State |
6-2 |
200 |
Sr. |
Texas City, TX |
|
|
|
22 tackles, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups |
||||||
|
DB |
Michael Williams |
Southern |
5-11 |
195 |
Sr. |
Natchez, MS |
|
|
|
53 tackles (41 solo), four tackles for loss, three interceptions, five pass breakups |
||||||
|
P |
Rashan Cylar |
Alabama A&M |
5-10 |
179 |
Jr. |
Stone Mountain, GA |
|
|
|
39.6 punting average, long of 64, 19 inside the 20-yard line |
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|
RS |
Clarence Cotton |
Mississippi Valley State |
5-10 |
190 |
Sr. |
D’Iberville, MS |
|
|
|
2006 stats: 19 punt returns, 9.9 punt return avg., 2 kickoff returns 15.0 KO return avg., 577 receiving yards |
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No Martell Mallett or Mickey Dean. Now you have made UAPB mad and now Mickey Dean and Mallett must show the SWAC that the preseason selections are a bunch of crap!