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NASHVILLE - Eastern Illinois senior wide receiver
Erik Lora was named 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Tennessee State junior cornerback
Steven Godbolt III was tabbed OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
Tennessee State led the way with seven selections on the preseason team while Eastern Illinois had six and Eastern Kentucky had four. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last season (11 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included 10 players who were second-team selections in 2012. Of the 27 total selections, 19 were seniors and eight were juniors.
The offensive unit was led by Lora, the reigning OVC Player of the Year, who set the NCAA FCS record for receptions in a season (136) in 2012. Lora also racked up 1,664 yards (fifth-most in FCS history) and caught 12 touchdown passes, threw a touchdown pass and also a two-point conversion that won his team an overtime contest. He is the first wide receiver to be named Preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year since the honor was first handed out in 2008. Lora will catch his passes this season from senior teammate
Jimmy Garoppolo, who was named the preseason quarterback pick after throwing for an OVC record 3,823 yards last season (as well as 31 touchdowns). The duo both begin the season as two of 20 players on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. The other wide receiver selection is Murray State senior
Walter Powell (94 catches, 1213 yards, 10 TDs) and the tight end choice was Tennessee State junior
A.C. Leonard (51 catches, 733 yards, 6 TDs). The running back picks included Murray State senior
Jamaal Berry (689 yards, 7 TDs) and Jacksonville State junior
DaMarcus James (867 yards, 6 TDs). The offensive line included a pair of Tennessee State seniors in center
Demetrius Rhaney and guard
Kadeem Edwards, Eastern Illinois junior guard
Collin Seibert, Austin Peay senior tackle
Ben Stansfield, Jacksonville State junior tackle
Tarik Milner and Tennessee Tech senior tackle
Wesley Sherrill.
Defensively Godbolt ranked first nationally in interceptions/game (0.60) last season, picking off six total passes in 10 games to go along with 45 tackles, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He is the first defensive back named Preseason OVC Defensive Player of the Year since the honor was first handed out in 2008. The three other defensive backs joining Godbolt on the team are Eastern Illinois senior
Nick Beard (85 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 9 PBU), Eastern Kentucky junior
Brandon Stanley (81 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 3 PBU, 2 FF) and Tennessee State junior
Daniel Fitzpatrick (61 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1 INT, 8 PBU’s). The four defensive linemen selected to the team were Eastern Illinois senior
Pat Wertz (53 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 3 FF), Eastern Kentucky senior
Shawn Shupperd (56 tackles, 3.0 TFL), Tennessee State senior
Antonio Harper (36 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and UT Martin senior
DJ Roberts (53 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks). The defensive unit was rounded out by four linebackers, Eastern Kentucky seniors
Anthony Brown (60 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 3 FF) and
Ichiro Vance (56 tackles, 4.0 TFL), UT Martin senior
Ben Johnson (131 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks) and Tennessee State junior
Nick Thrasher (105 tackles, 9.0 TFL).
Specialists selected to the preseason team include Eastern Illinois senior kicker
Cameron Berra (12-of-13 FG’s including 5-of-5 from 40-49, 48-of-52 PAT’s), Tennessee Tech senior punter
Chad Zinchini (44.8 yards/punt, 25 punts of 50+ yards, long of 64) and Murray State’s Powell, who was selected as a return specialist (15.8 yards/punt return, 1 TD; 26.3 yards/kick return) in addition to being a selection at wide receiver.
2013 Preseason All-OVC Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Erik Lora (WR), Eastern Illinois
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Steven Godbolt III (CB), Tennessee State
OFFENSE
QB - Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
RB - DaMarcus James, Jacksonville State
RB - Jaamal Berry, Murray State
WR - Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois
WR - Walter Powell, Murray State
TE - A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State
C - Demetrius Rhaney, Tennessee State
OG - Kadeem Edwards, Tennessee State
OG - Collin Seibert, Eastern Illinois
OT - Ben Stansfield, Austin Peay
OT - Tarik Milner, Jacksonville State
OT - Wesley Sherrill, Tennessee Tech
DEFENSE
DL - Pat Wertz, Eastern Illinois
DL - Shawn Shupperd, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Antonio Harper, Tennessee State
DL - DJ Roberts, UT Martin
LB - Anthony Brown, Eastern Kentucky
LB - Ben Johnson, UT Martin
LB - Ichiro Vance, Eastern Kentucky
LB - Nick Thrasher, Tennessee State
DB - Nick Beard, Eastern Illinois
DB - Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State
DB - Brandon Stanley, Eastern Kentucky
DB - Daniel Fitzpatrick, Tennessee State
SPECIALISTS
K - Cameron Berra, Eastern Illinois
P - Chad Zinchini, Tennessee Tech
RS - Walter Powell, Murray State