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Tennessee State senior wide receiver
Patrick Smith and Jacksonville State senior defensive lineman
Darius Jackson were named the 2017 OVC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
Jacksonville State led the way with nine total preseason selections. UT Martin had six picks, followed by five picks from Tennessee State, two picks apiece from Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and Southeast Missouri and one apiece from Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last year (17 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included five players who were second-team picks in 2016. Of the 28 total selections, 19 were seniors, six were juniors and three were sophomores.
The offensive unit was led by Smith, a first-team All-OVC selection a season ago. Smith led the OVC and ranked seventh nationally with 13 receiving touchdowns a year ago, a mark that ranked seventh in OVC single-season history. Overall the now senior hauled in 61 catches for 966 yards (15.8 yards/catch) for a TSU team that won seven games overall. The offense also included UT Martin senior quarterback
Troy Cook (166-of-298, 2321 yards, 22 TDs) and a trio of running backs in Jacksonville State senior
Roc Thomas (782 yards, 7 TDs, 16 catches, 173 yards, 1 TD), UT Martin junior
Jaimiee Bowe (747 yards, 7 TDs, 10 catches, 97 yards, 1 TD) and Tennessee Tech sophomore
Yeedee Thaenrat (707 yards, 6 TDs, 17 catches, 176 yards). Joining Smith at wide receiver was Murray State senior
Jordon Gandy (62 catches, 976 yards, 11 TDs) while Eastern Illinois senior
Addison Bounds (20 catches, 188 yards, 3 TDs) was the tight end pick. The offensive line included a pair of Jacksonville State players in senior guard
Justin Lea and junior tackle
Dylan Cline, a pair of UT Martin players in senior guard
Robert Burleigh and senior tackle
Kadarren Bond along with Tennessee State junior center
Thomas Burton.
After being named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, Jackson backed it up by earning OVC Defensive Player of the Year following the 2016 season. The defensive end earned numerous All-American honors after ranking 17th nationally in sacks (0.83/game) and 39th in tackles-for-loss (1.3/game). Overall Jackson had 48 tackles, an interception, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles for a defense that ranked fourth nationally. He is joined on the defensive line by junior teammate
Randy Robinson (31 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 QBH), Tennessee State senior
Ebenezer Ogundeko (48 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 5 QBH) and Eastern Kentucky junior
Aaron Patrick (53 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 7.0 sacks, 10 QBH). The linebackers included a pair of JSU players in seniors
Siran Neal (80 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU) and
Joel McCandless (64 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT) as well as Southeast Missouri senior
Chad Meredith (86 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 5 PBU, 5 QBH). The defensive back picks were Jacksonville State sophomore
Marlon Bridges (87 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 4 INT, 6 PBU, 5 FF) and senior
Reggie Hall (28 tackles, 2 INT, 8 PBU), UT Martin seniors
Kahlid Hagens (93 tackles, 4 INT, 2 FF, 2 FR) and
Tae Martin (53 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 2 INT, 6 PBU) and Murray State senior
D’Montre Wade (50 tackles, 3 INT, 15 PBU).
Specialists selected to the preseason team included Tennessee State senior kicker
Lane Clark (17-of-25 FG’s, 4 longer than 50 yards), Eastern Kentucky senior punter
Keith Wrzuszczak (42.1 punting average, long of 63, 28 downed inside opponent’s 20-yard line), Southeast Missouri junior return specialist
Cameron Sanders (27.0 yards/kick return, 1 TD) and Tennessee State sophomore return specialist
Chris Rowland (23.6 yards/kick return).
2017 Preseason OVC Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Patrick Smith (WR), Tennessee State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Darius Jackson (DL), Jacksonville State
OFFENSE
QB - Troy Cook, UT Martin
RB - Roc Thomas, Jacksonville State
RB - Jaimiee Bowe, UT Martin
RB - Yeedee Thaenrat, Tennessee Tech
WR - Patrick Smith, Tennessee State
WR - Jordon Gandy, Murray State
TE - Addison Bounds, Eastern Illinois
C - Thomas Burton, Tennessee State
OG - Justin Lea, Jacksonville State
OG - Robert Burleigh, UT Martin
OT - Dylan Cline, Jacksonville State
OT - Kadarren Bond, UT Martin
DEFENSE
DL - Darius Jackson, Jacksonville State
DL - Ebenezer Ogundeko, Tennessee State
DL - Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Randy Robinson, Jacksonville State
LB - Siran Neal, Jacksonville State
LB - Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State
LB - Chad Meredith, Southeast Missouri
DB - Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State
DB - Kahlid Hagens, UT Martin
DB - Reggie Hall, Jacksonville State
DB - D’Montre Wade, Murray State
DB - Tae Martin, UT Martin
SPECIALISTS
K - Lane Clark, Tennessee State
P - Keith Wrzuszczak, Eastern Kentucky
RS - Cameron Sanders, Southeast Missouri
RS - Chris Rowland, Tennessee State