• 2021 OVC Football Preseason Poll and Team (PDF) | Preseason Predicted Order of Finish Story
Austin Peay sophomore quarterback
Draylen Ellis and Austin Peay senior nickelback
Kordell Jackson were named the 2021 OVC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and communications directors.
Murray State led the way with 10 preseason selections, followed by Tennessee State with eight and Southeast Missouri with seven. Austin Peay and UT Martin had six selections apiece while Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech each had two. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last year (25 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year.
The offensive unit was led by Ellis, who was named OVC Co-Freshman of the Year a season ago after taking over the starting duties prior to the spring Conference season. He ranked 11th nationally in passing touchdowns (14) and 13th in points responsible for (96) in being named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. Ellis was named OVC Newcomer of the Week after his first start (where he had 214 yards of total offense and two touchdowns at Tennessee Tech) and would go on to win that award four times (in six total weeks he played) in addition to being named OVC Offensive Player of the Week twice. He was also named the Stats Perform National Freshman of the Week on March 16 after he threw for 262 yards and six touchdowns in a double overtime victory over Southeast Missouri. Overall Ellis tossed multiple touchdowns in three of his six starts.
The offensive backfield unit also included a second quarterback in Murray State's
Preston Rice (1294 passing yards, 9 passing, 6 rushing TDs), Southeast Missouri running back
Geno Hess (666 yards, FCS-best 12 rushing TDs) and Tennessee State running back
Devon Starling (648 rushing yards) and fullback
Benjamin Johnson. Six wide receivers joined the preseason team in UT Martin's
Colton Dowell (40 catches, 459 yards, 4 TDs) and
Donnell Williams (29 catches, 445 yards, 3 TDs), Murray State's
LaMartez Brooks (37 catches, 429 yards, 2 TDs) and
Jacob Bell (21 catches, 305 yards, 1 TD), Tennessee State's
Cam Wyche (22 catches, 456 yards, 2 TDs) and Southeast Missouri's
Zack Smith (37 catches, 399 yards, 4 TDs). The group was joined by UT Martin tight end
Rodney Williams II (30 catches, 327 yards, 4 TDs). The team was rounded out by nine offensive linemen including Austin Peay's
Bucky Williams,
Colby McKee and
Seth Johnson, Murray State's
Levi Nesler and
Jacob Vance, Southeast Missouri's
Jaden Rosenthall and
Shyron Rodgers, Tennessee State's
Cam Durley and UT Martin's
Matthan Hatchie.
The defensive unit was led by Jackson, the two-time consensus All-American who has been named a Preseason All-American this season. In 2019 Jackson was named the FCS ADA Defensive Back of the Year after tallying seven interceptions. Last season he did not see the ball thrown his way as much; instead, he wreaked havoc in the opposing offense's backfields. Jackson led all OVC tacklers with 10.5 tackles for loss – seven of those coming in OVC play, where he also had five passes defended. Jackson recorded a tackle for loss in seven of the Govs' nine games, including two TFL's at Pittsburgh in the fall and three TFL's at Tennessee Tech to open the spring. Jackson finished 13th in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award (after finishing sixth in 2019).
In addition to Jackson, the defensive back selections included UT Martin's
Jay Woods (23 tackles, 9 pass breakups) and
Deven Sims (59 tackles, 5.0 TFL), Murray State's
Marcis Floyd (32 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles), Tennessee Tech's
Josh Reliford (41 tackles, 2 interceptions) and Tennessee State's
Josh Green (39 tackles, 3 interceptions). The defensive line included Southeast Missouri's
Bryson Donnell (36 tackles, 4 QBH), Tennessee State's
Davoan Hawkins (32 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles), Tennessee Tech's
Chris Tucker (34 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and Murray State's
Ethan Edmondson (26 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks). The team was rounded out by six linebackers including Murray State's
Eric Samuta (64 tackles, 1 interception) and
Scotty Humpich (24 tackles, 2.0 sacks), Southeast Missouri's
Omardrick Douglas (20 tackles, 2.5 TFL), Tennessee State's
James Green (28 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1 interception), Eastern Illinois'
Jason Johnson (66 tackles, 6.0 TFL) and Austin Peay's
Jack McDonald (52 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks).
The specialists included Tennessee State kicker
Antonio Zita (14 field goals, FCS-best 62-yarder), Southeast Missouri punter
Zach Haynes (41.9 yards/punt, long of 53), Eastern Illinois kick returner
Matt Judd (24.8 yards/return) and Murray State punt returner
Malik Honeycutt (11.2 yards/return).
2021 OVC Preseason Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Draylen Ellis (QB), Austin Peay
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kordell Jackson (NB), Austin Peay
OFFENSE
QB - Preston Rice, Murray State
QB - Draylen Ellis, Austin Peay
RB - Devon Starling, Tennessee State
RB - Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri
FB - Benjamin Johnson, Tennessee State
WR - Zack Smith, Southeast Missouri
WR - Colton Dowell, UT Martin
WR - LaMartez Brooks, Murray State
WR - Donnell Williams, UT Martin
WR - Cam Wyche, Tennessee State
WR - Jacob Bell, Murray State
TE - Rodney Williams II, UT Martin
OL - Cam Durley, Tennessee State
OL - Bucky Williams, Austin Peay
OL - Jaden Rosenthall, Southeast Missouri
OL - Levi Nesler, Murray State
OL - Jacob Vance, Murray State
OL - Shyron Rodgers, Southeast Missouri
OL - Matthan Hatchie, UT Martin
OL - Colby McKee, Austin Peay
OL - Seth Johnson, Austin Peay
DEFENSE
DT - Bryson Donnell, Southeast Missouri
DT - Davoan Hawkins, Tennessee State
DE - Chris Tucker, Tennessee Tech
DE - Ethan Edmondson, Murray State
OLB - Omardrick Douglas, Southeast Missouri
OLB - Scotty Humpich, Murray State
OLB - James Green, Tennessee State
ILB - Eric Samuta, Murray State
ILB - Jason Johnson, Eastern Illinois
ILB - Jack McDonald, Austin Peay
CB - Marcis Floyd, Murray State
CB - Jay Woods, UT Martin
S - Deven Sims, UT Martin
S - Josh Reliford, Tennessee Tech
S - Josh Green, Tennessee State
NB - Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
SPECIALISTS
K - Antonio Zita, Tennessee State
P - Zach Haynes, Southeast Missouri
KR - Matt Judd, Eastern Illinois
PR - Malik Honeycutt, Murray State
OVC Notables
• Every current OVC team has been ranked in the Top 25 polls for at least one week over the past five years (2016-20).
• Last year three teams were ranked in the final Stats Perform Top 25, the first time since the 2013 season three OVC teams finished the season ranked in that poll.
• The OVC has placed multiple teams in the FCS Playoffs seven times in the past 11 years.
• OVC teams have 12 playoff wins since 2013, including five Quarterfinal appearances and one National Championship game appearance.
• Since 2013, the OVC has produced one Walter Payton Award Winner, two Buck Buchanan Award Winners, an Eddie Robinson Award Winner and a Deacon Jones Trophy winner. In addition, the league has had two Doris Robinson Award Winners, as the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• In 7 of the past 11 years, an OVC team has defeated a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent.
• The OVC has produced at least one NFL Draft Pick in 10 of the past 14 years.
• In January 2020, OVC alum Jimmy Garoppolo became just the eighth former FCS quarterback to start a Super Bowl, doing so with the San Francisco 49ers. Last season 11 former OVC players were on active rosters at the end of the season.
• Former EIU quarterback Tony Romo was selected to the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class. He is the third former OVC player to be inducted (Jim Youngblood, George Floyd Jr.); in addition, there are also three former OVC coaches (Roy Kidd, Boots Donnelly, Frank Beamer) already enshrined.
• Over the previous 73 years, 15 of 18 teams that have competed have claimed at least one league championship.