Predicted Order of Finish
2007 OVC Football Media Guide
NASHVILLE -- 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year Don Chapman and Defensive Player of the Year Donald Thomas highlighted the selections for the 2007 All-OVC Preseason Football Team, which was voted on by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors. The pair led their respective teams - Tennessee-Martin (5) and Eastern Illinois (6) - to the most selections on this year’s preseason team.
Returning players who were first-team All-OVC picks last season (13 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included three second-team selections and three All-Newcomer picks from 2006, all of which were voted onto the team. Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech each had three preseason selections while Murray State and Southeast Missouri each had one player selected. Austin Peay and Samford were the only schools without a representative on the preseason team.
The offensive unit includes Tennessee State junior quarterback Antonio Heffner, who ranked among the national leaders in passing efficiency and total offense (1,668 yards passing, 14 total touchdowns) last season. TSU teammate Javarris Williams, who was a second-team selection last year, filled one of the running back slots. Williams rushed for 1,233 yards and 11 scores a season ago. At the other running back slot was Chapman, who rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns last year for Tennessee-Martin. The receivers were a repeat of last year’s first-team, as Eastern Illinois’ Micah Rucker (49 catches, 966 yards, 13 TD’s) and Tennessee Tech’s Larry Shipp (51 catches, 799 yards, 9 TD’s) were the preseason picks. The offensive line included a pair of selections from Tennessee-Martin (seniors Billy Krause and Adam Hansen) and Eastern Kentucky (seniors Sean Dumford and Bakahri Thornton) and one player each from Eastern Illinois (senior Anthony Rubican) and Jacksonville State (senior Devon May). Six offensive linemen were selected due to a tie in the voting.
The defense featured five players who were first-team selections last season. The defensive line is anchored by Tennessee Tech senior Geoffrey Woods (46 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks), Eastern Illinois junior Pierre Walters (38 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks), Tennessee-Martin junior Nate Wilson (48 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks) and Tennessee State senior Shaun Richardson (28 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 4.5 sacks). The linebackers include Thomas (127 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1.0 sacks), Southeast Missouri senior Adam Casper (108 tackles, 6.0 TFL) and Murray State senior Nathan Williams (100 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks). The defensive back selections included Eastern Kentucky junior Brandon Gathof (67 tackles, 3 interceptions), Tennessee State senior Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (47 tackles, 6 interceptions), who were both first-team selection last season, as well as Eastern Illinois junior Seymour Loftman (50 tackles, 4 interceptions) and Tennessee Tech junior Maurice Smith (53 tackles, 4 interceptions).
The special teams selections included a first-team pick from last year and two juniors who hail from the same team. Tennessee-Martin return specialist Jessie Burton (26.2 yards per return, 2 TD’s) was the repeat selection, earning first-team honors last season for his kick returns. New to the squad were a pair of Jacksonville State players in junior kicker Gavin Hallford (13-of-22 FG’s, 34-of-35 PAT’s) and junior punter Zach Walden (41.2 punt average).
OFFENSE
QB - Antonio Heffner, Tennessee State *%
RB - Don Chapman, Tennessee-Martin *
RB - Javarris Williams, Tennessee State #
WR - Micah Rucker, Eastern Illinois *%
WR - Larry Shipp, Tennessee Tech *
TE - Jordan Campanella, Eastern Illinois
C - Billy Krause, Tennessee-Martin *
OG - Devon May, Jacksonville State %
OG - Sean Dumford, Eastern Kentucky #
OG - Bakahri Thornton, Eastern Kentucky
OT - Adam Hansen, Tennessee-Martin *
OT - Anthony Rubican, Eastern Illinois *
K - Gavin Hallford, Jacksonville State
RS - Jessie Burton, Tennessee-Martin *
DEFENSE
DL - Geoffrey Woods, Tennessee Tech *
DL - Pierre Walters, Eastern Illinois #
DL - Nate Wilson, Tennessee-Martin #
DL - Shaun Richardson, Tennessee State %
LB - Donald Thomas, Eastern Illinois *
LB - Adam Casper, Southeast Missouri *
LB - Nathan Williams, Murray State
DB - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State*
DB - Brandon Gathof, Eastern Kentucky *
DB - Seymour Loftman, Eastern Illinois
DB - Maurice Smith, Tennessee Tech
P - Zach Walden, Jacksonville State
* - 1st team All-OVC team in 2006 # - 2nd team All-OVC team in 2006 % - OVC All-Newcomer team in 2006
Note: There are six offensive lineman on the Preseason All-OVC team due to a tie in voting.