Preseason OVC Predicted Order of Finish
2008 OVC Football Media Guide
NASHVILLE - Eastern Kentucky senior quarterback Allan Holland and Eastern Illinois senior defensive lineman Pierre Walters were tabbed the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in a vote on by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors. Eastern Kentucky led the way with the most individual selections (5), following closely by four each from Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State. Each of the league’s nine teams had at least one player on the preseason squad.
Returning players who were first-team All-OVC picks last season (9 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included eight players who were second-team selections in 2007.
The offensive unit is led by Holland, who earned OVC Offensive Player of the Year honors last season after leading Eastern Kentucky to the OVC regular season championship. Holland threw for 1,990 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, in what was his first year as a starter. Tennessee State senior running back Javarris Williams, the No. 3 active rusher among all FCS players (3,292 career yards entering the season), was a preseason selection for the second year in a row. Williams averaged 107.9 yards per game last year and scored 12 touchdowns. He is joined by Southeast Missouri senior Timmy Holloman, who averaged 131 yards per contest in five games last season. The receiver picks included Tennessee State senior Chris Johnson (41 catches, 740 yards, 4 touchdowns) and UT Martin junior Roren Thomas (39 catches, 553 yards, 6 touchdowns). Murray State senior DeAngelo Nelson, a first-team selection last season, returned as the tight end choice (34 catches, 451 yards, 3 touchdowns). Four of the five offensive line selections were either first or second-team selections a season ago. That included guards Chaz Millard (Eastern Illinois) and Kevin Bannon (UT Martin) and tackles Cornelius Lewis (Tennessee State) and Cage Major (Austin Peay). Eastern Kentucky junior center Michael Howard rounds out the offense.
Walters, who had 47 tackles, 6.0 tackles-for-loss and three sacks for EIU last season, headlined the defensive squad, which had eight players who were first or second-team All-OVC picks in 2007. Joining Walters on the defensive line is Eastern Kentucky’s Chris Coy (51 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 8.0 sacks), UT Martin’s Ray Williams (40 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and Murray State’s Austen Lane (49 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks). The linebackers include Jacksonville State senior Marquise Elston (42 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks), Southeast Missouri junior Jared Goodson (98 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and Tennessee State senior Remond Willis (84 tackles, 9.0 TFL). The team was rounded out by five selections at defensive back, including a pair from two different schools. Those backs include Eastern Kentucky senior Brandon Gathof (91 tackles, 5 interceptions), Eastern Kentucky senior Zach Denton (69 tackles, 5 interceptions), Eastern Illinois sophomore Rashad Haynes (52 tackles, 5 interceptions), Eastern Illinois senior Ke’Andre Sams (67 tackles, 2 interceptions) and Tennessee Tech senior Maurice Smith (102 tackles, 2 interceptions).
Specialists selected to the preseason team included Jacksonville State senior kicker Gavin Hallford (22-of-29 FG’s, 33-of-34 XP, 99 points), Southeast Missouri junior punter Doug Spada (59 punts, 42.5 yards/punt, long of 73) and Jacksonville State senior return specialist Maurice Dupree (29.4 yards/kick return, 1 TD, 13.9 yards/punt return).
2008 All-OVC Preseason Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Allan Holland (QB), Eastern Kentucky
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Pierre Walters (DL), Eastern Illinois
OFFENSE
QB - Allan Holland, Eastern Kentucky *
RB - Javarris Williams, Tennessee State
RB - Timmy Holloman, Southeast Missouri
WR - Chris Johnson, Tennessee State
WR - Roren Thomas, UT Martin
TE - DeAngelo Nelson, Murray State *
C - Michael Howard, Eastern Kentucky
OG - Chaz Millard, Eastern Illinois *
OG - Kevin Bannon, UT Martin **
OT - Cornelius Lewis, Tennessee State **
OT - Cage Major, Austin Peay **
DEFENSE
DL - Pierre Walters, Eastern Illinois *
DL - Chris Coy, Eastern Kentucky *
DL - Ray Williams, UT Martin **
DL - Austen Lane, Murray State
LB - Marquise Elston, Jacksonville State
LB - Jared Goodson, Southeast Missouri
LB - Remond Willis, Tennessee State
DB - Brandon Gathof, Eastern Kentucky *
DB - Maurice Smith, Tennessee Tech *
DB - Rashad Haynes, Eastern Illinois **
DB - Ke’Andre Sams, Eastern Illinois **
DB - Zach Denton, Eastern Kentucky **
SPECIALISTS
K - Gavin Hallford, Jacksonville State *
P - Doug Spada, Southeast Missouri *
RS - Maurice Dupree, Jacksonville State **
* - 1st team All-OVC team in 2007 ** - 2nd team All-OVC team in 2007