Five Ohio Valley Conference players have been named to the Sports Networks Preseason All-American Team. Austin Peay senior kick returner Terrence Holt and Eastern Kentucky junior defensive back Jeremy Caldwell were second-team selections while Murray State senior kick returner Marcus Harris, Jacksonville State senior defensive back T.J. Heath and Tennessee State senior defensive back Eugene Clifford were third-team picks.
A season ago Holt, this year's OVC Preseason Offensive Plalyer of the Year, led the FCS in all-purpose yards per game (215.7), helped by his third straight season of at least 1,000 yards on kickoff returns. He was named first-team All-America all-purpose back by the College Sporting News and was named second second-team all-purpose back by The Sports Network. As a junior, he averaged for 25.4 yards on 47 kickoff returns, including a career-best 99-yard kickoff return for a score, and 12.4 yards on 16 punt returns, including a 71-yard return that proved to be the winning score against Tennessee State. As a running back last season, Holt rushed for 793 yards (5.4 yards per carry) with a league-best 16 touchdowns.
Caldwell, who was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List last week, led the Ohio Valley Conference and tied for fourth nationally in the FCS last year with seven interceptions. In the 2009 season opener at Indiana, Caldwell tallied two interceptions. He repeated the feat a month later at Eastern Illinois. Caldwell returned his second interception against EIU for a fourth quarter touchdown to give the Colonels a 36-24 lead. Besides posting seven interceptions, Caldwell also led the Colonels with six pass break-ups and finished sixth on the team with 48 tackles.
Harris enters his final season as one of the most prolific receivers in Racers history as he needs just 21 catches to become the school's all-time leader. He also has 1,414 receiving yards, ranking 11th on the all-time list. Harris is also a major weapon in the return game, and was selected a Preseason Honorable Mention All-America kick returner by the Consensus Draft Services. Harris led the league and ranked seventh in the FCS with a 26.8 yard return average on 23 kickoff returns. He also averaged 15 yards on 10 punt returns.
Heath, an All-American pick by three outlets last season (Associated Press, College Sporting News and Sports Network) led the OVC in passes defended and led the Gamecocks with six interceptions, including returning two for touchdowns against UT Martin early in the season. The junior also led the team with 10 pass break-ups and also forced a fumble and blocked a kick. He recorded 34 total tackles on the season, including 20 solo stops.
Clifford named to the OVC first-team last season after finishing the season as TSU's third leading tackler. He was credited with 60 stops (34 solo); two fumble recoveries, two interceptions with seven pass deflections including five break-ups. He tacked on two scores from a 69-yard interception return and the other courtesy of a 78-yard fumble recovery. The score from the fumble is the longest in modern TSU football history.
The 2010 football season kicks off on Thursday, September 2 with three OVC teams in action; the remaining six teams will play on Saturday, Sept. 4.
OVC Players on Sports Network All-American Team
KR - Terrence Holt, Austin Peay (2nd Team)
CB - Jeremy Caldwell, Eastern Kentucky (2nd Team)
KR - Marcus Harris, Murray State (3rd Team)
CB - T.J. Heath, Jacksonville State (3rd Team)
S - Eugene Clifford, Tennessee State (3rd Team)