Preseason All-OVC Team Release | OVC Media Guide
NASHVILLE - For the third time in the past four seasons Jacksonville State University has been picked the favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference football race. The Gamecocks picked up 13 of the 18 first-place votes in the 2011 poll which is a vote of league head coaches and sports information directors.
Jacksonville State was one of three schools to receive at least one first-place vote in the poll and the Gamecocks received 123 total points, which was 17 points ahead of second-place Murray State. The Racers received four first-place votes and were tabbed second in the poll (106). Eastern Kentucky (93) was picked third and defending champion Southeast Missouri (81) was picked fourth and received the remaining first-place vote. The poll is rounded out by Tennessee Tech (73), UT Martin (64), Eastern Illinois (57), Tennessee State (33) and Austin Peay (18).
Overall it marks the fourth time since Jacksonville State joined the OVC in 2003 that the Gamecocks have been tabbed the preseason favorites (JSU was also picked first in 2005, 2008 and 2010). Jax State won the OVC Championship in each of its first two years in the league (2003 and 2004) but despite coming up a game short of the championship last season, the Gamecocks had an impressive season that started with a 49-48 double overtime victory at Ole Miss. That victory catapulted JSU into the FCS Top 10 and the Gamecocks would go on to finish the regular season 9-2 and 6-2 in the OVC and earn an at-large berth in the FCS Playoffs (its first playoff appearance since 2004). Jacksonville State would see its season come to an end with a three-point loss at home to Wofford in the playoffs. This season Jax State returns 51 letterwinners including six offensive and seven defensive starters. Five JSU players were named to the Preseason All-OVC team including senior offensive tackle Odie Rush, senior defensive linemen Monte Lewis and Jamison Wadley, senior linebacker Rodney Garrott and junior defensive back Keginald Harris. Lewis was tabbed the OVC Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year a season after registering 37 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and three sacks in 12 games. Offensively the team returns starting quarterback Marques Ivory who threw for 2,248 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and backup quarterback/starting punter Coty Blanchard who accounted for eight passing and two rushing scores last year on his way to OVC Freshman of the Year honors. JSU head coach Jack Crowe also welcomes Georgia running back transfer Washaun Ealey to the squad; Ealey, who has junior eligibility, rushed for 1,528 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs.
There is a buzz in Murray, Ky. surrounding the Racers team in the second season under head coach Chris Hatcher and his "Hatch Attack" offense. After being picked to finish last in the OVC a season ago, the team finished the year 6-5 overall (its first winning season since 2004) and 5-3 in the OVC (tied for fourth). This year's second-place preseason ranking is the highest pick for the Racers since also being tabbed second in the 2003 preseason poll. The team is hoping to win its ninth OVC Championship (and first since 2002) and make its sixth appearance in the FCS Playoffs (and first since 2002) this year and will look to do that with 10 offensive and nine defensive starters returning from last season. The spread offense will be manned by junior quarterback Casey Brockman who was named the OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Brockman played in eight games last year, starting the final six contests and completing 213-of-320 passes for 2,442 yards and 15 touchdowns while also rushing for seven other scores and even catching a touchdown pass. Those numbers earned Brockman a spot on the Sports Network's Walter Payton Award Watch List (the award is given to the top offensive player in the FCS). Also back for the Racers is running back Mike Harris who rushed for 904 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games despite battling injuries near the end of the season which limited him to four carries in the final two games of the year. Despite losing All-American receiver Marcus Harris, the team returns two players who caught 38 or more passes last year (Arthur Brackett - 62 and Dexter Barnett - 38). The Racers also return cornerback/return specialist Dontrell Johnson who earned All-OVC honors in both specialties last season (and All-American honors as a return specialist from three different outlets). As a defensive back Johnson netted 67 tackles and two interceptions (including one he returned for a touchdown) and as a punt returner he led the nation with a 22.8 yards/return average including returning two punts for touchdowns.
Eastern Kentucky was picked to finish third for the second consecutive season. Last season the team tied for second in the standings after compiling a 5-2 OVC record. After starting the season 0-3, the Colonels won six of its final eight games and this season return nine offensive and seven defensive starters including seven total players who were named to the Preseason All-OVC team this year. The Colonels will be tough on the defensive side of the ball and had five players selected to the All-OVC preseason defensive unit including defensive linemen Emory Attig and Anthony Brown, linebacker Tyson Patrick and defensive backs Jeremy Caldwell and Patrick McClellan. Last year that unit ranked first in the OVC in rushing defense (allowing just 125.5 yards/game on the ground) and second in scoring defense (allowing just 22.7 yards/game). After battling some early season injuries, Caldwell finished the year with 32 tackles and three interceptions, one of which he returned for an 80-yard touchdown against Louisville. Caldwell also earned All-American honors as a return specialist, as he ranked second nationally in kickoff return yardage (33.7 yards/return), including returning two for touchdowns. Caldwell also returned a punt for a touchdown and earned a spot for the second-straight season on the Sports Network's Buck Buchanan Award Watch List (the award is given to the top defensive player in the FCS). Offensively junior wideout Orlandus Harris was a preseason All-OVC pick after catching 56 passes for 940 yards and seven scores.
After the league overlooked Southeast Missouri in the preseason a year ago (the team was picked tied for seventh in the preseason poll), the Redhawks would go on to surprise everyone, compiling a 7-1 OVC record on its way to its first OVC Championship and first playoff berth at any level of football in its 104-year existence. Southeast achieved its highest-ever national ranking at the FCS level (7th) and would go on to lose at eventual national champion Eastern Washington in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. This season sixth-year head coach Tony Samuel, who won the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award last season, will have to replace running back Henry Harris (the OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 2010) and three first-team All-OVC selections on the offensive line, but does return 40 letterwinners from last season including five defensive starters. Among the returning offensive starters is senior quarterback Matt Scheible who was the first-team All-OVC pick at quarterback last year after completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 1,246 yards and eight touchdowns (against only three interceptions) and rushing for 884 yards and seven more scores. His 73.7 rushing yards/game ranked third in the OVC. Scheible keyed an offensive attack that was fifth nationally in turnover margin (+1.08/game), first in least interceptions thrown (3) and first in sacks allowed (0.50/game). Defensively the team returns junior defensive back Tylor Brock who ranked 16th nationally in interceptions/game (0.50) last season, picking off six total passes.
Despite a disappointing 5-6 overall record last season, Tennessee Tech did finish 4-4 in the OVC and ended the year on a high note, coming from 17 points behind in the fourth quarter to top No. 4 ranked Jacksonville State. Building off that momentum head coach Watson Brown has 21 starters and 52 total letterwinners returning, marking the most experienced and deepest team he has had in his now five seasons with the Golden Eagles program. The team's top returning player is senior wide receiver Tim Benford who enters the year with 151 career receptions, which is just six away from joining the OVC career top 10 list. Benford was a first-team All-OVC selection last year after pulling down 47 passes for 779 yards and nine scores. Senior teammate Scott Schweitzer was also a preseason All-OVC selection this season, earning the nod at offensive guard. Defensively linebacker Marcus Edwards returns after registering an OVC-best 7.5 sacks last season.
No coach has been more successful at UT Martin in the Division I era than Jason Simpson, who enters his sixth season with the Skyhawks in 2011. UTM has never had a losing season in OVC play under Simpson, who won the OVC Championship in his first season with the program (2006) and was 6-5 overall and 5-3 in league play last year. In addition UT Martin won the Sgt. York Trophy, which goes to the winner of the quadrangular series between the four OVC schools from the state of Tennessee; UTM was a perfect 3-0 in those contests against its rivals in 2010. Simpson will look to junior quarterback Derek Carr to lead the offense once again this season; last season Carr threw for an OVC-best 2,543 yards while also tossing 13 touchdowns in 11 games. Carr has a variety of offensive weapons at his disposal including wide receiver Stephen Shiver (36 catches, 634 yards, 5 TD's in 2010), running back Jason McNair (547 rushing yards, 199 receiving yards) and preseason All-OVC pick at tight end Kenny Jones (16 receptions, 248 yards). The team also returns preseason All-OVC defensive back Kendal Harper who had 42 tackles and three interceptions last year.
The 2011 season will mark the final in the decorated career of Eastern Illinois head coach Bob Spoo. In his 25th year with the Panthers he has has guided EIU to four OVC Championships and nine playoff berths to go along with 142 overall victories in his time on the sidelines. Last season the team was 2-9 overall and 2-6 in the OVC, with both of the wins coming in the final three weeks of the season. This year the team will utilize a spread offensive attack that includes nine returning offensive starters. Senior offensive guard Eric Zink was named to the Preseason All-OVC team while junior defensive lineman Artavious Dowdell (51 tackles, 12.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumbles recoveries in 2010) earned that honor on the other side of the ball.
Tennessee State was winless in OVC play under first-year head coach Rod Reed last season after the team lost running back Preston Brown (who rushed for 760 yards in the first five games of the season) to a season-ending injury. Despite not winning in OVC play the team was competitive, losing three of those games by five points or less, including by two points on the road at eventual champion Southeast Missouri. The team does return OVC Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year in senior linebacker Rico Council. Council tallied 79 tackles, 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks last season and is one of six TSU defensive starters returning this year. Offensively senior running back Dante' Thomas was a Preseason All-OVC selection after rushing for 793 yards and six touchdowns last season, most of which came after Brown's injury midway through the season.
Austin Peay head coach Rick Christophel has 47 letterwinners back from his squad that was 2-9 overall and 1-7 in the OVC. Among those back are two Preseason All-OVC selections in running back Ryan White and offensive center Tim Schmid. White, a first-team All-OVC selection two years ago (when he rushed for 1,081 yards), carried the ball 156 times for 769 yards and four touchdowns last season, a mark that was sixth in the OVC. White needs just 543 rushing yards this season to move into second place in Austin Peay career rushing history.
2011 OVC Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (13 first-place votes) - 123
2. Murray State (4) - 106
3. Eastern Kentucky - 93
4. Southeast Missouri (1) - 81
5. Tennessee Tech - 73
6. UT Martin - 64
7. Eastern Illinois - 57
8. Tennessee State - 33
9. Austin Peay - 18