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Jacksonville State senior quarterback
Eli Jenkins and senior defensive lineman
Darius Jackson were named the 2016 OVC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
Jacksonville State led the way with nine total preseason selections. Southeast Missouri had five picks, followed by Tennessee State with four selections and Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky with three picks apiece. Tennessee Tech had two selections while Murray State and UT Martin each had one player selected. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last year (8 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included 12 players who were second-team picks in 2015. Of the 28 total selections, 17 were seniors and 11 were juniors.
The offensive unit was led by Jenkins, the reigning OVC Offensive Player of the Year and 2015 FCS ADA National Quarterback of the Year. Jenkins led Jacksonville State to the National Championship game last year and accounted for 3,949 yards of total offense (second most in OVC single-season history) and 21 passing and 15 rushing touchdowns. He has been named to several preseason All-American Teams and will be a contender for National Player of the Year this season. The backfield included Southeast Missouri State senior
Tremane McCullough (1,028 rushing yards and five touchdowns) and Eastern Illinois senior
Devin Church (112.83 all-purpose yards/game and 11 touchdowns). Three wide receivers made the preseason team in Jacksonville State senior
Josh Barge (school record 92 receptions for 1145 yards and 11 TDs), Tennessee State junior
Patrick Smith (54 catches, 996 yards, 10 TDs) and Tennessee Tech junior
Brock McCoin (61 catches, 747 yards, 4 TDs; also rushed for 271 yards and passed for 458 yards). The tight end pick was Murray State senior
Jesse Blackburn (48 catches, 612 yards, 5 TDs). The offensive line included three Jacksonville State players in senior center
Casey Dunn, junior tackle
Justin Lea and junior tackle
Dylan Cline in addition to Tennessee State senior guard
Jessamen Dunker, Southeast Missouri senior guard
Garret Baker and Eastern Kentucky senior tackle
Justin Adekoya.
Jackson had a breakout season for the OVC champion Gamecocks a season ago, finishing the year with 56 tackles (29 solo), 19.0 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks, five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble in 14 games. He was part of a defensive unit that ranked 12th nationally in total defense (300.3 yards/game allowed) and 18th in scoring defense (19.9 points/game allowed). He is joined on the defensive line by senior teammate
Desmond Owino (32 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 7 QBH, 1 FF), Tennessee State junior
Ebenezer Ogundeko (58 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 QBH) and UT Martin senior
Damani Taylor (54 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 QBH). The linebackers included Southeast Missouri senior
Roper Garrett (106 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 QBH, 1 FF), Jacksonville State junior
Joel McCandless (79 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 QBH) and Eastern Illinois senior
Seth McDonald (109 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 INT, 4 QBH, 2 FF). The defensive backs included Southeast Missouri senior
Eriq Moore (60 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 PBU, 2 FF) and junior
Mike Ford (44 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 5 INTs, 7 PBUs), Tennessee Tech senior
Maleek Hall (64 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT, 17 PBUs), Eastern Illinois junior
Bradley Dewberry (73 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 4 INTs, 5 PBUs) and Jacksonville State senior
Jaylen Hill (37 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 4 INTs, 3 PBUs).
Specialists selected to the preseason team included Eastern Kentucky junior kicker
Lucas Williams (11-of-14 FGs, 41-of-42 PATs, 74 points) and junior punter
Keith Wrzuszczak (43.7 yards/punt, 20 downed inside 20-yard line) and Jacksonville State senior return specialist
Lawon DeBardelaben (22.8 yards/kickoff return).
2016 Preseason All-OVC Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Jenkins (QB), Jacksonville State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Darius Jackson (DL), Jacksonville State
OFFENSE
QB - Eli Jenkins, Jacksonville State
RB - Tremane McCullough, Southeast Missouri
RB - Devin Church, Eastern Illinois
WR - Josh Barge, Jacksonville State
WR - Patrick Smith, Tennessee State
WR - Brock McCoin, Tennessee Tech
TE - Jesse Blackburn, Murray State
C - Casey Dunn, Jacksonville State
OG - Jessamen Dunker, Tennessee State
OG - Garret Baker, Southeast Missouri
OT - Justin Lea, Jacksonville State
OT - Dylan Cline, Jacksonville State
OT - Justin Adekoya, Eastern Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL - Ebenezer Ogundeko, Tennessee State
DL - Darius Jackson, Jacksonville State
DL - Damani Taylor, UT Martin
DL - Desmond Owino, Jacksonville State
LB - Roper Garrett, Southeast Missouri
LB - Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State
LB - Seth McDonald, Eastern Illinois
DB - Maleek Hall, Tennessee Tech
DB - Mike Ford, Southeast Missouri
DB - Bradley Dewberry, Eastern Illinois
DB - Jaylen Hill, Jacksonville State
DB - Eriq Moore, Southeast Missouri
SPECIALISTS
K – Lucas Williams, Eastern Kentucky
P - Keith Wrzuszczak, Eastern Kentucky
RS - Lawon DeBardelaben, Jacksonville State