Four Bearkats named to preseason All-Southland squad
7/24/2007 1:00:00 AM | Football
From The Huntsville Item
By Gene Schallenberg, Sports
HOUSTON ? With the start of football season
beginning in a couple of weeks, a few select Bearkats took part in the
Southland Conference Football Media Days held at the Greenspoint
Wyndham Hotel.
Unveiled at the event
was the 2007 All-Southland Conference football preseason teams. Four
Sam Houston State players received recognition, including tight end
Blake Martin and offensive lineman Brandon Hale, both preseason
All-Americans, and defensive end David Branch who tabbed on the All-SLC
first-team offense.
Center Brennan Williams was the Bearkats' lone selection to the second team.
“They're (Martin and Hale) great leaders and they anchor the right side
of our line,” SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “That's the reason we
ran the ball so well last season. They're really good players and
there's no question about that. They really are the cornerstone to our
offensive line.”
Martin started all of the Bearkats games in the 2006 season. He was
fourth in the SLC in receiving with 39 catches for 481 yards on his way
to earning first-team all-conference honors.
“To really be honest, it's a dream come true,” Martin said. “I never
would've thought it. It really means a lot to me. Now, I'm just looking
forward to getting started. We got Rhett Bomar in there at quarterback.
I'm real excited to have him throw me the ball.”
Hale started all games in the 2006 campaign helping to open holes for
the league's leading rusher, D.D. Terry. The senior from Grand Prairie
was also a first-team All-SLC selection following his junior year.
“All these accolades are a real blessing for me. I just have to keep
working hard to improve,” Hale said. “I plan on being a much better
leader. I think we have a good chance to have a good team this year.”
Branch was selected as a first-team defensive selection before last
season after an outstanding junior year in which he led the Bearkats
with 13 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He was set to continue this
level of play, but an early-season injury in 2006 forced him to miss
the entire year.
Branch was granted a medical redshirt and should bolster an SHSU pass rush that recorded only eight sacks a year ago.
Williams started all 11 games for the Bearkats as the team's center
last season, and a long with Hale, was part of a unit that only allowed
10 sacks.
All eight Southland teams placed at least four on the preseason first
and second teams. Returning players who were All-SLC postseason members
in 2006 are automatic selections to the preseason squads. The remaining
spots are nominated for and voted on by the eight head coaches in the
Southland Conference.
McNeese State led the conference with 12 All-SLC picks including
reigning SLC player of the year Steven Whitehead and defensive player
of the year Bryan Smith.
Texas State-San Marcos followed with nine All-SLC picks including
automatic selection quarterback Bradley George. Stephen F. Austin had
nine All-SLC selections with four on the first team which featured
first-team quarterback Danny Southall and running back Louie Runnels.
Despite having yet to play a full league schedule, Central Arkansas
placed five on the All-SLC list. Along with Sam Houston State, Nicholls
State, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana rounded out the
list with four selections each.
2007 All-Southland Conference Football Preseason Teams
First Team Offense
POS NAME UNIVERSITY HT. WT. CL. HOMETOWN
QB Danny Southall Stephen F. Austin 6-3 214 Sr. Hitchcock, Texas
RB Louie Runnels Stephen F. Austin 6-0 250 Sr. Bellville, Texas
RB Jay Lucas Southeastern Louisiana 5-11 220 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
FB Blake Burton Texas State-San Marcos 6-0 226 Jr. Hungerford, Texas
WR Steven Whitehead McNeese State 5-8 170 Sr. Slidell, La.
WR Carlese Franklin McNeese State 5-11 178 Sr. Kentwood, La.
TE Blake Martin Sam Houston State 6-3 236 Sr. Hemphill, Texas
OL Brandon Hale Sam Houston State 6-3 311 Sr. Grand Prairie, ,Texas
OL Eman Naghavi McNeese State 6-2 325 Jr. Katy, Texas
OL Taylor Cobb Stephen F. Austin 6-2 296 Sr. Conroe, Texas
OL Brock Pasteur Stephen F. Austin 6-6 290 Sr. Orlando, Fla.
OL Matt Jenkins Texas State-San Marcos 6-3 301 Sr. San Antonio, Texas
PK Blake Bercegeay McNeese State 6-2 168 Jr. Gonzales, La.
First Team Defense
DL Bryan Smith McNeese State 6-3 206 Sr. Newton, Texas
DL Nate Langford Texas State-San Marcos 6-1 248 Sr. San Marcos, Texas
DL Kirby Joseph McNeese State 6-2 256 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
DL David Branch Sam Houston State 6-1 250 Sr. Houston, Texas
LB Trey Bennett McNeese State 6-1 227 Sr. Newton, Texas
LB Damian Perkins Stephen F. Austin 6-0 212 Jr. Hallsville, Texas
DB Kareem Moore Nicholls State 6-0 210 Sr. Okolona, Miss.
DB Jonathan Walker McNeese State 5-11 175 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern Louisiana 6-0 195 So. Marrero, La.
DB Daniel Varvel Texas State-San Marcos 6-3 220 Sr. Bakersfield, Calif.
DB C.L. Grogan Northwestern State 5-10 177 Sr. Patterson, La.
P Chris MacDonald Texas State-San Marcos 6-4 215 Sr. Mesa, Ariz.
RS Steven Whitehead McNeese State 5-8 170 Sr. Slidell, La.
Second Team Offense
QB Bradley George Texas State-San Marcos 6-6 230 So. New Braunfels, Texas
RB Zack Morgan Nicholls State 5-9 190 Jr. Marianna, Fla.
RB Ross Brown Central Arkansas 5-9 184 Sr. Gosnell, Ark.
FB Leonard Lynce Stephen F. Austin 6-0 220 Jr. Yokosuka, Japan
WR Quinten Lawrence McNeese State 6-1 180 Jr. Carencro, La.
WR Dominique Edison Stephen F. Austin 6-3 200 Jr. San Augustine, Texas
TE Clay Broyles Northwestern State 6-3 248 Sr. Hallsville, Texas
OL Ben Gombossy Nicholls State 6-0 300 Sr. Monroe, La.
OL James Jordan McNeese State 6-4 300 Sr. Eunice, La.
OL Crawford May Texas State-San Marcos 6-2 305 Sr. Miami, Fla.
OL Demetrius Bell Northwestern State 6-5 263 Sr. Summerfield, La.
OL Brennan Williams Sam Houston State 6-0 290 Sr. Decatur, Texas
PK Andrew Ireland Texas State-San Marcos 5-8 194 Jr. Cedar Hill, Texas
DL Ray Martin Northwestern State 6-0 223 Sr. Lafayette, La.
DL Nick Clark Texas State-San Marcos 6-0 255 Sr. Everman, Texas
DL Jordan Stone Nicholls State 6-1 290 Sr. Chicago, Ill.
DL Ramel Borner Texas State-San Marcos 6-0 305 Sr. Dallas, Texas
LB Allen Nelson McNeese State 6-1 210 Jr. Beaumont, Texas
LB Dominic Cooper Nicholls State 6-3 230 Sr. New Orleans, La.
DB Tristan Jackson Central Arkansas 5-9 192 Sr. Beaumont, Miss.
DB Marquis Powell Southeastern Louisiana 5-10 207 Jr. Madison, Fla.
DB Jarrod Dale Central Arkansas 6-3 214 So. Memphis, Tenn.
DB Travis Williams Southeastern Louisiana 5-10 192 Jr. Ocean Springs, Miss.
DB Johnny Thacker Stephen F. Austin 5-11 185 Sr. Alto, Texas
P James Paul Central Arkansas 6-2 200 Sr. Jacksonville, Ark.
RS Tristan Jackson Central Arkansas 5-9 192 Sr. Beaumont, Miss.
