Big South Releases Preseason All-Conference Teams

CHARLOTTE – Two-time defending Big South champion Monmouth University has been tabbed the favorite in the conference’s annual preseason football poll for the 2021 campaign as voted by the league’s head coaches and media panel, it was announced today.

The Hawks collected 16 of the 18 first-place votes and finished with 141 points to repeat as league champions. Monmouth, which has appeared in the FCS Playoffs three out of the last four seasons and was ranked No. 10/11 in the final polls, returns 56 letterwinners, 26 starters and 17 All-Conference players from this past spring season. MU went 3-1 in the spring campaign (3-0 in the Big South) and carries a 10-game Big South win streak into the 2021 season –- the fourth-longest in conference history.

Kennesaw State was second in the 2021 preseason balloting with 117 points and received one first-place vote. New Big South member North Carolina A&T claimed third-place in the poll with 100 points, while Charleston Southern was fourth with 85 points and received the remaining first-place nod. Campbell was predicted fifth in the preseason ranking with 82 points, while Gardner-Webb landed in the sixth position (59 points). Hampton claimed seventh-place (35 points) and Robert Morris landed in the final spot with 29 points.

Associate member North Alabama is not eligible for the preseason ranking again this year as part of its transition to Division I, as the Lions are not eligible for the Big South regular-season championship nor the FCS Playoffs during their transition period.

Monmouth redshirt-junior running back Juwon Farri (Gaithersburg, Md.) and Hawks’ redshirt-senior defensive back Anthony Budd (Riverdale, Md.) have been voted the Big South Conference’s 2021 Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, by the league’s head football coaches and media panel.

Farri is the first running back to earn the league’s top preseason offensive honor since 2016 and seventh overall. He was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year for the 2021 Spring season, and also received All-America accolades from STATS Perform (2nd Team), AFCA (2nd Team) and Phil Steele Magazine (3rd Team). Farri, who tied for eighth in the voting for last year’s Walter Payton Award, was a three-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week honoree last spring in which he ranked first in the nation in scoring with 15.0 points scored, as well as first in the Big South with 10 touchdowns. He rushed for a league-best 520 yards on 104 carries (5.0 per carry) and averaged 130.0 yards per game, which ranked second in all of FCS. Farri gained a season-high 179 yards against Kennesaw State, rushed for 124 at Gardner-Webb, and opened the year with 119 yards vs. Charleston Southern. He tallied multiple rushing TDs in all three regular-season games, highlighted by four against GWU, and had three scoring runs of 20+ yards. The 2018 Big South Offensive Freshman of the Year, Farri has scored a rushing touchdown in his last six appearances (dating back to 2018), and has scored a TD in 10 of his 15 career games.

Farri received nine first-place votes and 37 total points in the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year voting, ahead of Campbell quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams (two first-place votes and 19 points) and Charleston Southern quarterback Jack Chambers (three first-place votes and 15 points).

Budd is the first Monmouth player to win the Big South’s preseason defensive award, and is the first defensive back to earn the conference’s top preseason honor since 2012. He has been the league’s interception leader the past two seasons (5 in 2019, 2 in 2020-21) while earning First-Team All-Conference honors both years. Budd was the Hawks’ third-leading tackler in the spring season with 26 stops (14 solo) and had three pass break-ups in addition to his two picks. He recorded two tackles-for-loss, registered a career-high 11 tackles and an interception in a win over Gardner-Webb, and helped Monmouth’s rush defense finish 13th in the nation, fifth in turnover margin and first in sacks.

He collected six first-place votes and 31 points in the preseason balloting, ahead of Charleston Southern defensive lineman Shaundre Mims (five first-place votes and 22 points) and North Carolina A&T linebacker Kyin Howard (two first-place votes and 17 points).

Farri and Budd were also voted to the preseason All-Conference First-Team, which is comprised of 12 offensive and defensive positions, plus specialty positions. A preseason Honorable Mention squad features the next highest vote-getters at each position where available. Monmouth has the most preseason selections with 20, followed by Kennesaw State (5), Campbell and North Carolina A&T with four each, Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb with three apiece, North Alabama (2) and Hampton and Robert Morris with one selection. The 2021 preseason All-Conference team appears below.

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST-TEAM

OFFENSE 

QB - Tony Muskett, Soph., Monmouth

RB - Juwon Farri, R-Jr., Monmouth

RB - Jah-Maine Martin, R-Sr., North Carolina A&T

WR - Lonnie Moore IV, Gr., Monmouth

WR - Terrance Greene Jr., Sr., Monmouth

WR - Jadakis Bonds, Jr., Hampton

TE - Gene Scott, R-Sr., Monmouth

OL - AJ Farris, Gr., Monmouth

OL - Justin Szuba, Sr., Monmouth

OL - Jake Lassiter, Gr., Kennesaw State

OL - Mahmoud Shabana, Gr., Monmouth

OL - Manny Christian, Gr., Monmouth

DEFENSE

DL - Shaundre Mims, R-Sr., Charleston Southern

DL - Ty French, Soph., Gardner-Webb

DL - Jermaine McDaniel, R-Sr., North Carolina A&T

DL - Kahari Scarlett, Gr., Monmouth

LB - Da’Quan Grimes, Gr., Monmouth

LB - Aniello Buzzacco, Sr., Robert Morris

LB - Eddie Hahn V, Gr., Monmouth

LB - Kyin Howard, R-Jr., North Carolina A&T

DB - Anthony Budd, R-Sr., Monmouth

DB - Cody Cline, Jr., Charleston Southern

DB - Darion Slade, R-Sr., Campbell

DB - Justin Terry, R-Sr., Monmouth

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Nathan Robertson, Sr., Kennesaw State

P - Joe Gurley, Gr., North Alabama

LS - Kent Vines, Sr., Monmouth

KR - Isaac Foster, Sr., Kennesaw State

PR - Isaac Foster, Sr., Kennesaw State

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION

QB - Hajj-Malik Williams, Jr., Campbell

RB - Isaac Foster, Sr., Kennesaw State (tie)

RB - Narii Gaither, Jr., Gardner-Webb (tie)

WR - Korey Banks, R-Sr., North Carolina A&T (tie)

WR - Dexter Boykin, R-Jr., North Alabama (tie)

TE - Julian Hill, Sr., Campbell

OL - Clayton Frady, Soph., Gardner-Webb

DL - Erik Massey, Gr., Monmouth

LB - Justice Galloway-Velazquez, R-Jr., Campbell

DB - Eddie Morales III, Sr., Monmouth

P - Ryan Kost, Sr., Monmouth

LS - Ethan Ray, Gr., Charleston Southern

KR - Lonnie Moore IV, Gr., Monmouth

PR - Eddie Morales III, Sr., Monmouth

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Juwon Farri, R-Jr., RB, Monmouth (Gaithersburg, Md.)

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Anthony Budd, R-Sr., DB, Monmouth (Riverdale, Md.)

2021 PRESEASON FOOTBALL POLL

1. Monmouth (16)	141
2. Kennesaw State (1)	117
3. North Carolina A&T	100
4. Charleston Southern (1)	85
5. Campbell	82
6. Gardner-Webb	59
7. Hampton	35
8. Robert Morris	29

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UNC Picked to Win Coastal Division, NC State Picked Second in Atlantic

GREENSBORO – Clemson is an overwhelming preseason favorite to claim its seventh consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference football title, according to a preseason poll of 147 media voters. 

The Tigers, who posted a 10-2 record last season while earning a postseason playoff berth for the sixth consecutive year, were also chosen as likely Atlantic Division winners. North Carolina was picked to finish atop the Coastal Division following an eight-win 2020 season that culminated with the program’s first-ever berth in the Orange Bowl. 

Clemson was named the likely 2021 ACC champion on 125 ballots. North Carolina picked up 16 votes, followed by Miami with three and Georgia Tech, NC State, and Virginia with one each.

In the Atlantic Division preseason voting, Clemson led the way with 146 first-place votes and 1,028 total points. NC State, which was tabbed as the likely second-place finisher, picked up the remaining first-place vote while accumulating 804 points.

Boston College (638 points) was picked for a third-place Atlantic Division finish, followed by Florida State (510), Wake Forest (472), Louisville (462), and Syracuse (202).

In the Coastal Division forecast, North Carolina received 109 first-place votes and amassed 979 total points. Miami (28 first-place votes) was next with 881 points, followed by Virginia Tech (three-first place votes, 582 points) and Pitt (one first-place vote, 576 points).

Virginia (two first-place votes, 540 points), Georgia Tech (four first-place votes, 340 points), and Duke (218 points) closed out the voting.

Clemson was selected as the likely ACC champion in the media preseason poll for the fourth consecutive season and the seventh time in the last nine years. 

North Carolina was projected as the preseason Coastal Division champion for the second time and the first time since 2016. The Tar Heels’ lone Coastal Division championship came in 2015. Each of the Coastal’s seven teams won the division from 2013 through 2019. Due to the 2020 pandemic, the ACC played with a non-divisional format last season.

The Atlantic and Coastal Division winners will meet in the 2021 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 4, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

ACC Preseason Poll

(147 total votes - First-place votes in parenthesis)

Overall Champion

1. Clemson - 125
2. North Carolina - 16
3. Miami - 3
4. Virginia - 1
5. Georgia Tech - 1
6. NC State - 1

Atlantic Division

1. Clemson – 1,028 (146)
2. NC State - 804 (1)
3. Boston College - 638
4. Florida State - 510
5. Wake Forest - 472
6. Louisville - 462
7. Syracuse - 202

Coastal Division

1. North Carolina - 979 (109)
2. Miami - 881 (28)
3. Virginia Tech - 582 (3)
4. Pitt - 576 (1)
5. Virginia - 540 (2)
6. Georgia Tech - 340 (4)
7. Duke - 218 

Story courtesy of the ACC

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App State Places Nine on Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, Predicted to Finish First in East Division

NEW ORLEANS — The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2021 Preseason All-Sun Belt Football Teams, individual awards and Preseason Poll on Tuesday.

Coastal Carolina redshirt sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall was dubbed the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Troy junior linebacker Carlton Martial was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. McCall was the Sun Belt Player and Freshman of the Year in 2020, while both McCall and Martial are returning All-Sun Belt First Team honorees.

Coastal Carolina paced all conference programs with 11 Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, including a conference-best seven First Team picks. The Chanticleers were followed closely by Georgia State (10), App State (9) and Louisiana (9).

Louisiana was picked to win its fourth-straight Sun Belt West Division title in the Preseason Coaches Poll, while capturing 9-of-10 first-place votes. Coastal Carolina and App State were tied atop the Sun Belt East Division ledger, though the Chanticleers claimed an edge with 6-of-10 first-place nods.

Coastal Carolina and Louisiana were Sun Belt co-champions in 2020, while App State won four-straight titles from 2016-19.

Sun Belt Football Media Day will kick off the 2021 Sun Belt football season on Thursday, July 22. The event will be broadcast on ESPN+, with a morning session from 9 a.m. to 12 noon CT and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. CT.

2021 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Carlton Martial, Troy (Jr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense

QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS So. – Indian Trail, N.C.)

RB – Camerun Peoples, App State (Jr. – Lineville, Ala.)

RB – Destin Coates, Georgia State (Sr. – Tallahassee, Fla.)

OL – Baer Hunter, App State (Super Sr. – Clemmons, N.C.)

OL – Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State (RS Sr. – Riverdale, Ga.)

OL – Cooper Hodges, App State (Jr. – Glen St. Mary, Fla.)

OL – Austin Stidham, Troy (Jr. – Russellville, Ala.)

OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana (So. – Greensburg, La.)

TE – Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Cambridge, Mass.)

WR – Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

WR – Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Venice, Fla.)

WR – Sam Pinckney, Georgia State (RS Jr. – Greenwood, S.C.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

DL – Jeffery Gunter, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr. – Durham, N.C.)

DL – CJ Brewer, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Bowdon, Ga.)

DL – Demetrius Taylor, App State (Super Sr. – Miami, Fla.)

DL – Will Choloh, Troy (Jr. – Lawrenceville, Ga.)

LB – Carlton Martial, Troy (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

LB – D’Marco Jackson, App State (Sr. – Spartanburg, S.C.)

LB – Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Mount Airy, Md.)

DB – Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern (RS So. – Evans, Ga.)

DB – Shaun Jolly, App State (Sr. – Stone Mountain, Ga.)

DB – D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Batesville, Miss.)

DB – Bralen Trahan, Louisiana (RS Jr. – Lafayette, La.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

K – Noel Ruiz, Georgia State (Sr. – Wilson, N.C.)

P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana (Jr. – Melbourne, Australia)

RS – Chris Smith, Louisiana (RS So. – Louisville, Miss.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense

QB – Levi Lewis, Louisiana (Sr. – Baton Rouge, La.)

RB – JD King, Georgia Southern (Fifth-Year Sr. – Fitzgerald, Ga.)

RB – Daetrich Harrington, App State (Sr. – Douglasville, Ga.)

OL – Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Monroeville, Ala.)

OL – Max Mitchell, Louisiana (Jr. – Monroe, La.)

OL – Dylan Bradshaw, Troy (Sr. – Enterprise, Ala.)

OL – Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina (So. – Lakeland, Fla.)

OL – Aaron Dowdell, Georgia Southern (Sixth-Year Sr. – Fairburn, Ga.)

TE – Roger Carter, Georgia State (Sr. – Columbia, S.C.)

WR – Thomas Hennigan, App State (Super Sr. – Greensboro, N.C.)

WR – Marcell Barbee, Texas State (Jr. – Pueblo, Colo.)

WR – Cornelius McCoy, Georgia State (Sr. – Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense

DL – Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana (RS Jr. – New Iberia, La.)

DL – Hardrick Willis, Georgia State (RS Sr. – Jonesboro, Ga.)

DL – Dontae Wilson, Georgia State (Sr. – Jefferson, Ga.)

DL – Nico Ezidore, Texas State (Jr. – Garland, Texas)

LB – Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana (RS Jr. – Detroit, Mich.)

LB – Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Los Angeles, Calif.)

LB – Brendan Harrington, App State (Jr. - Pittsboro, N.C.)

DB – Antavious Lane, Georgia State (RS So. – West Palm Beach, Fla.) 

DB – Quavian White, Georgia State (Sr. – Greer, S.C.)

DB – Keith Gallmon, South Alabama (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana (Jr. – Mobile, Ala.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

K – Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina (Sr. – Downingtown, Pa.)

P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern (RS Jr. – Guyton, Ga.)

RS – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern (Jr. – McDonough, Ga.)

2021 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

East Division

T1. Coastal Carolina (6) – 44

T1. App State (4) – 44

3. Georgia State – 24

4. Georgia Southern – 20

5. Troy – 18

West Division

1. Louisiana (9) – 49

2. Arkansas State (1) – 38

3. South Alabama – 27

4. Texas State – 25

5. ULM – 11

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Five Charlotte Players Named to CUSA Preseason Watch List

DALLAS – Conference USA released its 2021 preseason watch list, as selected by the league’s 14 head coaches on Monday. Five student-athletes from each of the conference’s 14 member institutions are recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2021 season.

The Conference USA slate opens on Saturday, Aug. 28, and the league’s 17th Conference USA Football Championship Game is scheduled for the first week in December.

OFFENSE

QB	Grant Wells	RS Fr.	Marshall
QB	Bailey Zappe	GS	WKU
RB	Frank Gore, Jr.	Fr.	Southern Miss
RB	Sincere McCormick	Jr.	UTSA
RB	DeWayne McBride	So.	UAB
RB	D'Vonte Price	Sr.	FIU
RB	Marcus Williams, Jr.	GS	Louisiana Tech
WR	Jason Brownlee	Jr.	Southern Miss
WR	Jacob Cowing	So.	UTEP
WR	Jarrin Pierce	RS Sr.	Middle Tennessee
WR	Brandon Robinson	RS Sr.	Florida Atlantic
WR	Bradley Rozner	RS Jr.	Rice
WR	Jyaire Shorter	RS So.	North Texas
WR	Victor Tucker	RS Sr.	Charlotte
OL	Shea Baker	RS Jr.	Rice
OL	Jacob Brammer	RS Jr.	North Texas
OL	Spencer Burford	Sr.	UTSA
OL	Bobby DeHaro	RS Jr.	UTEP
OL	D'Mitri Emmanuel	RS Sr.	Charlotte
OL	Arvin Fletcher	RS Sr.	Southern Miss
OL	Lyndell Hudson, Jr.	RS So.	FIU
OL	Alex Mollette	RS Sr.	Marshall
OL	Joshua Mote	Jr.	Louisiana Tech
OL	Jordan Palmer	Jr.	Middle Tennessee
OL	Nick Saldiveri	RS So.	Old Dominion
OL	Cole Spencer	RS Jr.	WKU
OL	Kadeem Telfort	RS Jr.	UAB
OL	Khalique Washington	Sr.	Southern Miss
OL	Isaac Weaver	Sr.	Old Dominion
OL	Nick Weber	RS Jr.	Florida Atlantic

DEFENSE

DL	Praise Amaewhule	RS So.	UTEP
DL	Evan Anderson	Fr.	Florida Atlantic
DL	Jamare Edwards	RS Jr.	Marshall
DL	Jordan Ferguson	RS Jr.	Middle Tennessee
DL	Elijah Garcia	RS Sr.	Rice
DL	Jaylon Haynes	Sr.	UTSA
DL	DeAngelo Malone	Sr.	WKU
DL	Antonio Moultrie	RS Jr.	UAB
DL	Dion Novil	Sr.	North Texas
DL	Davon Strickland	RS So.	FIU
DL	Markees Watts	Sr.	Charlotte
LB	Trey Baldwin	Sr.	Louisiana Tech
LB	KD Davis	Jr.	North Texas
LB	Tyler Murray	RS Sr.	Charlotte
LB	Jordan Young	Sr.	Old Dominion
DB	Reed Blankenship	Sr.	Middle Tennessee
DB	Richard Dames	Sr.	FIU
DB	Zyon Gilbert	Sr.	Florida Atlantic
DB	Steven Gilmore	Jr.	Marshall
DB	Joe Joe Headen	Sr.	Old Dominion
DB	Dy'Vonne Inyang	Sr.	UTEP
DB	Antwon Kincade	Sr.	WKU
DB	Kristopher Moll	Sr.	UAB
DB	Naeem Smith	Sr.	Rice
DB	BeeJay Williamson	So.	Louisiana Tech
DB	Rashad Wisdom	Jr.	UTSA

SPECIAL TEAMS

K	Briggs Bourgeois	RS Jr.	Southern Miss
K	Jonathan Cruz	Sr.	Charlotte
K	Brayden Narveson	RS So.	WKU
K	Nick Rice	Sr.	Old Dominion
P	Lucas Dean	Jr.	UTSA
P	Kyle Greenwell	Jr.	UAB
P	Matt Hayball	RS Jr.	Florida Atlantic
P	Tommy Heatherly	Sr.	FIU
P	Kyle Ulbrich	RS Jr.	Middle Tennessee
PR	Justin Garrett	RS Sr.	UTEP
PR	Smoke Harris	So.	Louisiana Tech
PR	Talik Keaton	RS So.	Marshall
LS	Nate Durham	RS Jr.	North Texas
LS	Campbell Riddle	Jr.	Rice

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