GREENVILLE, S.C. ? The Southern Conference football coaches have announced their preseason all-conference team in conjunction with the 2008 SoCon Football Rouser presented by Carolina Ford Dealers at the Embassy Suites in Greenville, S.C.
Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards was the coaches’ selection as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The junior is coming off of a season in which he passed for 1,948 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,588 yards and 21 scores as the Mountaineers won their third consecutive FCS national championship.
Edwards’ teammate, senior linebacker Pierre Banks, was tabbed by the coaches as the league’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Banks registered 108 tackles in 2007, including 47 solo stops. He also notched seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Appalachian, the coaches’ choice to win its fourth-straight SoCon crown, led the way with 12 preseason all-conference selections, including 10 on the first team. Wofford, the 2007 SoCon co-champions along with ASU, placed eight players on the preseason all-SoCon teams, as did Elon, the coaches’ choice to finish second this season.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players in the balloting.
2008 Southern Conference Preseason All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Armanti Edwards, Jr., QB, Appalachian State
Defensive Player of the Year: Pierre Banks, Sr., LB, Appalachian State
OFFENSE
First Team
QB Armanti, Edwards, Appalachian State
RB Bryan Fitzgerald, Chattanooga
RB Devon Moore, Appalachian State
OL Brad Coley, Appalachian State
OL Joel Bell, Furman
OL Derek Wooten, Wofford
OL Ben Quick, Wofford
OL (tie) Mario Acitelli, Appalachian State
OL (tie) Thomas Slaughter, Furman
TE Larry Hedden, Furman
WR Terrell Hudgins, Elon
WR CoCo Hillary, Appalachian State
Second Team
QB Scott Riddle, Elon
RB Mike Brown, Furman
RB Dane Romero, Wofford
OL William Giles, Chattanooga
OL Ben Miller, Wofford
OL Chris Werden, Elon
OL Kevin Wiggins, Western Carolina
OL Dan DeHaven, The Citadel
TE Fenn Allen, Wofford
WR Andre Roberts, The Citadel
WR (tie) Blue Cooper, Chattanooga
WR (tie) Bo Williamson, Elon
DEFENSE
First Team
DL Larry Beard, Georgia Southern
DL Tony Robertson, Appalachian State
DL Terrence Reese, The Citadel
DL Anthony Williams, Appalachian State
LB Corey Weaver, Elon
LB Pierre Banks, Appalachian State
LB Seth Goldwire, Wofford
DB Carson Hill, Georgia Southern
DB Thomas Twitty, Furman
DB Leonard Love, Appalachian State
DB Chris Covington, Georgia Southern
Second Team
DL Kevin McCaskill, The Citadel
DL Neil Brown, Chattanooga
DL Layton Baker, Wofford
DL Jeff Bradley, Western Carolina
LB Quintin Phillips, Western Carolina
LB Jacque Roman, Appalachian State
LB Joseph Thornton, Chattanooga
DB Raeshon Ball, Chattanooga
DB Cortez Gilbert, Appalachian State
DB Karlos Sullivan, Elon
DB (tie) William Middleton, Furman
DB (tie) Cameron McGlenn, Elon
SPECIALISTS
First Team
PK Jesse Hartley, Georgia Southern
P Brandon Lane, Elon
RS CoCo Hillary, Appalachian State
Second Team
PK Patrick Mugan, Wofford
P Mark Kaspar, The Citadel
RS Mike Brown, Furman