SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Southern Conference co-champions Appalachian State and Wofford split four of the five major awards as the league's head football coaches selected the annual all-conference teams and specialty award winners. Appalachian State's DeAndre Presley was named the Offensive Player of the Year while head coach Jerry Moore was honored by his peers as the league's Coach of the Year. Wofford's Ameet Pall was named the Defensive Player of the Year while teammate Pat Illig earned the Jacobs Blocking Award, which is given annually by the Jacobs family to the top blocker in the league.
Chattanooga defensive back Kadeem Wise was named the league's Freshman of the Year.
One of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the nation, Presley finshed the year 13th in the country in total offense. The junior from Tampa, Fla., averaged 270.5 yards per game. He finished the year with 2,976 passing yards and 753 yards on the ground. He completed over 63 percent of his passes this season and was ninth nationally in passer efficiency (148.3). His best passing performance came in the season opener at Chattanooga as he threw for 340 yards in a come-from behind win. Presley ran for a personal-best 170 yards against Elon on October 9. He was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week four times in 2010.
A native of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Pall anchored one of the top defensive units in all of FCS. He ranks fifth in the country in sacks (1.1 spg) and is seventh in the nation in tackles for loss (1.77 TFL/game). The Terriers gave up just 158 yards per game through the air in 2010 and held their opponents to just 127.4 yards on the ground. Wofford held its opponents to just 19.0 points per game this season. Pall was second on the team with 47 tackles, 19.5 of which were for loss. He tallied 12.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, forced two fumbles and recovered two more.
Wise saw action in all 11 games for the Mocs as a freshman. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native finished the year with 29 tackles, six interceptions and six pass break-ups. Wise picked off a personal-best two passes at Western Carolina on September 25. He is the first Moc to win the award since running back James Roberts won the inaugural Freshman of the Year Award in 1989.
Moore was named the Coach of the Year for the eighth time after sharing the honor in 2009. Appalachian State went 9-2 during the regular season and finished its Southern Conference schedule with a mark of 7-1. The Mountaineers shared the league title with Wofford, giving ASU its sixth consecutive league championship, tying the all-time mark set by Georgia Southern (1997-2002).
Illig was named the league's top blocker as he helped pave the way for the top rushing attack in the nation. Wofford led all FCS teams with 310.8 rushing yards per game. The Terriers averaged 30.8 points per game, the 22nd best mark in the nation. Wofford's offense churned out 395.6 total yards per game which ranked 24th in the nation. A senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., Illig joins Eric Deutsch (2003) as just the second Terrier to win the Jacobs Blocking Award.
Appalachian State led all schools with 13 players selected to the all-conference team, including six first-team honorees. Georgia Southern and Chattanooga each placed seven on the all-conference team while Elon had six all-conference team members.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players in the voting process.
2010 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year - DeAndre Presley, Jr., QB, Appalachian State
Defensive Player of the Year - Ameet Pall, Jr., DL, Wofford
Freshman of the Year - Kadeem Wise, DB, Chattanooga
Jacobs Blocking Award - Pat Illig, Sr., Wofford
Coach of the Year - Jerry Moore, Appalachian State
First Team Offense
QB DeAndre Presley, Jr., Appalachian State
QB (tie) Scott Riddle, Sr., Elon
RB Chris Evans, Sr., Samford
RB Eric Breitenstein, So., Wofford
OL Daniel Kilgore, Sr., Appalachian State
OL Rodney Austin, Jr., Elon
OL Brett Moore, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL Chris Harr, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Pat Illig, Sr., Wofford
TE Garrett Hughes, Sr., Chattanooga
WR Aaron Mellette, So., Elon
WR Adam Mims, Sr., Furman
First Team Defense
DL Jabari Fletcher, Sr., Appalachian State
DL Erik Clanton, Sr., The Citadel
DL Brent Russell, So., Georgia Southern
DL Ameet Pall, Jr., Wofford
LB D.J. Smith, Sr., Appalachian State
LB Kadarron Anderson, Jr., Furman
LB Bryce Smith, Sr., Samford
DB Mark LeGree, Sr., Appalachian State
DB Ryan Steed, Jr., Furman
DB Laron Scott, Jr., Georgia Southern
DB Buster Skrine, Sr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Jason Vitaris, Sr., Appalachian State
P Charlie Edwards, Jr., Georgia Southern
RS Laron Scott, Jr., Georgia Southern
Second Team Offense
QB B.J. Coleman, Jr., Chattanooga
RB Travaris Cadet, Jr., Appalachian State
RB Terrell Dallas, Jr., The Citadel
OL Brett Irvin, Sr., Appalachian State
OL Orry Frye, Jr., Appalachian State
OL John Rubertone, Sr., Elon
OL Thomas Gray, Sr., Samford
OL Clark Bishop, Sr., Wofford
TE Ben Jorden, Jr., Appalachian State
WR Brian Quick, Jr., Appalachian State
WR Joel Bradford, Jr., Chattanooga
Second Team Defense
DL John Michael Clay, Sr., Samford
DL Roderick Tinsley, Jr., Georgia Southern
DL Chris Donald, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Jordan Gibson, Sr., Elon
LB Brandon Wiggins, Sr., Elon
LB Josh Rowe, So., Georgia Southern
LB Ryan Consiglio, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Ed Gainey, Jr., Appalachian State
DB Cortez Allen, Sr., The Citadel
DB Mitchell Bell, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Tommy Irvin, Sr., Wofford
Second Team Specialists
PK Ray Early, Fr., Furman
P Blake Cain, Jr., Western Carolina
RS Travaris Cadet, Jr., Appalachian State