SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga junior quarterback Jacob Huesman has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while his teammate and two-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Davis Tull was chosen as the preseason pick on defense.

The league’s head coaches also selected all-conference first and second teams in conjunction with the league’s media day on Wednesday (July 23). Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes as part of the balloting.

Selected for the 2014 Walter Payton Award Watch List earlier this month, Huesman was named first-team all-conference by the league’s coaches last season. He completed more than 68 percent of his passes as a sophomore and threw 16 touchdowns last fall. A dual-threat quarterback, Huesman averaged 74 yards per game on the ground and rushed for nine TDs.

A First-Team Associated Press All-American in 2013, Tull finished the season with 52 tackles, including 15 for loss. He recorded nine sacks for minus-46 yards on the year and was credited with eight quarterback hurries. In addition to being named first-team all-conference in 2013, he was selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches and earned first team CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America plaudits.

Furman led all schools with 11 preseason all-conference honorees. The Paladins had seven student-athletes earn first-team recognition, while four players were named to the second team. Samford and Western Carolina each had 10 players earn preseason all-conference honors. The Bulldogs, along with Chattanooga, placed five on the first team.

The 2014 Southern Conference football season begins Thursday, Aug. 28, when Chattanooga visits Central Michigan and Mercer hosts Reinhardt. The other six league teams hit the field for their season openers Aug. 30.

2014 Southern Conference Football

Preseason All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Jacob Huesman, Jr., QB, Chattanooga
Defensive Players of the Year: Davis Tull, Sr., DL, Chattanooga

First Team Offense
QB         Jacob Huesman, Jr., QB, Chattanooga
RB         Hank McCloud, Sr., Furman
RB         Keon Williams, Sr., Chattanooga
OL         Charles Emert, Sr., Furman
OL         Gunnar Bromelow, Jr., Samford
OL         Synjen Herren, Jr., Chattanooga
OL         Josh Wineberg, Jr., Western Carolina
OL         T.J. Chamberlin, Jr., Wofford
TE          Faysal Shafaat, Sr., Chattanooga
WR        Andrej Suttles, So., Furman
WR        Karnorris Benson, Jr., Western Carolina

First Team Defense
DL         Justin Oxendine, Sr., The Citadel
DL         Gary Wilkins, Sr., Furman
DL         Davis Tull, Sr., Chattanooga
DL         Tarek Odom, Sr., Wofford
LB          Carl Robinson, Sr., The Citadel
LB          Marcus McMorris, Sr., Furman
LB          Carl Rider, Jr., Furman
DB         Reggie Thomas, Jr., Furman
DB         James Bradberry, Jr., Samford
DB         Jaquiski Tartt, Sr., Samford
DB         Sertonuse Harris, Jr., Western Carolina

First Team Specialists
PK         Warren Handrahan, So., Samford
P           Greg Peranich, Sr., Samford
RS         Shaun Warren, Sr., Western Carolina

Second Team Offense
QB         Reese Hannon, Jr., Furman
RB         Darius Ramsey, Jr., Western Carolina
RB         Will Gay, Jr., Wofford
OL         Joe Turner, Jr., Furman
OL         C.H. Scruggs, Jr., Samford
OL         Corey Levin, So., Chattanooga
OL         Andrew Marcotte, Sr., VMI
OL         Anton Wahrby, So., Wofford
TE          Tony Philpot, Jr., Samford
WR        Karel Hamilton, So., Samford
WR        Terryon Robinson, So., Western Carolina

Second Team Defense
DL         Ira McCune, Sr., Furman
DL         Jerry Mathis, Sr., Samford
DL         Josh Freeman, Jr., Chattanooga
DL         Derrick Lott, Sr., Chattanooga
LB          Bobby Wilson, Jr., Samford
LB          Christon Gill, Sr., Western Carolina
LB          Kevin Thomas, Sr., Wofford
DB         Trey Robinson, So., Furman
DB         Ace Clark, Sr., Western Carolina
DB         Chris Armfield, So., Wofford
DB         Bernard Williams, Sr., Wofford

Second Team Specialists
PK         Richard Sigmon, Sr., Western Carolina
P           Nick Pollard, Sr., Chattanooga
RS         Will Gay, Jr., Wofford