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 dayon 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