North Alabama Selected as GSC Football Preseason Favorite
2017 GSC FOOTBALL PRESEASON RELEASE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The head football coaches of the Gulf South Conference have selected North Alabama as the preseason conference favorite. The Lions received seven first place votes and will be vying for their fifth straight GSC Championship.
Last year’s national runner-up will have a lot of new faces on the field and will be missing a familiar face on the sideline. Among the departures for UNA is quarterback Jacob Tucker. Tucker was the 2016 GSC Offensive Player of the Year and finished third in Harlon Hill Trophy voting. The Lions also lose GSC Hall of Famer, and the winningest coach in league history, Bobby Wallace, who retired after last season. Chris Willis, who served as defensive coordinator at UNA last season, will take over for the four-time defending league champions.
UNA will return dynamic receiver Dre Hall, a two-time First Team All-GSC selection and the North Alabama career leader in touchdown receptions. The Lions’ scoring defense ranked first in the league and third in the NCAA in 2016, and they will return two all-conference players on the stout defensive line: Eddquerion Harris and Freddie Reed.
Valdosta State finished second in the poll, garnering one first place vote. The Blazers advanced to the NCAA Playoffs for the third straight season in 2016 and will return a lot of offensive talent. Returning quarterback Adam Robles was named to the preseason all-conference team, as were offensive linemen Josh Adams and Brandon Kemp. VSU also returns the 2016 GSC Freshman of the Year in running back Cedric Hollingshed.
West Georgia came in third in the poll, also picking up one first place vote. The Wolves return all-purpose playmaker Devontae Jackson, an all-conference selection in each of his first two years on campus. Jackson will have the benefit of an offensive line that features two returning First Team All-GSC players: Quentin Stanford and Harley Vaughan. David Dean will take over as head coach for the Wolves in 2017. Dean won the NCAA Division II National Championship twice (2007 and 2012) as the head coach at Valdosta State.
Just behind West Georgia is Florida Tech. The Panthers qualified for the postseason for the first time in program history last year and return several key pieces to the top scoring offense in the league. 2016 First Team All-GSC selection Antwaun Haynes returns in the backfield, as does quarterback Mark Cato, a preseason all-conference selection. Adonis Davis, a First Team All-GSC defensive lineman in 2016, returns to anchor last year’s top ranked rushing defense.
West Alabama ranked fifth in the preseason poll. The Tigers will have to replace all-conference quarterback Austin Grammer, but a lot of the weapons from the UWA attack return for 2017. Receivers Donta Armstrong and Corey Davis are both back this year and both ranked in the top 10 in the GSC in 2016 in receiving yards per game. Lakendric Thomas, an all-conference selection at running back, will also return for the Tigers. Defensively, the West Alabama returns Darius Ellis, a First Team All-GSC defensive lineman as just a sophomore in 2016.
One point behind UWA is Delta State. Chris Robinson will once again be in the backfield for the Statesmen, one year after tying the GSC’s single season record for touchdowns (24). Robinson also tied the record for most touchdowns scored in a game, getting in the endzone six times in one contest.
West Florida is seventh in the poll, one year after completing its inaugural season. In 2016, West Florida had the second best passing attack in the GSC, averaging more than 300 yards per game through the air. Ishmel Morrow is the conference’s leading returning receiver, averaging 94.4 yards receiving per game and catching eight touchdowns in 2016.
Mississippi College is picked to finish eighth and will have to deal with the loss of Marcel Newson, a First Team All-GSC selection as both a wide receiver and return specialist in 2016. Arik Washington (TE), Chris Manning (DB), and Matthew Turcotte (P) were all preseason all-conference selections for the Choctaws.
Shorter rounds out the poll. The Hawks lose last year’s conference leader in tackles and all-conference selection Jevaris Jones, but return Tyler Pullum at quarterback. Pullum was a two-time GSC Freshman of the Week in 2016.
2017 FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| School |
Total Points |
| 1. North Alabama (7) |
62 |
| 2. Valdosta State (1) |
54 |
| 3. West Georgia (1) |
49 |
| 4. Florida Tech |
47 |
| 5. West Alabama |
32 |
| 6. Delta State |
31 |
| 7. West Florida |
25 |
| 8. Mississippi College |
16 |
| 9. Shorter |
8 |
NOTES: The head coaches voted in this poll. Teams received 8 points for a first place vote, 7 for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Number of first place votes in parenthesis.
2017 FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: OFFENSE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| QB |
Mark Cato |
Florida Tech |
Sr. |
Gainesville, Fla. |
| QB |
Adam Robles |
Valdosta State |
Jr. |
Ocala, Fla. |
| RB |
Antwuan Haynes* |
Florida Tech |
Jr. |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
| RB |
Chris Robinson* |
Delta State |
Sr. |
Bude, Miss. |
| WR |
Donta Armstrong* |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Pittsboro, Miss. |
| WR |
Dre Hall** |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Columbia, Tenn. |
| TE |
Arik Washington |
Mississippi College |
Jr. |
York, Ala. |
| AP |
Devontae Jackson^* |
West Georgia |
Jr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
| T |
Josh Adams |
Valdosta State |
Sr. |
Kennesaw, Ga. |
| T |
Derrick McClelland |
Delta State |
Sr. |
Meridian, Miss. |
| G |
Brandon Kemp* |
Valdosta State |
So. |
Stone Mountain, Ga. |
| G |
Quentin Stanford* |
West Georgia |
Jr. |
Warner Robins, Ga. |
| C |
Harley Vaughan*^ |
West Georgia |
Sr. |
Dawsonville, Ga. |
2017 FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: DEFENSE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| DL |
Adonis Davis* |
Florida Tech |
Jr. |
Columbus, Ohio |
| DL |
Darius Ellis* |
West Alabama |
Jr. |
Northport, Ala. |
| DL |
Eddquerion Harris^ |
North Alabama |
Jr. |
Courtland, Ala. |
| DL |
Freddie Reed^^ |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
West Point, Miss. |
| LB |
Reggie Barnes |
West Florida |
Sr. |
Odessa, Fla. |
| LB |
Andre Duncombe^ |
West Florida |
So. |
Miami, Fla. |
| LB |
Chandler Ector |
Delta State |
Jr. |
Decatur, Ga. |
| LB |
Terry Samuel |
West Alabama |
Jr. |
Brewton, Ala. |
| LB |
Malik Slater |
Valdosta State |
So. |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
| DB |
Jo Jackson |
Florida Tech |
Sr. |
Aldie, Va. |
| DB |
Chris Manning |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Section, Ala. |
| DB |
Dorsey Norris |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
| DB |
Brandon Roe |
Valdosta State |
Sr. |
Douglas, Ga. |
| DB |
Jakyron Young^ |
West Georgia |
Jr. |
Ocilla, Ga. |
2017 FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: SPECIAL TEAMS
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| PK |
Jordan Bennett^ |
West Alabama |
Jr. |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
| P |
Matthew Turcotte^ |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Miss. |
| RS |
Antoine Griffin |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
| RS |
LaDarion Peterson |
Delta State |
Sr. |
Woodville, Miss. |
| BT |
Wil Lovelace*^ |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Florence, Ala. |
NOTES: The 2017 Preseason All-GSC Football Team was selected by the head coaches. Ties were not broken. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
*Indicates Previous First Team All-GSC Selection
^Indicates Previous Second Team All-GSC Selection