Flames Place Five Players On Big South Preseason All-Conference Football Team
7/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Five members of the Flames football program were named to the Big South Preseason All-Conference football team as announced today at the league's annual Football Kickoff Luncheon today held at The Westin Hotel.
Offensively, sophomore running back/quarterback Zach Terrell, last year's Big South Rookie of the Year, was joined by junior tight end Chris Luck on the preseason all-conference team, which is voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media panel.
Liberty's defensive selections were led by a pair of senior team captains as defensive lineman Jason Horn and linebacker Manny Rojas were named to the squad. The two elder defensive players were joined by sophomore defensive back Patrick Calvary who had a breakout freshman season for the Flames last year.
Charleston Southern quarterback Collin Drafts and Buccaneers linebacker Jada Ross were voted as the league's 2006 Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.
Gardner-Webb wide receiver Duvaughn Flagler finished second in the offensive voting with 15 points (three first-place votes). VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson and Liberty newcomer Rashad Jennings rounded out the voting with seven and five points, respectively.
Gardner-Webb safety Daniel Cooke was second in defensive voting with 13 points (three first-place votes), two points ahead of Liberty's Rojas (two first-place votes). VMI defensive end Eric Hall received four points and one first-place vote.
Drafts and Ross were also voted to the preseason All-Conference team. The preseason team is comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and four special teams players. Gardner-Webb has the most selections with nine, followed by Coastal Carolina (8), Charleston Southern and Liberty (five each), and VMI (one).
2006 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Team
OFFENSE
QB Collin Drafts, Sr., Charleston Southern
RB Zach Terrell, So., Liberty
RB Aundres Perkins, Sr., Coastal Carolina
WR Maurice Price, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR Duvaughn Flagler, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR Jerome Simpson, Jr., Coastal Carolina
TE Chris Luck, Jr., Liberty
OL Demario Deese, So., Gardner-Webb
OL Brad Poston, Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL Brian Kepple, Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL Kris King, Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL Ricky Howell, Jr., Charleston Southern
DEFENSE
DL Brian Johnston, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL Jason Horn, Sr., Liberty
DL Adrain Grady, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DL Eric Hall, Sr., VMI
LB Jada Ross, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
LB Jamar Leath, Sr., Coastal Carolina
LB Manny Rojas, R-Sr., Liberty
LB J.P. Weaver, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DB Quinton Teal, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DB Daniel Cooke, So., Gardner-Webb
DB Patrick Calvary, So., Liberty
DB C.J. Hirschman, Jr., Charleston Southern
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Josh Hoke, Sr., Coastal Carolina
P Michael Hanna, So., Gardner-Webb
LS Matt Skeen, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RS Kory Alston, Sr., Gardner-Webb
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Collin Drafts, QB, Sr., Charleston Southern
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jada Ross, LB, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
Liberty's Preseason All-Conference Selections:
Liberty's Preseason All-Conference Selections:
Zach Terrell (RB)
Led the team in rushing with 668 yards … ranked second in the conference in rushing yards per game (60.7 yards per game) … moved from back-up quarterback to starting running back with six games left in the season … posted two 100-yard games … broke the school record for rushing yards by a freshman in a season as he surpassed Dre Barnes' mark of 654 yards in 2001 … in his first career start at running back, Terrell posted the fifth most rushing yards in a game with 241 yards and two touchdown against Chattanooga … average 85.3 yards per game in three starts at running back against conference opponents … finished the year ranks sixth in the league in total offense (722 yards/65.6 yards per game) … ranked second in the conference in all-purpose yards, averaging 83.6 yards per contest … named Big South Freshman of the Week once (Sept. 10) and Offensive Player of the Week once (Oct. 8).
Chris Luck (TE)
Started 10 out of 11 games at tight end … ranked third on the team with 239 yards receiving and a touchdown … his 239 yards ranks as the most by a tight end since Peter Foy finished with 265 yards on 19 catches during the 1998 season … finished with a career-best eight receptions for 66 yards against Gardner-Webb … recorded a career-high 71 yards on five catches against Charleston Southern … recorded his first career touchdown pass against Chattanooga … average 40.3 yards per game against Big South Conference opponents.
Jason Horn (DL)
Started all 11 games … ranked fifth on the team with 61 tackles and first among defensive linemen … led the team with 13.0 tackles for a loss (47 yards) … led the conference in tackles per game by a defensive linemen (4.0) … led the conference with 1.18 tackles for loss per game … led the team and ranked tied for third with four quarterback sacks … second on the squad with six quarterback hurries … average 6.75 tackles per game against league opponents … had eight games with five or more tackles, including all four conference games … also added two pass breakups, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and blocked a punt attempt out the back of the endzone for a safety (against Charleston Southern) … recorded a career-high six solo tackles and two quarterback sacks against Charleston Southern … ranks 48th in the nation in tackles for a loss per game … finished the year with a season-high 10 tackles.
Manny Rojas (LB)
Started all 11 games … led the team with a career high 102 tackles … finished with seven or more tackles in all but one game this year … ranks fifth overall in the conference in tackles (9.3 per game) … ranks fourth in the conference in tackles for a loss (12 TFL, 1.09 per game) … tied for third in the conference with two fumbles recoveries … averaged 10.0 tackles per game against Big South Conference opponents … finished four-straight games with 10 or more tackles … tied a career-best with 13 tackles against VMI, including a career-best 10 assisted stops … 10 tackles against Coastal Carolina … also tied a career high with 13 tackles against Towson, including nine solo stops and a pass breakup.
Started all 11 games … led the team with a career high 102 tackles … finished with seven or more tackles in all but one game this year … ranks fifth overall in the conference in tackles (9.3 per game) … ranks fourth in the conference in tackles for a loss (12 TFL, 1.09 per game) … tied for third in the conference with two fumbles recoveries … averaged 10.0 tackles per game against Big South Conference opponents … finished four-straight games with 10 or more tackles … tied a career-best with 13 tackles against VMI, including a career-best 10 assisted stops … 10 tackles against Coastal Carolina … also tied a career high with 13 tackles against Towson, including nine solo stops and a pass breakup.
Patrick Calvary (DB)
Played in all 11 games and started nine contests as a true freshman … finished ninth on the team with 45 tackles … ranked fourth in the league among freshman tacklers, averaging 4.1 tackles per contest … ranked tied for third in the league with two fumble recoveries … ranked tied for second in the league with 11 passes defended (10 breakups and one interceptions) … tied for 41st in the nation in passes defended (1.00 per game) … finished five games with five or more tackles … recorded a season-best seven tackles against Chattanooga … five tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble return (seven yards) against Coastal Carolina.
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