July 31, 2006
Alabama State was the preseason pick to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference football championship in 2005, and two ASU stars - Tarvaris Jackson and Billy Gresham - were predicted to be Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. Seven Hornets were tabbed to be All-Conference performers. The votes from this year's SWAC media days illustrate the difference a year can make.
Only three Hornets were named for the All-SWAC team. Moreover, ASU was picked to finish last, not just in the East, but in the conference overall. Still, ASU head coach Charles Coe was far from disappointed.
"Hopefully," Coe said with a smile, "this means some people might overlook us. And we'll have the chance to sneak up on them."
Friday's vote by conference coaches and sports information directors pointed to Alabama A & M as the pick to win the Eastern Division title. The Bulldogs also garnered more votes than any other team in the conference. Both preseason Players of the Year came from Eastern Division second-place pick Mississippi Valley State. Versatile quarterback Aries Nelson was the offensive choice and dynamic linebacker Tyler Knight earned the defensive nod.
For the Hornets, offensive lineman Ivora Hall was named preseason First Team All-Conference. Cornerback Brandon Averett and kicker Anthony Johnson, ASU's all-time leading scorer, were both named to Second Team.
"This is a competitive league," Coach Coe said. "But I feel good about our team, especially defensively. We've got some guys who will really fly around and put a helmet on you. I think we're going to be just fine."
Coe also noted that rarely are the predictions accurate.
"In 2003, we were picked last and we won the East," he said. "In '04 were picked second and we won the whole thing. Last year, we were picked first and we weren't able to get that done."
"Hey, I think it's a good thing they picked A & M. Let them wear the bull's-eye of being number one and let no one expect much from us. I like it that way."
Predicted Order of Finish (first-place votes in parenthesis)
<>
Eastern Division (first place votes) pts
Alabama A&M (11) 81
Mississippi Valley State (6) 77
Prairie View A&M 42
Jackson State 34
Alabama State 30
Western Division (first place votes) pts
Southern (8) 79
Grambling State (9) 78
Alcorn State 48
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 37
Texas Southern 32
2006 SWAC Preseason All-Conference Selections
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Aries Nelson Mississippi Valley State 6-2 215 Sr. QB Cleveland, Miss.
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Tyler Knight Mississippi Valley State 6-0 210 Sr. LB Little Rock, Ark.
First-Team Preseason All-Conference Offense
Aries Nelson Mississippi Valley State 6-2 215 Sr. QB Cleveland, Miss.
Mickey Dean Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6-0 210 So. RB Little Rock, Ark.
Brent Wilson Texas Southern 5-11 180 Jr. RB Silver Spring, Md.
Henry Tolbert Grambling State 5-11 205 Sr. WR Birmingham, Ala.
Clyde Edwards Grambling State 5-10 175 Jr. WR Houston, Texas
Tyrone Timmons Mississippi Valley State 6-3 210 Sr. WR Tampa, Fla.
Jeffery Johnson Alabama A&M 6-2 294 Sr. OL Grand Bay, Ala.
Jackie Skipper Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6-1 295 Sr. OL Bastrop, Ala.
Andre Bennett Grambling State 6-6 350 Sr. OL Vicksburg, Miss.
Ivora Hall Alabama State 6-2 305 Jr. OL Memphis, Tenn.
Alter Foster Mississippi Valley State 6-5 280 Jr. OG Canton, Miss.
Clarence Cotton Mississippi Valley State 5-10 190 Jr. KR D'Iberville, Miss.
Mario Sanchez Prairie View A&M 6-1 180 So. PK San Antonio, Texas
First-Team Preseason All-Conference Defense
Christopher Traylor Alabama A&M 5-10 224 Jr. DE West Point, Ga.
Kevin Lockhart Alabama A&M 6-1 310 Sr. DL Tallahassee, Fla.
John Sibley Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6-3 285 So. DL Greenville, Miss.
Melvin Matthews Grambling State 6-5 305 So. DL Clinton, La.
Johnny Baldwin Alabama A&M 6-1 225 Sr. LB Bessemer, Ala.
Dimitri Carr Grambling State 6-2 232 Sr. LB Farmerville, La.
Tyler Knight Mississippi Valley State 6-0 210 Sr. LB Little Rock, Ark.
Marcus Black Alabama A&M 6-0 200 Sr. DB Lithonia, Ga.
Greg Fassitt Grambling State 6-1 190 Sr. CB New Orleans, La.
Vincent Dancy Jackson State 6-3 218 Sr. DB Shuqualak, Miss.
Michael Williams Southern 5-11 195 So. DB Natchez, Miss.
Eric Hernandez Prairie View A&M 6-1 185 Sr. P Pleasanton, Texas
Second-Team Preseason All-Conference Offense
Joseph "JC" Lewis Southern 5-10 210 Jr. QB Walnut Creek, Calif.
Nic Luke Alabama A&M 6-0 216 Sr. RB Phenix City, Ala.
Ab Kuuan Grambling State 5-11 230 Sr. RB Sylacauga, Ala.
Shang Moore Mississippi Valley State 6-1 200 Sr. WR Houston, Texas
Gerard Landry Southern 6-3 220 Jr. WR Convent, La.
Charlie Spiller Alcorn State 6-0 185 Sr. WR Woodville, Miss.
Thaddeus Coleman Mississippi Valley State 6-8 310 Sr. OT North Chicago, Ill.
Kristian Smith Alabama A&M 6-1 310 Sr. OL San Diego, Calif.
Tavarous Cockrell Grambling State 6-2 290 Jr. OL Birmingham, Ala.
Bennett Fagan Prairie View A&M 6-2 270 Sr. OL Houston, Texas
Derrek Govenor Grambling State 6-5 305 Sr. OL White Castle, La.
Albert Turner Southern 5-7 155 Sr. KR Baton Rouge, La.
Anthony Johnson Alabama State 5-7 146 Sr. PK/P Bay Minette, Ala.
Second-Team Preseason All-Conference Defense
Ronald Green Mississippi Valley State 6-0 300 So DL Tampa, Fla.
Mike Berry Texas Southern 6-4 270 Sr. DL Chicago, Ill.
Kentavious Jones Texas Southern 6-0 285 Sr. DL Hallandale, Fla.
Derrick Gray Texas Southern 6-6 255 Jr. DL Silver Springs, Md.
Justin Bass Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5-11 225 Sr. LB Pine Bluff, Ark.
Van Sallier Prairie View A&M 6-0 210 Sr. LB Port Arthur, Texas
Robert Napier Texas Southern 6-3 250 Sr. LB San Bernandino, Calif.
Brandon Averett Alabama State 5-7 195 Jr. DB Phenix City, Ala.
Chris Wilson Mississippi Valley State 5-8 170 Sr. DB Memphis, Tenn.
Hakeem Muhammad Prairie View A&M 5-10 175 Jr. DB Dallas, Texas
Stacey Thomas Texas Southern 6-0 200 Sr. DB New Orleans, La.
