JONESBORO (6/4/07) ? The Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook has announced its 2007 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, which includes four Arkansas State players, and selected the Indians to finish fourth in the league race according to its preseason forecast.

Junior offensive lineman Matt Mandich was ASU's lone representative among the offensive players, while senior's Koby McKinnon, Tyrell Johnson and Khayyam Burns were all named to the defensive squad.

Blue Ribbon selected only one preseason all-conference team made up of 11 players on both offense and defense and four special teams' players.  The publication also named Troy quarterback Omar Haugabook its Offensive Player of the Year, Middle Tennessee defensive back Damon Nickson its Defensive Player of the Year and North Texas running back Cam Montgomery its Newcomer of the Year.

Arkansas State tied Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic for the most representatives on the defensive unit and the Indians' four total players on the team tied the second most of any school.

Defending New Orleans Bowl champion Troy was picked to win the Sun Belt Conference, followed by Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State, respectively.  Middle Tennessee was picked fifth, Louisiana-Monroe sixth, Florida International seventh and North Texas eighth.

Mandich (Hattiesburg, Miss.) has started all 24 games of his career at ASU and is a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection.  The 6-3, 305-pound offensive lineman helped lead the ASU offense to the No. 2 ranked rushing attack in the Sun Belt Conference at 167.7 yards per game and also the fourth ranked offense in the league overall in 2006.

Johnson (Rison, Ark.), a 6-1, 205-pound safety, is a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection, including first-team honors as both a sophomore and junior.  He led the Indians in tackles for the second consecutive season in 2006 and is among the top 10 players in Sun Belt Conference history in career tackles and career interception return yards.

The 6-0, 190-pound Burns (Fort Smith, Ark.) is also a safety that earned Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last season after finishing with 60 tackles, a team-high four interceptions for 116 yards, seven pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 tackles for loss.  He is a three-year starter for ASU and has started every game of his career while earning All-Sun Belt Conference recognition twice.

McKinnon (Junction City, Ark.) earned Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last year from his linebacker position after recording 57 tackles, a team-high three sacks for a loss of 24 yards, two interceptions for 56 yards and 5.5 tackles for loss of 30 yards.  The 6-3, 220-pound McKinnon started every game for the Indians the past two seasons and is ranked among the top five players in SBC history for interception-return yards with 185 to his credit.

ASU opens its 2007 season at Texas on Sept. 1 and will host Memphis a week later on Sept. 8 at Indian Stadium in its home opener.

BLUE RIBBON FORECAST

1. Troy

2. Florida Atlantic

3. Louisiana-Lafayette

4. Arkansas State

5. Middle Tennessee

6. Louisiana-Monroe

7. Florida International

8. North Texas