JONESBORO (6/7/07) ? Athlon Sports named eight Arkansas State football players to its All-Sun Belt Conference Team and predicted the Indians to finish second in the league in its 2007 college football preview magazine.
Offensive lineman Matt Mandich (Jr., Hattiesburg, Miss.), linebacker Koby McKinnon (Sr., Junction City, Ark.) and safety Tyrell Johnson (Sr., Rison, Ark.) were all first team selections, while quarterback Corey Leonard (So., Covington, La.), running back Reggie Arnold (So., Little Rock, Ark.), wide receiver Levi Dejohnette (Sr., Bastrop, La.), offensive lineman Matt Reibe (Sr., El Dorado, Ark.) and punter Brett Shrable (Jr., Walnut Ridge, Ark.) were all named to the second squad.
Mandich, McKinnon and Johnson were also named to the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook's All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Johnson was a Preseason All-America Honorable Mention selection by NationalChamps.net as well.
ASU's eight players on the preseason all-conference team were the second most of any school. Only Troy had more representatives with nine.
Defending New Orleans Bowl champion Troy was picked to win the Sun Belt Conference by the publication. Following Arkansas State were Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, North Texas and Florida International, respectively.
Also of note, the publication ranked the ASU secondary as the best in the Sun Belt Conference. ASU ranked ninth nationally in interceptions last season, returns all-conference safeties Johnson and Khayyam Burns (Sr., Fort Smith, Ark.) and has all its starters in the secondary back.
ASU will open its 2007 season at Texas on Sept. 1 before hosting Memphis Sept. 8 at Indian Stadium in its home opener.
ATHLON'S PRESEASON SUN BELT CONFERENCE POLL
1. Troy
2. Arkansas State
3. Middle Tennessee
4. Florida Atlantic
5. Louisiana-Monroe
6. Louisiana-Lafayette
7. North Texas
8. Florida International
ATHLON'S ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE TEAM
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Pos., Player (School)
QB, Omar Haugabook (Troy)
RB, Calvin Dawson (Louisiana-Monroe)
RB, Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana-Lafayette)
WR, Gary Banks (Troy)
WR, Lagregory Sapp (Louisiana-Monroe)
TE, Zeek Zacharie (Louisiana-Monroe)
C, Adam Hill (Louisiana-Monroe)
OL, Kyle Cunningham (Louisiana-Monroe)
OL, Franklin Dunbar (Middle Tennessee)
OL, Matt Mandich (Arkansas State)
OL, Jesse Newman (Louisiana-Lafayette)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Pos., Player (School)
DL, Jeremiah Chapman (North Texas)
DL, Tavares Jones (Middle Tennessee)
DL, Josh Pinnick (Florida Atlantic)
DL, Erik Walden (Middle Tennessee)
LB, Maurice Holman (North Texas)
LB, Koby McKinnon (Arkansas State)
LB, Marcus Richardson (Troy)
CB, Lionel Singleton (Florida International)
CB, Kris Bartels (Florida Atlantic)
S, Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas State)
S, Damon Nickson (Middle Tennessee)
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos., Player (School)
K, Drew Edmiston (Louisiana-Lafayette)
P, Truman Spencer (North Texas)
KR, Damon Nickson (Middle Tennessee)
PR, Leodis McKelvin (Troy)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Pos., Player (School)
QB, Corey Leonard (Arkansas State)
RB, Kenny Cattouse (Troy)
RB, Reggie Arnold (Arkansas State)
WR, Desmond Gee (Middle Tennessee)
WR, Levi Dejohnette (Arkansas State)
TE, Moses Hinton (Florida International)
C, Chris Fisher (Louisiana-Lafayette)
OL, Andy Leavine (Florida International)
OL, Jarrid Smith (Florida Atlantic)
OL, Chris Jamison (Troy)
OL, Matt Reibe (Arkansas State)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Pos., Player (School)
DL, Rodney Hardeway (Louisiana-Lafayette)
DL, Kenny Mainor (Troy)
DL, Chris Bradwell (Troy)
DL, Jervonte Jackson (Florida Atlantic)
LB, Brenton Burkhalter (Louisiana-Lafayette)
LB, Boris Lee (Troy)
LB, Cergile Sincere (Florida Atlantic)
CB, Aaron Weathers (North Texas)
CB, Leodis McKelvin (Troy)
S, Josh Thompson (Louisiana-Monroe)
S, Lamar Morgan (Louisiana-Lafayette)
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos., Player (School)
K, Cole Wilson (Louisiana-Monroe)
P, Brett Shrable (Arkansas State)
KR, Lionel Singleton (Florida International)
PR, Frantz Simeon (Florida Atlantic)
