Big South Preseason Poll and All-Conference

[smallcollegefbfan]

2014 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Team

OFFENSE SCHOOL YR HOMETOWN
QB Alex Ross Coastal Carolina R-Jr. Alpharetta, Ga.
RB Christian Reyes Charleston Southern Sr. Rogue River, Ore.
RB Juanne Blount Gardner-Webb R-Sr. Wingate, N.C.
WR Kenny Cook Gardner-Webb R-Sr. Cross Hill, S.C.
WR Darrin Peterson Liberty Jr. Attalla, Ala.
WR Tobi Antigha Presbyterian College Sr. Tampa, Fla.
TE Mike Estes Gardner-Webb R-Soph. Raleigh, N.C.
OL Chad Hamilton Coastal Carolina R-Sr. Charleston, S.C.
OL Jonathan Burgess Liberty Jr. Stafford, Va.
OL Greg Ray Liberty R-Jr. Pearisburg, Va.
OL Clayton Truitt Charleston Southern Sr. Atlanta, Ga.
OL Mitch Hanson Liberty R-Sr. Blue Ridge, Va.

DEFENSE SCHOOL YR HOMETOWN
DL O.J. Mau Gardner-Webb Jr. Masefau, American Somoa
DL Chima Uzowihe Liberty Jr. Houston, Texas
DL Calvin Hollenhorst Coastal Carolina R-Jr. Ashburn, Va.
DL Dylan Black Charleston Southern Sr. Lynn Haven, Fla.
LB Quinn Backus Coastal Carolina Sr. Greenwood, S.C.
LB Nick Sigmon Liberty R-Sr. Roanoke, Va.
LB Tanner Burch Gardner-Webb Sr. Savannah, Ga.
LB Chad Geter Gardner-Webb Jr. Irmo, S.C.
DB Jacob Hagen Liberty R-Sr. Orange Park, Fla.
DB Richie Sampson Coastal Carolina Jr. Kennett Square, Pa.
DB Demaris Freeman Charleston Southern R-Sr. West Palm Beach, Fla.
DB Denzel Rice Coastal Carolina Sr. Winston-Salem, N.C.

SPECIAL TEAMS SCHOOL YR HOMETOWN
PK Alex Catron Coastal Carolina Sr. Apopka, Fla.
P Austin Cain Coastal Carolina R-Sr. Kennesaw, Ga.
LS Cannon Jordan Presbyterian College R-Sr. Conway, S.C.
KR Devin Brown Coastal Carolina Soph. Charleston, S.C.
PR Jeremiah McKie Presbyterian College Sr. Simpsonville, S.C.


PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alex Ross, R-Jr., QB, Alpharetta, Ga.

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Quinn Backus, Sr., LB, Greenwood, S.C.

2014 Preseason Poll (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 6 Points
1. Coastal Carolina (14) 14 4 -- -- -- -- 104
2. Liberty (4) 4 12 2 -- -- -- 92
3. Charleston Southern -- 2 10 3 3 -- 65
4. Gardner-Webb -- -- 5 12 1 -- 58
5. Monmouth -- -- -- 3 8 7 32
6. Presbyterian College -- -- 1 -- 6 11 27

[smallcollegefbfan]

Pretty good list done by the coaches. I will say that I think Woodrum is going to have a big year and I would not be shocked if Liberty upset CCU or if the top 3 in this league make the playoffs. Backus is the best defender in the league at this level but I think Mau, Uzowihe, Hagen, and Sigmon are really good players to keep an eye on.

Burgess and Hamilton are the two best OL in the conference and should be in the top 5 of their respective positions.

Surprise Neal Sterling of Monmouth or Dan Sullivan was not included. Both were standouts in the NEC and should be on the postseason list.

[MarkCCU]

alex Ross is going to be a beast this year. Coming off the high of last season, he's going to be someone to watch for.

[knucklehead]

Pretty good list done by the coaches. I will say that I think Woodrum is going to have a big year and I would not be shocked if Liberty upset CCU or if the top 3 in this league make the playoffs. Backus is the best defender in the league at this level but I think Mau, Uzowihe, Hagen, and Sigmon are really good players to keep an eye on.

Burgess and Hamilton are the two best OL in the conference and should be in the top 5 of their respective positions.

Surprise Neal Sterling of Monmouth or Dan Sullivan was not included. Both were standouts in the NEC and should be on the postseason list.

Well stated all the way around. I think Woodrum / Ross will be an interesting race at the top of the conference as far as passing output. Both can run pretty well also. I expect Josh to have a huge passing year with Rice out and I think his rushing attempts will be up as well. DJ Abnar will run a lot, but I think he will catch the ball out of the back field even more. The O line will give him plenty of time I believe. In the end, I think Woodrum will get the better of Ross in the stats race, but the important question is who wins that last game on Nov 22. I know the Flames want redemption from that fake punt.

I think a lot of folks think LU's defense will take a step back, but I think this defense actually has a chance to be even better. I think the pass rush will be huge and the middle will be bigtime. The question is the corners, but I think Kenny Scott will be solid and the young guys will step up nicely.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Well stated all the way around. I think Woodrum / Ross will be an interesting race at the top of the conference as far as passing output. Both can run pretty well also. I expect Josh to have a huge passing year with Rice out and I think his rushing attempts will be up as well. DJ Abnar will run a lot, but I think he will catch the ball out of the back field even more. The O line will give him plenty of time I believe. In the end, I think Woodrum will get the better of Ross in the stats race, but the important question is who wins that last game on Nov 22. I know the Flames want redemption from that fake punt.

I think a lot of folks think LU's defense will take a step back, but I think this defense actually has a chance to be even better. I think the pass rush will be huge and the middle will be bigtime. The question is the corners, but I think Kenny Scott will be solid and the young guys will step up nicely.

Scott was a good nickel corner last year. Has a shot to be a solid player who nobody knows much about outside of LU right now.

I think Liberty has a shot to be good. I like Woodrum. I would not be surprised if he, Robertson, and Adams are the Payton front runners next year this time.

[bjtheflamesfan]

do you see any pro prospects on liberty's team for 2015 or 2016?

[smallcollegefbfan]

do you see any pro prospects on liberty's team for 2015 or 2016?

There should be a couple for sure.

[knucklehead]

As a Liberty fan I really like BSN's Big South Predictions, I hope they are right! And man would that last game in Conway on 11/22 be huge with both teams highly ranked and 10-0.
http://beyondsportsnetwork.com/blog/2014/07/31/bsn-predicts-2014-big-south-football/


Big South Football Conference Champion Contenders, Game, and Playoff Predictions


Rank
Team
Win
Loss
Conf Win
Conf Loss


1
Liberty
11
1
5
0


2
Coastal Carolina
11
1
4
1


3
Gardner Webb
8
4
2
3


4
Charleston Southern
7
5
2
3

[bjtheflamesfan]

If both Liberty and Coastal are 11-0 heading into that game, I would expect both to be top 10 (coastal probably #1) And definitely the biggest game in conference history (although both would be pretty much assured of a playoff berth)

[knucklehead]

By his prediction (to correct both of us) Coastal would be 11-0 and LU would be 10-1. But yes, both would be in the top ten. Huge game would be an understatement by far.

[citdog]

ccu will be 0-1 to start the season.

[Gangtackle11]

Looks like the new boys from the North need to earn a little respect in conference. Only way to do that is on the field!