Texas State Picked to Win Southland

[smallcollegefbfan]

Texas State Picked in Preseason Polls to Repeat 2008 Southland Title

Coaches, sports information directors pick Bobcats, who won first outright Southland title last season

Southland Conference Preseason Polls

Coaches’ Poll
Pl. School (First-Place Votes).................. Pts.
1. Texas State (2)......................................... 43
2. McNeese State (1).................................. 39
3. Northwestern State (2).......................... 38
4. Central Arkansas (2)............................... 37
5. Stephen F. Austin (1)............................. 24
6. Sam Houston State................................. 17
7. Nicholls.......................................... .......... 14
8. Southeastern Louisiana......................... 13

Sports Information Directors POLL
Pl. School (First-Place Votes).................. Pts.
1. Texas State (5)......................................... 45
2. McNeese State (1).................................. 43
3. Central Arkansas (2)............................... 38
4. Northwestern State................................ 26
5. Stephen F. Austin................................... 20
6. Sam Houston State................................. 19
7. Southeastern Louisiana......................... 18
8. Nicholls.......................................... .......... 15

http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=204763879


2009 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams

First Team Offense
QB Derrick Fourroux McNeese State
RB Toddrick Pendland McNeese State
RB Karrington Bush Texas State
FB Nick Cowger Central Arkansas
WR Duane Brooks Stephen F. Austin
WR Simmie Yarborough Southeastern La.
TE Wes Mangan McNeese State
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas
OL D.J. Hall Texas State
OL Hunter Schmidt Sam Houston State
OL Casey Richter McNeese State
OL Will Merritt Central Arkansas
PK Jeff Turner Southeastern La.

First Team Defense
DL Larry Hart Central Arkansas
DL Tim Knicky Stephen F. Austin
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State
DL Taylor Scott Central Arkansas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin
LB James Lancaster Central Arkansas
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La.
DB Pieri Feazell Central Arkansas
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State
DB Anthony Gambles Central Arkansas
DB Derrick Boyd Central Arkansas
P Patrick Dolan Nicholls
RS Karrington Bush Texas State


Second Team Offense
QB Bradley George Texas State
RB Brent Grimes Central Arkansas
RB Chris Poullard Sam Houston State
FB Brandon Broussard McNeese State
WR Contravious Parks Stephen F. Austin
WR Willie Landers* Central Arkansas
WR Immanuel Friddle* McNeese State
TE Gordon Freeman Northwestern State
OL Calvin Gore Texas State
OL Marcus Washington Northwestern State
OL Alex Luna Texas State
OL Casey Thurber Central Arkansas
OL Michael Booker Northwestern State
PK Ross Schexnayder Nicholls

First Team Defense
DL Zac Reddix Nicholls
DL Ledell Love Northwestern State
DL Albert Smith Northwestern State
DL Terrance Freeman McNeese State
LB Deron Minor McNeese State
LB Blake Delcambre* Northwestern State
LB Luke McCall* Sam Houston State
LB Marcus Clark* Texas State
DB Gary Riggs Northwestern State
DB Henry Minor Central Arkansas
DB Kasey Brown Northwestern State
DB Darrell Jenkins McNeese State
DB Dominique Daniels Nicholls
P Jonathan Beard Central Arkansas
RS T.J. Adams Central Arkansas
RS Contrevious Parks Stephen F. Austin

* indicates ties for final spot at position

http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=204763818

[89Hen]

1. Texas State (2)......................................... 43
2. McNeese State (1) .................................. 39
3. Northwestern State (2) .......................... 38
4. Central Arkansas (2) ............................... 37
5. Stephen F. Austin (1) ............................. 24
IOW, they have no clue who the favorite is. :p

[JoshUCA]

That's about sums it up 89!

[ROWDYRUNNERS4LIFE!]

yeah right......

[TexasTerror]

How did SLU get picked dead last by the coaches? I'm just not seeing this and am very confused on how this is plausible...???

Does the rest of the league's fans join me in this confusion?

[JoshUCA]

First Team Offense
QB Derrick Fourroux McNeese State
RB Toddrick Pendland McNeese State
RB Karrington Bush Texas State
FB Nick Cowger Central Arkansas
WR Duane Brooks Stephen F. Austin
WR Simmie Yarborough Southeastern La.
TE Wes Mangan McNeese State
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas
OL D.J. Hall Texas State
OL Hunter Schmidt Sam Houston State
OL Casey Richter McNeese State
OL Will Merritt Central Arkansas
PK Jeff Turner Southeastern La.

First Team Defense
DL Larry Hart Central Arkansas
DL Tim Knicky Stephen F. Austin
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State
DL Taylor Scott Central Arkansas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin
LB James Lancaster Central Arkansas
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La.
DB Pieri Feazell Central Arkansas
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State
DB Anthony Gambles Central Arkansas
DB Derrick Boyd Central Arkansas
P Patrick Dolan Nicholls
RS Karrington Bush Texas State


Second Team Offense
QB Bradley George Texas State
RB Brent Grimes Central Arkansas
RB Chris Poullard Sam Houston State
FB Brandon Broussard McNeese State
WR Contravious Parks Stephen F. Austin
WR Willie Landers* Central Arkansas
WR Immanuel Friddle* McNeese State
TE Gordon Freeman Northwestern State
OL Calvin Gore Texas State
OL Marcus Washington Northwestern State
OL Alex Luna Texas State
OL Casey Thurber Central Arkansas
OL Michael Booker Northwestern State
PK Ross Schexnayder Nicholls

First Team Defense
DL Zac Reddix Nicholls
DL Ledell Love Northwestern State
DL Albert Smith Northwestern State
DL Terrance Freeman McNeese State
LB Deron Minor McNeese State
LB Blake Delcambre* Northwestern State
LB Luke McCall* Sam Houston State
LB Marcus Clark* Texas State
DB Gary Riggs Northwestern State
DB Henry Minor Central Arkansas
DB Kasey Brown Northwestern State
DB Darrell Jenkins McNeese State
DB Dominique Daniels Nicholls
P Jonathan Beard Central Arkansas
RS T.J. Adams Central Arkansas
RS Contrevious Parks Stephen F. Austin

* indicates ties for final spot at position

xnodxxnodx

[CSN Log]

07-29-2009 09:03 AM

Texas State Picked in Preseason Polls to Repeat 2008 Southland Title, All SLC Teams Named

Coaches, sports information directors pick Bobcats, who won first outright Southland title last season

Texas State, coming off its first outright Southland Conference title and its first league football championship since 2005, is favored by both the coaches and sports information directors to repeat as conference champion in 2009, the league announced Wednesday at its annual media day gathering at the L’Auberge du Lac Resort.

Read more ... (http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2009/07/29/texas-state-picked-in-preseason-polls-to?blog=2#more5256)

[JoshUCA]

Breakdown by School:

Name..........1st Team..........2nd Team........TOTAL
UCA...............9........................6...... .............15
NW State.......1.......................8............. ......9
McNeese........4......................5........... ........9
TX State.........2......................4............ .......6
SFA................3.......................2...... .............5
Nicholls...........1.....................3........ ............4
SHSU.............2....................2........... ...........4
SELA..............3....................0.......... ............3

[BossEagle]

Wow, Southland seems like a complete conference, i need to turn my attention this way, 1-5 sharin 1st place votes.

[McNeese75]

Certainly no consensus between the coaches or SID's but the time has finally come for the Bobcats to put on their cape (the one with the target on the back) and step up. Time to put your money where your mouth is and prove to everyone you are FBS material and can distance yourself from the rest of the SLC on the gridiron.

Should be fun xnodx

The lack of Cowboys on the defensive teams is somewhat of a concern but we all knew that was coming. I suspect there will be a few more on the list at the end of the season.

[BobcatSymphony]

Certainly no consensus between the coaches or SID's but the time has finally come for the Bobcats to put on their cape (the one with the target on the back) and step up. Time to put your money where your mouth is and prove to everyone you are FBS material and can distance yourself from the rest of the SLC on the gridiron.

Should be fun xnodx

The lack of Cowboys on the defensive teams is somewhat of a concern but we all knew that was coming. I suspect there will be a few more on the list at the end of the season.

I agree with you about the target. We need to win this season, and win the conference championship outright to continue our drive. I don't think we've been in a better position to make it happen, consider after 2005 we lost so many playmakers, whereas we return many this year.

75 I think a lot of things will look differently come November and the SLC releases their all-conference picks then.

[BEAR]

Breakdown by School:


Name..........1st Team..........2nd Team........TOTAL
UCA...............9........................6...... .............15
NW State.......1.......................8............. ......9
McNeese........4......................5........... ........9
TX State.........2......................4............ .......6
SFA................3.......................2...... .............5
Nicholls...........1.....................3........ ............4
SHSU.............2....................2........... ...........4
SELA..............3....................0.......... ............3

xeekxxeekxxeekx

[TexasTerror]

Amazing how a school with 15 players is selected third and fourth in the preseason SLC poll.

I guess when you look at Nicholls, SHSU and SLU - their limited players on the team, you can understand why they were slotted where they were - but I do not buy that as a good enough reason for me on where the Lions are.

[lionsrking2]

Amazing how a school with 15 players is selected third and fourth in the preseason SLC poll.

I guess when you look at Nicholls, SHSU and SLU - their limited players on the team, you can understand why they were slotted where they were - but I do not buy that as a good enough reason for me on where the Lions are.

Told you we would be picked last by the coaches...we know we won't finish last, but it's serves as an excellent source of motivation for our players.

[McNeese75]

Told you we would be picked last by the coaches...we know we won't finish last, but it's serves as an excellent source of motivation for our players.

REMEMBER, it was Conque and Wright that led the charge to pick the Lions last :D

[JoshUCA]

REMEMBER, it was Conque and Wright that led the charge to pick the Lions last :D

LOL! xlolx

[JohnStOnge]

Told you we would be picked last by the coaches...we know we won't finish last, but it's serves as an excellent source of motivation for our players.

I think it's because Southeastern hasn't done well in conference play yet. If I'm counting right, the best record the Lions have had in Southland Conference play so far since starting it in 2005 is 2 - 4. If and when Southeastern turns the corner and contends for the conference title people will probably change their attitude. It's like if you look at McNeese this year. I think they're picked second because of what the Cowboys have done in the past (5 conference titles in the past 8 years). If people were just going on how many players are coming back, etc., they would be picked near the bottom.

[lionsrking2]

I think it's because Southeastern hasn't done well in conference play yet. If I'm counting right, the best record the Lions have had in Southland Conference play so far since starting it in 2005 is 2 - 4. If and when Southeastern turns the corner and contends for the conference title people will probably change their attitude. It's like if you look at McNeese this year. I think they're picked second because of what the Cowboys have done in the past (5 conference titles in the past 8 years). If people were just going on how many players are coming back, etc., they would be picked near the bottom.


That goes without saying...for that reason, I could understand folks picking us 5 or 6, or maybe even 7th but don't see how anyone could objectively pick us to finish last. Maybe if we had been blown out of most of our games last year; but we were competitive in all of them and return our core players, including three-year starting QB - plus have four conference home games this fall. We shall see what happens.

[TexasTerror]

What's everyone think of this columnist's take...? I think between Wright and Houston, there sure is plenty of bulletin board material for our friends in Conway, Ark. to use for the Bobcats, who have never beaten the Bears.


At a breakfast Wednesday in Lake Charles, La., as part of SLC Media Day, Texas State’s Brad Wright by proudly proclaimed that the Bobcats (8-5, 5-2) earned the schools “first outright title since 1982 and we’re trying to build on that attitude.” There was no acknowledgement of the obvious asterisk — that the Bears had the best record in league, defeated Texas State on its home field and were considered by almost every SLC observer to be the best team in the league.

Any coach has the right to spin his team’s success in any manner he wishes, but a more accurate assessment of what happened was Texas State was designated the conference champion because the team with the best record and the one that finished in first place in the standings (UCA) couldn’t be recognized as the official conference champion because of its provisional status in the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. If the SLC awarded the championship trophy to UCA, the league would have lost its automatic qualifier to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last year. Texas State, with a fine season at 5-2, finishing second in the standings, took home the championship trophy on a technicality with the NCAA providing the clearing block.

http://thecabin.net/interact/opinion/columns/2009-07-30/mccollums-column-polls-and-preseason-rankings-fuel-some-early

[slycat]

What's everyone think of this columnist's take...? I think between Wright and Houston, there sure is plenty of bulletin board material for our friends in Conway, Ark. to use for the Bobcats, who have never beaten the Bears.



http://thecabin.net/interact/opinion/columns/2009-07-30/mccollums-column-polls-and-preseason-rankings-fuel-some-early

They did win conference so big deal. UCA was ineligible get over it. Its called promoting the school on media day. If UCA is still mad at it then they need to move on. They knew the rules of the transition period so it shouldn't be a surprise.

[McNeese75]

What's everyone think of this columnist's take...? I think between Wright and Houston, there sure is plenty of bulletin board material for our friends in Conway, Ark. to use for the Bobcats, who have never beaten the Bears.


http://thecabin.net/interact/opinion/columns/2009-07-30/mccollums-column-polls-and-preseason-rankings-fuel-some-early

xeyebrowx Doesn't that apply to all the Texas SLC Teams? If I am not mistaken, all the Louisiana SLC teams have split with UCA over the last two years except for SLU and they were in a shoot-out with them one of the last two seasons.

[TexasTerror]

xeyebrowx Doesn't that apply to all the Texas SLC Teams? If I am not mistaken, all the Louisiana SLC teams have split with UCA over the last two years except for SLU and they were in a shoot-out with them one of the last two seasons.

Unfortunately, yes. The Texas teams even lost to UCA the year before they moved in the conference (SFA, SHSU). xnonono2x

Maybe meat pies, crawfish and gumbo do not sit well in Conway, Ark. stomaches?

[JohnStOnge]

They did win conference so big deal. UCA was ineligible get over it. Its called promoting the school on media day. If UCA is still mad at it then they need to move on. They knew the rules of the transition period so it shouldn't be a surprise.

I don't think they knew until late last season that they couldn't be designated as conference champion by the Southland. The Southland was coerced by the NCAA into crowning the second place team as "champion." To tell you the truth, I think that if the Southland had an option it should've just crowned UCA champ and gone without a playoff berth last season. Texas State was not a playoff caliber team anyway. That's not just smack. By the average rankings at http://www.mratings.com/cf/compare1aa.htm Texas State finished ranked 33. By the GPI the Bobcats finished 28th.

Unless it was a situation in which the NCAA told the Southland that they'd be sacrificing their automatic bid in future years, the Southland should've crowned the team that earned the championship as champion. Then if none of the other teams were good enough to merit at-large bids...and none of them were...the Southland should've just gone without a representative in the tournament.

[slycat]

I don't think they knew until late last season that they couldn't be designated as conference champion by the Southland. The Southland was coerced by the NCAA into crowning the second place team as "champion." To tell you the truth, I think that if the Southland had an option it should've just crowned UCA champ and gone without a playoff berth last season. Texas State was not a playoff caliber team anyway. That's not just smack. By the average rankings at http://www.mratings.com/cf/compare1aa.htm Texas State finished ranked 33. By the GPI the Bobcats finished 28th.

Unless it was a situation in which the NCAA told the Southland that they'd be sacrificing their automatic bid in future years, the Southland should've crowned the team that earned the championship as champion. Then if none of the other teams were good enough to merit at-large bids...and none of them were...the Southland should've just gone without a representative in the tournament.

I think the conference handled it right. They dropped the ball on knowing the rules. Had they known the rules Texas State would have gotten the playoff spot anyway. UCA still handed out rings so they got those as well. Its better for the SLC as a whole to get a playoff spot for the exposure then none at all. Texas St was winning for the first half which is better then the SLC has done lately in the playoffs. Still ended badly though.

[TexasTerror]

I think the conference handled it right. They dropped the ball on knowing the rules. Had they known the rules Texas State would have gotten the playoff spot anyway. UCA still handed out rings so they got those as well. Its better for the SLC as a whole to get a playoff spot for the exposure then none at all. Texas St was winning for the first half which is better then the SLC has done lately in the playoffs. Still ended badly though.

I do not care about all of that - the point remains TXST is acting like they were the top dog in the SLC last year with some of the comments they have made. We all know that is not true and while TXST does have a 'target', would think the bigger target likes on UCA.

It's all coach speak, right?

[slycat]

I do not care about all of that - the point remains TXST is acting like they were the top dog in the SLC last year with some of the comments they have made. We all know that is not true and while TXST does have a 'target', would think the bigger target likes on UCA.

It's all coach speak, right?

Yup. Texas St isn't lying by saying they won conference. Yes there is an * by it but its doesn't have to be mentioned every time. The coaches are going to hype at media day and thats what they did.