[bigsmooth]

here are the preseason picks by the media as well as the preseason all big south teams.

Coastal Carolina Picked As 2006 Big South Football Favorite

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Coastal Carolina has been tabbed as the favorite in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason football poll, as voted by the League’s head coaches, sports information directors and media panel, it was announced today at The Westin Hotel in downtown Charlotte as part of the 2006 Big South Conference Football Kickoff Media Luncheon. Coastal Carolina, champions of the Big South in 2004 and co-champs in 2005, was the preseason favorite last year.

Coastal returns 21 starters from last year’s Big South co-champion squad that finished 9-2 overall, 3-1 in the Big South and ranked in three of the final Top 25 polls. David Bennett’s Chanticleers received 15 first-place votes and 90 total points in this year’s preseason poll. Charleston Southern, last year’s surprise program with a 7-4 record and co-champion with Coastal at 3-1, was voted second, its highest place ever in the preseason poll. Jay Mills’ Buccaneers received 61 total points, two ahead of Steve Patton’s Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. Gardner-Webb, which received one first-place vote, returns 23 starters from a squad that went 5-6 last year with a 2-2 Big South record.

Liberty, under the direction of new head coach Danny Rocco, was picked fourth in the poll with 50 points and received three first-place votes. The Flames, which lost its four Big South games by a combined 15 points, welcomes back 17 starters from last season. VMI, led by new coach Jim Reid, rounded out the voting with 25 points. The Keydets tied for third in the Big South last season at 2-2.

2006 Preseason Poll (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 Points
1. Coastal Carolina (15)..............................75 12 3 -- -- 90
2. Charleston Southern.................................-- 32 24 4 1 61
3. Gardner-Webb (1)....................................5 20 27 6 1 59
4. Liberty (3)...............................................15 12 3 16 4 50
5. VMI.........................................................-- -- -- 12 13 25



Drafts, Ross Voted Big South Football Preseason Players of the Year

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charleston Southern quarterback Collin Drafts and Buccaneers linebacker Jada Ross have been voted as the League’s 2006 Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, by the Conference’s coaches, SIDs and media panel, it was announced today as part of the 2006 Big South Conference Football Kickoff Media Luncheon at The Westin Hotel in Charlotte.

Drafts, who received 14 first-place votes and 30 total points, was the 2005 Big South Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Bucs to the Big South co-championship and the school’s first-ever winning season at 7-4. He led the League in total offense with 2,772 yards, as well as passing yards (2,594 - Big South record), passing efficiency (135.6), yards per game (235., attempts (356), completions (217 - Big South record), TD passes (20) and TD rushing by QB (nine – Big South record). He was 20th in the nation in total offense and 24th in passing efficiency, accounted for 29 TDs, tops in the League, and directed the CSU offense to a school-record 313 points, breaking the team record set in 2004 (268).

Rated No. 12 among all I-AA quarterbacks entering 2006 by The Sports Network; Drafts is the Big South’s career leader in passing yards, attempts, completions, passing efficiency and touchdown passes, and is tied for first in completion percentage. He also ranks first in total offensive plays and second in total offense yards, and is looking to become the first QB in Big South history to earn First-team All-Conference honors three times.

Ross is the first linebacker to receive the Conference’s preseason honor, and is the reigning Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, he was named to the CollegeSportsReport.com All-Division I-AA Defensive Team (3rd Team) as well as Weekly Football Gazette All-Southeast Region (1st Team). The First-team All-Conference selection set the Charleston Southern single-season tackle record with 128 total stops, which were the third-most in a single-season in Big South history. Ross posted 17 tackles against Coastal Carolina in the Big South title game and averaged 11.2 tackles per game in Conference play and 11.6 per game overall. He finished as the second leading tackler in the Big South and tied for first in solo tackles with 56, while reaching double figures in tackles in nine of 11 games played. Entering 2006, Ross is rated the No. 18 linebacker in all of I-AA by The Sports Network.

Gardner-Webb wide receiver Duvaughn Flagler finished second in the offensive voting with 15 points (three first-place votes). VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson and Liberty’s Rashad Jennings rounded out the voting with seven and five points, respectively. Gardner-Webb safety Daniel Cooke was second in defensive voting with 13 points (three first-place votes), two points ahead of Liberty linebacker Manny Rojas (two first-place votes). VMI defensive end Eric Hall received four points and one first-place vote.

Drafts and Ross were also voted to the preseason All-Conference team. The preseason team is comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and four special teams players. Gardner-Webb has the most selections with nine, followed by Coastal Carolina with 8, Charleston Southern and Liberty (five each), and VMI (one). The 2006 preseason All-Conference team:

OFFENSE
QB - Collin Drafts, Sr., Charleston Southern
RB - Zach Terrell, Soph., Liberty
RB - Aundres Perkins, Sr., Coastal Carolina
WR - Maurice Price, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR - Duvaughn Flagler, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR - Jerome Simpson, Jr., Coastal Carolina
TE - Chris Luck, Jr., Liberty
OL - Demario Deese, Soph., Gardner-Webb
OL - Brad Poston, Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Brian Kepple, Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Kris King, Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL - Ricky Howell, Jr., Charleston Southern

DEFENSE
DL - Brian Johnston, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Jason Horn, Sr., Liberty
DL - Adrain Grady, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DL - Eric Hall, Sr., VMI
LB - Jada Ross, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
LB - Jamar Leath, Sr., Coastal Carolina
LB - Manny Rojas, R-Sr., Liberty
LB - J.P. Weaver, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DB - Quinton Teal, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DB - Daniel Cooke, Soph., Gardner-Webb
DB - Patrick Calvary, Soph., Liberty
DB - C.J. Hirschman, Jr., Charleston Southern

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Josh Hoke, Sr., Coastal Carolina
P - Michael Hanna, Soph., Gardner-Webb
LS - Matt Skeen, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RS - Kory Alston, Sr., Gardner-Webb

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Collin Drafts, QB, Sr., Charleston Southern

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jada Ross, LB, R-Jr., Charleston Southern

[PAmedic]

Flames Place Five Players On Big South Preseason All-Conference Football Team

Big South Preseason All-Conference Selection Manny Rojas
July 28, 2006
Charlotte, N.C.

Five members of the Flames football program were named to the Big South Preseason All-Conference football team as announced today at the league’s annual Football Kickoff Luncheon today held at The Westin Hotel.

Offensively, sophomore running back/quarterback Zach Terrell, last year’s Big South Rookie of the Year, was joined by junior tight end Chris Luck on the preseason all-conference team, which is voted on by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and media panel.

Liberty’s defensive selections were led by a pair of senior team captains as defensive lineman Jason Horn and linebacker Manny Rojas were named to the squad. The two elder defensive players were joined by sophomore defensive back Patrick Calvary who had a breakout freshman season for the Flames last year.

Charleston Southern quarterback Collin Drafts and Buccaneers linebacker Jada Ross were voted as the league’s 2006 Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.

Gardner-Webb wide receiver Duvaughn Flagler finished second in the offensive voting with 15 points (three first-place votes). VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson and Liberty newcomer Rashad Jennings rounded out the voting with seven and five points, respectively.

Gardner-Webb safety Daniel Cooke was second in defensive voting with 13 points (three first-place votes), two points ahead of Liberty’s Rojas (two first-place votes). VMI defensive end Eric Hall received four points and one first-place vote.

Drafts and Ross were also voted to the preseason All-Conference team. The preseason team is comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and four special teams players. Gardner-Webb has the most selections with nine, followed by Coastal Carolina (8), Charleston Southern and Liberty (five each), and VMI (one).

Manny Rojas


Jason Horn

[jcmanson]

Well, I didn't see Rashad's name on that list, and I'll be sure he will be on there for the season end

[Sly Fox]

Unless they offer up a newcomer of the year slot, most conferences shy away from giving transfers any recognition until they witness the player in person. But if all goes as planned, he'll be all over the postseason honors.