Nicholls leads with 14 total selections on 2018 Southland Preseason All-Conference Football Teams
FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference announced the 2018 Football Preseason All-Conference Teams on Thursday, with Nicholls leading the league with 14 total selections.
Highlighted by junior quarterback Chase Fourcade, the Colonels earned four selections to the first team offense, six to the first team defense and four second team offense picks. Fourcade passed for 2,316 yards with 14 touchdowns in 2017, helping lead Nicholls to its first FCS playoffs appearance since 2005.
Central Arkansas and McNeese are the other two conference teams with double-digits selections, garnering 11 and 10 spots, respectively.
Though the Bears must replace 2017 Player of the Year Hayden Hildebrand at quarterback, the team returns a strong group on the other side of the ball with three first team and four second team defensive picks.
McNeese returns with standout senior quarterback James Tabary who was named to the second team. The Cowboys earned four total spots on the first team offense. Tabary racked up 2,511 passing yards with 21 touchdowns last season.
Sam Houston State tallied nine total preseason all-conference honorees, led by the returning core of a high-scoring Bearkat offense. Although two-time Walter Payton Award winner Jeremiah Briscoe has graduated, wide receivers Davion Davis and Nathan Stewart headline six first team offense picks. The pair combined for 2,854 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns last season.
Stephen F. Austin garnered six preseason all-conference selections while Southeastern Louisiana earned four. Abilene Christian, Houston Baptist, UIW and Lamar all collected one spot each.
Returning all-conference selections from the previous season are automatically named to the preseason all-conference teams and may advance to higher team slots if they are vacated by non-returning players. Open positions are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches.
The 2018 preseason poll will be revealed next Thursday, July 19, to kick off Southland Football Media Day at the Hilton Houston Post Oak in Houston.
First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | Chase Fourcade | Nicholls | Jr. | Metairie, La. |
| RB | David Hamm* | McNeese | Sr. | Klein, Texas |
| RB | Carlos Blackman* | UCA | Jr. | Gosnell, Ark. |
| TE/HB | Lawayne Ross* | McNeese | Jr. | Richwood, Texas |
| WR | Davion Davis* | SHSU | Sr. | Hutto, Texas |
| WR | Nathan Stewart* | SHSU | Jr. | Dallas, Texas |
| WR | Damion Jeanpiere* | Nicholls | Sr. | Kenner, La. |
| OL | Mitchell Watanabe* | SHSU | Sr. | San Antonio, Texas |
| OL | Ryan Hanley* | Nicholls | Sr. | Metaire, La. |
| OL | Chandler Arceneaux* | Nicholls | Sr. | Bourg, La. |
| OL | Eric David* | SHSU | Jr. | Richmond, Texas |
| OL | Tristan Wendt | SHSU | Sr. | Schulenberg, Texas |
| AP | Davion Davis* | SHSU | Sr. | Hutto, Texas |
| PK | Gunnar Raborn* | McNeese | Sr. | Lafayette, La. |
| P | Alex Kjellsten | McNeese | Sr. | Lake Charles, La. |
First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Chris Terrell* | UCA | Jr. | Pensacola, Fla. |
| DL | Eric Jackson* | UCA | Sr. | Apopka, Fla. |
| DL | Sully Laiche* | Nicholls | Jr. | Gramercy, La. |
| DL | Kenny Dotson* | Nicholls | Sr. | Plaquemine, La. |
| LB | Allen Pittman* | Nicholls | Jr. | St. Rose, La. |
| LB | Hezekiah White | Nicholls | Sr. | Boutte, La. |
| LB | BJ Blunt | McNeese | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| DB | Raphael Lewis* | HBU | Sr. | Elk Grove, Calif. |
| DB | Alize Ward* | SFA | Jr. | San Diego, Calif. |
| DB | Corey Abraham* | Nicholls | Sr. | Breaux Bridge, La. |
| DB | Juan Jackson* | UCA | Jr. | Gardendale, Ala. |
| DB | Ahmani Martin* | Nicholls | Sr. | Reserve, La. |
| KR | Juwan Petit-Frere* | SLU | Jr. | Orlando, Fla. |
| PR | Davion Davis* | SHSU | Sr. | Hutto, Texas |
Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | James Tabary | McNeese | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| RB | Kyran Irvin* | Nicholls | Jr. | Darrow, La. |
| RB | Marcus Cooper | SLU | So. | Altair, Texas |
| TE/HB | Josh Nix | UCA | So. | Tuscumbia, Ala. |
| WR | Tamrick Pace* | SFA | Jr. | Brownsboro, Texas |
| WR | Kody Edwards | UIW | Sr. | Mesquite, Texas |
| WR | Dai’jean Dixon | Nicholls | So. | New Orleans, La. |
| OL | Adrian Harris | UCA | So. | Tyler, Texas |
| OL | Hunter Watts | UCA | Jr. | San Antonio, Texas |
| OL | Alfred Beverly | SLU | Jr. | Beaumont, Texas |
| OL | Grant Burguillos | McNeese | Jr. | Mandeville, La. |
| OL | Eddie Houston | Nicholls | Sr. | Newton, Miss. |
| AP | Alize Ward | SFA | Jr. | San Diego, Calif. |
| PK | Lorran Fonseca* | Nicholls | Sr. | Hercules, Calif. |
| P | Caleb Lewallen | SFA | Sr. | Kingwood, Texas |
Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Chris Stewart* | SHSU | Sr. | Petal, Miss. |
| DL | Chris Livings | McNeese | Jr. | Lake Charles, La. |
| DL | Cardell Best | UCA | Sr. | Little Elm, Texas |
| DL | Nathan Grant | UCA | So. | Carrollton, Texas |
| LB | Raphael Garner | UCA | Sr. | Thomasville, Ala. |
| LB | Tamarcus Russell | SLU | Sr. | Dadeville, Ala. |
| LB | Ryan Woods | SFA | Sr. | Pearland, Texas |
| DB | Trenton Gordon | SFA | So. | Rowlett, Texas |
| DB | Bolu Onifade | ACU | So. | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| DB | Darion Dunn | McNeese | So. | Oakdale, La. |
| DB | Zyon McCollum | SHSU | So. | Galveston, Texas |
| DB | Colby Burton | McNeese | Jr. | League City, Texas |
| KR | Cedric Battle | UCA | Sr. | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| PR | Zae Giles | Lamar | Jr. | Austin, Texas |
* Automatic selection; returning all-conference player
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