Southland announces 2020 preseason all-conference football teams

FRISCO, Texas – The 2020 Southland Conference Football Preseason All-Conference Teams were announced on Wednesday, with defending co-champion Central Arkansas leading the league with 13 total selections. The preseason all-conference teams are presented by Hercules Tires.

Led by junior quarterback Breylin Smith and senior defensive back Robert Rochell, the Bears accounted for eight of the 28 first-team slots. Smith, a 2019 Second-Team All-Southland pick, ranked in the top-10 among FCS quarterbacks in completions per game (24.31), passing touchdowns (32) and passing yards (3,704) a year ago, and Rochell enters his final season after ranking ninth nationally in passes defended per game (1.4).

Sam Houston State earned the second-most selections with nine, followed by eight for Nicholls and six each for Houston Baptist and Southeastern Louisiana.

A year after leading the FCS ranks in rushing yards allowed (69.9) and tackles for loss (10.9) per game, the Bearkats placed three defensive linemen on the squads, including last season’s Newcomer of the Year Trace Mascorro. The Colonels landed four of their starting five offensive lineman on the teams after posting the league’s top rushing offense in 2019 (197.1 YPG).

Houston Baptist signal-caller Bailey Zappe occupies the second-team spot after leading the country in completions per game (29.75) and ranking second in passing touchdowns (35) and passing yards (3,811). The Victoria, Texas, native is joined on the second team by a trio of teammates in running back Dreshawn Minnieweather and wideouts Jerreth Sterns and Ben Ratzlaff.

Abilene Christian and McNeese each placed four on the teams, while Lamar garnered three preseason all-conference selections. UIW, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin earned two spots 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 2020 preseason poll will be revealed next Wednesday, July 22, as part of the Southland Conference Football Virtual Kickoff presented by Levy Marketing.

First Team All-Conference Offense
Pos.–Name, School, Class, Hometown
QB–Breylin Smith*, Central Arkansas, Jr., Conway, Ark.
RB–Julien Gums*, Nicholls, Jr., New Orleans, La.
RB–Donovan Williams*, Sam Houston State, Jr., Paris, Texas
TE/HB–Branden Hohenstein, Abilene Christian, Sr., Jackson, Neb.
WR–Lujuan Winningham*, Central Arkansas, Jr., Humble, Texas
WR–Dai’Jean Dixon*, Nicholls, Sr., New Orleans, La.
WR–Cyron Sutton*, McNeese, Sr., New Orleans, La.
OL–P.J. Burkhalter*, Nicholls, R-Sr., Franklinton, La.
OL–Colby Thomas*, Sam Houston State, Sr., Manvel, Texas
OL–Jair Joseph*, Nicholls, Sr., Belle Rose, La.
OL–Jaylen Hendrix*, Central Arkansas, Jr., Everman, Texas
OL–Toby Sanderson*, Central Arkansas, Sr., Edmond, Okla.
PK–Bailey Giffen*, Lamar, Sr., Bryan, Texas
P–Matt McRobert*, Sam Houston State, R-Sr., Berowra, Australia

First Team All-Conference Defense
Pos.–Name, School, Class, Hometown
DL–Trace Mascorro*, Sam Houston State, Sr., Refugio, Texas
DL–Joseph Wallace*, Sam Houston State, Sr., Dallas, Texas
DL–Nathan Grant*, Central Arkansas, Sr., Carrollton, Texas
DL–Kameron Hill*, Abilene Christian, Sr., Fresno, Texas
LB–Alexis Ramos*, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., Salinas, Calif.
LB–TJ Campbell*, Central Arkansas, Jr., Southaven, Miss.
LB–Ja’Quay Pough*, Northwestern State, Sr., Sherman, Texas
DB–Ferlando Jordan*, Southeastern Louisiana, R-Jr., Atlanta, Ga.
DB–Robert Rochell*, Central Arkansas, Sr., Shreveport, La.
DB–Michael Lawson*, Lamar, Sr., Patterson, Calif.
DB–Darion Dunn*, McNeese, Sr., Oakdale, La.
DB–Kevin Moore III*, Nicholls, Sr., Lafayette, La.
KR–Cameron Myers*, Central Arkansas, R-So., Plant City, Fla.
PR–Michael Lawson*, Lamar, Sr., Patterson, Calif.

Second Team All-Conference Offense
Pos.–Name, School, Class, Hometown
QB–Bailey Zappe, Houston Baptist, Sr., Victoria, Texas
RB–Billy McCrary, Abilene Christian, Sr., Temple, Texas
RB–Dreshawn Minnieweather, Houston Baptist, Sr., Mesquite, Texas
TE/HB–Matt DeBlaiso, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., Seaford, N.Y.
TE/HB–Jack Short, Central Arkansas, Sr., Bentonville, Ark.
WR–Tyler Hudson*, Central Arkansas, So., Spring, Texas
WR–Xavier Gipson*, Stephen F. Austin, So., Dallas, Texas
WR–Ben Ratzlaff*, Houston Baptist, Sr., San Diego, Calif.
WR–Jerreth Sterns*, Houston Baptist, Jr., Waxahachie, Texas
WR–Austin Mitchell*, Southeastern Louisiana, R-Sr., Plaquemine, La.
OL–Eleasah Anderson, Sam Houston State, R-Jr., Houston, Texas
OL–Mikhail Hill, Nicholls, R-Jr., Gretna, La.
OL–Jeremiah James, Nicholls, R-So., New Orleans, La.
OL–Drew Jones, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., Des Allemands, La.
OL–Kade Parmelly, Abilene Christian, Sr., Abilene, Texas
PK–Hayden Ray*, Central Arkansas, Jr., Bryant, Ark.
P–Blake Patterson*, Houston Baptist, Sr., Round Rock, Texas

Second Team All-Conference Defense
Pos.–Name, School, Class, Hometown
DL–Jevon Leon*, Sam Houston State, So., Houston, Texas
DL–A’Javius Brown, Central Arkansas, Sr., Jackson, Miss.
DL–Josh Carr Jr., Southeastern Louisiana, Jr., Houston, Texas
DL–J.W. Jones, Central Arkansas, Sr., Rayville, La.
LB–Kelechi Anyalabechi*, UIW, Jr., Pearland, Texas
LB–Caleb Johnson, Houston Baptist, Sr., San Diego, Calif.
LB–Evan Veron, Nicholls, Sr., LaPlace, La.
DB–Zyon McCollum*, Sam Houston State, Sr., Galveston, Texas
DB–Cory McCoy*, McNeese, Sr., Leesville, La.
DB–Shemar Bartholomew*, Northwestern State, Jr., New Orleans, La.
DB–Jaylon Jimmerson*, UIW, So., Pittsburg, Texas
DB–Jaylen Thomas*, Sam Houston State, Sr., Houston, Texas
KR–Xavier Gipson*, Stephen F. Austin, So., Dallas, Texas
PR–Cyron Sutton*, McNeese, Sr., New Orleans, La.

* Automatic selection; returning all-conference player