July 23, 2008

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Southern Conference held its annual Football Rouser, presented by Carolina Ford Dealers, on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Embassy Suites in Greenville, S.C.

Three-time defending national champion Appalachian State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the conference in a poll voted on by the league's head coaches. Elon was picked to finish second, while 2007 Co-SoCon Champion Wofford was selected third.

Samford, entering its first season as a member of the Southern Conference, was picked to finish ninth. The full preseason standings are listed below.

Appalachian State junior quarterback Armanti Edwards was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while ASU senior linebacker Pierre Banks was selected as the league's preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

The preseason Coaches' All-Conference team was also released at the rouser. The complete preseason All-Conference team is also listed below.

2008 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACES' POLL
Place, School (First-place votes), Points
1, Appalachian State (8), 64
2, Elon (1), 47
3, Wofford, 45
4, Georgia Southern, 44
5, Furman, 41
6, The Citadel, 37
7, Chattanooga, 19
8, Western Carolina, 17
9, Samford, 10

2008 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Offensive Player of the Year: Armanti Edwards, Jr., QB, Appalachian State
Defensive Player of the Year: Pierre Banks, Sr., LB, Appalachian State

OFFENSE
First Team
QB, Armanti, Edwards, Appalachian State
RB, Bryan Fitzgerald, Chattanooga
RB, Devon Moore, Appalachian State
OL, Brad Coley, Appalachian State
OL, Joel Bell, Furman
OL, Derek Wooten, Wofford
OL, Ben Quick, Wofford
OL, (tie) Mario Acitelli, Appalachian State
OL, (tie) Thomas Slaughter, Furman
TE, Larry Hedden, Furman
WR, Terrell Hudgins, Elon
WR, CoCo Hillary, Appalachian State

Second Team
QB, Scott Riddle, Elon
RB, Mike Brown, Furman
RB, Dane Romero, Wofford
OL, William Giles, Chattanooga
OL, Ben Miller, Wofford
OL, Chris Werden, Elon
OL, Kevin Wiggins, Western Carolina
OL, Dan DeHaven, The Citadel
TE, Fenn Allen, Wofford
WR, Andre Roberts, The Citadel
WR, (tie) Blue Cooper, Chattanooga
WR, (tie) Bo Williamson, Elon

DEFENSE
First Team
DL, Larry Beard, Georgia Southern
DL, Tony Robertson, Appalachian State
DL, Terrence Reese, The Citadel
DL, Anthony Williams, Appalachian State
LB, Corey Weaver, Elon
LB, Pierre Banks, Appalachian State
LB, Seth Goldwire, Wofford
DB, Carson Hill, Georgia Southern
DB, Thomas Twitty, Furman
DB, Leonard Love, Appalachian State
DB, Chris Covington, Georgia Southern

Second Team
DL, Kevin McCaskill, The Citadel
DL, Neil Brown, Chattanooga
DL, Layton Baker, Wofford
DL, Jeff Bradley, Western Carolina
LB, Quintin Phillips, Western Carolina
LB, Jacque Roman, Appalachian State
LB, Joseph Thornton, Chattanooga
DB, Raeshon Ball, Chattanooga
DB, Cortez Gilbert, Appalachian State
DB, Karlos Sullivan, Elon
DB, (tie) William Middleton, Furman
DB, (tie) Cameron McGlenn, Elon

SPECIALISTS
First Team
PK, Jesse Hartley, Georgia Southern
P, Brandon Lane, Elon
RS, CoCo Hillary, Appalachian State

Second Team
PK, Patrick Mugan, Wofford
P, Mark Kaspar, The Citadel
RS, Mike Brown, Furman