ASU picked to finish second in SWAC East

BIRMINGHAM -- Alabama State is picked to finish second in the SWAC East behind two-time defending league champion, Alcorn State, as the results were announced Friday at SWAC media day.

The predicted order of finish was a result of votes of the 10 head coaches and sports information directors.

"I don't even pay attention to things like that," Alabama State coach Brian Jenkins said. "I learned from a coach a long time ago if you start pay attention to that and those things really matter, then why play the season? Just go ahead and give who you've got picked first, give them the trophy and go from there."



The Hornets received 35 points while Alcorn State tallied 44. Jackson State (28) was picked to finish third followed by Alabama A&M (16) and Mississippi Valley State (12).

"It's fuel, motivation," ASU senior center Kerry Williams said. "We use anything we can as motivation. I don't think nobody wants to finish second. Nobody ever wants to finish second. Everybody wants to finish first. That's our goal. To finish first and win a SWAC championship."

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SWAC announces 2016 Preseason All-Conference teams

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2016 SWAC Preseason Teams with Southern running back Lenard Tillery and Alabama State linebacker Kourtney Berry being tabbed for individual honors.

The teams were released during the 2016 SWAC Football Media Day after ballots were completed by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Fifty-one players were named to this year’s preseason teams, with several returning players that earned all-conference at the conclusion of the 2015 season. Should a player that was named to the first team during the postseason not return, the second-team player for that position was elevated to the first team. Players were ranked in their position based on the number of votes received.

After leading the league in rushing en route to a second-straight first-team All-SWAC nod, Tillery was the voters’ favorite for the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year award. For the third-straight year, Berry was tabbed as SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Tillery rushed for 1,211 yards on 197 carries (6.1 average) in 2015, scoring a SWAC-best 14 touchdowns on the ground for the Jaguars. He was the only runner to average 100 yards or better a game, posting an average of 110.1 yards per contest.

The Baton Rouge, La. native is one of five Southern players on the preseason first-team offense, with quarterback Austin Howard, offensive linemen Anthony Mosley and Terrell Lee, tight end Dillon Beard and return specialist Willie Quinn. Rounding out the first-team offense are running back Martez Carter (Grambling State), offensive linemen Detonio Dade (Alcorn State), Justin Miller (Grambling State), Josiah Freeman (Prairie View A&M), and wide receivers Chad Williams (Grambling State) and Daniel Williams (Jackson State).

Berry, who won the 2015 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year award, has led the SWAC in stops during each of his first three seasons. The Merrillville, Ind. product accounted for a league-best 130 tackles and two fumble recoveries. He is a three-time First Team All-SWAC performer and has earned several pre-and post-season honors.

Joining Berry on the preseason first-team defense are: defensive linemen Stacey Garner (Alcorn State), Javancy Jones (Jackson State), Mike Brooks (Alcorn State), and DeVohn Reed (Prairie View A&M), linebackers Darien Anderson (Alcorn State) and Willie Duncan (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), and defensive backs Guy Stallworth (Grambling State), Marquice O’Leary (Prairie View A&M), Danny Johnson (Southern) and Marquis Green (Mississippi Valley State).

Kicker Marc Orozco (Grambling State) and punter Haiden McCraney were each tabbed as first team selections for special teams.

Two-time defending champion Alcorn State totaled 44 votes points as it was named the preseason favorite out of the East Division. Alabama State followed with 35 points, Jackson State received 28 points, followed by Alabama A&M (16) and Mississippi Valley State (12).

Out in the West Division, Prairie View A&M was chosen as the division favorite after amassing 41 points in the voting. Grambling State followed with 35 points, and Southern received 32 points. Texas Southern (16) and Arkansas Pine Bluff (11) rounded out the order of predicted finish.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Lenard Tillery (RB) – Southern
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kourtney Berry (LB) - Alabama State

2016 Preseason All SWAC Football Team
* indicates tie in voting at the position

FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB	Austin Howard	Southern
RB	Lenard Tillery	Southern
RB	Martez Carter	Grambling State
OL	Detonio Dade	Alcorn State
OL	Justin Miller	Grambling State
OL	Anthony Mosley	Southern
OL	Josiah Freeman	Prairie View A&M
OL	Terrell Lee	Southern
WR	Chad Williams	Grambling State
WR	Daniel Williams	Jackson State
TE	Dillon Beard	Southern

DEFENSE
DL	Stacey Garner	Alcorn State
DL	Javancy Jones	Jackson State
DL	Mike Brooks	Alcorn State
DL	DeVohn Reed	Prairie View A&M
LB	Kourtney Berry	Alabama State
LB	Darien Anderson	Alcorn State
LB	Willie Duncan	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
DB	Guy Stallworth	Grambling State
DB	Marquice O’Leary	Prairie View A&M
DB	Danny Johnson	Southern
DB	Marquis Green	Mississippi Valley State

SPECIAL TEAMS
K	Marc Orozco	Grambling State
P	Haiden McCraney	Alcorn State
RS	Willie Quinn	Southern

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB	Lennoris Footman	Alcorn State
RB	Khalid Thomas	Alabama State
RB	Arron Baker	Alcorn State
OL	David Adams	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
OL	Sam Baptiste	Alabama State
OL	Frank Carter	Jackson State
OL	Markus Cook	Jackson State
OL	Kerry Williams	Alabama State
WR	Derrick Griffin	Texas Southern
WR	Marquis Warford *	Alcorn State
WR	Willie Young *	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
TE	Brandon Campbell	Alcorn State

DEFENSE
DL	Cornelius Henderson	Jackson State
DL	CeaJae Bryant	Southern
DL	Robert Brown	Alabama State
DL	Roderick Henderson	Alabama State
LB	Bryan Brower	Alabama A&M
LB	Aaron Tiller	Southern
LB	Arkez Cooper	Grambling State
DB	D'Andre Smith	Alcorn State
DB	Farrean Toney	Mississippi Valley State
DB	Dominique Weaver	Prairie View A&M
DB	Eric Foster	Alcorn State

SPECIAL TEAMS
K	Jamie Gillan	Arkansas-Pine Bluff
P	Trevor Vincent	Alabama State
RS	Booker Chambers* Octayvious Miles*		Mississippi Valley State Alabama A&M

2016 Eastern Division Predicted Order of Finish

School	Points
Alcorn State	44
Alabama State	35
Jackson State	28
Alabama A&M	16
Mississippi Valley State	12

2016 Western Division Predicted Order of Finish

School	Points
Prairie View A&M	41
Grambling State	35
Southern	32
Texas Southern	16
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	11

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

ASU's Jenkins takes time away from football

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Brian Jenkins did something this summer he hasn’t done in a long time – took a vacation.

“I went to Key West (Florida),” Jenkins said Friday at SWAC media day. “Been all over and this was the first vacation I’ve taken in 15 years. Actually take a vacation. Got away from the game. Got away from everything and I tell you what, it’s actually helped. Kind of rejuvenated me a little bit. Cleared my mind on some things I needed to do.”

Jenkins said he also spent quality time with his kids and got a chance to recognize some things he needs to change in his football program at Alabama State.

“I went away, took a deep breath and it really has helped,” Jenkins said.

In a couple of weeks, Jenkins will open camp with a goal of improving upon going 6-5 in his first year at ASU after having great success at Bethune-Cookman. With the adjustment and learning phases behind them, the players feel more comfortable playing for Jenkins going into the 2016 season.

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Kellenberger: It's obvious there's new respect for the SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — There’s a change afoot in the SWAC.

Tony Hughes left Mississippi State to come to Jackson State. Southern Miss saw Alcorn State’s back-to-back SWAC titles and hired Jay Hopson. Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs reportedly interviewed for an FBS job, and Prairie View A&M’s Willie Simmons rebuffed a USM assistant coach offer.

The path from SWAC to the rest of college football is suddenly clear in both directions, something that could not be said before this offseason.

“The perception was the SWAC was somewhere you go when your career is over,” SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp said during the conference’s media day Friday. “That’s not the case, and I don’t think it’s ever been the case. I think it was just a label given to the league.”

So what happened? Why now? The SWAC let the outside world in, and vice-versa.

Hopson’s 2012 hire at Alcorn State was a big deal for reasons outside of being the first white head coach in the historically-black conference; this was a guy with major college experience coming into the league. Same thing with Fobbs two years later; all of his prior experience was outside of the league.

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SWAC MEDIA DAY 2016

COURTESY SWAC FOOTBALL NETWORK

Alcorn, MVSU at opposite ends of the SWAC spectrum

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Jay Hopson may have left Alcorn State this past oflafseason, but expectations still remain high for the Braves.

Preseason polls and all-conference teams were released at SWAC Media Day, which was held at the Birmingham Marriott, on Friday and it's apparent Alcorn State is still thought highly of.

The Braves, who have won back-to-back conference titles, were picked to win the SWAC East Division and landed 11 players on the All-SWAC first or second team.

"I like the modesty of the people that pick us to be first," Alcorn State coach Fred McNair said. "Like I tell the guys, still you have to come out every week and play football. We have to come out and play hard every week."

McNair will get a good indication of how good his team is right away when it faces Bethune-Cookman, which went 9-2 and won a share of the MEAC for the fourth consecutive season in 2015, in the season opener on Sept. 4.

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Defending champion Alcorn, Prairie View favored in SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A change in head coaches hasn't tempered the high expectations surrounding Alcorn State, the two-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.

Alcorn State and Prairie View A&M were selected as the East and West division favorites, respectively, in the SWAC's preseason poll announced during Friday's media day in Birmingham, Alabama.

Alcorn State (9-4, 7-2 SWAC) lost to North Carolina A&T in the inaugural Celebration Bowl last December after beating Grambling State 49-21 in the SWAC championship game. Jay Hopson, the first white head football coach in the conference's illustrious history, resigned to become Southern Mississippi's head coach during the offseason, and Fred McNair, the brother of late Pro Bowl quarterback Steve McNair, was elevated from offensive coordinator. It is the 47-year-old McNair's first head coaching job.

Prairie View (8-2, 8-1), which last won the SWAC title in 2009, was installed as the preseason choice in the West over Grambling.

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