The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga put a league-high 10 student-athletes on the preseason All-Southern Conference Football Team, picked by the league coaches and released as part of SoCon Media Day. The Mocs were also the top choice by the coaches and media to win the SoCon title in 2016.
Senior defensive end Keionta Davis is the coaches' selection for SoCon Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He is one of seven Mocs on the first team, including senior linebacker Nakevion Leslie and junior defensive back Lucas Webb on defense, senior running back Derrick Craine, senior offensive lineman Corey Levin and junior offensive lineman Jacob Revis on offense and senior kicker Henrique Ribeiro on special teams.
Davis anchored a stout Chattanooga side that led the SoCon in total defense in 2015.
The senior recorded 39 tackles, including 17 for loss. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native tallied 13.5 sacks on the season and recorded at least one sack in eight different games as UTC led the league in sacks (34). He added seven quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Seniors Cedric Nettles (DB) and Vantrel McMillan (DL) were second team defensive picks, while junior offensive lineman Josh Cardiello made the offensive second team.
This is the second year in a row the Mocs have placed at least 10 on the preseason All-SoCon team. UTC had a school-record 12 on last year's squad and nine in both 2014 and 2013. In comparison, current NY Jet defensive back Buster Skrine was the lone Moc on the preseason All-SoCon team in head coach Russ Huesman's first season in 2009.
UTC grabbed seven of nine first place votes in the SoCon Coaches Preseason Poll and took the top spot with 63 points. The Citadel and Samford held the next two spots with a first place vote each. Western Carolina and Mercer rounded out the top five.
In the media poll, UTC had 26 of 28 first place votes. The Citadel was second with the other two, followed by Western Carolina, Mercer and Samford.
The 2016 season begins Thursday, Sept. 1, when five SoCon teams hit the field, including UTC's opener against Shorter at Finley Stadium at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).
2016 Southern Conference Football: Preseason All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Detrez Newsome, Jr., RB, Western Carolina
Defensive Players of the Year: Keionta Davis, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
First Team Offense
QB Al Cobb, Jr., VMI
RB Derrick Craine, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Detrez Newsome, Jr., Western Carolina
OL Isaiah Pinson, Jr. The Citadel
OL Brett Niederreither, Sr., Mercer
OL Armando Bonheur, Sr., Samford
OL Corey Levin, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Jacob Revis, Jr., Chattanooga
(tie) OL Anton Wahrby, Sr., Wofford
TE Tyler Sexton, Sr., Western Carolina
WR Karel Hamilton, Sr., Samford
WR Aaron Sanders, Sr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Joe Crochet, Sr., The Citadel
DL Ahmad Gooden, So., Samford
DL Keionta Davis, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, So., Wofford
LB Tevin Floyd, Sr., The Citadel
LB Nakevion Leslie, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Tyson Dickson, Sr., Western Carolina
(tie) LB Daniel Riddle, Jr., Western Carolina
DB Dee Delaney, Jr., The Citadel
DB Trey Robinson, Sr., Furman
DB Jamerson Blount, Sr., Samford
DB Lucas Webb, Jr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Henrique Ribeiro, Sr., Chattanooga
P Ian Berryman, So., Western Carolina
RS Dane Forlines, Sr., VMI
Second Team Offense
QB Devlin Hodges, So., Samford
RB Tyler Renew, Sr., The Citadel
RB Lorenzo Long, Sr., Wofford
OL Ryan Bednar, Sr., The Citadel
OL Josh Cardiello, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Andrew Lewis, Sr., VMI
OL Nathan Dalton, So., Western Carolina
OL Dequan Miller, Sr., Wofford
TE Sam Walker, So., Mercer
WR Kelvin McKnight, So., Samford
WR Spearman Robinson, Sr., Western Carolina
Second Team Defense
DL Tosin Aguebor, Sr., Mercer
DL Isaiah Buehler, So., Mercer
DL Xavier Forrest, Jr., Samford
DL Vantrel McMillan, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Carl Rider, Sr., Furman
LB Ryan Francis, Jr., VMI
LB Dylan Weigel, So., ETSU
DB Cedric Nettles, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Fred Payne, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Malik Diggs, Sr., The Citadel
DB Trey Morgan, Sr., Western Carolina
Second Team Specialists
PK Logan Howard, So., Western Carolina
P Austin Barnard, Jr., Samford
RS Chandler Curtis, Jr., Mercer
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
2016 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Chattanooga (7) - 63
2. The Citadel (1) - 52
3. Samford (1) - 50
4. Western Carolina - 41
5. Mercer - 38
6. Wofford - 33
7. Furman - 24
8. VMI - 14
9. ETSU - 9
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams
2016 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
1. Chattanooga (26) - 250
2. The Citadel (2) - 208
3. Western Carolina - 179
4. Mercer - 148
5. Samford - 147
6. Wofford - 136
7. Furman - 102
8. VMI - 62
9. ETSU - 28