NORFOLK, Va. – A pair of Morgan State football players were named to the 2013 Preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football teams, while the Bears were picked 10th in the MEAC during the 2013 MEAC Football Press Luncheon on Friday at the Norfolk Waterside Mariott Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Bears were picked to finish 10th in the conference this season, earning 113 points. Defending champion Bethune-Cookman was tabbed the preseason favorite with 480 points and 16 first-place votes. The only other squad to receive first place votes was South Carolina State with two first-place votes and 365 points. North Carolina A&T (302 points), North Carolina Central (260 points) and Florida A&M (250 points) -- were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
Cornerback Joe Rankin and defensive lineman Damarco Bisbee led the MSU contingent with second-team nods, while linebacker Christopher Robinson and defensive back Nathan Ayers were honorable mention selections.
On the offensive side, lineman Karim Barton was selected honorable mention list.
Chris Flowers was named honorable mention as a return specialist.
Florida A&M quarterback Damien Flemming and Bethune-Cookman running back Isidore Jackson were named Co-MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Bethune-Cookman linebacker Jarkevis Fields was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The All-MEAC first-team squad has 13 seniors and 13 underclassmen, including eight juniors and five sophomores. The second team has 15 seniors, eight juniors and three sophomores.
The Bears will open the 2013 season on August 30 at Michie Stadium in West Point (N.Y.) against the Army Black Knights. The game will mark the first of a four-game road swing that includes trips to Robert Morris (Sept. 7), Liberty (Sept. 14) and Western Kentucky (Sept. 21).
MSU will open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action on Sept. 28 with Norfolk State making their way to Hughes Stadium.
Season tickets to MSU's four home games are still available for purchase online at www.morganstatebears.com or at the MSU Ticket Office (443-885-1522).
2013 PRE-SEASON ALL-MEAC TEAMS
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Damien Flemming, Florida A&M and Isidore Jackson, Bethune-Cookman
Defensive Player of the Year: Jarkevis Fields, Bethune-Cookman
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Damien Fleming |
Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|
RB |
Isidore Jackson |
Sr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Mossy Head, Fla. |
|
RB* |
Malcolm Williams |
Jr. |
Delaware State |
Reading, Pa. |
|
RB* |
James Owens |
r-Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Apopka, Fla. |
|
WR |
Lenworth Lennon |
r-Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. |
|
WR |
Simon Hewyard |
Sr. |
Savannah State |
Savannah, Ga. |
|
TE |
Joseph Hawkins |
r-Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Chicago, Ill. |
|
C |
Brandon Cunningham |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Lumberton, N.J. |
|
OL |
Alex Monroe |
Sr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|
OL |
Kevin House |
r-Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|
OL |
Zerrie Patterson |
So. |
Florida A&M |
Fort Pierce, Fla. |
|
OL |
Joshua Matthews |
Sr. |
Howard |
Bowman, S.C. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
DL |
LeBrandon Richardson |
Jr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Miami, Fla. |
|
DL |
Damon Gresham Chisholm |
So. |
Howard |
Covington, Ga. |
|
DL |
Rodney Gunter |
Jr. |
Delaware State |
Haines, Fla. |
|
DL |
Javon Hargrave |
So. |
South Carolina State |
Salisbury, N.C. |
|
LB |
Jarkevis Fields |
Sr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Sanford, Fla. |
|
LB |
Ernest Adjei |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Woodbridge, Va. |
|
LB |
Lyndell Trail |
r-Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Miami, Fla. |
|
DB |
Nick Addison |
Jr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Tampa, Fla. |
|
DB |
Julien David |
Sr. |
Howard |
Coral Springs, Fla. |
|
DB |
D'Vonte Graham |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
DB |
Terrick Colston |
So. |
Delaware State |
Lakeland, Fla. |
|
P |
Nick Belcher |
r-Sr. |
South Carolina State |
Sumter, S.C. |
|
PK |
Chase Varnadore |
r-So. |
Florida A&M |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
RS |
D'Vonte Graham |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Charlotte, N.C. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
|
|
|
|
|
OFFENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Jordan Reid |
r-Sr. |
North Carolina Central |
High Point, N.C. |
|
RB |
Aquanius Freeman |
Jr. |
Howard |
New Orleans, La. |
|
RB |
Brendon Riddick |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Suffolk, Va. |
|
WR |
Eddie Poole |
Grad. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Belle Glade, Fla. |
|
WR |
Derrick Demps |
r-Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
TE |
David Wilson |
Sr. |
Howard |
Sacramento, Calif. |
|
C |
Ronald Canty |
r-Jr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Chester, S.C. |
|
OL |
John Smith |
r-So. |
Howard |
Atlanta, Ga. |
|
OL |
Jamal Wilson |
r-Sr. |
Hampton |
Brooklyn, N.Y. |
|
OL |
Williams Robinson |
r-Jr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Clinton, Md. |
|
OL |
Charles Goodwin |
r-Sr. |
North Carolina Central |
High Point, N.C. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
DL |
Tyree Hearn |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Durham, N.C. |
|
DL |
George Riddick |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Suffolk, Va. |
|
DL |
Matthew Davis |
Sr. |
Hampton |
Chesapeake, Va. |
|
DL |
Demarco Bisbee |
r-So. |
Morgan State |
Lansing, Mich. |
|
LB |
D'Vonte Grant |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Charlotte, N.C. |
|
LB |
Justin Hughes |
Jr. |
South Carolina State |
Virginia Beach, Va. |
|
LB |
Travis Crosby |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T |
Charlotte, N.C. |
|
DB |
Davon Moore |
Jr. |
Delaware State |
Mt. Vernon, N.Y. |
|
DB |
Joe Rankin |
Sr. |
Morgan State |
Germantown, Md. |
|
DB |
Ryan Smith |
r-So. |
North Carolina Central |
Upper Marlboro, Md. |
|
DB* |
John Wilson |
Sr. |
Savannah State |
Athens, Ga. |
|
DB* |
Jonathan Pillow |
r-Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|
P |
Matthew Cornellus |
r-Sr. |
North Carolina Central |
Charlotte, N.C. |
|
PK |
Oleg Parent |
Jr. |
North Carolina Central |
Lake Forest, Calif. |
|
RS |
James Owens |
r-Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Apopka, Fla. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Honorable Mention |
|
|
|
|
|
OFFENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
QB |
Nico Flores |
r-Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Miami, Fla. |
|
RB |
Dae-Hon Cheung |
So. |
Delaware State |
Coatesville, Pa. |
|
RB |
Conley Smith |
So. |
Norfolk State |
Chesapeake, Va. |
|
WR |
Tyler McDonald |
Sr. |
South Carolina State |
Summerville, SC |
|
WR |
Dylan Cook |
Sr. |
Savannah State |
Hiram, Ga. |
|
TE |
Kris Drummond |
Jr. |
Savannah State |
Washington, D.C. |
|
C |
Doug Almendares |
Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Miami, Fla. |
|
OL |
Domanic Wilson |
r-Jr. |
South Carolina State |
Lake City, SC |
|
OL |
Karim Barton |
Sr. |
Morgan State |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
|
OL |
E.J. Rogers |
r-Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Alexandria, Va. |
|
OL |
Cameron Williams |
r-Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Burke, Va. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
|
DL |
Andrew Carter |
r-Jr. |
South Carolina State |
Hamlet, NC |
|
DL |
Tevin Toney |
Sr. |
Bethune-Cookman |
Sebring, Fla. |
|
DL |
Micah Blount |
Sr. |
Savannah State |
Stone Mountain, Ga. |
|
DL* |
Chikezie Ukeje |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Stanten Island, N.Y. |
|
DL* |
Noel Clarke Jr. |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Brooklyn, N.Y. |
|
LB |
Christopher Robinson |
r-Jr. |
Morgan State |
Germantown, Md. |
|
LB |
Joe Boyd |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Ft. Washington, Md. |
|
LB |
Brandon Denmark |
Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
DB |
Keenan Lambert |
r-Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Norfolk, Va. |
|
DB |
Nathan Ayers |
Jr. |
Morgan State |
Baltimore, Md. |
|
DB |
Devontae Johnson |
r-Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
DB |
Carvin Johnson |
Sr. |
Hampton |
New Orleans, La. |
|
P |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
PK |
Nick Belcher |
r-Sr. |
South Carolina State |
Sumter, SC |
|
RS |
Chris Flowers |
Sr. |
Morgan State |
Haines City, Fla. |
*indicates tie
2013 Predicted Order of Finish
(first place votes in parenthesis)
School --- Points
1. Bethune-Cookman (16) --- 480
2. South Carolina State (2) --- 365
3. North Carolina A&T --- 302
4. North Carolina Central --- 260
5. Florida A&M --- 250
6. Howard --- 227
7. Norfolk State (1) --- 222
8. Delaware State --- 201
9. Hampton (1) --- 196
10. Morgan State --- 113
11. Savannah State (1) --- 52
