Jags Place Nine On 2014 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Ahead of Sun Belt Media Day, the conference released the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Teams with South Alabama having placed nine on the list.
Wes Saxton was named to the First-Team at tight end for the second consecutive season while Chris May and Ucambre Williams joining him as representatives on the offensive line.
Six more were named to the Second-Team. Wide Receivers Jereme Jones and Shavarez Smith, defensive lineman Jesse Kelley, Linebacker Maleki Harris, defensive back Qudarius Ford and placekicker Aleem Sunanon.
Voting for the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team is conducted among the 11 head caoches and select members of the media.
In addition to being named to the All-Sun Belt Team, Saxton is also on the watch list for the John Mackey and Biletnikoff Awards.
Jones looks to continue his consecutive games with a catch streak this season, which currently sits at 39-games.
Smith set the school record for receiving yards in a season and ranked 14th nationally with an average of 18.8 yards per reception (third among players from non-AQ BCS Conferences). He is also on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award.
Ford is the top returning tackler on defense as he was second on the team last season with 76 stops. He also picked off two passes and broke up six others after starting all 12 games.
Sunanon turned around a shakey start to his redshirt freshman year to become one of the most consistent kickers in the conference. He set a school single-season record with 91 points as he connected on 18-of-23 field goal attempts and 37-of-39 extra point attempts. He was selected as an Honorable Mention to the All-Sun Belt Team in 2013, his first season at the collegiate level. He finished the season ranked in the top 20 nationally in field goals per game while finishing second in the conference in scoring average. He made a school-record 12-consecutive field goals over the final seven games of the season.