Troy University Athletics
Trojans Tabbed To Take Fourth Straight Title
7/20/2009 1:00:00 PM | Football
NEW ORLEANS, La. – If the head coaches from the other Sun Belt Conference teams are correct, the Troy Trojans will be celebrating a fourth consecutive league title on Bourbon Street in December.
The Trojans, who have won or shared the last three league crowns, were the overwhelming choice of the league's nine coaches to do so again this year in voting announced this morning.
Troy was picked to win the league by five of the league's coaches and totaled 72 total points to edge Arkansas State to earn pre-season favorite state. The Red Wolves earned a total of 69 points in the voting despite not receiving a single first place vote.
"Any time you win this league, and we have had a little success of late, you expect to have the target put on you," Trojans coach Larry Blakeney said. "They are always going to vote you number one the next season and that is fine.
"Preseason picks and preseason All-Conference teams are only on paper and don't mean a lot until you play the games. The games are what determines the champion and All-Conference players. This is a nice honor and we will take it for what it is worth and move forward in getting prepared for the games, which is what really matters."
The four other first place votes went to four different teams, with the two Florida schools (FIU and FAU) and two Louisiana schools (ULL and ULM) getting one first place vote each.
FAU, which is coming off a win in the Motor City Bowl, was picked third and has preseason co-Offensive Player of the Year Rusty Smith returning for his senior season at quarterback. He and ASU senior QB Corey Leonard shared preseason all-league status at QB and also shared the preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
ASU senior defensive end Alex Carrington was selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The coaches and one media member from each school voted for the preseason All-Conference team. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
The Trojans paced all teams in the league with a total of eight players earning preseason All-Sun Belt honors. Troy had three players – junior running back DuJuan Harris, junior receiver Jerrel Jernigan and senior lineman Danny Franks – selected on offense.
Five Troy defenders, all seniors, were named to the preseason all-league squad. That group included defensive ends Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield, linebackers Boris Lee and Bear Woods and cornerback Jorrick Calvin.
Arkansas State was second with five players named to the preseason All-Sun Belt team, followed by FIU and ULM with four players each. FAU and ULL were represented by two players each while MTSU placed one player on the team. North Texas and Western Kentucky did not have a player named to the preseason squad.
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
As voted on by the league's nine head coaches and selected media members.
| Offense | |||
| Corey Leonard | Arkansas State | Sr. | QB. |
| Rusty Smith | Florida Atlantic | Sr. | QB |
| Reggie Arnold | Arkansas State | Sr. | RB |
| DuJuan Harris | Troy | Jr. | RB |
| T.Y. Hilton | FIU | So. | WR |
| Jerrel Jernigan | Troy | Jr. | WR |
| Jamari Grant | Florida Atlantic | Sr. | TE |
| Drew Hilton | Arkansas State | Jr. | OL |
| Brad Serini | FIU | Jr. | OL |
| Brad Bustle | UL-Lafayette | Sr. | OL |
| Chris Fisher | UL-Lafayette | Sr. | OL |
| Danny Franks | Troy | Sr. | C |
| Defense | |||
| Alex Carrington | Arkansas State | Sr. | DL |
| Aaron Morgan | ULM | Sr. | DL |
| Brandon Lang | Troy | Sr. | DL |
| Cameron Sheffield | Troy | Sr. | DL |
| Cardia Jackson | ULM | Sr. | LB |
| Boris Lee | Troy | Sr. | LB |
| Bear Woods | Troy | Sr. | LB |
| Anthony Gaitor | FIU | Jr. | DB |
| Jeremy Kellem | Middle Tenn. | Sr. | DB |
| Greg James | ULM | Sr. | DB |
| Jorrick Calvin | Troy | Sr. | DB |
| Special Teams | |||
| Scott Love | ULM | Sr. | P |
| Josh Arauco | Arkansas State | Sr. | K |
| T.Y. Hilton | FIU | So. |
Ret. |
Co - Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
| Rusty Smith | Florida Atlantic | Sr. | QB |
| Corey Leonard | Arkansas State | Sr. | QB |
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
| Alex Carrington | Arkansas State | Sr. | DE |
2009 Preseason Sun Belt Poll
As voted on by the league's head coaches. (First place votes)
| School | Points |
| Troy (5) |
72 |
| Arkansas State | 69 |
| Florida Atlantic (1) |
61 |
| Middle Tennessee | 52 |
| FIU (1) |
43 |
| Louisiana-Lafayette (1) |
39 |
| ULM (1) |
34 |
| North Texas | 18 |
| WKU | 17 |
