Troy Tabbed Second in the SBC West, Three Trojans Named to Preseason All-SBC Team

TROY, Ala. – The two-time defending Sun Belt Conference champions, Troy was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt West Division, while Daniel King, Eli Russ and Robert Cole were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the league office announced Monday.

Troy received four of a possible 14 first place votes in the SBC West, while Texas State received nine first place votes and Louisiana received the other. Texas State was picked to win the West with 92 overall points, followed by Troy (68), Louisiana (66), Arkansas State (65), South Alabama (54), Southern Miss (31) and ULM (16).

App State received 12 of the 14 first place votes in the East, while James Madison received the other two. The Mountaineers were the overwhelming favorite to win the division with 96 points, followed by JMU (79), Coastal Carolina (67), Georgia Southern (50), Marshall (49), Old Dominion (32) and Georgia State (19). Troy plays Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern in its cross-division games.

Troy is 12-0 against the Sun Belt West Division the last two seasons and carries a 12-game winning streak over Texas State into the 2024 season; the Trojans host the Bobcats on Oct. 3 on ESPNU.

King was Troy's lone first team selection, while Russ and Cole were named to the second team. King and Cole are two of just 11 seniors on Troy's roster, while Russ is entering his junior season with the Trojans.

The Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams were voted on by the league's 14 head coaches and a media representative from each school, while the preseason poll was selected by just the head coaches.

Troy descends on New Orleans for the league's annual Media Day on Wednesday, where the Trojans will be represented by Russ and junior linebacker Jordan Stringer.

Daniel King
2023 (Junior): Named to the All-Sun Belt Second team … Played 963 offensive snaps, third most on the team … Troy's top-rated pass blocker and run blocker per PFF … Allowed just five sacks, four hits and six hurries in 520 pass blocking situations at right guard … Posted seven games with a perfect PFF 100 efficiency rating … Called for just three penalties all year … Blocked for Kimani Vidal, who was named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and AP All-American after setting school records for single-game, single-season and career rushing yards … Blocked for just the third 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rushing combo in program history … Did not allow a hit on the quarterback in 11-of-13 games

Robert Cole
2023 (Junior): Handled the punting duties for the Trojans all 14 games … Ranked third in the Sun Belt, averaging 42.27 yards per punt … Tied for 47th nationally (min. 50 attempts), averaging 38.7 net yards per punt … Tied for 21st in the country with only 21.2 percent of his punts returned, his 5.7 yards per return averaged ranked 20th in the country … Ranked 30th nationally, averaging 3.91 seconds of hang time … Season-long 60-yard punt in Troy's "Battle for the Belt" victory over South Alabama … Booted a 50-yard punt in each of the final six games of the season … Finished the year with 13 kicks of 50-plus yards and had 14 land inside the 20-yard line

Eli Russ
2023 (Sophomore): Started at center in 13-of-14 games for the Trojans (missed one due to injury) … Played 863 offensive snaps … Allowed just three sacks in 466 pass blocking situations; three hits and six hurries allowed … Blocked for Kimani Vidal, who was named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and AP All-American after setting school records for single-game, single-season and career rushing yards … Blocked for just the third 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rushing combo in program history … Did not allow a hit on the quarterback in 11-of-13 games … Six games with a perfect 100 efficiency rating from PFF

2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense^
QB – Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)
QB – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)
RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., RB – Daleville, Ala.)
RB – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RB – Murphy, Texas)
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State (Sr., OL – Grandview, Texas)
OL – Makilan Thomas, Arkansas State (RS Jr., OL – Little Rock, Ark.)
OL – Cole Potts, James Madison (Sr., OL – Johnstown, Ohio)
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)
OL – Daniel King, Troy (Sr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)
TE – Eli Wilson, App State (Sr., TE – Piedmont, S.C.)
WR – Kaedin Robinson, App State (RS Sr., WR – Asheville, N.C.)
WR – Derwin Burgess Jr., Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Riverdale, Ga.)
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Santana Hopper, App State (RS So., DL – Shelby, N.C.)
DL – Nate Martey, Arkansas State (Sr., DL – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
DL – Justin Rhodes, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., DL – Durham, N.C.)
DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Greensboro, N.C.)
LB – Nate Johnson, App State (So., LB – Gaffney, S.C.)
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
LB – Ben Bell, Texas State (Sr., LB – Cedar Park, Texas)
DB – Jordan Favors, App State (RS Jr., DB – Griffin, Ga.)
DB – Ethan Johnson, App State (Jr., DB – Huntersville, N.C.)
DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Baltimore, Md.)
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Liberty Hill, Texas)
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Sr., P – Elgin, Texas)
RS – Zylan Perry, Louisiana (RS So., RS – Franklin, La.)
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense^
QB – Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State (So., QB – Kernersville, N.C.)
RB – Kanye Roberts, App State (RS So., RB – Wallace, N.C.)
RB – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RB – Hampton, Ark.)
OL – Chandler Strong, Georgia Southern (RS So., OL – Warner Robins, Ga.)
OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Jr., OL – Newnan, Ga.)
OL – Tyshawn Wyatt, James Madison (Sr., OL – Richmond, Va.)
OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
OL – Eli Russ, Troy (Jr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)
TE – Kendall Karr, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., TE – Belmont, N.C.)
WR – Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State (RS Sr., WR – Monroeville, Pa.)
WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)
WR – Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Jackson, Ala.)
WR – Kole Wilson, Texas State (Jr., WR – Katy, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Will Whitson, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DL – Cincinnati, Ohio)
DL – Eric O'Neill, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Staten Island, N.Y.)
DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Jr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)
DL – Denzel Lowry, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DL – Virginia Beach, Va.)
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Sr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)
LB – Charles Willekes, Arkansas State (RS Sr., LB – Rockford, Mich.)
LB – Kevin Swint, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
LB – KC Ossai, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Conroe, Texas)
DB – TJ Smith, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DB – Atlanta, Ga.)
DB – Chauncey Logan, James Madison (Jr., DB – Salem, Va.)
DB – Tyrone Lewis Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DB – Hammond, La.)
DB – Kaleb Culp, Texas State (Sr., DB – Dallas, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Michael Hughes, App State (Sr., K – Charleston, W.Va.)
P – Robert Cole, Troy (Sr., P – Coral Springs, Fla.)
RS – DeAndre Buchannon, Georgia Southern (So., RS – Atlanta, Ga.)
AP – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Hampton, Ark.)

^ Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team & Second Team Offense Expanded Due to Ties in Voting

2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
East Division
1. App State – 96 Points (12)
2. James Madison – 79 Points (2)
3. Coastal Carolina – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 50 Points
5. Marshall – 49 Points
6. Old Dominion – 32 Points
7. Georgia State – 19 Points

West Division
1. Texas State – 92 Points (9)
2. Troy – 68 Points (4)
3. Louisiana – 66 Points (1)
4. Arkansas State – 65 Points
5. South Alabama – 54 Points
6. Southern Miss – 31 Points
7. ULM – 16 Points

Troy University Athletics

Troy Tabbed Second in the SBC West, Three Trojans Named to Preseason All-SBC Team

Players Mentioned

Robert Cole

Daniel King

Eli Russ

Jordan Stringer

Kimani Vidal

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