Four Georgia Southern football players have been voted to the Preseason All-Sun Belt squad, as released Monday afternoon by the conference. The team was voted on by coaches and selected media who cover the league.
Sixth-year offfensive lineman Khalil Crowder, fifth-year receiver cand redshirt junior linebacker Marques Watson-Trent were all named to the first team at their respective positions while sixtth-year tight end Jjay Mcafee was named to the second team.
As a team, Georgia Southern was picked fourth in the East Division. The Eagles are slated to open their season on Sept. 2 at home against The Citadel.
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Jr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
RB – La'Damian Webb, South Alabama (Sr., RB – Opelika, Ala.)
RB – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss (Jr., RB – Miami, Fla.)
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State (Sr., OL – Hudson, N.C.)
OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., OL – Carrollton, Ga.)
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State (RS Sr., OL – Vienna, Ga.)
OL – Nick Kidwell, James Madison (RS Sr., OL – Knoxville, Md.)
OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
TE – Neal Johnson, Louisiana (Sr., TE – Mesquite, Texas)
WR – Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS So., WR – Lilburn, Ga.)
WR – Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., WR – Greenwood, S.C.)
WR – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., WR – McDonough, Ga.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – James Carpenter, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Roanoke, Va.)
DL – Owen Porter, Marshall (RS Sr., DL – Huntington, W.Va.)
DL – TJ Jackson, Troy (Jr., DL – Millbrook, Ala.)
DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy (Sr., DL – Delta State, Nigeria)
LB – JT Killen, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Lake Wylie, S.C.)
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., LB – Beaver Falls, Pa.)
LB – Eli Neal, Marshall (Sr., LB – Memphis, Tenn.)
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Jr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
DB – Micah Abraham, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – Tampa, Fla.)
DB – Yam Banks, South Alabama (Jr., DB – Ridgeland, Miss.)
DB – Jay Stanley, Southern Miss (Sr., DB – Greenwood, Miss.)
DB – Reddy Steward, Troy (Sr., DB – Decatur, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Dominic Zvada, Arkansas State (So., K – Chandler, Ariz.)
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Jr., P – Elgin, Texas)
RS – Milan Tucker, App State (RS Jr., RS – Lehigh Acres, Fla.)
AP – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss (Jr., AP – Miami, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Carter Bradley, South Alabama (Sr., QB – Jacksonville, Fla.)
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall (RS So., RB – Cleveland, Ohio)
RB – Kimani Vidal, Troy (Jr., RB – Marietta, Ga.)
OL – Damion Daley, App State (RS Sr., OL – Columbia, S.C.)
OL – Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., OL – Matthews, N.C.)
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Jr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)
OL – Ethan Driskell, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Louisville, Ky.)
OL – Daniel King, Troy (Jr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)
TE – Jjay Mcafee, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., TE – Charleston, S.C.)
WR – Tyrone Howell, ULM (6th Yr., WR – Idabel, Okla.)
WR – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama (Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
WR – Devin Voisin, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Crestview, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Javon Denis, Georgia State (RS Sr., DL – Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Jr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)
DL – Jalen Williams, Southern Miss (Sr., DL – Tylertown, Miss.)
DL – Jordan Revels, Texas State (Sr., DL – Houston, Texas)
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy (Jr., DL – Tallahassee, Fla.)
LB – Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State (RS Sr., LB – Tampa, Fla.)
LB – Jordan Veneziale, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Dallas, Ga.)
LB – Taurus Jones, James Madison (RS Jr., LB – Portsmouth, Va.)
DB – Bryquice Brown, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Dorchester, Mass.)
DB – Keith Gallmon Jr., South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Jr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)
DB – Dell Pettus, Troy (Sr., DB – Harvest, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (Sr., K – Spanish Fort, Ala.)
P – Ethan Duane, Old Dominion (Jr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina (So., RS – Winter Garden, Fla.)
AP – Kimani Vidal, Troy (Jr., AP – Marietta, Ga.)
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
East Division
1. James Madison – 78 Points (4)
2. App State – 75 Points (4)
3. Coastal Carolina – 71 Points (3)
4. Marshall – 68 Points (2)
5. Georgia Southern – 52 Points (1)
6. Georgia State – 31 Points
7. Old Dominion – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 92 Points (10)
2. South Alabama – 85 Points (4)
3. Louisiana – 64 Points
4. Southern Miss – 62 Points
5. Texas State – 36 Points
6. Arkansas State – 33 Points
7. ULM – 20 Points
