(Appalachian Sports Information) SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Southern Conference’s football coaches have picked Appalachian State University to win its fifth-consecutive conference championship, the SoCon office announced on Monday.
Appalachian received 8-of-9 first-place votes in the SoCon’s annual coaches’ preseason poll. The Mountaineers are followed by Wofford, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern (which received the other first-place vote), The Citadel and Samford (which tied for sixth), Western Carolina and Chattanooga.
ASU is looking to become just the second program in the SoCon’s 77-year football history to win as many as five championships in a row (Georgia Southern won six-straight from 1997-2002). Appalachian is already one of only four programs to win four-straight SoCon titles (joining GSU, Furman — 1980-83 and West Virginia — 1953-56).
In addition to the poll, the SoCon coaches also selected their annual preseason all-conference teams and ASU was the most-represented squad with 16 players pulling in 17 total selections, including eight first-team honorees. Leading the way are the SoCon’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Armanti Edwards, and preseason Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Jacque Roman. Their selections were no surprise, as the duo swept the coaches’ postseason player-of-the-year awards following last season.
Joining Edwards and Roman on the first team are offensive linemen Mario Acitelli, Brett Irvin and Daniel Kilgore, defensive lineman Jabari Fletcher and defensive backs Mark LeGree and Cortez Gilbert.
ASU’s second-team honorees are running back Devon Moore, tight end Ben Jorden, wide receivers Brian Quick and CoCo Hillary, defensive lineman Anthony Williams, linebacker D.J. Smith, defensive back Ed Gainey, place kicker Jason Vitaris and Hillary again as a return specialist.
Elon had the second-most preseason all-SoCon selections with eight, followed by Furman (seven) and The Citadel and Wofford (six apiece).
On Tuesday, the SoCon holds its preseason media teleconference. Appalachian head coach Jerry Moore will take his turn fielding questions from the media at 12:45 p.m., followed by Edwards at 1:15 p.m. The entire teleconference can be heard at GoASU.com beginning at 10 a.m
