Gardner-Webb was picked to finish fourth in the Big South Conference football race, as the league released its preseason poll and All-Conference teams Friday at the annual media day festivities. The Runnin’ Bulldogs (5-6, 2-3 last season) return 20 combined starters on offense and defense, and paced the Big South’s preseason All-Conference team with 10 selections. The league’s head coaches and media selected the preseason poll and teams. Liberty, which has won two-straight league titles, was picked to win a third crown – but after the Flames the contenders were very close in voting.
Five of the league’s seven members received at least one first place vote, and only 10 total voting points separated second-place Stony Brook (87) and fourth-place Gardner-Webb (77). Coastal Carolina (83 points) was picked to finish third. Gardner-Webb (2002-2003), Coastal Carolina (2004-2006) and Liberty (2007-2008) are the only schools with multiple Big South Conference football championships.
Charleston Southern (56 points) was picked to finish fifth, VMI (39 points) was chosen sixth and Presbyterian (25 points) was picked seventh.
Headlining the All-Conference team was Gardner-Webb linebacker Jeffery Williams (6-0, 229, Jr.), who was named the preseason Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year – adding to a laundry list of accolades this summer, which includes slots on six different preseason All-America squads and inclusion on the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. The Buchanan Award, presented by The Sports Network, is give to the top defensive player nationally in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Williams, who led the Big South Conference with 119 tackles last season, has 239 hits in just 22 career starts in college. The Frisco City, Ala., native was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and earned third-team FCS All-America honors from The Sports Network and the Associated Press last season.
Joining Williams on the Big South’s preseason defensive team were 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior linebacker Mario Brown (Greenville, S.C. / JL Mann HS), 6-foot-1, 291-pound senior defensive tackle Quinnon Isom (6-1, 291, RSr.), 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end Jordan Woods (Charlotte, N.C. / West Charlotte HS) and 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior cornerback Cedric McGowan (Greer, S.C. / Greer HS).
VMI standout Tim Maypray was tabbed the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Gardner-Webb’s players on the preseason All-Big South offense were 6-foot-7, 317-pound junior offensive lineman Corey O’Daniel (Louisville, Ky. / St. Xavier HS), 6-foot-2, 241-pound junior tight end Josh Miller (Danville, Ky. / Boyle County HS), 6-foot, 188-pound sophomore receiver James Perry III (Greensboro, N.C. / Dudley HS) and 5-foot-11, 178-pound junior receiver Tyson Petty (Gaffney, S.C. / Gaffney HS).
Sophomore kicker Ryan Gates (Sharpsburg, Ga. / East Coweta HS), also a preseason All-America along with Williams and Brown, was named the league’s top kicker heading into 2009 – after setting a freshman record with 16 made field goals last season.
Gardner-Webb’s opens the 2009 season at home on Saturday, September 9, at 6 pm ET against Mars Hill. Tickets are available by calling the GWU ticket office at (704) 406-4340.
