Kennesaw State was predicted to win the Big South Conference football title, in a vote of league coaches and media Tuesday at the conference media days in Charlotte.
The Owls received 14 of 20 first-place votes to win the Big South, and eight Owls players received preseason honors.
While Kennesaw State is better known for its offense, coaches and media indicated that the Owls’ defense will lead the team this season. Five of the 12 slots on the conference’s first-team defense are from Kennesaw State, including preseason defensive player of the year Bryson Armstrong.
The Big South selected a first-team offense and a first-team defense, with 12 players on each, five special-teams positions and 11 honorable-mention choices. KSU landed no players on the first-team offense. Defensive linemen Desmond Johnson and Andrew Butcher, linebacker Armstrong and defensive backs Dorian Walker and Cincere Mason were selected for the first-team defense. Isaac Foster was chosen as the kick returner and the punt returner on the team. Running back Shaquil Terry and linebacker Charlie Patrick were honorable-mention choices.
BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL (first-place votes), Points
1 Kennesaw State (14), 134
2 Monmouth (5), 122
3 Charleston Southern (1), 79
4 Campbell, 73
5 Gardner-Webb, 67
6 Hampton, 64
7 Presbyterian College, 21
First-Team Offense
QB Kenji Bahar, Sr., Monmouth
RB Juwon Farri, Soph., Monmouth
RB Pete Guerriero, Jr., Monmouth
WR Caleb Snead, Soph., Campbell
WR Keith Pearson, Jr., Presbyterian
WR Jakobi Byrd, Soph., North Alabama
TE Michael Wooten, Sr., Campbell
OL Zack Evans, Sr., Charleston Southern
OL Jacob Cuddington, Sr., Campbell
OL Brandon Leahey, Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL Gibril Ghee, Sr., Hampton
OL Matt Price, Sr., Campbell
First-Team Defense
DL Damien Dozier, Jr., Campbell
DL John Singleton, Soph., Gardner-Webb
DL Desmond Johnson, Sr., Kennesaw State
DL Andrew Butcher, Sr., Kennesaw State
LB Bryson Armstrong, Jr., Kennesaw State
LB J.D. Sosebee, Sr., Charleston Southern
LB Colby Campbell, Jr., Presbyterian
LB Darien Reynolds, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Tymere Berry, Sr., Monmouth
DB Dorian Walker, Sr., Kennesaw State
DB Cincere Mason, Soph., Kennesaw State
DB Dorian Jones, Soph., Campbell
Special teams
PK Matt Mosquera, Sr., Monmouth
P Brad Dennis, Sr., Campbell
KR Isaac Foster, Soph., Kennesaw State
PR Isaac Foster, Soph., Kennesaw State
LS Ethan Ray, Jr., Charleston Southern
Honorable mention
QB Christian Lopez, Sr., North Alabama
RB Shaquil Terry, Jr., Kennesaw State
WR Ronald Bell, Sr., Hampton
OL Eli Teeselink, Sr., Presbyterian
DL Josh Ramseur, Sr., Gardner-Webb
LB Jarrett Nagy, Soph., Presbyterian (tie)
LB Charlie Patrick, Jr., Kennesaw State (tie)
DB Justin Terry, Jr., Monmouth
PK Colin Gary, Sr., Campbell
P Kyle Reighard, Sr., Charleston Southern
LS Jackson Hayes, Soph., Campbell
Offensive Player of the Year
Kenji Bahar, R-Sr., QB, Monmouth
Defensive Player of the Year
Bryson Armstrong, R-Jr., LB, Kennesaw State
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