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SportsNetwork.com | July 4, 2014

EWU QB Vernon Adams headlines 2014 FCS Preseason All-America Team

Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams was second in the FCS in total yards per game in 2013.

PHILADELPHIA -- Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams may seem like an easy choice for The Sports Network FCS Preseason All-America first team, but consider this: The FCS level is so deep in dual-threat signal callers that the 10th-place finisher for last year's national player of the year award failed to make any of the three teams on this year's preseason squad.

Adams, a junior who was the Walter Payton Award runner-up, was one of 33 2013 All-Americans to be selected to the preseason team and one of five from Eastern Washington, which tied for the most selections by a school with Fordham, whose senior quarterback, Michael Nebrich, was the preseason second-team choice at the position.

Southeastern Louisiana senior Bryan Bennett and Villanova junior John Robertson shared third-team honors at quarterback.

2014 FCS KICKOFF
Eastern Washington will play host to Sam Houston State at 3:30 p.m. ET Aug. 23 to kickoff the college football season.
2014 FCS Schedule

All four quarterbacks finished in the Top 10 of the Payton Award voting for the top individual FCS honor. Princeton's 10th-place finisher, Quinn Epplerly, the 2013 Ivy League offensive player of the year who led the FCS in points responsible for per game, fell just short of being named a Preseason All-American.

Indeed, it was talent galore as the three preseason teams went 101 players deep, spread out among 59 schools and all 13 FCS conferences.

Dual-threat quarterbacks are certainly in fashion in today's game. Adams finished second in the FCS in total yards per game (373.3) just behind the national leader Nebrich (376.4). Robertson (306.5) and Bennett (300.8) finished ninth and 11th, respectively, in total yards per game. All four QBs rushed for at least 500 yards, with Robertson leading the position nationally with 1,405 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Adams electrified all season as the Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year and the second-team All-America quarterback behind Payton Award winner Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois. Adams passed for 4,994 yards and 55 touchdowns, which both rank third all-time in an FCS season, and rushed for 605 yards and four touchdowns for the Eagles, who upset nationally ranked FBS member Oregon State, won their second consecutive conference title and reached the national semifinals for the third time in four years.

Joining Adams on the preseason first team was his favorite target, Eastern Washington sophomore wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who hauled in 21 touchdowns as well as the 2013 Jerry Rice Award as the national freshman of the year. In addition, Eagles senior linebacker Ronnie Hamlin made the second team, and senior running back Quincy Forte and junior offensive lineman Clay DeBord landed on the third team.

Fordham's five Preseason All-America players were Nebrich, first-team choices Sam Ajala, a wide receiver, and Stephen Hodge, a linebacker, second-team selection Mason Halter, an offensive lineman, and third-team pick Dan Light, a tight end. Each a senior, they return to a Rams squad that set a school record with 12 wins in 2013.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference, home to three-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State, had the most first-team selections with eight, while its 13 overall selections tied with the Big Sky Conference for the second-highest total behind CAA Football's 15.

Eastern Illinois and Southeastern Louisiana had four selections each, and eight other schools, including North Dakota State, collected three each.

2014 FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
Vernon Adams Eastern Washington QB Jr. 6-0 190
David Johnson Northern Iowa RB Sr. 6-3 225
Zach Zenner South Dakota State RB Sr. 6-0 220
Emmanuel Holder Towson FB Jr. 5-11 255
Sam Ajala Fordham WR Sr. 6-0 194
R.J. Harris New Hampshire WR Sr. 6-0 200
Cooper Kupp Eastern Washington WR So. 6-2 195
MyCole Pruitt Southern Illinois TE Sr. 6-3 250
Robert Booker Missouri State OL Jr. 6-3 315
Antoine Everett McNeese State OL Sr. 6-3 304
Max Holcombe Jacksonville State OL Sr. 6-3 290
Jack Rummells Northern Iowa OL Sr. 6-5 301
Collin Seibert Eastern Illinois OL Sr. 6-4 277
Rob Hollomon Central Connecticut AP Sr. 5-8 170
Thomas Kinney Southern Illinois PK Sr. 5-8 174
Xavier Roberson SE Louisiana KR Jr. 5-9 170
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
Zach Hodges Harvard DE Sr. 6-3 235
Davis Tull Chattanooga DE Sr. 6-3 240
O.J. Mau Gardner-Webb DT Jr. 6-2 302
Troy Moore Sacred Heart DT Sr. 6-3 285
Quinn Backus Coastal Carolina LB Sr. 5-10 215
Tony Bell Tennessee-Martin LB Sr. 6-1 200
Stephen Hodge Fordham LB Sr. 6-0 202
Lynden Trail Norfolk State LB Sr. 6-7 260
Harlan Miller SE Louisiana CB Jr. 6-0 170
Tye Smith Towson CB Sr. 6-0 170
Daniel Fitzpatrick Tennessee State S Sr. 6-2 210
Caleb Schaffitzel Missouri State S Sr. 6-0 214
Kyle Loomis Portland State P Sr. 6-2 210
Chris Highland Illinois State LS Sr. 6-2 215
Adrian Wilkins North Carolina Central PR Jr. 5-8 170
SSECOND TEAM OFFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
Michael Nebrich Fordham QB Sr. 6-1 205
DaMarcus James Jacksonville State RB Sr. 5-10 230
Keshaudas Spence Sacred Heart RB Sr. 5-10 230
Nick Butier Northern Arizona FB Jr. 6-1 240
Kenny Cook Gardner-Webb WR Sr. 6-4 210
Adam Drake Eastern Illinois WR Sr. 6-2 199
Tre McBride William & Mary WR Sr. 6-1 200
Jeff LePak Eastern Illinois TE Sr. 6-6 222
Mike Coccia New Hampshire OL Sr. 6-3 282
Nick Easton Harvard OL Sr. 6-3 300
Austin Gund Richmond OL Sr. 6-3 305
Mason Halter Fordham OL Sr. 6-6 282
Chad Hamilton Coastal Carolina OL Sr. 6-3 305
Ellis Henderson Montana AP Jr. 6-0 185
Ross Scheuerman Lafayette AP Sr. 6-1 202
Anthony Prevost Hampton PK So. 5-6 160
Shawn Johnson Montana State KR Sr. 5-9 175
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
James Cowser Southern Utah DE Jr. 6-4 244
Mike Reilly William & Mary DE Sr. 6-4 265
Zack Wagenmann Montana DE Sr. 6-3 250
Rodney Gunter Delaware State DT Sr. 6-5 305
Xavier Williams Northern Iowa DT Sr. 6-4 311
Isiah Corbett SE Louisiana LB Sr. 6-2 245
Ronnie Hamlin Eastern Washington LB Sr. 6-2 235
Luke Rhodes William & Mary LB Jr. 6-2 242
Nick Sigmon Liberty LB Sr. 6-2 250
Anthony Gaffney Princeton CB Jr. 6-3 200
Darrin Marrow Norfolk State CB Sr. 6-1 180
Jacob Hagen Liberty S Sr. 6-3 205
Colten Heagle North Dakota State S Sr. 5-11 202
Jaquiski Tartt Samford S Sr. 6-1 218
Eric Enderson Delaware P So. 6-1 210
Phil Faccone Wagner LS Sr. 5-9 195
Antwan Eddie Robert Morris PR Sr. 5-10 180
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
Bryan Bennett SE Louisiana QB Sr. 6-3 200
John Robertson Villanova QB Jr. 6-1 215
Quincy Forte Eastern Washington RB Sr. 5-11 185
Shepard Little Eastern Illinois RB Jr. 5-10 198
Dalton Turay UC Davis FB Sr. 5-10 220
Stephen Barnette Richmond WR Sr. 6-3 190
DeAndre Carter Sacramento State WR Sr. 5-9 185
Andrew Robustelli Jacksonville WR Sr. 6-3 210
Faysal Shafaat Chattanooga TE Sr. 6-5 250
Dan Light Fordham TE Sr. 6-5 250
Ned Daryoush Lehigh OL Sr. 6-4 290
Clay DeBord Eastern Washington OL Jr. 6-6 290
Donald Jackson III Sam Houston State OL Jr. 6-2 270
Jonathan Smith Jackson State OL Sr. 6-3 280
Domanic Wilson South Carolina State OL Jr. 6-5 300
Michael Johnson Delaware AP Sr. 6-2 210
Deon Randall Yale AP Sr. 5-8 175
Warren Handrahan Samford PK So. 5-10 181
Jatavious Wilson Central Arkansas KR So. 5-9 171
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
PLAYER SCHOOL POS. CLASS HEIGHT WEIGHT
Anthony Bass Tennessee State DE Sr. 6-2 230
LaMichael Fanning Jacksonville State DE Jr. 6-7 270
Jonathan Woodard Central Arkansas DE Jr. 6-6 271
Evan Kelly Richmond DT Sr. 6-2 285
Derrick Lott Chattanooga DT Sr. 6-4 303
Tanner Burch Gardner-Webb LB Sr. 6-3 241
Evan Byers Bucknell LB Sr. 6-0 225
Daniel Davis Penn LB Sr. 6-3 245
Carlton Littlejohn North Dakota State LB Sr. 6-1 216
Avery Boykin Mississippi Valley State CB Sr. 6-0 190
Martinez Davis Western Illinos CB Sr. 5-10 180
Christian Carpenter Towson S Jr. 6-2 185
Julien David Howard S Sr. 5-11 205
Dean Marlowe James Madison S Sr. 6-2 205
Cory Carter Texas Southern P Jr. 5-10 185
Courtland Clavette Brown LS Sr. 6-3 235
Christian Dudzik North Dakota State PR Sr. 5-10 188

 

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