SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The Samford football team placed seven players in eight different spots on the Southern Conference Coaches' Preseason All-Conference team, released by the league office on Thursday in conjunction with the SoCon Football Media Day at the Spartanburg Marriott.
 
The league office also released the preseason poll for both the coaches and the media on Thursday. The Bulldogs were picked to finish sixth in both polls.
 
“I'm excited about our football team,” Samford head coach Pat Sullivan told the media gathered for the event. “Each year we have been here, we've gotten better. I think this is the most talented team, overall, that we've had. The intangibles, the leadership on and off the field, are as good as I have been around.”
 
Offensive lineman Ryan Dudchock and wide receiver Kelsey Pope were both named first team offense, while place-kicker Cameron Yaw and return specialist Fabian Truss were both named first team for special teams.
 
Truss was also named second team as a running back. Offensive lineman Charlie Sanford, defensive lineman Nicholas Williams and defensive back Alvin Hines II joined Truss on the second team.
 
Dudchock started all 11 games at center a year ago. He has been one of the leaders of the Bulldogs' offensive line for the last two years.
 
As a sophomore in 2011, Pope ranked second in the Southern Conference and sixth in the nation in receptions per game (7.82). He also ranked third in the league in receiving yards per game (73.6). He led Samford with 86 catches for 810 yards and six touchdowns during the 2011 season.
 
Yaw made 23-of-28 field goal attempts and 32-of-33 extra-point attempts last season. He also handled kickoffs for the Bulldogs, averaging 62.7 yards per kick on 64 kickoffs. Yaw led the Southern Conference in field goals made, and he ranked second in the league in field goal percentage and scoring.
 
Truss ranked second in the Southern Conference in kick return average with an average of 29.3 yards per return. He had a long return of 82 yards for a touchdown against Western Carolina.
 
As a running back, Truss ranked third in the SoCon in rushing, despite fighting an injury late in the season. He rushed for 847 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games. Truss averaged 5.6 yards per carry during the season. Overall, Truss led the SoCon and ranked fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards, averaging 177.4 per game.
 
Sanford was one of the key members of the offensive line last season. He was one of the leaders of the offensive line that produced an average of 166.3 rushing yards per game.
 
Williams produced 23 tackles, including 17 solo stops as a junior in 2011. He had 3.0 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced one fumble and broke up one pass.
 
Hines, a strong safety for the Bulldogs, led the team in tackles last season with 66, including 52 solo stops. Hines also led the team in pass break-ups with nine and he finished second on the squad in interceptions with three.
 
Wofford running back Eric Breitenstein was named the league's preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Georgia Southern defensive lineman Brent Russell was tabbed as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Georgia Southern was picked as the favorite to win the league by both the coaches and the media.
 
In the coaches' preseason poll, Appalachian State was picked second, followed by Wofford. Chattanooga was picked fourth, Furman fifth, Samford sixth, Elon seventh, The Citadel eighth and Western Carolina ninth.
 
The media picked Wofford to finish second and Appalachian State third. The top three were followed by Chattanooga (fourth), Furman (fifth), Samford (sixth), Elon (seventh), The Citadel (eighth) and Western Carolina (ninth).
 
Samford opens the 2012 season with a home game against Furman on Sept. 1. The game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. (CT) start from Seibert Stadium, and the contest will be televised live on CSS.
 
2012 Southern Conference Football
Preseason All-Conference Teams
 
Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Breitenstein, Sr., RB, Wofford
Defensive Player of the Year: Brent Russell, Sr., DL, Georgia Southern
 
First Team Offense
QB    Jamal Jackson, Jr., Appalachian State
RB     Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
RB     Eric Breitenstein, Sr., Wofford
OL     Mike Sellers, Jr., The Citadel
OL     Dakota Dozier, Jr., Furman
OL     Dorian Byrd, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL     Ryan Dudchock, Sr., Samford
OL     Jake Miles, Sr. Wofford
TE     Colin Anderson, Sr., Furman
WR    Aaron Mellette, Sr., Elon
WR    Kelsey Pope, Jr., Samford
 
First Team Defense
DL     Chris Billingslea, Sr., The Citadel
DL     Josh Lynn, Sr., Furman
DL     Brent Russell, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL     Josh Williams, Sr., Chattanooga
LB     Jeremy Kimbrough, Sr., Appalachian State
LB     Wes Dothard, Jr., Chattanooga
LB     Alvin Scioneaux, Jr., Wofford
DB    Demetrius McCray, Sr., Appalachian State
DB    Greg Worthy, Jr., Furman
DB    Deion Stanley, So., Georgia Southern
DB    D.J. Key, Jr., Chattanooga
 
First Team Specialists
PK     Cameron Yaw, Sr., Samford
P       Cass Couey, Sr., The Citadel
RS     Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
 
Second Team Offense
QB    Thomas Wilson, Sr., Elon
RB     Darien Robinson, Jr., The Citadel
RB     Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
OL     Kendall Lamm, So., Appalachian State
OL     Blake DeBartola, Sr., Georgia Southern
OL     Charlie Sanford, Sr., Samford
OL     Adam Miller, Sr., Chattanooga
OL     Jared Singleton, Jr., Wofford
OL     (tie) Calvin Cantrell, Sr., Wofford
TE     Faysal Shafaat, So., Chattanooga
WR    Andrew Peacock, Jr., Appalachian State
WR    Tony Washington, Jr., Appalachian State
 
Second Team Defense
DL     Ronald Blair, So., Appalachian State
DL     Derek Douglas, Jr., The Citadel
DL     Tony Thompson, Jr., Elon
DL     Nick Williams, Sr., Samford
DL     (tie) Davis Tull, So., Chattanooga
LB     Brandon Grier, Sr., Appalachian State
LB     Mitch McGrath, Sr., Furman
LB     Darius Eubanks, Sr., Georgia Southern
LB     (tie) Rock Williams, Sr., Western Carolina
DB    Troy Sanders, Sr., Appalachian State
DB    Alvin Hines II, Sr., Samford
DB    Kadeem Wise, Jr., Chattanooga
DB    Nathan Wade, Sr., Furman
 
Second Team Specialists
PK     Nick Pollard, So., Chattanooga
P       Sam Martin, Sr., Appalachian State
RS     Darreion Robinson, Sr., Georgia Southern
 
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
2012 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
 
School (First-place votes)                    Points
1.            Georgia Southern (7)                 63
2.            Appalachian State (2)                57
3.            Wofford                                         48
4.            Chattanooga                               44
5.            Furman                                        36
6.            Samford                                       27
7.            Elon                                              24
8.            The Citadel                                 17
9.            Western Carolina                        8
 
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team
 
2012 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
 
School (First-place votes)                         Points
1.         Georgia Southern (25)                      266
2.         Wofford (4)                                          225
3.         Appalachian State (1)                       223
4.         Chattanooga                                      163
5.         Furman                                                152
6.         Samford                                              105
7.         Elon                                                      104
8.         The Citadel                                           79
9.         Western Carolina                                36