MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama placed nine players on the 2014 preseason All-Sun Belt football team, which the conference released ahead of its media day in New Orleans.
Three Jaguars made the first team and six were named to the second team. The team was voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches and select members of the media.
First-Team Selections
Tight end Wes Saxton was a first-team pick for the second straight year. Offensive linemen Chris May and Ucambre Williams joined him on the first team.
Saxton is also on the preseason watch lists for the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end, and the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the top receiver.
Second-Team Selections
- Jereme Jones, wide receiver
- Shavarez Smith, wide receiver
- Jesse Kelley, defensive line
- Maleki Harris, linebacker
- Qudarius Ford, defensive back
- Aleem Sunanon, placekicker
Receivers Bring Records and Streaks
Jones enters the season with a streak of 39 consecutive games with at least one reception.
Smith set South Alabama’s single-season record for receiving yards last season. His average of 18.8 yards per catch ranked 14th nationally and third among players from conferences without automatic BCS bids. He is also on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.
Ford Leads Returning Tacklers
Ford is South Alabama’s top returning tackler. He was second on the team last season with 76 tackles, intercepted two passes and broke up six others while starting all 12 games.
Sunanon Set Scoring Record
Sunanon recovered from an uneven start to his redshirt freshman season to set a school single-season record with 91 points. He made 18 of 23 field goal attempts and 37 of 39 extra points, and he connected on a school-record 12 straight field goals over the final seven games.
He finished second in the Sun Belt in scoring average, ranked in the top 20 nationally in field goals per game and was an honorable mention All-Sun Belt pick in 2013, his first season of college football.
Head coach Joey Jones, May and Harris are representing South Alabama at Sun Belt media day at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
