JONESBORO, AR (News release) – Led by six first-team selections, the Arkansas State football team placed a league-high 11 players on the 2015 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was announced by the conference office Monday morning.
The Red Wolves, who were recently picked third in the conference’s 2015 preseason football coaches’ poll, had two first-team offense, three first-team defense and one first-team special teams picks, while six other A-State players garnered second-team accolades.
The conference’s head coaches and select members of the media selected the 2015 preseason All-SBC Teams. UL Lafayette followed A-State with seven choices, including Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Elijah McGuire, while Georgia Southern (six), Appalachian State (five), and Louisiana-Monroe (five). Georgia State and South Alabama had four selections each, while Texas State, Troy and Idaho each had three. New Mexico State rounded out the team one with pick.
Senior quarterback Fredi Knighten and senior wide out J.D. McKissic earned first-team offense honors, while sophomore defensive lineman Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, senior defensive end Chris Stone and junior linebacker Xavier Woodson were tabbed to the all-defensive first-team. Sophomore return specialists Blaise Taylor also nabbed first-team all-special teams honors.
Knighten and McKissic were part of an A-State offense that set schools records in total offense (6,194), average yards per game (476.5), total plays (1,024) and points scored (477). Knighten accounted for 35 touchdowns (24 passing and 11 rushing) and threw for 3,277 yards and complete 62.3 percent of his pass attempts. McKissic caught 52 passes for 629 yards for an average of 12.1 yards per catch and is the nation’s active leader in career receptions with 237, the most in A-State and Sun Belt history.
Stone, Rolland-Jones and Woodson helped the Red Wolves to the No. 14 ranking in the nation defensive touchdowns (4), No. 15 ranking in passes intercepted (16) and No. 17 in team sacks per game (2.85). Stone set career-highs in tackles (48), sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (10), while Rolland-Jones tallied a team high eight sacks and had 30 tackles, second most among all defensive linemen on the team. Woodson led the team with 95 tackles, had a career-best four sacks and was one of just three players in the Sun Belt to rank in the top-20 in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks.
Taylor blossomed into one of the Sun Belt’s most dangerous return men as a true freshman. His 8.1 yards per punt return ranked as the 35th best in the nation, and he was responsible for the first punt return by an A-State player for a touchdown since the 2007 season.
Second-team preseason all-league honorees for A-State include senior running back Michael Gordon, senior tight end Darion Griswold, junior offensive lineman Colton Jackson, senior defensive back Rocky Hayes and senior punter Luke Ferguson.
Arkansas State will open the 2015 campaign Sept. 5 at USC in Los Angeles, Calif., at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Season tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale at the A-State Ticket Office, located at the Convocation Center’s lower red entrance. The ticket office can be contacted at 870-972-2781 and ticket information is also available by on the Ticket Central Page.
The Red Wolves, who were recently picked third in the conference’s 2015 preseason football coaches’ poll, had two first-team offense, three first-team defense and one first-team special teams picks, while six other A-State players garnered second-team accolades.
The conference’s head coaches and select members of the media selected the 2015 preseason All-SBC Teams. UL Lafayette followed A-State with seven choices, including Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Elijah McGuire, while Georgia Southern (six), Appalachian State (five), and Louisiana-Monroe (five). Georgia State and South Alabama had four selections each, while Texas State, Troy and Idaho each had three. New Mexico State rounded out the team one with pick.
Senior quarterback Fredi Knighten and senior wide out J.D. McKissic earned first-team offense honors, while sophomore defensive lineman Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, senior defensive end Chris Stone and junior linebacker Xavier Woodson were tabbed to the all-defensive first-team. Sophomore return specialists Blaise Taylor also nabbed first-team all-special teams honors.
Knighten and McKissic were part of an A-State offense that set schools records in total offense (6,194), average yards per game (476.5), total plays (1,024) and points scored (477). Knighten accounted for 35 touchdowns (24 passing and 11 rushing) and threw for 3,277 yards and complete 62.3 percent of his pass attempts. McKissic caught 52 passes for 629 yards for an average of 12.1 yards per catch and is the nation’s active leader in career receptions with 237, the most in A-State and Sun Belt history.
Stone, Rolland-Jones and Woodson helped the Red Wolves to the No. 14 ranking in the nation defensive touchdowns (4), No. 15 ranking in passes intercepted (16) and No. 17 in team sacks per game (2.85). Stone set career-highs in tackles (48), sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (10), while Rolland-Jones tallied a team high eight sacks and had 30 tackles, second most among all defensive linemen on the team. Woodson led the team with 95 tackles, had a career-best four sacks and was one of just three players in the Sun Belt to rank in the top-20 in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks.
Taylor blossomed into one of the Sun Belt’s most dangerous return men as a true freshman. His 8.1 yards per punt return ranked as the 35th best in the nation, and he was responsible for the first punt return by an A-State player for a touchdown since the 2007 season.
Second-team preseason all-league honorees for A-State include senior running back Michael Gordon, senior tight end Darion Griswold, junior offensive lineman Colton Jackson, senior defensive back Rocky Hayes and senior punter Luke Ferguson.
Arkansas State will open the 2015 campaign Sept. 5 at USC in Los Angeles, Calif., at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Season tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale at the A-State Ticket Office, located at the Convocation Center’s lower red entrance. The ticket office can be contacted at 870-972-2781 and ticket information is also available by on the Ticket Central Page.
