The defending Southland Conference champion Sam Houston football team received more preseason national recognition Monday when four Bearkats were named to the 2012 College Sporting News Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America squad.
The four players are listed among 100 student-athletes. Founded in 2001, College Sporting News is the largest and oldest news service solely devoted to publishing original content and other information of the FCS.
Tim Flanders, J. T. Cleveland and Darnell Taylor are first team selections. Richard Sincere is a second team honoree.
Flanders begins his junior season with 2,592 career rushing yards, just 97 away from becoming SHSU’s all-time leading rusher. The Midwest City, Okla., product was Southland Conference “Player of the Year” in 2011.
Cleveland is a two-time All-Southland selection who led the Bearkat defensive line with 46 tackles including nine for losses as a junior. The senior from Baytown Lee has 95 career stops to his credit.
Taylor received Southland Conference “Defensive Player of the Year” in 2011 after leading SHSU’s nationally-ranked defense with 128 tackles. The senior from Mesquite ranks No. 10 in all-time Bearkat tackles with a career mark of 236 stops.
Sincere was voted as Southland “Ofensive Player of the Year” as the Kats swept all three major football awards after a 14-1 season and an NCAA Division I National Championship game appearance. The Galveston Ball product has rolled up 1,959 yards and 19 touchdowns as an all-purpose player.
Five other Southland Conference players were listed on the preseason All-America squad including safety Jestin Love of Central Arkansas, wide receiver Cordell Roberson and defensive end Willie Jefferson of SFA and safety Malcolm Bronson and punt returner Darius Carey of McNeese State.
Sam Houston State’s 2012 football season begins Saturday, Sept. 8, when the Bearkats play host to the University of Incarnate Word from San Antonio in a 6 p.m. game at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.
Season tickets for Bearkat football are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
College Sporting News FCS 2012 Preseason All-America Teams
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB DeNarius McGhee, Montana State
RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State
RB Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State
FB Eric Breitenstein, Wofford
AP Jordan Brown, Bryant
T Aaron Adams, Eastern Kentucky
T Evan Conrad, SE Missouri State
G Malcolm Boyd, Liberty
G Zach Brackusuthern Utah
C Mike Sellers, The Citadel
TE Colin Anderson, Furman
WR Aaron Mellette, Elon.
WR Nicholas Edwards, Eastern Washington
WR Aaron Mellette, Elon
DEFENSE
DE Ben Obaseki, Indiana State
DE Blake Oliaro, San Diego
DT J.T. Cleveland, Sam Houston State
DT Brent Russell, Georgia Southern
DL Caraun Reid, Princeton
LB Matt Evans, New Hampshire
LB Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State
LB Keith Pough, Howard
LB Mike Niam, Wofford
CB Marcus Williams, North Dakota State
CB Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State
SS Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State
FS Kejuan Riley, Alabama State
DB Charles James, Charleston Southern
SPECIAL TEAMS
KR Kevin Fogg, Liberty
PR Darius Drummonduth Carolina State
K Zach Brown, Portland State
P Jonathan Plisco, Old Dominion
LS Richard Wright, Liberty
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Brad Sorensenuthern Utah
RB Terrance West, Towson
RB Matt Denham, Eastern Kentucky
FB Kendall Gaskins, Richmond
AP Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State
T Blake Matthews, Norfolk State
T Patrick Ford, Eastern Kentucky
G Earl Watford, James Madison
G Danny Kistler, Montana
C Gavin Farruthern Utah
TE Justin Perillo, Maine
WR Richard Sincere, Sam Houston State
WR Rodrick Rumble, Idaho State
WR Norman White, Villanova
DEFENSE
DE Willie Jefferson, Stephen F. Austin
DE Joseph LeBeau, Jackson State
DT Zach Minter, Montana State
DT Cody Larsenuthern Utah
DL Marquis Jackson, Texas Southern
LB Blake Peiffer, SE Missouri State
LB Aaron Archie, Indiana State
LB Wes Dothard, Chattanooga
LB Jody Owens, Montana State
CB Charles James, Charleston Southern
CB B.W. Webb, William & Mary
SS Colten Heagle , North Dakota State
FS Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State
DB Serge Kona, Duquesne
SPECIAL TEAMS
KR Fabian Truss, Samford
PR Terrence Lewis, Alcorn State
K Tyler Sievertsen, Northern Iowa
P Patrick Murray, Fordham
LS Mike Chocholousek, Charleston Southern
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Kurt Hess, Youngstown State
RB Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State
RB Andrew Pierce, Delaware
FB Brian Barlow, James Madison
AP Zach Bauman, Northern Arizona
T Billy Turner, North Dakota State
T Kadeem Williams, Albany.
G Chris Howley, Maine
G Ricky Archer, New Hampshire
C FN Lutz, Indiana State
TE Kyle Juszczyk, Harvard
WR Cordell Roberson, Stephen F. Austin
WR Tyrone Walker, Illinois State
WR Lanny Funsten, Davidson
DEFENSE
DE Joshua Williams, Chattanooga
DE Tyler Starruth Dakota,
DT Chris Burnette, Old Dominion
DT Caraun Reid, Princeton
DL Marcus Edwards, Tennessee Tech
LB Evan Fierson, Illinois State
LB Stephon Robertons, James Madison
LB Alvin Scioneaux, Wofford
LB Jawara Dudley, Stoney Brook
CB Varmah Sonie, Northern Iowa
CB B.W. Webb, William & Mary
SS Jestin Love, Central Arkansas
FS Jordan Dangerfield, Towson
DB Justin Bell, Eastern Kentucky
SPECIAL TEAMS
KR Fabian Truss, Samford
PR Darius Carey, McNeese State
K Kevin Robbuth Dakota
P Cass Couey, The Citadel
LS John Hubbard, Northern Iowa
