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Link: http://conferenceusa.com/news/2018/7/16/football-fb-2018-preseason-awards.aspx FB: 2018 Preseason Awards July 16, 2018 A trio of standouts headline the list of 2018 preseason Conference USA Football award winners, as chosen by the league’s 14 head coaches. Florida Atlantic junior RB Devin Singletary was selected as the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, Florida Atlantic senior LB Azeez Al-Shaair was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year, while Southern Miss senior K Parker Shaunfield earned Special Teams Player of the Year honors. 2018_Preseason_Awards "Motor" Singletary was named C-USA Most Valuable Player last season after scoring a nation-leading 32 rushing touchdowns last season (nine more than any other player) and 33 total TDs (five more than any other player). He scored more rushing touchdowns last year (32) than previous school career record-holder Alfred Morris had in four years from 2008-11 (27). Singletary also topped 100 yards in each of the final 11 games of the season for the Owls. Both the rushing TD’s and total TD’s are new C-USA records in those categories, breaking records held by UCF RB Kevin Smith, now his running backs coach. Singletary finished fifth nationally with 1,920 rushing yards and FAU was sixth nationally in rushing at 285.9 yards per game. Al-Shaair was a first team All-Conference USA selection in 2017 after he set a new Florida Atlantic single-season record with 147 tackles. He posted nine games with double-digit stops and also helped the defense with 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four passes defended and one forced fumble. Al-Shaair already holds the schools’ career tackles mark with 354. Shaunfield converted the first 89 extra-point attempts to start his career (a school record) and is now 104-for-106 all-time as a Golden Eagle. The first team All-C-USA performer converted 17-of-20 field goals last season, including 15 in a row at one point. Shaunfield was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2017. Defending conference champion Florida Atlantic had the most overall preseason selections with six, while Marshall produced five and Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee each had players comprising four spots. Eight schools had multiple players named to the squad. The league’s 23rd football season begins on Thursday, August 30. The 14th annual Conference USA Football Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West Divisions, will be held Saturday, Dec. 1. The C-USA Media Poll (Predicted Order of Finish) will be released on Tuesday. 2018 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Devin Singletary, Jr., RB, Florida Atlantic DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Azeez Al-Shaair, Sr., LB, Florida Atlantic SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Parker Shaunfield, Sr., K, Southern Miss OFFENSE QB Mason Fine, Jr., North Texas QB Brent Stockstill, Sr., Middle Tennessee RB Spencer Brown, So., UAB RB Devin Singletary, Jr., Florida Atlantic OL Reggie Bain, Sr., Florida Atlantic OL Chandler Brewer, Sr., Middle Tennessee OL Jordan Budwig, Sr., FIU OL Levi Brown, Jr., Marshall OL O’Shea Dugas, Sr., Louisiana Tech TE Harrison Bryant, Jr., Florida Atlantic WR Tyre Brady, Sr., Marshall WR Jalen Guyton, Sr., North Texas WR Ty Lee, Jr., Middle Tennessee WR Teddy Veal, Sr., Louisiana Tech DEFENSE DL Jaylon Ferguson, So., Louisiana Tech DL Fermin Silva, Sr., FIU DL Kevin Strong, Jr., Sr., UTSA DL Oshane Ximines, Jr., Old Dominion LB Azeez Al-Shaair, Sr., Florida Atlantic LB Khalil Brooks, Jr., Middle Tennessee LB Chase Hancock, Sr., Marshall LB Josiah Tauaefa, Jr., UTSA DB Ben DeLuca, Jr., Charlotte DB Malik Gant, Jr., Marshall DB Shelton Lewis, Sr., Florida Atlantic DB Amik Robertson, So., Louisiana Tech DB Jalen Young, Sr., Florida Atlantic SPECIAL TEAMS K Parker Shaunfield, Sr., Southern Miss P Jack Fox, Sr., Rice KR Isaiah Harper, Sr., Old Dominion PR Darrell Brown, Jr., Old Dominion LS Matt Beardall, Jr., Marshall

U.L.M. has an image problem. It’s not about L.S.U., because L.S.U. is L.S.U., and that’s fine. Louisiana-Monroe doesn’t compete with the Tigers, and wouldn’t dare try, of course. U.L.M. competes with Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Tulane for in-state eyeballs, and as the Warhawks head into the summer, they’re losing the battle for public attention. The Ragin’ Cajuns are riding a wave of good vibes after earning their first bowl berth on the F.B.S. level, beating U.L.M. to the punch. In addition to hitting its groove under Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech is now back in the news thanks to this week’s jump into Conference USA. Even Tulane, despite suffering a setback to its hopes for an on-campus stadium, has moved back into the regional conversation since hiring Curtis Johnson in December. In a state with five F.B.S. programs, U.L.M.’s Q rating comes in last. Perhaps being last isn’t new for the Warhawks; being a distant last, however, is a recent development. Read more: http://www.presnapread.com/no-107-louisiana-monroe/