Last Updated on July 25, 2023 1:48 pm
NEW ORLEANS — Three App State football standouts were named Preseason All-Sun Belt selections Monday as the Mountaineers were picked to finish second in the league's loaded East Division.
Offensive lineman Isaiah Helms and return specialist Milan Tucker received first-team recognition, with offensive lineman Damion Daley being voted to the second team.
App State and James Madison led East Division teams with four first-place votes apiece, and James Madison's 78 total voting points put the Dukes ahead of the Mountaineers (75) and third-place Coastal Carolina (71 points, with three first-place votes). Fourth-place Marshall received two first-place votes, followed by fifth-place Georgia Southern (one first-place vote), sixth-place Georgia Southern and seventh-place Old Dominion.
App State, Marshall, Georgia Southern and ODU all defeated Power Five conference teams last season.
With 10 of 14 first-place votes, reigning league champion Troy was named the West Division favorite, followed by second-place South Alabama (four first-place votes).
Sun Belt Media Days will be held Tuesday and Wednesday in New Orleans, with App State and other East Division teams participating Wednesday.
The Mountaineers' official press conference with head coach Shawn Clark, safety Nick Ross and Helms will take place on the main stage at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) and be shown on ESPN+. The direct link to watch their appearance can be found by clicking HERE.
Helms started in all 25 of his App State game appearances during his first two seasons with the Mountaineers, including a 2022 season in which he was named an All-Sun Belt performer, and Tucker received All-America recognition last year after ranking second nationally by averaging 28.2 yards per kick return. Daley, who also earned All-Sun Belt recognition in 2022, started every game from 2021-22 at left guard.
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
East Division
1. James Madison – 78 Points (4)
2. App State – 75 Points (4)
3. Coastal Carolina – 71 Points (3)
4. Marshall – 68 Points (2)
5. Georgia Southern – 52 Points (1)
6. Georgia State – 31 Points
7. Old Dominion – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 92 Points (10)
2. South Alabama – 85 Points (4)
3. Louisiana – 64 Points
4. Southern Miss – 62 Points
5. Texas State – 36 Points
6. Arkansas State – 33 Points
7. ULM – 20 Points
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Jr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
RB – La'Damian Webb, South Alabama (Sr., RB – Opelika, Ala.)
RB – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss (Jr., RB – Miami, Fla.)
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State (Sr., OL – Hudson, N.C.)
OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., OL – Carrollton, Ga.)
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State (RS Sr., OL – Vienna, Ga.)
OL – Nick Kidwell, James Madison (RS Sr., OL – Knoxville, Md.)
OL – Logan Osburn, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
TE – Neal Johnson, Louisiana (Sr., TE – Mesquite, Texas)
WR – Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS So., WR – Lilburn, Ga.)
WR – Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr., WR – Greenwood, S.C.)
WR – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., WR – McDonough, Ga.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – James Carpenter, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Roanoke, Va.)
DL – Owen Porter, Marshall (RS Sr., DL – Huntington, W.Va.)
DL – TJ Jackson, Troy (Jr., DL – Millbrook, Ala.)
DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy (Sr., DL – Delta State, Nigeria)
LB – JT Killen, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Lake Wylie, S.C.)
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., LB – Beaver Falls, Pa.)
LB – Eli Neal, Marshall (Sr., LB – Memphis, Tenn.)
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Jr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
DB – Micah Abraham, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – Tampa, Fla.)
DB – Yam Banks, South Alabama (Jr., DB – Ridgeland, Miss.)
DB – Jay Stanley, Southern Miss (Sr., DB – Greenwood, Miss.)
DB – Reddy Steward, Troy (Sr., DB – Decatur, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Dominic Zvada, Arkansas State (So., K – Chandler, Ariz.)
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison (RS Jr., P – Elgin, Texas)
RS – Milan Tucker, App State (RS Jr., RS – Lehigh Acres, Fla.)
AP – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss (Jr., AP – Miami, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Carter Bradley, South Alabama (Sr., QB – Jacksonville, Fla.)
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall (RS So., RB – Cleveland, Ohio)
RB – Kimani Vidal, Troy (Jr., RB – Marietta, Ga.)
OL – Damion Daley, App State (RS Sr., OL – Columbia, S.C.)
OL – Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., OL – Matthews, N.C.)
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana (RS Jr., OL – Natchitoches, La.)
OL – Ethan Driskell, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Louisville, Ky.)
OL – Daniel King, Troy (Jr., OL – Cairo, Ga.)
TE – Jjay Mcafee, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., TE – Charleston, S.C.)
WR – Tyrone Howell, ULM (6th Yr., WR – Idabel, Okla.)
WR – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama (Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
WR – Devin Voisin, South Alabama (Sr., WR – Crestview, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Javon Denis, Georgia State (RS Sr., DL – Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama (RS Jr., DL – Riverdale, Ga.)
DL – Jalen Williams, Southern Miss (Sr., DL – Tylertown, Miss.)
DL – Jordan Revels, Texas State (Sr., DL – Houston, Texas)
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy (Jr., DL – Tallahassee, Fla.)
LB – Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State (RS Sr., LB – Tampa, Fla.)
LB – Jordan Veneziale, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Dallas, Ga.)
LB – Taurus Jones, James Madison (RS Jr., LB – Portsmouth, Va.)
DB – Bryquice Brown, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Dorchester, Mass.)
DB – Keith Gallmon Jr., South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Jr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)
DB – Dell Pettus, Troy (Sr., DB – Harvest, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (Sr., K – Spanish Fort, Ala.)
P – Ethan Duane, Old Dominion (Jr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina (So., RS – Winter Garden, Fla.)
AP – Kimani Vidal, Troy (Jr., AP – Marietta, Ga.)
