BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Samford's
Jaquiski Tartt,
Fabian Truss and
Kelsey Pope were all named to the Sports Network's preseason All-America teams, when the organization released its preseason teams Monday morning.
Tartt was named first team All-American as a safety, while Truss made the first team as a kick returner. Pope was named to the third team as a wide receiver.
As a sophomore in 2012, Tartt was a finalist for the Sports Network's Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player at the FCS level. He led the team and tied for seventh in the Southern Conference in tackles with 94. He led the SoCon in passes defended with 14, and he tied for the league lead in interceptions with four.
From his safety position, Tartt scored two defensive touchdowns for the Bulldogs. He returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown against Georgia Southern, and he returned an interception 65 yards for a score against The Citadel.
Tartt, in his first season as a starter for the Bulldogs, was named All-American and All-SoCon at the conclusion of the 2012 season. During the season, he was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Month for September, and he earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.
Truss, who also serves the team as a running back, ranked third in the SoCon, averaging 27.1 yards per return. Overall, Truss led the league in all-purpose yards per game, averaging 179.8 yards per contest. At the conclusion of the season, Truss was named second team All-SoCon by the media as a kick returner.
As a running back, Truss rushed for 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior in 2012. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 96.6 yards per game. Truss was also named second team All-Conference as a running back by the Southern Conference's coaches and media.
Pope led Samford in receiving, catching 68 passes for 552 yards and four touchdowns. Pope averaged 8.1 yards per catch and 50.2 yards per game. Pope also rushed six times for 25 yards and a touchdown.
The 2012 season marked the second-straight season Pope has led Samford in receiving. At the conclusion of the season, Pope was named second team All-SoCon by both the league's coaches and media.
The Bulldogs open the 2013 season on Friday, Aug. 30, when Samford travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia State in the Georgia Dome.
|
2013 The Sports Network FCS Preseason All-America Team |
|
First Team - Offense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
DeNarius McGhee |
Montana State |
QB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
210 |
|
Shakir Bell |
Indiana State |
RB |
Sr. |
5-8 |
185 |
|
Timothy Flanders |
Sam Houston State |
RB |
Sr. |
5-9 |
210 |
|
Zach Zenner |
South Dakota State |
RB |
Jr. |
6-0 |
215 |
|
Dominique Swope |
Georgia Southern |
FB |
Jr. |
5-11 |
221 |
|
Erik Lora |
Eastern Illinois |
WR |
Sr. |
5-10 |
181 |
|
Sean Price |
Appalachian State |
WR |
So. |
6-5 |
210 |
|
A.C. Leonard |
Tennessee State |
TE |
Jr. |
6-4 |
245 |
|
Michael Bamiro |
Stony Brook |
OL |
Sr. |
6-8 |
345 |
|
Chris Elkins |
Youngstown State |
OL |
Sr. |
6-4 |
290 |
|
Danny Kistler |
Montana |
OL |
Sr. |
6-8 |
315 |
|
Billy Turner |
North Dakota State |
OL |
Sr. |
6-6 |
300 |
|
Bryan Witzmann |
South Dakota State |
OL |
Sr. |
6-7 |
300 |
|
Walter Powell |
Murray State |
AP |
Sr. |
6-0 |
180 |
|
Colton Cook |
Southern Utah |
PK |
Sr. |
5-8 |
177 |
|
Fabian Truss |
Samford |
KR |
Sr. |
5-9 |
190 |
|
First Team - Defense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
Davis Tull |
Chattanooga |
DE |
Jr. |
6-3 |
230 |
|
Colton Underwood |
Illinois State |
DE |
Sr. |
6-4 |
260 |
|
Antoine Lewis |
Villanova |
DT |
Sr. |
6-2 |
290 |
|
Caraun Reid |
Princeton |
DT |
Sr. |
6-2 |
305 |
|
Dorian Bell |
Duquesne |
LB |
Sr. |
6-1 |
234 |
|
Grant Olson |
North Dakota State |
LB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
223 |
|
Stephon Robertson |
James Madison |
LB |
Sr. |
5-11 |
220 |
|
Jordan Tripp |
Montana |
LB |
Sr. |
6-4 |
237 |
|
Steven Godbolt |
Tennessee State |
CB |
Jr. |
6-1 |
180 |
|
Marcus Williams |
North Dakota State |
CB |
Sr. |
5-11 |
194 |
|
Caleb Schaffitzel |
Missouri State |
S |
Jr. |
6-0 |
214 |
|
Jaquiski Tartt |
Samford |
S |
Jr. |
6-1 |
220 |
|
Andy Wilder |
Northern Arizona |
P |
Sr. |
6-3 |
205 |
|
Richard Wright |
Liberty |
LS |
Sr. |
6-1 |
260 |
|
D'Vonte Graham |
North Carolina A&T |
PR |
Sr. |
5-9 |
180 |
|
Second-Team Offense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
Gavin McCarney |
Colgate |
QB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
205 |
|
Zach Bauman |
Northern Arizona |
RB |
Sr. |
5-10 |
200 |
|
Terrance West |
Towson |
RB |
Jr. |
5-11 |
223 |
|
Darrien Robinson |
The Citadel |
FB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
220 |
|
Greg Hardin |
North Dakota |
WR |
Sr. |
5-11 |
168 |
|
Jordan Harris |
Bryant |
WR |
Sr. |
6-2 |
215 |
|
MyCole Pruitt |
Southern Illinois |
TE |
Jr. |
6-3 |
247 |
|
Dakota Dozier |
Furman |
OL |
Sr. |
6-4 |
291 |
|
Steven Forgette |
Eastern Washington |
OL |
Sr. |
6-4 |
280 |
|
Garrett Frye |
Georgia Southern |
OL |
Jr. |
6-4 |
257 |
|
Terrance Hackney |
Bethune-Cookman |
OL |
Jr. |
6-6 |
310 |
|
Eric Pike |
Towson |
OL |
Sr. |
6-5 |
298 |
|
Richard Sincere |
Sam Houston State |
AP |
Sr. |
5-10 |
180 |
|
Tyler Varga |
Yale |
AP |
Jr. |
5-11 |
220 |
|
Sean Baner |
Delaware |
PK |
Sr. |
6-1 |
205 |
|
Kevin Fogg |
Liberty |
KR |
Sr. |
5-10 |
175 |
|
Second-Team Defense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
LeBrandon Richards |
Bethune-Cookman |
DE |
Jr. |
6-2 |
255 |
|
Zach Wagenmann |
Montana |
DE |
Jr. |
6-4 |
240 |
|
Zach Kerr |
Delaware |
DT |
Sr. |
6-2 |
330 |
|
Robert Simpson |
Mississippi Valley State |
DT |
Sr. |
6-4 |
255 |
|
Clarence Bumpas |
Northern Colorado |
LB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
236 |
|
Wes Dothard |
Chattanooga |
LB |
Sr. |
6-1 |
235 |
|
Alvin Scioneaux |
Wofford |
LB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
215 |
|
Tyler Starr |
South Dakota |
LB |
Sr. |
6-4 |
235 |
|
Qua Cox |
Jackson State |
CB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
185 |
|
T.J. Lee III |
Eastern Washington |
CB |
Sr. |
5-9 |
170 |
|
Jestin Love |
Central Arkansas |
S |
Sr. |
6-0 |
208 |
|
Dean Marlowe |
James Madison |
S |
Jr. |
6-2 |
195 |
|
Bobby Wenzig |
Alabama State |
P |
Sr. |
6-2 |
185 |
|
Hudson Smith |
Gardner-Webb |
LS |
Sr. |
6-1 |
230 |
|
Ryan Smith |
North Dakota State |
PR |
Sr. |
5-7 |
175 |
|
Third-Team Offense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
Wynrick Smothers |
Central Arkansas |
QB |
Sr. |
6-1 |
208 |
|
David Johnson |
Northern Iowa |
RB |
Jr. |
6-3 |
214 |
|
Carlton Koonce |
Fordham |
RB |
Sr. |
5-8 |
180 |
|
Andrew Pierce |
Delaware |
RB |
Sr. |
5-11 |
200 |
|
Travis Friend |
Bucknell |
FB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
235 |
|
Jordan Neukirch |
Illinois State |
FB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
235 |
|
R.J. Harris |
New Hampshire |
WR |
Jr. |
6-0 |
194 |
|
Kelsey Pope |
Samford |
WR |
Sr. |
6-0 |
200 |
|
Cameron Brate |
Harvard |
TE |
Sr. |
6-5 |
235 |
|
Kadeem Edwards |
Tennessee State |
OL |
Sr. |
6-4 |
290 |
|
Gavin Farr |
Southern Utah |
OL |
Sr. |
6-3 |
287 |
|
Seamus O'Neill |
New Hampshire |
OL |
Sr. |
6-4 |
281 |
|
Dan Shirey |
Villanova |
OL |
Sr. |
6-3 |
285 |
|
Jared Singleton |
Wofford |
OL |
Sr. |
6-2 |
309 |
|
Rob Hollomon |
Central Connecticut State |
AP |
Jr. |
5-8 |
170 |
|
Tyler Sievertsen |
Northern Iowa |
PK |
Sr. |
6-2 |
185 |
|
Kevin Johnson |
Lamar |
KR |
Jr. |
6-0 |
210 |
|
Tony Washington |
Appalachian State |
KR |
Sr. |
5-10 |
200 |
|
Third-Team Defense |
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
Michael Cole |
Maine |
DE |
Sr. |
6-2 |
250 |
|
Zach Hodges |
Harvard |
DE |
Jr. |
6-3 |
230 |
|
Jonathan Woodard |
Central Arkansas |
DE |
So. |
6-5 |
251 |
|
Derek Douglas |
The Citadel |
DT |
Sr. |
6-1 |
275 |
|
Sullivan Grosz |
Cal Poly |
DT |
Jr. |
6-4 |
265 |
|
Leevon Perry |
North Dakota State |
DT |
Sr. |
6-3 |
276 |
|
Quinn Backus |
Coastal Carolina |
LB |
Jr. |
5-10 |
205 |
|
Anthony Brown |
Eastern Kentucky |
LB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
220 |
|
Ronnie Hamlin |
Eastern Washington |
LB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
210 |
|
Ben Johnson |
UT Martin |
LB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
215 |
|
Jordan Love |
Towson |
CB |
Sr. |
6-1 |
180 |
|
Bookie Sneed |
Sam Houston State |
CB |
Sr. |
6-0 |
180 |
|
Kadeem Wise |
Chattanooga |
CB |
Sr. |
5-10 |
180 |
|
Julien David |
Howard |
S |
Sr. |
5-11 |
195 |
|
Lucky Dozier |
Northern Arizona |
S |
Sr. |
5-10 |
185 |
|
Chad Zinchini |
Tennessee Tech |
P |
Sr. |
6-3 |
220 |
|
Chris Highland |
Illinois State |
LS |
Jr. |
6-2 |
215 |
|
Sam Hoekstra |
San Diego |
PR |
Sr. |
5-9 |
180 |
