Preseason All-MEAC Teams

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State was picked to finish third in the MEAC football race and had eight players selected to the preseason All-MEAC teams in the preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors, released Friday at the annual kickoff luncheon and media day.

The Spartans garnered 190 total points, placing third behind defending champion and preseason favorite South Carolina (315 points, 15 first-place votes) and No. 2 Florida A&M (268 total points, two first-place votes). That top three also mirrors last season’s final standings.

NSU had four players picked to the preseason All-MEAC first team and four to the second team. Senior running back DeAngelo Branche (Norfolk, Va.), junior offensive lineman Kendall Noble (Rocky Mount, N.C.), junior defensive lineman Josh Turner (Chesterfield, Va.) and senior return specialist Dwight Fluker-Berry (Miami, Fla.) were the first-team selections.

Senior offensive linemen Calton Ford (Chesapeake, Va.) and William Falakiseni (Tonga), senior tight end Sherron Childress (Hampton, Va.) and senior linebacker Anthony Taylor (Virginia Beach, Va.) were named to the second team.

Branche had 922 rushing yards on 175 carries (5.3 per rush) and ranked third in the MEAC in rushing last season, when he picked up his second straight All-MEAC second-team honor. His 11 total touchdowns (10 rushing, one receiving) were second-most in the MEAC. Branche also had a stellar year receiving, notching career highs with 18 catches for 250 yards. His 1,172 all-purpose yards (106.5 ypg) were fifth-most in the MEAC.

Noble started all 11 games at left tackle last season and was named to the all-conference second team. He was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week once and helped the Spartans rank third in the MEAC in both scoring and total offense.

Turner was a disruptive force in NSU’s 3-4 defense from his nose guard position. He led all Spartan linemen with 46 tackles, eight for loss. He added two sacks and three quarterback hurries. Turner finished fifth on the team in tackles despite facing constant double teams, helping NSU to become the No. 2 total defense in the MEAC and No. 6 defense nationally (265.5 ypg).

Fluker-Berry averaged 22 yards per kickoff return and had a long return of 57 yards last season. He ranked first in the MEAC in kick-return average among eligible players in 2009.

Childress ranked fifth on the team with 14 receptions for 136 yards and was a key blocker in NSU’s spread offense.

Falakiseni was a first-team All-MEAC selection and SBN Black College All-American after last season, his first at NSU. Falakiseni, along with Ford and Noble, started all 11 games and helped the Spartans scored at least 40 points against three different MEAC opponents.

Taylor led the team and ranked fourth in the conference with 81 total tackles. Taylor also ranked fourth in the MEAC with 5.5 sacks and fifth with 12.5 tackles for loss, both of which also led the team. He was also a second-team All-MEAC pick at the end of the 2009 season.

S.C. State quarterback Malcolm Long was named the Preason Offensive Player of the Year, and Hampton linebacker Julio Sanchez was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. South Carolina State (15) 315
2. Florida A&M (2) 268
3. Norfolk State 190
4. Hampton (1) 167                        
5. Morgan State 166
6. North Carolina A&T 150
7. Delaware State 120
8. Bethune-Cookman 68      
9. Howard 32