NORFOLK, Va. - Last season, the Norfolk State football team had the element of surprise on its side. Picked to finish fifth in the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference poll, the Spartans proceeded to win their first-ever MEAC title.
The Spartans won't have the luxury of surprise this season. NSU topped the preseason MEAC poll with 11 first-place votes and 454 total points, and six Spartans were named to the preseason All-MEAC team as announced Friday at the conference's media day in downtown Norfolk.
NSU was one of six teams to receive first-place votes in the poll. South Carolina State received four first-place votes and 432 points to finish second behind NSU. Bethune-Cookman (three, 417) was third in the poll, followed by Florida A&M (two, 354) and Hampton (one, 268) to round out the top five.
Rounding out the rest of the preseason poll were North Carolina A&T, Morgan State, Howard, North Carolina Central, Delaware State and Savannah State, which received the only other first-place vote.
Five of the six Spartans on the preseason All-MEAC teams were first-team selections. The quintet is led by 2011 All-MEAC first teamers in receiver Xavier Boyce and offensive lineman Blake Matthews. Boyce led NSU with 68 catches for 750 yards and four touchdowns last season, while Matthews anchored the Spartan line from his right tackle position. Matthews was also the 2011 MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and is a preseason first-team FCS All-American by The Sports Network.
Other preseason All-MEAC first-team picks were tight end Joseph Hawkins, center Michael Kay and kicker Everett Goldberg. Hawkins was a second-team All-MEAC honoree last season after amassing 17 catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Kay held down the middle of the NSU line last season and helped the Spartans rank No. 2 in the conference in total offense. He was also a MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week honoree once during the regular season.
Goldberg was part of a two-man placekicker tandem last season with All-MEAC first teamer and second-team FCS All-American Ryan Estep. Goldberg, who handled only kickoffs and long field goals last season, made six of the latter in 10 attempts. All of his attempts were from 47 yards or longer, and he was the only FCS kicker nationally to make three field goals of at least 50 yards in length. With Estep now graduated, Goldberg will handle all placekicking chores in 2012.
NSU's only second-team preseason All-MEAC selection was offensive guard Cameron Williams. Williams also started 12 games last year on the interior of the NSU line in his first year as a starter.
North Carolina A&T running back Mike Mayhew was tabbed the preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year. He shared the postseason offensive award last season with Spartan quarterback Chris Walley. Howard linebacker Keith Pough was chosen as preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
MEAC Preseason Poll
(First place votes in parentheses followed by total points)
1. Norfolk State (11) 454
2. South Carolina State (4) 432
3. Bethune-Cookman (3) 417
4. Florida A&M (2) 354
5. Hampton (1) 268
6. North Carolina A&T 216
7. Morgan State 198
8. Howard 188
9. North Carolina Central 116
10. Delaware State 78
11. Savannah State (1) 73
