TSU picked to finish eighth in 2011 OVC football race

Ohio Valley Conference coaches and sports information directors picked Jacksonville State to win the league football crown [1] this season, the OVC announced on Monday in conjunction with its media day event.

Tennessee State was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team conference, despite Rico Council being named the OVC’s preseason co-defensive player of the year.

TSU returns 16 starters but finished just 3-8 last season, including an 0-7 mark in the OVC. It was the first time joining the league in 1986 that the Tigers went winless.

Only Austin Peay received fewer votes as the Governors went 2-9 last year and finished the season on an eight-game losing streak.

Murray State, Eastern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri State (the defending champ) and Tennessee Tech rounded out the top five.  UT-Martin is expected to finish sixth,  with Eastern Illinois picked to finish seventh.

Council was one of three TSU players to be named to the preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference football team. The 6-foot, 256-pound linebacker from Chattanooga recorded 79 tackles and four sacks as a junior last year. His 209 career tackles rank only behind head coach Rod Reed (409) on the school’s all-time list. Council shared the co-defensive player of the year pick with Jacksonville State defensive lineman Monte Lewis.

Along with Council, two TSU players were named to the offensive team. Guard Kadeem Edwards (6-5, 330) returns for his sophomore season. He created holes for running back and fellow pick Dante’ Thomas. The 5-10, 200-pound senior has led the Tigers in yards per carry (5.1) the last three years. He made five starts last year after Preston Brown went down with a knee injury midway through the season. Thomas finished 2010 with a team-high 793 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Tennessee State begins it season at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3 as it hosts Southern University in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field.