By: Doug Ireland/Sports Information Director
NATCHITOCHES – The versatility of All-American all-purpose player
Ed Eagan helped Northwestern State rank second among the 11 Southland Conference football teams as the Demons filled six first-team slots on the 2015 Southland Preseason All-Conference team announced Wednesday.
Eagan was a first-team selection at all-purpose, receiver and punt returner. Earlier this month, the senior was named one of 22 preseason candidates for the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award.
The Demons' other first-team selections, in voting by the Southland's head coaches, were senior defensive end
Leroy Armstrong, senior offensive tackle
Pace Murphy and junior safety
Adam Jones. Only 2014 co-champion Sam Houston State, with seven selections, filled more spots on the 29-member first team of the preseason all-conference roster.
NSU handed Sam Houston its only 2014 conference loss, beating the Bearkats 31-27 in Natchitoches. The Demons' first-team selections were the only NSU competitors named to the squad announced by the league office a week ahead of the annual Southland Football Media Kickoff in Lake Charles.
Sam Houston had a total of 13 selections. The other defending co-champion, Southeastern Louisiana, had eight picks, along with Abilene Christian. NSU and Central Arkansas filled six slots, Lamar had five, McNeese and Stephen F. Austin four each. Incarnate Word had two while Nicholls and Houston Baptist each got one player on the preseason squad.
NSU opens the season at home Thursday, Sept. 3, in the annual White Out Game at Turpin Stadium against Southeastern.
Eagan (5-10, 193) broke five school records and tied another in 2014 when he was second nationally in all-purpose yards per game (181). The New Orleans-Holy Cross product contributed to 24 other team and individual records for passing, total offense and scoring last season.
Armstrong (6-1, 250), one of three Demon starters from Natchitoches Central High School, made 38 tackles including a team-best nine for lost yards. Jones (6-3, 205), from Katy, Texas, led the Southland in 2014 with five interceptions and was third on the NSU defense with 74 tackles. Murphy (6-6, 296), a Houston product who played against Jones in high school, was the Demons' top offensive lineman, averaging an 85 percent grade on nearly 800 snaps at left tackle.
Returning student-athletes who earned all-conference honors at the conclusion of the 2014 season were automatically named to the preseason teams. Head coaches voted for the remaining 24 positions, which included two on the first-team offense, 12 positions on the second-team offense and 11 on the second-team defense. Coaches could not vote for their own players.
The conference's two preseason polls – voted by coaches and sports information directors – will be announced next Wednesday at media day.
2015 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams
| First-Team Offense | | | | | |
| Pos. | Name | University | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown |
| QB | Jared Johnson | Sam Houston State | 6-1 | 215 | Jr. | Grand Prairie, Texas |
| RB | De'Andre Brown | Abilene Christian | 5-9 | 190 | So. | Lewisville, Texas |
| RB | Michael Henry | Nicholls | 6-2 | 225 | Sr. | Baton Rouge, La. |
| TE/HB | Cole Wick | UIW | 6-7 | 255 | Sr. | Hallettsville, Texas |
| WR | Ed Eagan | Northwestern State | 5-10 | 193 | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| WR | Reggie Begelton | Lamar | 6-0 | 210 | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas |
| WR | Cedric Gilbert | Abilene Christian | 6-2 | 215 | Sr. | Lancaster, Texas |
| OL | Donald Jackson III | Sam Houston State | 6-2 | 277 | Sr. | Kilgore, Texas |
| OL | Byron Williams | Stephen F. Austin | 6-4 | 302 | Sr. | Dickinson, Texas |
| OL | Pace Murphy | Northwestern State | 6-6 | 296 | Sr. | Houston, Texas |
| OL | Quentin Marsh | McNeese State | 6-3 | 310 | Sr. | Dickinson, Texas |
| OL | Codey Funk | Abilene Christian | 6-5 | 320 | Jr. | Gridley, Ill. |
| AP | Ed Eagan | Northwestern State | 5-10 | 193 | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| PK | Luc Swimberghe | Sam Houston State | 6-0 | 197 | Jr. | Tyler, Texas |
| | | | | | | |
| First-Team Defense | | | | | |
| Pos. | Name | University | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown |
| DL | P.J. Hall | Sam Houston State | 6-1 | 270 | So. | Seguin, Texas |
| DL | Jonathan Woodard | Central Arkansas | 6-6 | 271 | Sr. | Brentwood, Tenn. |
| DL | Leroy Armstrong | Northwestern State | 6-1 | 250 | Sr. | Natchitoches, La. |
| DL | Corey Lee | UIW | 6-0 | 285 | Jr. | Humble, Texas |
| LB | Wallace Scott | McNeese State | 6-1 | 211 | Sr. | Weyanoke, La. |
| LB | Bo Brown | McNeese State | 6-1 | 232 | Sr. | Katy, Texas |
| LB | Myke Chatman | Sam Houston State | 6-2 | 216 | Jr. | Sealy, Texas |
| DB | Trenier Orr | Sam Houston State | 5-11 | 180 | Sr. | Orlando, Fla. |
| DB | Harlan Miller | Southeastern La. | 6-1 | 180 | Sr. | Kentwood, La. |
| DB | Denzel Thompson | Southeastern La. | 6-3 | 200 | Sr. | Tampa, Fla. |
| DB | Brent Spikes | McNeese State | 6-1 | 196 | Sr. | Newton, Texas |
| DB | Adam Jones | Northwestern State | 6-3 | 205 | Jr. | Katy, Texas |
| P | Lachlan Edwards | Sam Houston State | 6-5 | 214 | Sr. | Victoria, Australia |
| KR | Jatavious Wilson | Central Arkansas | 5-9 | 171 | Jr. | Bastrop, La. |
| PR | Ed Eagan | Northwestern State | 5-10 | 193 | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| | | | | | | |
| Second-Team Offense | | | | | |
| Pos. | Name | University | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown |
| QB | Zach Conque | Stephen F. Austin | 6-6 | 237 | Jr. | Little Rock, Ark. |
| RB | Jalen Overstreet | Sam Houston State | 6-2 | 212 | Jr. | Tatum, Texas |
| RB | Kade Harrington | Lamar | 5-9 | 190 | Jr. | Kingwood, Texas |
| TE/HB | Jamie Walker | Abilene Christian | 6-3 | 240 | Sr. | North Richland Hills, Texas |
| WR | Desmond Smith | Central Arkansas | 6-1 | 201 | Jr. | Bentonville, Ark. |
| WR | LaDarius Brown | Sam Houston State | 6-2 | 220 | Sr. | Waxahachie, Texas |
| WR | Yedidiah Louis | Sam Houston State | 5-8 | 187 | So. | Richardson, Texas |
| OL | Brandon DeWitt | Sam Houston State | 6-3 | 277 | Jr. | Lawton, Okla. |
| OL | Riley Mayfield | Abilene Christian | 6-7 | 315 | So. | Spokane Valley, Wash. |
| OL | Justin Brock | Lamar | 6-5 | 310 | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas |
| OL | Kyle Stouffer | Central Arkansas | 6-7 | 316 | Sr. | Dallas, Texas |
| OL | Anthony Pullins | Stephen F. Austin | 6-3 | 296 | Jr. | Cedar Hill, Texas |
| AP | Xavier Roberson | Southeastern La. | 5-9 | 180 | Sr. | Atlanta, Ga. |
| PK | Nik Grau | Abilene Christian | 6-1 | 210 | Jr. | Grapevine, Texas |
| | | | | | | |
| Second-Team Defense | | | | | |
| Pos. | Name | University | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown |
| DL | Omar Tebo | Lamar | 6-0 | 330 | Jr. | Liberty, Texas |
| DL | Mouf Adebo | Sam Houston State | 6-1 | 230 | Jr. | Mansfield, Texas |
| DL | A.J. Bowen | Southeastern La. | 6-2 | 320 | Sr. | Olive Branch, Miss. |
| DL | Lance Skyler | Stephen F. Austin | 6-2 | 285 | Sr. | Lancaster, Texas |
| LB | Sam Denmark | Abilene Christian | 6-1 | 225 | So. | Canyon, Texas |
| LB | Ricky Wyatt | Central Arkansas | 5-11 | 222 | Sr. | Monroe, La. |
| LB | Herbert Harris | Southeastern La. | 6-1 | 225 | Sr. | Clinton, Miss. |
| DB | Xavier Bethany | Lamar | 6-1 | 195 | Jr. | Burton, Texas |
| DB | Jordan Batiste | Southeastern La. | 5-10 | 185 | Sr. | Gramercy, La. |
| DB | Micah Eugene | Southeastern La. | 5-10 | 188 | Sr. | Lafayette, La. |
| DB | Mikell Everette | Sam Houston State | 5-11 | 185 | Sr. | Covington, Wash. |
| DB | Dillion Winfrey | Central Arkansas | 5-8 | 174 | Sr. | Bryant, Ark. |
| P | Christian Guzman | Houston Baptist | 5-9 | 160 | So. | Brookshire, Texas |
| KR | Xavier Roberson | Southeastern La. | 5-9 | 180 | Sr. | Atlanta, Ga. |
| PR | Jonathan Epps | Abilene Christian | 5-10 | 165 | Sr. | Fort Worth, Texas |
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