WKU football picked fourth in C-USA Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Elliott Pratt
July 16, 2014

The WKU football team has been selected to finish fourth in the Conference USA East Division in the 2014 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released Wednesday morning. 

The Toppers received 57 points in the poll comprised of votes from the leagues 13 coaches. Marshall was picked to win the division with 91 points. 

North Texas was picked to win the West Division with 66 points, edging out second place Rice (65 points). 

WKU is one of four teams in C-USA that had no players selected to the preseason all-conference team. 

Marshall senior quarterback Rakeem Cato was voted the preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Marshall senior defensive lineman James Rouse was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year while Alabama Birmingham punter Hunter Mullins earned the Special Teams Player of the Year honor. 

The C-USA championship game will be played on Dec. 6. 

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
EAST DIVISION                                  Pts
1. Marshall                                            91
2. Middle Tennessee                            73
3. Florida Atlantic                            60
4. WKU                                                57
5. Old Dominion                                    33
6. UAB                                                 31
7. FIU                                                  19
 
WEST DIVISION                                 Pts
1. North Texas                                       66
2. Rice                                                   65
3. UTSA                                                 62
4. Louisiana Tech                                  38
5. Southern Miss                                    24
6. UTEP                                                 18
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Rakeem Cato, Sr., QB, Marshall
 
Defensive Player of the Year
James Rouse, Sr., DL, Marshall
 
Special Teams Player of the Year
Hunter Mullins, Sr., P, UAB
 
First Team Offense
QB          Rakeem Cato, Sr., Marshall
RB           Kenneth Dixon, Jr., Louisiana Tech
RB           Aaron Jones, So., UTEP
OL           Scott Inskeep, Sr., UTSA
OL           Chris Jasperse, Sr., Marshall
OL           Cyril Lemon, Sr., North Texas
OL           Clint Van Horn, Jr., Marshall
OL           Mason Y’Barbo, Sr., North Texas
WR          Jamarcus Nelson, Sr., UAB
WR          Tommy Shuler, Sr., Marshall
WR          Jordan Taylor., Sr., Rice
TE           Eric Tomlinson, Sr., UTEP
 
First Team Defense
DL           Vernon Butler, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DL           Christian Covington, Jr., Rice
DL           Ra’Shawde Myers, Sr., Marshall
DL           James Rouse, Sr., Marshall
LB           T.T. Barber, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB           Evan McKelvey, Sr., Marshall
LB           Andrae Kirk, Jr., Florida Atlantic
DB           Kevin Byard, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB           Bryce Callahan, Sr., Rice
DB           D’Joun Smith, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB           Triston Wade, Sr., UTSA
 
First Team Special Teams
K             Sean Ianno, Sr., UTSA
P             Hunter Mullins, Sr., UAB
KR           Autrey Golden, Jr., UTEP
PR           Kenny Harrison, Sr., UTSA
LS           Jesse Medrano, Sr., UTSA