VIDEO: Meet Carson-Newman's 12 All-SAC selections
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman football placed a league-leading 12 players on the South Atlantic Conference's preseason all-conference teams including a league-best seven players on the first team.
Carson-Newman saw three players make the first team offense, four the first team defensive, four the second team offense and one the second team defense.
Newberry and Catawba each followed suit with nine picks each, while Tusculum had eight. Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill followed with seven, six and five respectively. Brevard rounded out the league's selections with a pair.
Dan Gallman (Naples, Fla.) and Austin Lewis (Ponta Vedra, Fla.) made the first team as offensive lineman while Lonnie Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) landed on the firs team offense as a return specialist. The first team defense was comprised of linemen Phalen Booker (Waveland, Miss.) and Brian Bembry (Parrish, Fla.), linebacker Sha'Heem Stupart (Taylors, S.C.) and defensive back Jerry Miclisse (Homestead, Fla.).
Running backs Antonio Wimbush (Kingsland, Ga.) and Montavious Taylor (Atlanta, Ga.), as well as tight end Grant Janeway (Johnson City, Tenn.) and kicker Carson Wise (Blacksburg, Va.) made the second team offense. Defensive back Jason Williams (Fayetteville, Ga.) was the Eagles' lone second team defensive selection.
Gallman worked his consecutive start streak to 27 games as he started all 12 contests for the Eagles in his junior season en route to second team All-SAC honors. He was second on the team in overall grade and knockdowns in 2015. Gallman, as well as fellow first teamer Lewis cleared the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in all three of their seasons as a starters for Carson-Newman. The Eagles rushed for 570 yards in the regular season finale – the fifth highest single-game tally in Carson-Newman football history – behind Gallman and Lewis' blocking.
Carson-Newman has cracked 60 points three times and 600 yards of total offense three times behind Gallman and Lewis' road-grading capabilities. Gallman is the self-proclaimed two-time Intramural C League Basketball Coach of the Year. He coached Lewis to a 12-point, 16-rebound double-double in an Intramural C-League title game loss to a team helmed by Carson-Newman Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Michael Wottreng.
Williams returned 24 kickoffs for 561 yards for 23.4 yards a kick return. His long return was of 52 yards. Williams returned eight kicks for 188 yards in the Eagles' playoff loss to Valdosta State, the third highest single-game kick return total in school history.
Booker was a second team All-South Atlantic Conference selection at defensive end last season. Booker was fifth in the league with 10.5 tackles for loss and second in the league with six sacks. Booker turned in a pair of sacks in the Eagles' win over Wingate. He had a trio of games with multiple tackles for loss, beginning with a career high three against North Greenville. Booker also turned in two stops behind the line against Mars Hill and Wingate. He finished the season with 40 tackles, a pass break up, three forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries.
Bembry started all 12 games for Carson-Newman as a defensive tackle. He produced 33 tackles in his freshman season with 13 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 3.5 sacks. His 13 tackles for loss led the team and were third in the South Atlantic Conference. His 3.5 tackles for loss against Limestone (10/31) were a season high both for Bembry as an individual and Carson-Newman as a team. He also had three tackles for loss against Catawba (9/19). He turned in a career high five stops against Limestone.
Stupart was a second team All-SAC selection at linebacker and a second team all-region selection by Don Hansen's Football Gazette last year. Stupart was Carson-Newman's leading tackler with 91 tackles in his sophomore season. That total is the fifth highest in the league. Stupart led C-N in tackles on five occasions and produced a team-best four 10-tackle games. Stupart's career high of 11 tackles happened three times (Catawba, Newberry and at then No. 21 Wingate). He picked off a pass for the first time in his career against Shorter and also recovered a fumble against the Hawks. The Eagles were 5-1 when he had at least eight tackles and 4-1 when he had at least 10. Stupart tallied 5.5 tackles for loss on season, all of which came in the final four weeks of the regular season.
Miclisse registered as Carson-Newman's fifth leading tackler with 67 stops. He started all 12 games for the Eagles. Miclisse produced 2.5 tackles for loss, and along with Eien Jacob, was the only Eagle with multiple interceptions on the year. He also broke up three passes. A preseason first team All-SAC safety. Miclisse had a career-best 13 tackles at Mars Hill (9/26), the second highest tackle total by a Carson-Newman defensive back in school history. He picked off his passes against the Lions as well as North Greenville (11/7). Miclisse also turned in a nine-tackle performance against Newberry (10/17) and an eight-tackle day against Tusculum (11/14). The Eagles were 3-0 when he had at least eight tackles.
Wimbush turned in the best rushing season by a freshman for Carson-Newman football since Tyron Douglas in 2010. Wimbush tallied 584 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. Wimbush had more touchdowns in the SAC than any other freshman and ranked fourth in the league overall. He crested the 100-yard mark twice, gaining 111 yards against North Greenville (11/7) and 108 yards against Tusculum (11/14). Wimbush scored six touchdowns between those two games. He is the first Eagle running back since Tyron Douglas to have multiple three-rushing touchdown performances in his freshman season. He completed a halfback pass against Wingate for 36 yards. He caught two passes for 42 yards. He appeared in all 12 games for the Eagles with three starts.
Taylor was a Don Hansen All-Region selection last year and tallied 648 yards on the ground with six touchdowns. He averaged 62.2 yards per game. Taylor crested the 100-yard mark three times with 113 yards and a pair of scores at Mars Hill (9/26), 145 yards on 21 carries at Wingate (10/24), and 109 yards and a touchdown in the first round of the NCAA playoffs at Valdosta State (11/21). The two TDs he scored at Mars Hill were his only multi-rushing touchdown performance of the year. He also caught three passes for 22 yards. He ranked second on the team in rushing.
Wise was a second team All-SAC honoree and a Don Hansen All-Region selection a year ago. Wise was named SAC Special Teams Player of the Week on three occasions in addition to his second team all-region honor. Wise is the first Carson-Newman player since fellow kicker Curt Duncan in 2012 to earn three SAC special teams player of the week accolades. He did so after tying Duncan's school record for points in a game by a kicker with 17 in the Eagles' finale with Tusculum. Wise drilled three field goals and converted all eight of his extra point attempts in the Eagles' 65-32 stomping of Tusculum in the regular season finale. Wise nailed a career long 42-yard field goal before the half let out Saturday and also hit from 25 and 30 yards on the day. Wise has already inserted himself into C-N's record books this season. His 104 points this year are the second most in school history for a kicker. Curt Duncan set that mark in 2013 with 109. His 65 made PATs are third most all-time and his 13 made field goals are fourth.
Janeway started all 12 games for Carson-Newman at tight end. He made two catches for 60 yards. He also returned two kickoffs for 12 yards. Janeway caught an 11 yard pass against Shorter and reeled in a 49-yarder against Newberry. He is the first tight end to catch multiple passes in the same season since 2011.
Williams made 54 tackles for the Eagles with a tackle for a loss and a sack. He scored two defensive touchdowns for the Eagles and broke up 10 passes with a blocked kick. He returned his lone interception of the season 54 yards for a score against North Greenville (11/7). He brought a fumble recovery back 90 yards for a touchdown against Mars Hill (9/26). A 12-game starter for the Eagles, Williams had a career-best 12 tackles against Tusculum (11/14) in the regular season finale. He also produced seven tackles in the Eagles' overtime win at No. 21 Wingate (10/24).
All 12 of Carson-Newman's preseason All-SAC picks will be on display Thursday, Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m. when the Eagles' take on Humboldt State on ESPN 3.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback – Raleigh Yeldell, Newberry
Running Back – Isaac Robinson, Tusculum
Running Back – Romelo Doctor, Newberry
Running Back – Lawrence Pittman, Wingate
Wide Receiver – Keshaun Taylor, Mars Hill
Wide Receiver – Gilbert Johnson, Mars Hill
Wide Receiver – Jordan Berry, Wingate
Tight End &ndaAustin Lewissen, Wingate
Offensive Line &ndaDan GallmanLewis, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line – Dan Gallman, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line – Joe Hillin, Mars Hill
Offensive Line – Jaleel Roberts, Lenoir-Rhyne
Offensive Line &ndasLonnie WilliamsMars Hill
Return Specialist – Lonnie Williams, Carson-Newman
Long Snapper – Ian O'Grady, Tusculum
Placekicker – Will Tommie, Tusculum
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback Antonio Wimbusheehan, Catawba
Running BackMontavious TaylorWimbush, Carson-Newman
Running Back – Montavious Taylor, Carson-Newman
Running Back – David Burgees, Catawba
Wide Receiver – Cole Watson, Newberry
Wide Receiver – Keyon West, Catawba
Wide RecGrant JanewayAltizer, Tusculum
Tight End – Grant Janeway, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line – Daniel Owens, Wingate
Offensive Line – Bobby McNeil, Newberry
Offensive Line – Tyler Stasky, Newberry
Offensive Line – Branden Dagley, Brevard
Offensive Line – Patrick Benson, Tusculum
Return Specialist – Cole Watson, Newberry
Long Snapper &ndashCarson Wisertlett, Catawba
Placekicker – Carson Wise, Carson-Newman
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Defensive Line &ndashPhalen Bookerale, Catawba
Defensive Line – Phalen Booker, Carson-Newman
Defensive Line &ndasBrian Bembrylks, Wingate
Defensive Line – Brian Bembry, Carson-Newman
Linebacker – Kyle Kitchens, Catawba
Linebacker – Brandyn Bartlett, Tusculum
Linebacker – Jamal Lackey, Catawba
Linebacker – Sha'heem Stupart, Carson-Newman
Defensive Back – Case Woodard, Catawba
Defensive Back – Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
Defensive Back &ndashJerry Miclisseas, Tusculum
Defensive Back – Jerry Miclisse, Carson-Newman
Punter – Michael DeStephens, Lenoir-Rhyne
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Defensive Line – Jamarcus Henderson, Newberry
Defensive Line – Ray Edwards, Wingate
Defensive Line – Josh Parker, Newberry
Defensive Line – Chris Green, Lenoir-Rhyne
Linebacker – L'Keith Brown, Tusculum
Linebacker – Will Elm, Newberry
Linebacker – Jordan Forney, Lenoir-Rhyne
Linebacker – Carl Mattox, Mars Hill
Defensive Back – Chris Carpenter, Catawba
Defensive Back – MaJason WilliamsLenoir-Rhyne
Defensive Back – Jason Williams, Carson-Newman
Defensive Back – Kameron Johnson, Wingate
Punter – Kevin Weber, Brevard