The preseason honors continue to roll in for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program as three seniors have been named to The Sports Network preseason All-America team.
Defensive end Davis Tull, tight end Faysal Shafaat and defensive tackle Derrick Lott give the Mocs three preseason FCS selections for the second straight year.
“It’s great publicity for our football program, no question, and it’s always great to have people talking about us,” Mocs coach Russ Huesman said. “I feel happy for those guys because it’s a great honor.”
Tull, the two-time Southern Conference defensive player of the year and two-time All-American, is considered among the top returning defensive players in the nation and is a first-team selection for the second straight year. He is UTC’s career sacks leader with 26.5 and is the Football Championship Subdivision’s active leader in sacks and forced fumbles (8).
Tull and Lott help create what is considered the top defensive front at the FCS level. Lott, a University of Georgia transfer, had his season cut short last year by an elbow injury. That allowed him to be granted a sixth year of eligibility, and he was named to the third-team All-America list, along with Shafaat, who is making his second appearance on the list. Shafaat, a two-time first-team all-conference performer, had 322 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season.
“For Derrick to get it, after only four games last year, is kind of unique,” said Huesman, whose team is going through summer conditioning now. “We knew Davis would get on about every honor possible, and it’s no surprise about Faysal. But it was a pleasant surprise finding out about Derrick.
“We’ve got some great leadership from the older guys, and it looks like we’re getting where we need to go. The program is getting a lot of attention, and that’s always encouraging.”
Courtesy of: Stephen Hargis
Published by:timefreepress.com