NEW ORLEANS – Appalachian State junior cornerback
Clifton Duck was tabbed the Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and was joined by six other Mountaineers on the preseason All-Sun Belt football teams announced by the league office Friday.
The release comes in advance of the Conference's Media Day which begins Sunday in New Orleans. The awards were voted upon by the Sun Belt's 10 football head coaches and selected media representatives.
Duck was joined on the preseason All-Sun Belt first team by App State senior running back
Jalin Moore, junior offensive lineman
Victor Johnson, junior tight end
Collin Reed and senior linebacker
Anthony Flory. Second-team picks from App were senior defensive back
Tae Hayes and senior defensive lineman
Myquon Stout.
Duck, who hails from Matthews, N.C., led the Sun Belt with six interceptions last season. He has tallied 11 in his two seasons in Boone. That total ties for the most in the nation over the past two seasons, along with fellow preseason All-Sun Belt first-team selection Blace Brown of Troy.
Duck totaled 50 tackles a year ago to go along with his league-leading interceptions and posted six total pass breakups. When targeted, the junior corner allowed a league-low 35.5 passer rating, ranking ninth of any returning FBS corner. During his first two seasons in Boone, Duck has been chosen as an All-Sun Belt first-team performer, earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors in 2016.
Arkansas State's Justice Hansen was tabbed as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Sun Belt Media Day will be held in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, July 22-23. Live coverage of the event begins at 8:30 a.m. CT and will run until 5:00 p.m. CT via the Sun Belt YouTube page as well as ESPN3. ESPN3 will be live at Media Day with all 10 head coaches being featured from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT.
App State will open its 2018 campaign on the road against a nationally ranked Penn State squad in Happy Valley on Sept. 1. Following a Sept. 8 date at Charlotte, the team will host its home opener Sept. 15 versus Southern Miss.
2018 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Football Teams
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Justice Hansen (Arkansas State, QB, RS-Senior)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Clifton Duck (Appalachian State, DB, Junior)
* - named to 2017 Preseason Teams
^ - named to 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team
# - named to 2017 All-Sun Belt Second Team
$ - named to 2017 All-Sun Belt Third Team
! - named 2017 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
First Team Offense
QB - Justice Hansen (Arkansas State, RS-Senior) ^
RB - Jalin Moore (Appalachian State, Senior) *^
RB - Warren Wand (Arkansas State, Senior)
WR - Justin McInnis (Arkansas State, Senior) $
WR - Penny Hart (Georgia State, RS-Junior) *^
WR - Marcus Green (ULM, Senior)
TE - Collin Reed (Appalachian State, Junior) !
OL - Victor Johnson (Appalachian State, Junior) *^
OL - Lanard Bonner (Arkansas State, RS-Senior) ^
OL - Kevin Dotson (Louisiana, Junior) #
OL - Tristan Crowder (Troy, Junior) #
OL - Deontae Crumitie (Troy, Senior) *#
First Team Defense
DL - Ronheen Bingham (Arkansas State, Senior) #
DL - Logan Hunt (Georgia Southern, Senior) #
DL - Hunter Reese (Troy, Senior) ^
DL - Trevon Sanders (Troy, Senior) #
LB - Anthony Flory (Appalachian State, Senior) !
LB - Michael Shaw (Georgia State, RS-Senior) $
LB - Tron Folsom (Troy, Junior) #
DB - Clifton Duck (Appalachian State, Junior) *^
DB - Justin Clifton (Arkansas State, Senior) *#
DB - Monquavion Brinson (Georgia Southern, Junior) #
DB - Blace Brown (Troy, Senior) ^
First Team Special Teams
K - Gavin Patterson (South Alabama, Senior) ^
P - Corliss Waitman (South Alabama, Senior) ^
RS - Marcus Green (ULM, Senior) ^
Second Team Offense
QB - Caleb Evans (ULM, Junior) !
RB - Wesley Fields (Georgia Southern, Senior) !
RB - Trey Ragas (Louisiana, RS-Sophomore) $
WR - RJ Turner (ULM, Junior) $
WR - Jamarius Way (South Alabama, Senior) #
WR - Deondre Douglas (Troy, Senior) *#
TE - Ellis Richardson (Georgia Southern, RS-Senior)
OL - Jacob Still (Arkansas State, RS-Sophomore) !
OL - Curtis Rainey (Georgia Southern, Senior) !
OL - Hunter Atkinson (Georgia State, RS-Junior)
OL - Shamarious Gilmore (Georgia State, Sophomore) !
OL - Aaron Brewer (Texas State, Junior) *$
Second Team Defense
DL - Myquon Stout (Appalachian State, Senior) *!
DL - Marterious Allen (Georgia State, Senior) $
DL - Tyree Turner (South Alabama, Junior)
DL - Marcus Webb (Troy, Junior) !
LB - Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina, Sophomore) !
LB - Bull Barge (South Alabama, Senior) !
LB - Bryan London II (Texas State, Junior) *!
DB - Tae Hayes (Appalachian State, Senior) #
DB - BJ Edmonds (Arkansas State, Junior) !
DB - Marcus Jones (Troy, Sophomore)
DB - Cedarius Rookard (Troy, Senior) $
Second Team Special Teams
K - Tyler Bass (Georgia Southern, RS-Junior) #
P - Cody Grace (Arkansas State, RS-Junior) $
RS - Marcus Jones (Troy, Sophomore) #
