NASHVILLE, Tenn.-Wednesday, Southern Utah was picked 4th and Utah Tech 9th in the United Athletic Conference Football preseason poll at the conference’s media day at Bridgestone Arena.
The coaches in the conference projected the teams as follows:
- Tarleton State-8 first-place votes (80)
- Abilene Christian-1 first-place vote (68)
- Eastern Kentucky (59)
- Southern Utah (50)
- Central Arkansas (45)
- Austin Peay (41)
- North Alabama/West Georgia (26)
- (9) Utah Tech 10
A pair of Thunderbirds appeared on the preseason all-conference team, redshirt senior defensive end Lando Brown (four sacks, 10 tackles for a loss last season) and senior long snapper Gavin Lipkin.
The preseason offensive player of the year is former Utah Tech quarterback, junior Victor Gabalis, currently of Tarleton State. Last season for the Texans, Gabalis completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,883 yard, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The preseason defensive player of the year is Abilene Christian redshirt senior linebacker Will Shaffer. Shaffer posted two sacks, two interceptions, seven defensed passes and 9.5 tackles for a loss last season for the Wildcats.
Utah Tech starts the season August 30 by hosting UC Davis and SUU will start the campaign August 30 by hosting Idaho State at Eccles Coliseum.
