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Justice Hansen among nine A-State preseason All-SBC selections

Arkansas State senior quarterback Justice Hansen has been tabbed the 2018 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was one of nine Red Wolves, including six first-team selections, named to the league's Preseason All-Conference Football Team, announced Friday by the conference office.
Justice Hansen

JONESBORO, Ark. (A-STATE) – Arkansas State senior quarterback Justice Hansen has been tabbed the 2018 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was one of nine Red Wolves, including six first-team selections, named to the league’s Preseason All-Conference Football Team, announced Friday by the conference office.

A-State’s nine players earning the recognition were the second most in the conference behind only Troy, which had 10 players and 11 total selections on the lineup. The Red Wolves were named yesterday as the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference, according the league’s annual coaches’ poll.

Appalachian State placed seven players on the list, followed by Georgia Southern with six, Georgia State and South Alabama with five each, ULM with three (four selections), Texas State and Louisiana with two each and Coastal Carolina with one.

Including Hansen, Warren Wand (Sr., RB), Justin McInnis (Sr., WR), Lanard Bonner (Sr., OL), Ronheen Bingham (Sr., DE) and Justin Clifton (Sr., DB), the Red Wolves’ six first-team picks tied Troy for the most in the conference. Appalachian State wasn’t far behind with five.

The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Hansen was also named to both the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien watch lists earlier this week. He is the first A-State player to be selected as the Sun Belt’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year since Ryan Aplin in 2012.

Among active players, Hansen enters the 2018 season ranked second in the nation in career passing yards per game (267.4), sixth in total offense per game (289.6) and touchdown passes (56), eighth in passing yards (6,686), ninth in total offense (7,239 yds), 10th in pass efficiency (145.15) and 14th in completions (502). The 2017 season saw him set new single-season school records for completions (305), passing yards (3,967), touchdown passes (37) and total offense (4,389 yards).

Earning a place on this year’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team for A-State were B.J. Edmonds (Jr., DB), Cody Grace (Jr., P) and Jacob Still (So., OL). All nine of the Red Wolves’ total selections were named to the 2017 All-Sun Belt Conference team.

Appalachian State junior defensive back Clifton Duck was named the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. The conference is set to host its annual Media Day Monday, July 23, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. A-State representatives attending the event include head coach Blake Anderson, Clifton, Hansen and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir.

Arkansas State is set to open its 2018 season Sept. 1 with a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at Centennial Bank Stadium against Southeast Missouri State. Season tickets, which includes six home games, are available for purchase through the A-State Ticket office, located at First National Bank Arena’s lower red entrance, in person, by phone at 870-972-2781 or online by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/Tickets.

2018 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Football Team

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Justice Hansen (Arkansas State, QB, Senior)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Clifton Duck (Appalachian State, DB, Junior)

First Team Offense

QB - Justice Hansen (Arkansas State, Senior) ^

RB - Jalin Moore (Appalachian State, Senior) *^

RB - Warren Wand (Arkansas State, Senior)

WR - Justin McInnis (Arkansas State, Senior) $

WR - Penny Hart (Georgia State, Junior) *^

WR - Marcus Green (ULM, Senior)

TE - Collin Reed (Appalachian State, Junior) !

OL - Victor Johnson (Appalachian State, Junior) *^

OL - Lanard Bonner (Arkansas State, Senior)

OL - Kevin Dotson (Louisiana, Junior) #

OL - Tristan Crowder (Troy, Junior) #

OL - Deontae Crumitie (Troy, Junior) *#

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, 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, Senior)

OL - Jacob Still (Arkansas State, Sophomore) !

OL - Curtis Rainey (Georgia Southern, Senior) !

OL - Hunter Atkinson (Georgia State, 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, Junior) #

P - Cody Grace (Arkansas State, Junior) $

RS - Marcus Jones (Troy, Sophomore) #

* - 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

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