Robert Morris football picked to finish 6th in Big South
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Robert Morris is entering its second football season in the Big South and was picked to finish in last place by the league’s head coaches and media panel Tuesday at Big South media day in Charlotte.
The Colonials finished third last season with a 3-4 record (4-6 overall).
North Carolina A&T was tabbed the preseason favorite with six first-place votes, followed by Campbell (2 first-place votes) in second place and Charleston Southern (2) and Gardner-Webb (1) tied for third. Bryant (1), a new associate member of the league, was picked fifth.
The Aggies finished 5-6 overall last season and tied for third in the Big South with a 3-4 mark in their first year in the league.
In addition, four Colonials were named to the preseason All-Big South first team: defensive back Sydney Audiger, offensive lineman Hayden Baron (Belle Vernon), running back Alijah Jackson and defensive lineman Ricardo Watson. Linebacker Jamar Shegog (Seton LaSalle) was an honorable mention selection.
Audiger had 55 tackles last season, as well as a team-high five pass breakups and an interception. Baron started 13 games at right guard and protected QB George Martin, who threw for more than 2,000 yards.
Jackson ran for 660 yards and two scores and also had 26 catches for 247 yards and two TDs.
Watson has 50 tackles, including nine sacks, over the past two seasons and was an All-Big South second-team pick last year.
Shegog, also a second-team pick last season, led the Colonials in tackles with 78.
Gardner-Webb running back Narii Gaither and Campbell defensive lineman Brevin Allen were named the Big South Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.
The Colonials, led by coach Bernard Clark Jr., return 24 starters. They kick off the season at home against Dayton on Sept. 3, at Joe Walton Stadium.
2022 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Teams
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Hajj-Malik Williams, R-Jr., Campbell
RB Narii Gaither, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB Alijah Jackson, Gr., Robert Morris
WR Cayden Jordan, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
WR Justin Franklin, Soph., Gardner-Webb
WR Jamison Warren, Soph., North Carolina A&T
TE Julian Hill, Gr., Campbell
OL Tyler McLellan, Gr., Campbell
OL Clayton Frady, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL Gabe Thompson, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL Ricky Lee III, R-Sr., North Carolina A&T
OL Hayden Baron, Jr., Robert Morris
DEFENSE
DL Brevin Allen, R-Sr., Campbell
DL Ty French, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL Ricardo Watson, R-Jr., Robert Morris
DL Jermaine McDaniel, Gr., North Carolina A&T
LB Garrett Sayegh, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB William McRainey, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB Jacob Roberts, Sr., North Carolina A&T
LB Joe Andreessen, Gr., Bryant
DB Hombre Kennedy, Gr., Charleston Southern
DB Jamari Brown, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Karon Prunty, R-Jr., North Carolina A&T
DB Sydney Audiger, Gr., Robert Morris
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Andrew Brown, Soph., North Carolina A&T
P Corey Petersen, Gr., Campbell
KR Josh McNeely, Gr., Campbell
PR Josh McNeely, Gr., Campbell
LS Jackson Hayes, Gr., Campbell
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION
QB Bailey Fisher, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB Bhayshul Tuten, Soph., North Carolina A&T
WR David Zorilla, Sr., Bryant
TE Nicholas Dobson, Jr., North Carolina A&T
OL Mike Edwards, R-Sr., Campbell
DL Anton Williams, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB Jamar Shegog, R-Jr., Robert Morris
DB Dorian Jones, Gr., Campbell
P Bailey Fisher, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
KR TJ Luther, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
LS David McCain, Jr., Bryant
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Narii Gaither, Sr., RB, Gardner-Webb (Rock Hill, S.C.)
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brevin Allen, R-Sr., DL, Campbell (Greensboro, N.C.)
2022 Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1 2 3 4 5 6 Points
1. North Carolina A&T (6) 6 2 2 2 – – 60
2. Campbell (2) 2 4 3 – 3 – 50
T-3. Charleston Southern (2) 2 2 – 6 2 – 44
T-3. Gardner-Webb (1) 1 3 3 2 2 1 44
5. Bryant (1) 1 1 2 2 2 4 33
6. Robert Morris – – 2 – 3 7 21
Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 6 points, followed by 5 points for second-place, and so on.