10 BEARS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SLC
LAKE CHARLES, La. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears had 10 players named to the preseason All-Southland Conference football teams released Monday during Media Day activities at the L’auberge du lac Casino Resort.
Senior quarterback Nathan Dick and senior offensive lineman Matt Dickerson were both named to the first team, while eight others were second-team selections. They include sophomore running back Terence Bobo, senior back Isiaah Jackson, junior receiver Dominique Croom, senior tight end Brennan Rushing, senior offensive lineman Joe Lehocky, junior defensive lineman Larry Duvall, senior linebacker Frank Newsome and sophomore defensive back Jestin Love.
“We have some quality experience returning from last year,’ said UCA head coach Clint Conque, “and that makes a huge difference. “We have good leadership and good work ethic among this group of juniors and seniors.
“We had a really young team last year and still finished 7-4 overall. This year, we have a lot of returning guys with high expectations. We’re excited about the season and ready to get started.’
Dick, from Allen, Texas, is the top returning quarterback in the league, statistic-wise, after completing 256 passes for 2,668 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He ranked second in the SLC with 254.6 yards of total offense a game, second in passing yards and second in passing efficiency last season.
Dickerson is a two-year starter from Monroe, La., and Lehocky is from Albuquerque, N.M. They combined to help help the Bears average 372.2 yards of offense and 5.2 yards per play a year ago.
Love, from West Memphis, led the league in interceptions last season and was named the SLC Freshman of the Year. He returned two of his six interceptions for touchdowns and his 166 yards of interception returns ranked third in school history.
Bobo, from Atkins, led the Bears in scoring with 11 touchdowns, while Jackson, from Conway, set the UCA career kickoff return record (67) and kickoff return yards record (1,581). Croom, from Cherokee, Ala., is UCA’s top returning receiver with 42 catches for 446 yards and two touchdowns. Rushing, from Tempe, Ariz., caught six passes for 55 yards in 2010.
Newsome was UCA’s leading tackler last season with 100 stops, including 10 tackles for loss, one interception and one forced fumble. Duvall, from Marianna, had 18 tackles, including a sack, a forced fumble and 2.5 tackles for loss.
