July 24, 2006

IRVING, Texas ------ UAB defensive end Larry McSwain has been named the Conference USA preseason defensive player of the year, according to a vote of the league's head coaches, the conference announced Monday.

The senior from Mobile was one of three Blazers selected to the preseason, first-team all-conference squad, joining senior offensive tackle Julius Wilson and senior linebacker Orlandus King.

Meanwhile, UAB was the choice to finish fifth in C-USA's East Division this season. UCF and Tulsa, who met last December in the inaugural Conference USA Championship Game, were tabbed to play again for the 2006 title, according to C-USA's 12 head coaches.

The Golden Knights garnered 65 of a possible 72 points to finish ahead of East runner-up Southern Miss (52) and third place Memphis (43). Rounding out the East Division predictions were Marshall in fourth at 35, UAB in fifth with 28 points and East Carolina with 25 points.

In the West, Tulsa edged second-place UTEP by a 61-60 count while Houston finished third in the preseason poll at 55. SMU was fourth with 39 points, followed by Tulane with 20 and Rice with 17.

McSwain has been a first-team All-Conference USA selection the past two seasons. As a junior he had 53 total tackles and four sacks, as well as five tackles for loss. During his first season as a Blazer, he had 56 tackles, leading C-USA, and ranking No.4 in the nation in sacks with 13.

King led the Blazers in tackles in 2005, recording 85 stops, including 41 solo hits. King registered three sacks and six tackles for loss last season. Wilson is slated to start on the offensive front for the Blazers for third consecutive season when the team kicks off the 2006 campaign. Wilson was a third-team all-conference selection in 2005.

2006 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL

Offensive Player of the Year

Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston (254-420, 3,258 yards, 19 TDs)

Defensive Player of the Year

Larry McSwain, DE, UAB (53 tackles, 5 TFLs, 4 sacks)

Special Teams Player of the Year

Darren McCaleb, K, Southern Miss (23-28 FGs, 107 points)

First Team Offense

QB Kevin Kolb, Sr., Houston

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Jr., Marshall

RB Kevin Smith, So., UCF

OL George Batiste, Sr., Southern Miss

OL Travis Cooley, Sr., Southern Miss

OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, Sr., UCF

OL Eric Graham, Sr., East Carolina

OL Jeff Perrett, Sr., Tulsa

OL Julius Wilson, Sr., UAB

WR Aundrae Allison, Sr., East Carolina

WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sr., UTEP

WR Vincent Marshall, Sr., Houston

TE Shawn Nelson, So., Southern Miss

First Team Defense

DL Antonio Harris, Jr., Tulane

DL Larry McSwain, Sr., UAB

DL Alex Obomese, Sr., UTEP

DL Zach West, Sr., UTEP

LB Nick Bunting, Sr., Tulsa

LB Nelson Coleman, Sr., Tulsa

LB Orlandus King, Sr., UAB

DB Bobby Blackshire, Sr., Tulsa

DB Joe Burnett, So., UCF

DB Caleb Hendrix, Sr., Southern Miss

DB Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis

First Team Special Teams

K Darren McCaleb, Sr., Southern Miss

P Michael Gibson, Sr., Memphis

KR Jessie Henderson, So., SMU

PR Joe Burnett, So., UCF

Predicted Order of Finish

East

1. UCF 65

2. Southern Miss 52

3. Memphis 43

4. Marshall 35

5. UAB 28

6. East Carolina 25

West

1. Tulsa 61

2. UTEP 60

3. Houston 55

4. SMU 39

5. Tulane 20

6. Rice 17