Carson-Newman Ranked 17th, Lenoir-Rhyne 23rd in D2Football.com Preseason Poll
Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne – a pair of 2012 NCAA Championship selections - have earned spots in the D2Football.com preseason poll, it was announced on Monday. Carson-Newman is ranked 17th in the poll, while Lenoir-Rhyne is 23rd.
LIBERTY, Mo. – Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne – a pair of 2012 NCAA Championship selections - have earned spots in the D2Football.com preseason poll, it was announced on Monday. Carson-Newman is ranked 17th in the poll, while Lenoir-Rhyne is 23rd.
Carson-Newman went 9-3 overall last season and reached the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship. The Eagles, who went 5-2 in the SAC, led the nation in rushing, averaging 378.6 yards per game on the ground.
Among Carson-Newman's top returnees for 2013 are preseason All-America kicker Curt Duncan and preseason All-Conference First Team running back Brandon Baker.
Lenoir-Rhyne, meanwhile, won the SAC title last season after going 6-1 in league games and 9-3 overall. The Bears earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the second round before falling to Carson-Newman.
The Bears ranked second in Division II in rushing offense last season, led by running back Jarrod Spears, who returns as a preseason All-SAC First Team selection in 2013. L-R also led the conference in scoring defense in 2012, allowing just 17.3 points per game. Preseason All-Conference linebacker Tanner Botts and defensive backs Michael Green and Myer Nolan return as leaders of the unit.
Earlier this month, Carson-Newman was ranked 17th and Lenoir-Rhyne 23rd in the preseason AFCA coaches' poll. C-N kicks off its season on Thursday night against Wayne St., while L-R opens on Saturday against Concord.