GSC Preseason All-Conference Teams and Poll

VALDOSTA, Ga. – With the calendar turning to August, football is in the air as the Valdosta State Blazers were picked fifth in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced Thursday by the league office.  In addition, four VSU players were named to the Preseason All-GSC Team.  
 
In the annual poll taken of GSC head coaches throughout the league, the Blazers garnered 38 points, finishing 24 points behind league favorite West Alabama with 62 points and six first-place nods.  West Florida, the 2017 national runner-up, was picked second with 59 points and three first-place votes, while West Georgia was picked third with 44 points.
 
Delta State was selected fourth with 41 points, followed by VSU and Florida Tech was sixth with 32 points. Rounding out the final three teams, league-newcomer North Greenville was seventh with 24 points, followed by Mississippi College with 16 and Shorter was ninth with eight points.  
 
2018 FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL

School	Total Points
1. West Alabama (6)	62
2. West Florida (3)	59
3. West Georgia	44
4. Delta State	41
5. Valdosta State	38
6. Florida Tech	32
7. North Greenville	24
8. Mississippi College	16
9. Shorter	8

 
As for individual honors, the Blazers were represented on both sides of the ball as sophomore Kenny Benjamin was named to the offensive team along with senior offensive lineman Jeremy King.  Benjamin played in nine games last season for the Blazers, recording 17 carries for 158 yards, while catching 21 balls for 200 yards.  Benjamin led the team in kick returns with 25 for 543 yards.  He ranked sixth in the GSC in all-purpose yards at 100.11, while ranking fifth in the league in kick returns per game at 21.7 and his 543 yards of returns ranked fourth in the league.  
 
King will be a team captain in 2018 for the third-straight year and graded out at 92 with 54 knockdowns in 2017.  He will move back to guard in 2018, after playing center last season.
 
Senior defensive back Raymond Palmer was named to the defensive team as he played in all nine games last season with 37 tackles, including 27 solo stops, along with three tackles for loss for ten yards, along with one interception, one breakup and one hurry.
 
On special teams, senior Stewart Spence and sophomore Jairus Jones were named to the preseason all-conference team.  Spence saw action in all nine games with seven solo tackles and eight total stops, along with one fumble recovery.  Jones played in six games with three solo tackles, one fumble recovery and led the team with two blocked kicks to lead the GSC and 15^thnationally.
 
The preseason release comes on the exact day the Blazers report to camp, where members of the team are in the process of picking up equipment and finalizing paperwork.  Head Coach Kerwin Bell's team will take the field for the first time in Friday morning for a helmets-only practice at approximately 9 a.m.  The opening week of practice will continue with another helmet-only practice at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, prior to a Sunday practice at 8:30 a.m. for an upgraded shells practice.  
 
Another shells practice is in store for Monday at 8:30 a.m., followed by the first full-padded practice Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.
 
Other notable events scheduled to take place prior to the Blazers' season-opener on September 1 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium against Albany State at 7 p.m., include a three scrimmages with the first being at 9 a.m. on Aug. 8, followed by one at 6:30 p.m. for Student Night on Aug. 14 and one on Aug. 18 at 9 a.m.  Also, there will be a faculty/staff appreciation night scheduled for Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. and the annual Meet the Blazers Event at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Aug. 25 at 8 a.m.  The Meet the Blazers is free of charge designed for area youth, who will have an opportunity to play games with and sore autographs from the entire Blazer football team and coaching staff.