GREENVILLE, S.C. — University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior running back Bryan Fitzgerald was voted preseason first-team All-Southern Conference by the coaches, the league announced Wednesday during the SoCon Football Rouser. Five other Mocs were picked to the second team.

Senior offensive lineman William Giles and senior cornerback Raeshon Ball, who attended the annual preseason media day, were joined on the second team by junior wide receiver Blue Cooper, junior linebacker Joseph Thornton and senior defensive lineman Neil Brown.

“I think six is probably the most we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Mocs coach Rodney Allison said. “We’ve got as many guys as Elon does, as many guys as Furman’s got. We’re pretty equal, in terms of numbers, to anybody.”

Fitzgerald led the Mocs in rushing last season with 798 yards, despite 78 fewer carries than starter Erroll Wynn, and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Both backs were effective in 2007, but Fitzgerald had a few more highlight-reel runs, none bigger than his 65-yard touchdown against Arkansas.

Allison said he nominated both Fitzgerald and Wynn for all-conference honors.

Ball, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, said he was happy to be recognized but he’ll never be satisfied with making the second team in anything.

“This is a good place to start,” he said, “but when it comes to individual stuff, I’m much more interested in the postseason awards. Hopefully we’ll have a great season and I can make the first team then.”

App State picked again

Another season, another set of high expectations for Appalachian State. The coaches’ and media’s preseason polls also were released Wednesday, and as expected the Mountaineers — three-time defending national champions — were picked to win the conference.

The Mountaineers got eight of the nine votes from the SoCon coaches, which was the maximum possible because a coach isn’t allowed to vote for his own team. ASU’s Jerry Moore picked Elon.

In the media poll, Georgia Southern received one first-place vote; the rest went to the Mountaineers.

UTC was picked to finish seventh in both polls in the now nine-team conference.

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