d given me another three years.I had no hesitation in re-signing. I love the place and I want to stick around

(STATS) -- A change in head coaches hasnt tempered the high expectations surrounding Alcorn State, the two-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.Alcorn State and Prairie View A&M were selected as the East and West division favorites, respectively, in the SWACs preseason poll announced during Fridays media day in Birmingham, Alabama.Alcorn State (9-4, 7-2 SWAC) lost to North Carolina A&T in the inaugural Celebration Bowl last December after beating Grambling State 49-21 in the SWAC championship game. Jay Hopson, the first white head football coach in the conferences illustrious history, resigned to become Southern Mississippis head coach during the offseason, and Fred McNair, the brother of late Pro Bowl quarterback Steve McNair, was elevated from offensive coordinator. It is the 47-year-old McNairs first head coaching job.The biggest thing is, those guys want to get back (to the championship game), McNair said. Thats what we tell them every week -- we talk to them in general about what its going to take to get back. If they come out, dedicate themselves to it and hard work, anything possible. Thats what were striving for, thats our goal.While Alcorn State lost some decorated seniors from last years team, there is plenty of returning talent, including junior quarterback Lenorris Footman, who took over for an injured John Gibbs Jr. last season and surpassed 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing while accounting for 25 total touchdowns. He was a second-team All-SWAC preseason selection -- one of the Braves conference-high 11 overall picks.I played behind John Gibbs Jr. and he helped me become a better quarterback, Footman said. I learned a lot of things from him, and now that Im in the lead position, I just try to become a better leader and a better quarterback.Five Alcorn players -- offensive lineman Detonio Dade, defensive linemen Stacey Garner and Mike Brooks, linebacker Darien Anderson and punter Haiden McCraney -- made the SWAC preseason first team.Prairie View (8-2, 8-1), which last won the SWAC title in 2009, was installed as the preseason choice in the West over Grambling.Were not a team thats big on accolades, were not a team thats big on preseason hype -- things of that nature, said Prairie View second-year coach Willie Simmons, who was the offensive coordinator of Alcorns 2014 championship squad.We try to be a team that says, Hey, whoever needs to step up, step up. But we all have a job to do.Southern senior running back Lenard Tillery was named the SWACs preseason offensive player of the year and was one of the Jaguars seven representatives on the All-SWAC first team. As a junior, Tillery led the conference with 1,211 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.Alabama State senior linebacker Kourtney Berry, the conferences defensive player of the year last season, was the preseason choice for this years award. He enters his final season with 363 career tackles, having led the conference in 2013 and 15 and finishing second in 2014.---=SWAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL=Vote of Coaches and Sports Information DirectorsEast Division1. Alcorn State, 44 points2. Alabama State, 353. Jackson State, 284. Alabama A&M, 165. Mississippi Valley State, 12West Division1. Prairie View A&M, 412. Grambling State, 353. Southern, 324. Texas Southern, 165. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 11---=SWAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAM=Offensive Player of the Year -- Lenard Tillery, RB, SouthernDefensive Player of the Year -- Kourtney Berry, LB, Alabama StateFirst TeamOffenseQB -- Austin Howard, SouthernRB -- Lenard Tillery, SouthernRB -- Martez Carter, Grambling StateOL -- Detonio Dade, Alcorn StateOL -- Justin Miller, Grambling StateOL -- Antonio Mosley, SouthernOL -- Josiah Freeman, Prairie View A&MOL -- Terrell Lee, SouthernWR -- Chad Williams, Grambling StateWR -- Daniel Williams, Jackson StateTE -- Dillon Beard, SouthernDefenseDL -- Stacey Garner, Alcorn StateDL -- Javancy Jones, Jackson StateDL -- Mike Brooks, Alcorn StateDL -- DeVohn Reed, Prairie View A&MLB -- Kourtney Berry, Alabama StateLB -- Darien Anderson, Alcorn StateLB -- Willie Duncan, Arkansas-Pine BluffDB -- Guy Stallworth, Grambling StateDB -- Marquice OLeary, Prairie View A&MDB -- Danny Johnson, SouthernDB -- Marquis Green, Mississippi Valley StateSpecial TeamsPK -- Marc Orozco, Grambling StateP -- Haiden McCraney, Alcorn StateRS -- Willie Quinn, SouthernSecond TeamQB -- Lenorris Footman, Alcorn StateRB -- Khalid Thomas, Alabama StateRB -- Arron Baker, Alcorn StateOL -- David Adams, Arkansas-Pine BluffOL -- Sam Baptiste, Alabama StateOL -- Frank Carter, Jackson StateOL -- Markus Cook, Jackson StateOL -- Kerry Williams, Alabama StateWR -- Derrick Griffin, Texas SouthernWR -- Marquis Warford, Alcorn StateWR -- Willie Young, Arkansas Pine-BluffTE -- Brandon Campbell, Alcorn StateDefenseDL -- Cornelius Henderson, Jackson StateDL -- CeaJae Bryant, SouthernDL -- Robert Brown, Alabama StateDL -- Roderick Henderson, Alabama StateLB -- Bryan Brower, Alabama A&MLB -- Aaron Tiller, SouthernLB -- Arkez Cooper, Grambling StatDB -- DAndre Smith, Alcorn StateDB -- Farrean Toney, Mississippi Valley StateDB -- Dominique Weaver, Prairie View A&MDB -- Eric Foster, Alcorn StateSpecial TeamsPK -- Jamie Gillan, Arkansas-Pine BluffP -- Trevor Vincent, Alabama StateRS -- Booker Chambers, Mississippi Valley StateRS -- Octayvious Miles, Alabama A&M Nets Jerseys China . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Custom Drazen Petrovic Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. http://www.customnetsjersey.com/ . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Custom Nets Jerseys . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Authentic Custom Nets Jersey . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. Parramatta have extended back-rower Kenny Edwards contract to the end of 2019 as they lock in key players after re-signing playmaker Corey Norman.Edwards, who was off contract at the end of the season, became the third Eels player to re-sign this week after Danny Wicks and Norman.I am happy that we have been able to get this done, Edwards said.I am thankful that the club has stuck by me and given me another three years.I had no hesitation in re-signing. I love the place and I want to stick around here.Edwards has enjoyed a breakthrough year with the Eels, playing all 22 games and proving a handful for opposition defensive lines.Hes busted through a club-high 67 tackles, while also laying on five line-breaks foor other players after missing all of last season with a knee injury.ddddddddddddAfter returning from an ACL injury, Kenny has been one of our most consistent performers in 2016 and I am pleased he has committed to the club for the long-term, coach Brad Arthur said.Its a great outcome that more and more of our players are committing long-term to the club and I am sure our supporters will see the benefits of this in 2017 and beyond.The trio of re-signings are the Eels first major activity in the player market since the NRL salary cap scandal that engulfed the club earlier this year. ' ' '