Courtesy of the Missouri Valley Football Conference
Missouri Valley Football Conference defending champion Southern Illinois has been picked at the top of the league again in 2010. The Salukis received the top spot in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
Southern Illinois, which has been ranked in 92-straight regular-season top-25 polls, received 313 points, including 30 first-place tallies in the pre-season poll. The Salukis enter the 2010 season with a league-record 14-straight conference victories. SIU posted an 11-2 mark, including a perfect 8-0 league record, in 2009.
The next three spots in the pre-season poll were tightly contested, as eight points separated South Dakota State, Illinois State, and UNI. The Jackrabbits, who joined SIU in the 2009 FCS playoff field, received 252 points and two first-place votes. ISU was picked third with 249 points and three first-place tallies. UNI was right behind, picked fourth with 244 points and one first-place vote.
The last time SIU was picked to win the conference was in 2005. The last two pre-season favorites (NDSU-2008, UNI-2009) did not win the league, but a pre-season favorite has claimed the league crown 13 times (in 24 previous pre-season polls).
2010 Valley Football Preseason Poll
Team (first-place votes) Points
1. Southern Illinois (30) 313
2. South Dakota State (2) 252
3. Illinois State (3) 249
4. Northern Iowa (1) 244
5. Missouri State 164
6. North Dakota State 151
7. Youngstown State 130
8. Western Illinois 70
9. Indiana State 47
2010 Missouri Valley Football Preseason Team
Name, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / Previous School
QB- Matt Brown, ILS 6-4 210 So. Marion, Ill. / Marion High
RB- Carlos Anderson, UNI 5-8 172 So. Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs High
Kyle Minett, SDSU 5-10 215 Sr. Ruthton, Minn. / Russell-Tyler-Ruthton
FB- John Goode, SIU 6-2 240 Jr. Olive Branch, Miss. / Christian Brothers
WR- Joe Allaria, SIU 6-2 195 Sr. Edwardsville, Ill. / Edwardsville High
Dominique Barnes, YSU 5-11 180 Sr. Southfield, Mich. / Southfield High
Lilo Senatus, WIU 6-3 200 Sr. Miami, Fla. / College of the Sequoias
TE- Schuylar Oordt, UNI 6-7 246 Sr. Cedar Falls, Iowa / Cedar Falls High
OL- David Arkin, MSU 6-5 302 Sr. Wichita, Kan. / Kapaun High
Nick Bledsoe, ILS 6-1 290 Jr. Wheeling, Ill. / Wheeling High
Ryan McKnight, SDSU 6-1 295 Sr. Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington High
David Pickard, SIU 6-5 300 Jr. Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park High
Eric Rodemoyer, YSU 6-3 285 Sr. Sharon, Pa. / Kennedy Catholic High
PK- Kyle Dougherty, SIU 5-10 190 Sr. Merrit Island, Fla. / Merrit Island High
DL- Eric Brunner, ILS 6-2 270 Jr. Greendale, Wis. / Greendale High
Matthew Gratzek, NDSU 6-2 289 Sr. Argyle, Minn. / Stephen Argyle Central
Waylon Richardet, MSU 6-1 273 Sr. Perryville, Mo. / St. Vincent's High
Kyle Russo, SIU 6-3 255 Jr. Southlake, Texas / Carroll High
LB- Aaron Archie, INS 6-0 230 So. Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech
Derek Domino, SDSU 6-3 225 Sr. Spring Lake Park, Minn. / Spring Lake Park
Kyle Glazier, WIU 6-1 220 Sr. Geneseo, Ill. / Geneseo High
Antoine Wilkinson, MSU 6-2 237 Sr. Magnolia, Miss. / Amite County High
DB- Kelvyn Hemphill, ILS 6-2 185 Sr. San Antonio, Texas / O'Connor High
Conrad Kjerstad, SDSU 6-0 195 Sr. Wall, S.D. / Wall High
Korey Lindsey, SIU 6-0 190 Sr. Baton Rouge, La. / Scotlandville Magne
Mike McElroy, SIU 6-1 210 Sr. Lowell, Mich. / Lowell High
P- Dean Priddy, SDSU 6-2 210 Sr. Eden Prairie, Minn. / Eden Prairie High
RS- Todd Speight, WIU 5-8 165 Sr. Bradenton, Fla. / Southeast High
Honorable Mention:
QB Cody Kirby (Missouri State); RB Cliffton Gordon (Illinois State); FB Ryan Mahaffey (UNI); WR Tyrone Walker (Illinois State); TE Colin Cochart (South Dakota State); OL Michael Arndt (North Dakota State); OL Bryan Boemer (Southern Illinois); OL Austin Richard (North Dakota State); PK Billy Hallgren (UNI); DL Coulter Boyer (North Dakota State); DL Rod Hardy (Indiana State); LB Preston Evans (North Dakota State); DB Skylar Smith (Missouri State).