IRVING, Tex. (WSAZ) – Four Marshall football players were named to the Conference USA Coaches Preseason Team, announced Wednesday afternoon. Marshall was also picked to finish fifth in the east division.

Juniors Albert McClellan, defensive end, and Cody Slate, tight end, joined senior free safety C.J. Spillman on the preseason all-conference squad. Sophomore running back Darius Marshall was also picked to the team as a kick returner.

Despite missing all of the 2007 campaign with an injured knee, McClellan, the 2006 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, showed that he still garners the respect of conference coaches with his first-team selection. Slate was named First-Team All-C-USA after totaling 818 receiving yards in 2007, and Spillman was selected for the first time in his career after leading the Herd in tackles in 2007. Darius Marshall was the Herd’s leading rusher in 2007 with 631 yards and averaged 29.3 yards per-kickoff return, including a 91-yard touchdown.

The 2007 Conference USA Football Championship game featured Tulsa and UCF battling for the league title. The two squads are favored once again for a title shot in 2008.

The defending champion Knights were picked to win the East Division crown. The Golden Hurricane was unanimously picked to win the West.

Southern Mississppi junior running back Damion Fletcher was chosen as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Another Golden Eagle, reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath, was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference’s top defensive player.

2008 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS

First Team Offense
QB Chase Clement, Sr., Rice
RB Tarrion Adams, Sr., Tulsa
RB Damion Fletcher, So., Southern Miss
OL Patrick Brown, Sr., UCF
OL Robby Felix, Sr., UTEP
OL Ryan McKee, Sr., Southern Miss
OL Doug Palmer, Jr., East Carolina
OL Brandon Pearce, Sr., Memphis
WR Duke Calhoun, Jr., Memphis
WR Jarett Dillard, Sr., Rice
WR Brennan Marion, Sr., Tulsa
WR Jeff Moturi, Jr., UTEP
TE Cody Slate, Jr., Marshall

First Team Defense
DL Albert McClellan, Sr., Marshall
DL Moton Hopkins, Sr., Tulsa
DL Philip Hunt, Sr., Houston
DL Zach Slate, Sr., East Carolina
DL C.J. Wilson, Jr., East Carolina
LB Joe Henderson, Sr., UAB
LB Gerald McRath, Jr., Southern Miss
LB Brian Raines, Sr., Rice
DB Will Dunbar, Sr., UAB
DB Kenneth Fontenette, Sr., Houston
DB Andrew Sendejo, Jr., Rice
DB C.J. Spillman, Sr., Marshall

First Team Special Teams
K Jose Martinez, Sr., UTEP
P Thomas Morstead, Sr., SMU
KR Darius Marshall, So., Marshall
PR Joe Burnett, Sr., UCF

Predicted Order of Finish
East
1. UCF 67
2. East Carolina 60
3. Southern Miss 49
4. Memphis 36
5. Marshall 27
6. UAB 13

West
1. Tulsa 72
2. Houston 59
3. UTEP 42
4. Rice 32
5. SMU 29
6. Tulane 18