Four Bearkats land on preseason All-SLC teams

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July 24, 2007

Gene Schallenberg The Huntsville Item Tue Jul 24, 2007, 10:11 PM CDT

HOUSTON — With the start of football season beginning in a couple of weeks, a few select Bearkats took part in the Southland Conference Football Media Days held at the Greenspoint Wyndham Hotel.

Unveiled at the event was the 2007 All-Southland Conference football preseason teams. Four Sam Houston State players received recognition, including tight end Blake Martin and offensive lineman Brandon Hale, both preseason All-Americans, and defensive end David Branch who tabbed on the All-SLC first-team offense.

Center Brennan Williams was the Bearkats’ lone selection to the second team.

“They’re (Martin and Hale) great leaders and they anchor the right side of our line,” SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “That’s the reason we ran the ball so well last season. They’re really good players and there’s no question about that. They really are the cornerstone to our offensive line.”

Martin started all of the Bearkats games in the 2006 season. He was fourth in the SLC in receiving with 39 catches for 481 yards on his way to earning first-team all-conference honors.

“To really be honest, it’s a dream come true,” Martin said. “I never would’ve thought it. It really means a lot to me. Now, I’m just looking forward to getting started. We got Rhett Bomar in there at quarterback. I’m real excited to have him throw me the ball.”

Hale started all games in the 2006 campaign helping to open holes for the league’s leading rusher, D.D. Terry. The senior from Grand Prairie was also a first-team All-SLC selection following his junior year.

“All these accolades are a real blessing for me. I just have to keep working hard to improve,” Hale said. “I plan on being a much better leader. I think we have a good chance to have a good team this year.”

Branch was selected as a first-team defensive selection before last season after an outstanding junior year in which he led the Bearkats with 13 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He was set to continue this level of play, but an early-season injury in 2006 forced him to miss the entire year.

Branch was granted a medical redshirt and should bolster an SHSU pass rush that recorded only eight sacks a year ago.

Williams started all 11 games for the Bearkats as the team’s center last season, and a long with Hale, was part of a unit that only allowed 10 sacks.

All eight Southland teams placed at least four on the preseason first and second teams. Returning players who were All-SLC postseason members in 2006 are automatic selections to the preseason squads. The remaining spots are nominated for and voted on by the eight head coaches in the Southland Conference.

McNeese State led the conference with 12 All-SLC picks including reigning SLC player of the year Steven Whitehead and defensive player of the year Bryan Smith.

Texas State followed with nine All-SLC picks including automatic selection quarterback Bradley George. Stephen F. Austin had nine All-SLC selections with four on the first team which featured first-team quarterback Danny Southall and running back Louie Runnels.

Despite having yet to play a full league schedule, Central Arkansas placed five on the All-SLC list. Along with Sam Houston State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana rounded out the list with four selections each.

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