NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Football teams and individual awards Tuesday, as voted by the 10 SBC head football coaches and selected media representatives.

App State senior quarterback Zac Thomas was tabbed as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Troy’s junior linebacker Carlton Martial was voted the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Thomas led the Mountaineers to the 2018 and 2019 Sun Belt championships and back-to-back New Orleans Bowl titles. He was named the game’s MVP in 2018. Last year, Thomas was 225-for-359 for 2,718 yards, 28 TDs and 6 INTs, while rushing for 440 yard and 7 TDs. 

Martial became just the 12th player and first underclassman in the last 20 years at the FBS level to finish a season with at least 100 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He enters the 2020 season as the nation’s active leader in career forced fumbles per game (0.25) and fourth in tackles for loss per game (1.13). The junior was named a Walter Camp Preseason first team All-American this summer after wrapping up the 2019 season by being named Sun Belt All Conference.
 

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Zac Thomas (App State, Senior) Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Carlton Martial (Troy, Junior)   2020 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Football Teams First Team Offense QB – Zac Thomas, App State RB – Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana RB – Josh Johnson, ULM OL – Noah Hannon, App State      OL – Baer Hunter, App State          OL – Cooper Hodges, App State OL – Jarrett Horst, Arkansas State            OL – Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State            TE – Josh Pederson, ULM WR – Corey Sutton, App State      WR – Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State WR – Kaylon Geiger, Troy First Team Defense DL – Demetrius Taylor, App State DL – Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina DL – Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern DL – Will Choloh, Troy        LB – Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern    LB – Joe Dillon, Louisiana LB – Carlton Martial, Troy  DB – Shaun Jolly, App State          DB – Kenderick Duncan Jr, Georgia Southern DB – Corey Straughter, ULM        DB – Dell Pettus, Troy First Team Special Teams K – Blake Grupe, Arkansas State P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana RS – Wesley Kennedy III, Georgia Southern      Second Team Offense QB – Levi Lewis, Louisiana RB – Trey Ragas, Louisiana RB – CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina OL – Ryan Neuzil, App State          OL – Jacob Still, Arkansas State    OL – Max Mitchell, Louisiana        OL – O'Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana OL – TJ Fiailoa, ULM          TE – Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina        WR – Thomas Hennigan, App State        WR – Cornelius McCoy, Georgia State    WR – Reggie Todd, Troy    Second Team Defense DL – Forrest Merrill, Arkansas State        DL – C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina        DL – Dontae Wilson, Georgia State DL – Zi'Yon Hill, Louisiana LB – Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina LB – Trajan Stephens-McQueen, Georgia State            LB – Riley Cole, South Alabama  DB – Shemar Jean-Charles, App State  DB – Antonio Fletcher, Arkansas State    DB – Quavian White, Georgia State        DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana          Second Team Special Teams K – Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern RS – Eric Garror, Louisiana          The Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll has the App State Mountaineers at the top of the East Division with nine first place votes. Louisiana was picked to be the West Division representative with seven first place votes. Two-time defending champion App State was picked to win the Sun Belt Championship. 2020 Sun Belt Football Coaches Predicted Order of Finish?(First-place votes in parentheses) East Division 1. App State (9) - 49 pts 2. Georgia Southern - 36 pts 3. Troy (1) - 32 pts 4. Georgia State - 20 pts 5. Coastal Carolina - 13 pts West Division 1. Louisiana (7) - 47 pts 2. Arkansas State (2) - 40 pts 3. South Alabama (1) - 22 pts 4. Texas State - 21 pts 5. ULM - 20 pts