College football: Murray State, EKU near top of OVC pre-season poll

NASHVILLE — Jacksonville State is favored for the third time in the last four seasons and received 13 of 18 first-place votes by the Ohio Valley Conference's coaches and sports information directors in voting released Monday at OVC Media Day. Jacksonville State tied for second in the league and made the FCS playoffs after starting 2010 with a 49-48 double-overtime victory at Mississippi.

Murray State was predicted to finish runner-up and received four first-place votes. Racers junior quarterback Casey Brockman (2,442 yards, 15 TDs passing in eight games, 7 TDs rushing) was named the OVC's pre-season Offensive Player of the Year. He's also on the Walter Payton Award Watch List.

Eastern Kentucky was picked to finish third and had the most players voted pre-season All-OVC with five of its seven on defense.  Defending OVC champion Southeast Missouri got one first-place vote and was picked fourth after earning its first playoff berth in 104 years with a 7-1 league record.

Murray returns 10 starters for Coach Chris Hatcher's "Hatch Attack" spread offense with Mike Harris rushing for 904 yards in only seven games last season. The Racers also have nine defensive starters, including All-OVC cornerback return specialist Dontrell Johnson, back from a 6-5 team.

Eastern Kentucky senior Jeremy Caldwell anchors the Colonels' secondary and earned All-America status as a returner. EKU defeated Jacksonville State and Murray during a four-game winning stretch to end last season.

Joker at ESPN 'Car Wash'

Joker Phillips will have a series of interviews in the ESPN "Car Wash" of Southeastern Conference head football coaches Tuesday in Bristol, Conn.

Phillips, along with Nick Saban of Alabama, Bobby Petrino of Arkansas, Mark Richt of Georgia, Les Miles of Louisiana State and James Franklin of Vanderbilt, will rotate among numerous interview opportunities.

Phillips is slated for three live appearances: ESPN.com Chat at 2:15 p.m.; ESPNNews SportsCenter at 3:20 p.m.; and Twitter.com/SportsCenter Chat at 3:30 p.m. Fans can participate in the ESPN.com chat and Twitter.com/SportsCenter chat.

Local store jeopardizes Bama players' eligibility

The University of Alabama told a local store to stop selling items signed by current athletes, which is a potential violation of NCAA rules.

University compliance director Mike Ward sent a letter to T-Town Menswear on Dec. 22, 2010, instructing him to "immediately cease and desist" selling, distributing or promoting items signed by or depicting current athletes.

The letter warned that the store could "jeopardize the student-athlete's eligibility." The NCAA prohibits using the likeness or name of a current college athlete to promote a product or service.

Hokies, FSU again ACC pre-season favorites

Florida State and Virginia Tech are the pre-season picks to meet in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, with the Seminoles the choice to win their first league title since 2005.

The ACC announced the results Monday following a vote of 71 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. It's the third straight year Florida State and the Hokies were picked to win their divisions.

UT linebackerallegedly hit cars

Tennessee senior linebacker Austin Johnson allegedly tried to start a fight and hit cars while walking in a parking lot before being arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

The 22-year-old was arrested just after 3 a.m. Sunday and released on $1,000 bond later that day. He is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 4.

A Knoxville police report says Johnson was seen with blood-shot eyes, slurred speech and smelling of alcohol before he was arrested in the parking lot behind the Tin Roof bar. Officers say Johnson told them he was drunk.

Purdue to play at Marshall

Marshall University will open the 2015 football season at home against Purdue.

Purdue will be the first Big Ten team to play in Huntington.

OFFENSE

QB: Matt Scheible, Southeast Missouri

QB: Casey Brockman, Murray State

RB: Mike Harris, Murray State

RB: Ryan White, Austin Peay

RB: Dante' Thomas, Tennessee State

WR: Tim Benford, Tennessee Tech

WR: Orlandus Harris, Eastern Ky.

TE: Kenny Jones, UT-Martin

C: Tim Schmid, Austin Peay

OG: Eric Zink, Eastern Illinois

OG: Kadeem Edwards, Tennessee State

OG: Scott Schweitzer, Tennessee Tech

OT: Evan Conrad, Southeast Missouri

OT: Odie Rush, Jacksonville State

DEFENSE

DL: Monte Lewis, Jacksonville State

DL: Emory Attig, Eastern Kentucky

DL: Jamison Wadley, Jacksonville State

DL: Artavious Dowdell, Eastern Illinois

DL: Anthony Brown, Eastern Kentucky

LB: Rico Council, Tennessee State

LB: Tyson Patrick, Eastern Kentucky

LB: Rodney Garrott, Jacksonville State

DB: Jeremy Caldwell, Eastern Ky.

DB: Keginald Harris, Jacksonville State

DB: Tylor Brock, Southeast Missouri

DB: Patrick McClellan, Eastern Ky.

DB: Dontrell Johnson, Murray State

DB: Kendal Harper, UT-Martin

SPECIALISTS

K: Kienan Cullen, Murray State

P: Jordan Berry, Eastern Kentucky

RS: Dontrell Johnson, Murray State

Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Casey Brockman, Murray State

Co-Defensive Player of the Year: DL Monte Lewis, Jacksonville State

Co-Defensive Player of the Year: LB Rico Council, Tennessee State

Predictions by coaches and sports information directors (with first-place votes in parentheses):

1. Jacksonville State (13) 123

2. Murray State (4) 106

3. Eastern Kentucky 93

4. Southeast Missouri (1) 81

5. Tennessee Tech 73

6. UT-Martin 64

7. Eastern Illinois 57

8. Tennessee State 33

9. Austin Peay 18

This story was originally published July 26, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "College football: Murray State, EKU near top of OVC pre-season poll."