By ISU Sports Information
ST. LOUIS – Coming off a second-straight share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and an appearance in the FCS playoffs for the third time in the past four years, the Illinois State football team was picked to finish fourth in the 2016 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll, announced Tuesday by the league office. Five-time defending national champion North Dakota State was selected first in the annual poll voted on by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and media.
A total of five Redbird standouts, three of which are STATS preseason All-Americans, were also selected for the 2016 MVFC Preseason Team. Included in the group were 2015 All-MVFC First-Team selections Anthony Warrum and Mark Spelman, and they were joined by Kyle Avaloy, Brady Tibbits and Alec Kocour.
The Bison earned 37 first-place votes, and 388 total points in the annual poll to become the preseason favorites. Northern Iowa was second in the preseason poll with 343 points and picked up a pair of first-place votes. South Dakota State (284) was third, with the Redbirds (274) right behind in fourth place, and Youngstown State (254) rounding out the top five. Western Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Indiana State and Missouri State round out the list, respectively, in the 2016 preseason vote.
Warrum, Spelman and Avaloy were each named STATS FCS preseason All-Americans and each were recognized, along with Tibbits, among the best offensive players in the conference by earning spots on the 2016 MVFC Preseason Team.
Warrum earned Third-Team All-America honors from Associated Press and STATS FCS following the 2015 season and was also named to the College Sporting News 2015 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team. A First-Team All-MVFC pick at wide receiver, the Fishers, Indiana, native set an Illinois State single-season record and led the MVFC with 15 receiving touchdowns, and ranked second in the league with 1,290 yards on 58 receptions last season. Warrum’s name also appeared near the top of several national rankings at the end of the year, as he finished the season ranked No. 2 in receiving touchdowns (15) and yards per reception (22.2), No. 4 in receiving yards (1,290) and No. 8 in receiving yards per game (99.2) in FCS football.
Spelman was a First-Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection at center in 2015 and started all 13 games at center for the Redbirds, who advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the third time in the last four seasons. The Brookfield, Wisconsin, native led the offensive line unit which paved the way for First-Team All-American and MVFC Offensive Player of the Year Marshaun Coprich, who led the MVFC in rushing yards (1,967), touchdowns (23), yards per game (151.3), all-purpose yards per game (166.4) and scoring (11.2).
Avaloy was a Second-Team All-MVFC selection at left guard and also started all 13 games for the Redbirds just to the left of Spelman. The Lombard, Illinois, native was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week Nov. 16, for his effort in helping Coprich earn MVFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading the country with 254 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a victory against Southern Illinois.
Tibbits earned Second-Team All-MVFC plaudits and was the primary lead blocker for Coprich during his historic senior season. The Mineral Point, Wisconsin, native’s only reception of the 2015 season went for touchdown in the season opener at Iowa. Kocour, the lone defensive player on the list for the Redbirds, was an All-MVFC Honorable Mention selection at safety, despite missing the final two games of the regular season due to injury. The Waukesha, Wisconsin, native led the team with three interceptions and tied for fourth on the team with 78 total tackles last season.
Normal West High School graduate Joshua Appel, a senior at Indiana State, was named preseason all-conference long snapper.
Illinois State will begin its defense of the MVFC title and begin its quest for a return to the FCS title game Aug. 7, when the Redbirds start fall training camp. ISU opens the 2016 season at Hancock Stadium Saturday, Sept. 3, against Valparaiso at 6 p.m.
