By Bryan Bloodworth

NORMAL – As expected, Illinois State’s football team was picked second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll behind four-time reigning national champion North Dakota State in a vote of coaches, media and sports information directors released Monday.

Four ISU players were named to the preseason all-conference team, including quarterback Tre Roberson, running back Marshaun Coprich, defensive tackle Teddy Corwin and linebacker Pat Meehan. Meanwhile, Normal West High School graduate Joshua Appel of Indiana State was the all-conference selectiom as a long snapper.

North Dakota State, which has won four straight Valley titles, earned 32 of a possible 40 first-place votes with ISU garnering the other eight. The Bison had 389 total points in the voting with ISU earning 366. The teams shared the conference title last year and met in the FCS national championship game.

Northern Iowa was picked third followed by Youngstown State, South Dakota State, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Missouri State and South Dakota.

Unlike last year when the Redbirds were picked sixth in the preseason poll, Coach Brock Spack said the Redbirds understand they won’t be able to sneak up on teams this year.

“We talked to the team in the spring about that fact that their role is going to change a little bit after playing for the national championship and tying for the league title,” said Spack. “We’re not going to be able to sneak up on people. We’re going to get folk’s best effort every Saturday, so that will be different, But our approach won’t be any different, though.”

Spack also said Coprich won’t face any further sanctions after being suspended earlier in the year after pleading guilty to a marijuana delivery charge.

“Marshaun has been really busy all summer long,” Spack continued. “He’s had a lot – not just from what the university had him do, but we put a lot on him in football. Up until that point, he was a very good teammate.

“He had no issues with our program. He had a spotless record and is a couple of months away from graduating. That’s why we did what we did because he had a spotless record. He never had been in any kind of trouble even before coming to ISU.

“The only way he would lose playing time is if something else popped up. If that happened, I don’t think he would be playing for us at all. I don’t see it happening.”

Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]