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2012 Preseason Football Rankings

Football MSU Athletic Communications

Mustangs tabbed in top five by preseason mags

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Midwestern State Mustangs have been slated as a top five team in the ranking of a pair of preseason magazines.
 
Midwestern, coming off a 10-0 regular season before falling in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, is ranked fourth nationally by Lindy's Sports College Football Preview and fifth by USA Today 2012 College Football.
 
Lindy's has MSU behind defending national champion Pittsburg State in the top spot, with Minnesota-Duluth (the 2010 national champ) second and Northwest Missouri State third.  Defending runner up Wayne State (Mich.) is fifth, followed by Delta State (Miss.), Winston-Salem (N.C.), Colorado State-Pueblo, Grand Valley State (Mich.) and New Haven (Conn.) in the top 10.
 
Lindy's, who picked a top 25, placed Lone Star Conference foe Abilene Christian 13th, with 2012 opponent West Alabama 14th.
 
USA Today placed the Mustangs fifth in their top 10 rankings, keeping Pitt State, Minnesota-Duluth and Northwest Missouri as the top three and moving Grand Valley to fourth.  Colorado State-Pueblo is sixth, followed by Missouri Western, West Alabama, Abilene Christian and California (Pa.).
 
The magazines highlight returning senior quarterback Brandon Kelsey, who finished fourth in the Harlon Hill Award voting as a junior, and junior running back Keidrick Jackson, as a key reason the Mustangs are expected to have a great season.
 
Kelsey, who threw for 1,951 yards last season while rushing for 967, was the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2011.  Jackson led the LSC in rushing with 1,044 yards or 94.9 per game.
 
Offensive tackle Ken Van Huele, a 6-4, 320 pound senior from Hurst/L.D. Bell, was chosen to Lindy's first team preseason All-America team.  He helped anchor an offensive line that saw the Mustangs lead the LSC in scoring offense (48.6 points per game), total offense (531.9 yards a game), rushing offense (323.5 ypg) and pass efficiency offense (161.2 rating).
 
Kelsey and Jackson were both named second team preseason All-America by Lindy's.
 
The LSC was also represented on Lindy's list by ACU's Mitchell Gale, who was the first team quarterback and preseason MVP. Texas A&M-Kingsville's Jonathan Woodson who was tabbed second team all-purpose player and Tarleton State's Marquis Wadley was chosen second team linebacker.
 
Midwestern opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Tarleton State, with the Mustangs first game at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 29 against Incarnate Word.

USA TODAY COLLEGE SPORTS DIVISION II TOP 10

Rank Team 2011 Record
1. Pittsburg State 13-1
2. Minnesota-Duluth 11-3
3. Northwest Missouri State 11-3
4. Grand Valley State 8-3
5. Midwestern State 10-1
6. Colorado State-Pueblo 11-1
7. Missouri Western State 9-3
8. West Alabama 8-4
9. Abilene Christian 8-3
10. California (Pa.) 10-3

2012 Lindy's Sports Preseason Top 25

Rank Team 2011 Record
1 Pittsburg State (Kan.) 13-1
2 Minnesota-Duluth 11-3
3 Northwest Missouri 11-3
4 Midwestern State 10-1
5 Wayne State (Mich.) 12-4
6 Delta State (Miss.) 11-3
7 Winston-Salem State (N.C.) 13-1
8 Colorado State-Pueblo 11-1
9 Grand Valley State (Mich.) 8-3
10 New Haven (Conn.) 11-2
11 Valdosta State (Ga.) 6-4
12 North Alabama 9-3
13 Abilene Chrsitian (Texas) 8-3
14 West Alabama 8-4
15 Washburn (Kan.) 10-3
16 North Greenville (N.C.) 11-3
17 Nebraska-Kearney 10-2
18 Elizabeth City State (N.C.) 8-4
19 Kutztown (Pa.) 11-2
20 Hillsdale (Mich.) 8-3
21 California (Pa.) 10-3
22 St. Cloud State (Minn.) 9-3
23 Missouri Western 9-3
24 Mars Hill (N.C.) 8-3
25 Humboldt State (Calif.) 9-1

2012 Lindy's Preseason All America Team

Most Valuable Player
Mitchell Gale, Abilene Christian
Offensive Player of the Year
Daronte McNeill, Elizabeth City State
Defensive Player of the Year
Nate Dreiling, Pittsburg State
Newcomer of the Year
Rod Woodson, North Alabama

First Team Offense

Pos. Player Class School
QB Mitchell Gale Sr. Abilene Christian
RB Joe Glendening Sr. Hillsdale
RB Daronte McNeill Sr. Elizabeth City State
WR Chris Bowden Sr. Wingate
WR Charles Johnson Sr. Grand Valley State
TE Joe Don Duncan Sr. Dixie State
OL Macon Allan Sr. Missouri Western
OL Garth Heikkinen Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
OL Tim Lelito Sr. Grand Valley State
OL Ken Van Heule Sr. Midwestern State
OL Rod Williams Sr. Northwest Missouri
AP John Brown Jr. Pittsburg State
K Derek Koon Jr. Truman

First Team Defense

Pos. Player Class School
DL David Bass Sr. Missouri Western
DL Jonas Celian Sr. West Virginia Wesleyan
DL Tim Green Sr. Lincoln (Pa.)
DL Tom  Herd Sr. New Haven
LB Jordan Campbell Sr. N.M. Highlands
LB Nate Dreiling Jr. Pittsburg State
LB Cody Fleming Sr. Shippensburg
DB Aaron Cornett Sr. Wayne State (Mich.)
DB Alex Dinolfi Sr. Kutztown
DB Rontez Miles Sr. California (Pa.)
DB Richie Schumacher Sr. Truman
P Taylor Accardi Sr. Colorado Mines

Second Team Offense

Pos. Player Class School
QB Brandon Kelsey Sr. Midwestern State
RB James Franklin Jr. Northwest Missouri
RB Keidrick Jackson Jr. Midwestern State
WR DeJuan Beard Jr. Washburn
WR Isaiah Voegeli Sr. Merrimack
TE David Pawelek Sr. Colorado Mines
OL Logan Freeman Sr. Central Missouri
OL Brett Frydendahl Sr. Humboldt State
OL Mike Nelson Jr. Central Washington
OL Ryan Schraeder Sr. Valdosta State
OL Lamar Young Sr. Delta State
AP Jonathan Woodson Sr. Texas A&M-Kingsville
K Rockne Balmonte Sr. Northern Michigan

Second Team Defense

Pos. Player Class School
DL Brad Davis Sr. Elizabeth City State
DL Vauchard Goodridge Jr. Clark Atlanta
DL Howard Jones Jr. Shepherd
DL Brandon Williams Sr. Missouri Southern
LB Cody Bloom Jr. Ashland
LB Jesse Robertson Sr. West Virginia Wesleyan
LB Marquis Wadley Jr. Tarleton State
DB Derek Lohmann Sr. Emporia State
DB Sam Kuck Sr. Nebraska-Kearney
DB Marvin Matthews Sr. St. Cloud State
DB Bryce Peila Sr. Western Oregon
P Randy Weich Sr. Wayne State (Neb.)
  
-- MSUMustangs.com --
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Players Mentioned

Keidrick Jackson

#1 Keidrick Jackson

RB
5' 9"
Junior
2L
Brandon Kelsey

#6 Brandon Kelsey

QB
6' 2"
Senior
3L
Ken Van Heule

#61 Ken Van Heule

OL
6' 4"
Senior
1L

Players Mentioned

Keidrick Jackson

#1 Keidrick Jackson

5' 9"
Junior
2L
RB
Brandon Kelsey

#6 Brandon Kelsey

6' 2"
Senior
3L
QB
Ken Van Heule

#61 Ken Van Heule

6' 4"
Senior
1L
OL