Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Conference USA season with the CFN All-Conference USA Team & Top 30 players.
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Conference USA Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Charlotte | Florida Atlantic | FIU | Marshall
Middle Tennessee | Old Dominion | WKU
West Louisiana Tech | North Texas | Rice
Southern Miss | UAB | UTEP | UTSA
2019 Preseason CFN Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year
QB Mason Fine, Sr. North Texas
It only seems like he’s been around for the last 12 years. The 5-11, 185-pounder isn’t all that big, and he doesn’t have a massive arm, but he’s been a bomber for the high-octane Mean Green offense over the last three seasons with 9.417 yards and 64 touchdowns and just 25 touchdowns. He can run a little bit, but his game is about getting the ball to his playmakers. How good has he been? If all goes according to play, he could end up among the top 15 players of all-time in passing yards.
– 2019 CFN All-Conference USA Top 30 Players
2018 Preseason CFN Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year
LB Sage Lewis, Sr. FIU
The 6-1, 240-pound thumper is more than just a tough guy against the run. Yeah, he led Conference USA in tackles with 132 – starting out with 18 against Indiana and with double-digit stops six times – but he get get after it in pass coverage. While he won’t get behind the line all that often, he’ll be the leader in the middle of a potentially devastating FIU defense that should be among the best in the league. He’ll eat up everything against the run.
2019 Preseason CFN All-Conference USA Offense
QB – Mason Fine, Sr. North Texas
RB – Spencer Brown, Jr. UAB
RB – Benny LeMay, Sr. Charlotte
WR – Rico Bussey, Sr. North Texas
WR – Adrian Hardy, Jr. Louisiana Tech
TE – Harrison Bryant, Sr. Florida Atlantic
OT – Miles Pate, Sr. WKU
OG – Shane McGough, Jr. FIU
C – Levi Brown, Sr. Marshall
OG – Manase Mosa, Soph. North Texas
OT – Brandon Walton, Sr. Florida Atlantic
2019 Preseason CFN All-Conference USA Defense
DE – LaDarius Hamilton, Sr. North Texas
DT – Channing Hames, Sr. Marshall
DT – Malik Manciel, Sr. Middle Tennessee
DE – Alex Highsmith, Sr. Charlotte
LB – Khalil Brooks, Sr. Middle Tennessee
LB – Sage Lewis, Sr. FIU
LB – DQ Thomas, Jr. Middle Tennessee
CB – Chris Jackson, Sr. Marshall
S – Reed Blankenship, Jr. Middle Tennessee
S – Khairi Muhammad, Sr. Marshall
CB – Amik Roberson, Jr. Louisiana Tech
2019 Preseason CFN All-Conference USA Special Teams
PK – Jonathan Cruz, Soph. Charlotte
P – Alvin Kenworthy, Sr. North Texas
KR – Matt Guidry, Sr. UTSA
PR – Maurice Alexander, Sr. FIU
NEXT: 2019 Preseason CFN Conference USA Top 30 Players
2019 Preseason CFN Conference USA Top 30 Players
1. QB Mason Fine, Sr. North Texas
2. LB Sage Lewis, Sr. FIU
3. RB Spencer Brown, Jr. UAB
4. RB Benny LeMay, Sr. Charlotte
5. DE Alex Highsmith, Sr. Charlotte
6. S Reed Blankenship, Jr. Middle Tennessee
7. CB Amik Roberson, Jr. Louisiana Tech
8. WR Adrian Hardy, Jr. Louisiana Tech
9. WR Rico Bussey, Sr. North Texas
10. DE LaDarius Hamilton, Sr. North Texas
11. DE Jacques Turner, Jr. Southern Miss
12. DT Channing Hames, Sr. Marshall
13. LB DQ Thomas, Jr. Middle Tennessee
14. C Levi Brown, Sr. Marshall
15. LB Khalil Brooks, Sr. Middle Tennessee
16. S Khairi Muhammad, Sr. Marshall
17. RB DeAndre Torrey, Jr. North Texas
18. S Ky’el Hemby, Jr. Southern Miss
19. DE Ty Tyler, Sr. Marshall
20. LB Rashad Smith, Sr. Florida Atlantic
21. CB Chris Jackson, Sr. Marshall
22. QB Jack Abraham, Jr. Southern Miss
23. WR Lucky Jackson, Sr. WKU
24. OT Miles Pate, Sr. WKU
25. TE Harrison Bryant, Sr. Florida Atlantic
26. CB Cassius Grady, Sr. UTSA
27. LB Collin Scott, Sr. Louisiana Tech
28. WR Ty Lee, Sr. Middle Tennessee
29. DE Noah Curtis, Jr. FIU
30. S Ben DeLuca, Sr. Charlotte
NOTE: Southern Miss WR Quez Watkins is on this list if eligible to play
Conference USA Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Charlotte | Florida Atlantic | FIU | Marshall
Middle Tennessee | Old Dominion | WKU
West Louisiana Tech | North Texas | Rice
Southern Miss | UAB | UTEP | UTSA
