The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Places Two Players On Preseason All-Conference USA Team
7/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 16, 2008
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- UAB's Will Dunbar and Joe Henderson have both been named to the 2008 Preseason All-Conference USA football team as selected by the league's 12 head coaches.
Dunbar, a senior safety from Atlanta, and Henderson, a senior linebacker from Birmingham, were listed among the first-team choices in the announcement made Wednesday by the C-USA office.
Dunbar, who was a first-team all-conference pick at the conclusion of the 2007 season, led all Conference USA defenders in tackles per game last fall at 12.2. Dunbar finished the season with 122 total tackles, including 69 solo hits. He also registered a pair of interceptions with one of those returned 21 yards for a touchdown against Florida State. Dunbar has been named to the 2008 Preseason Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Award to be presented to the nation's top defensive player.
Like Dunbar, Henderson has been listed among the nation's all-conference players each of the past two years. Henderson was tabbed to the third team as a sophomore in 2006 and last season earned second-team honors.
Henderson ranked second to Dunbar in tackles on the team as he tallied 109 total stops. Henderson also led the team in sacks (5) and tackles for loss (9.5). He has recorded 207 tackles in his career. In addition, Henderson had a pair of interceptions.
Southern Miss running back Damion Fletcher was chosen as the Preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year while Golden Eagle linebacker Gerald McRath was selected as the conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. UCF return specialist Joe Burnett was named the league's Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year.
2008 Conference USA Preseason Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Damion Fletcher, RB, Southern Miss
Defensive Player of the Year
Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss
Special Teams Player of the Year
Joe Burnett, PR, UCF
First-Team Offense
QB - Chase Clement, Sr., Rice
RB - Tarrion Adams, Sr., Tulsa
RB - Damion Fletcher, Jr., Southern Miss
OL - Patrick Brown, Sr., UCF
OL - Robby Felix, Sr., UTEP
OL - Ryan McKee, Sr., Southern Miss
OL - Doug Palmer, Jr., East Carolina
OL - Brandon Pearce, Sr., Memphis
WR - Duke Calhoun, Jr., Memphis
WR - Jarett Dillard, Sr., Rice
WR - Brennan Marion, Sr., Tulsa
WR - Jeff Moturi, Jr., UTEP
First-Team Defense
DL - Albert McClellan, Sr., Marshall
DL - Moton Hopkins, Sr., Tulsa
DL - Phillip Hunt, Sr., Houston
DL - Zach Slate, Sr., East Carolina
DL - C.J. Wilson, Jr., East Carolina
LB - Joe Henderson, Sr., UAB
LB - Gerald McRath, Jr., Southern Miss
LB - Brian Raines, Sr., Rice
DB - Will Dunbar, Sr., UAB
DB - Kenneth Fontenette, Sr., Houston
DB - Andrew Sendejo, Jr., Rice
DB - C.J. Spillman, Sr., Marshall
First-Team Special Teams
K - Jose Martinez, Sr., UTEP
P - Thomas Morstead, Sr, SMU
KR - Darius Marshall, So., Marshall
PR - Joe Burnett, Sr., UCF
