Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Arkansas State senior quarterback Ryan Aplin was named Sun Belt Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and the Red Wolves were picked second in the preseason poll announced Monday as part of the league’s annual Media Days.

Also gaining recongnition were wideout Josh Jarboe, offensive lineman Zack McNight and defensive back Don Jones who with Aplin were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.

The selections and poll are voted by the Sun Belt's head coaches and media members.

Florida International was the No. 1 pick for the conference, picking up 92 points and five first-place votes to edge out Arkansas State, which had 85 points and two first-place votes. FIU was also picked first in the 2011 preseason poll and ended the season with a 20-10 loss to Marshall in the Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl. This season, FIU will return 22 starters.

Arkansas State posted a perfect 8-0 record in the Sun Belt last season and fell to Northern Illinois 38-20 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

Aplin was the 2011 Sun Belt Player of the Year with a completion rate of 63.9 percent, passing for 3,588 yards and 19 touchdowns. Aplin also led the Red Wolves in rushing with 588 yards and 10 touchdowns.

FIU defensive lineman Tourek Williams was named the 2012 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Here is the complete rundown of the top teams and the preseason All-Sun Belt players:

2012 Preseason Sun Belt Poll
As voted on by the league's 10 head coaches.

School - Points (First place votes in parentheses)
1. FIU - 92 (5)
2. Arkansas State - 85 (2)
3. Louisiana-Lafayette - 81 (2)
4. WKU - 70 (1)
5. Troy - 60
6. Louisiana-Monroe - 47
7. Middle Tennessee - 42
8. North Texas - 36
9. Florida Atlantic - 23
10. South Alabama - 14


2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
As voted on by the league's 10 head coaches and selected media members.

Offense
Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Sr., QB)
Kedrick Rhodes (FIU, Jr., RB)
Alonzo Harris (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., RB)
Josh Jarboe (Arkansas State, Sr., WR)
Javone Lawson (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., WR)
Eric Thomas (Troy, Jr., WR)
Jack Doyle (WKU, Sr., TE)
Zack McKnight (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)
Rupert Bryan (FIU, Sr., OL)
Caylin Hauptmann (FIU, Sr., OL)
Leonardo Bates (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)
Cyril Lemon (North Texas, So., OL)

Defense
IsameFaciane (FIU, Jr., DL)
Tourek Williams (FIU, Sr., DL)
Tony Davis (Troy, Sr., DL)
Quanterus Smith (WKU, Sr., DL)
Winston Fraser (FIU, r-Sr., LB)
Kanorris Davis (Troy, Sr., LB)
Andrew Jackson (WKU, Jr., LB)
Don Jones (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)
Jonathan Cyprien (FIU, Sr., DB)
Melvin White (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., DB)
Brynden Trawick (Troy, Sr., DB)

Special Teams
Brett Baer (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr. PK)
Will Atterberry (North Texas, Sr., P)
John Evans (WKU, So., Return Specialist)

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Sr., QB)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Tourek Williams (FIU, Sr., DL)