By ISU Media Relations
PHILADELPHIA – It should come as no surprise to see a quartet of players from Illinois State, last year’s national FCS runner-up, on the 2015 STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team announced Thursday.
Illinois State’s four selections trailed only defending national champion North Dakota State’s five players named to the list. The Missouri Valley led all FCS conferences with 17 preseason All-Americans.
Seniors Marshaun Coprich, Pat Meehan, Tre Roberson and Teddy Corwin were each named to the annual list, which is comprised of three teams and went 100 players deep, spread out among 63 schools from all 13 FCS conferences. Coprich returned to the first team, Meehan made the preseason second team, and Roberson and Corwin were third-team selections.
Coprich led the FCS in rushing yards (2,274) and rushing touchdowns (27) last season, and was second in rushing yards per game (151.6). He was a First-Team All-America selection by The Associated Press, The Sports Network and the Walter Camp Football Foundation and was named to the College Sporting News 2014 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team. The Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-MVFC honoree finished fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the best player in FCS football.
Meehan was an All-MVFC First-Team selection at middle linebacker and led the team with 115 tackles, which ranked him No. 10 in the MVFC with an average of 7.7 tackles per game. Meehan added three sacks, six tackles-for-loss and four pass breakups to his defensive totals and also recorded an interception and recovered a fumble. He posted five double-digit tackle efforts, including a season-high 13-tackle effort in the season finale vs. Southern Illinois, and finished with 12 tackles in the FCS Championship against North Dakota State.
In his first season at Illinois State, Roberson was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Year and an All-MVFC First-Team selection at quarterback while leading the Redbirds to the FCS title game and a school-record 13 wins. Roberson set single-season records for passing touchdowns (30), passing efficiency (155.3), total offense yards (4,250) and also set a school single-season record for rushing yards in a season by a quarterback with 1,029, becoming the only quarterback in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards. He threw for 3,221 yards with 30 touchdowns and was instrumental in the Redbirds’ playoff run, with a game-winning touchdown in the semifinals at New Hampshire and accounted for four touchdowns in the FCS Championship game vs. NDSU.
Corwin rounds out the ISU selections, following a breakout season on the defensive line for the Redbirds. A First-Team All-MVFC selection at defensive end, Corwin ranked second on the team with a career-high 98 tackles and led the team with 12.5 tackles-for-loss. He also finished third on the team with 7.5 sacks and tied for the team lead with three interceptions in 2014. He tied a career-best effort with 12 tackles in the semifinal win at New Hampshire and recorded a sack and five tackles in the FCS Championship game.
Illinois State will begin its defense of the MVFC title and begin its quest for a return to the FCS title game on Aug. 6, when the Redbirds start fall training camp at Hancock Stadium. ISU opens the 2015 season against FBS foe Iowa on Sept. 5 at Kinnick Stadium.
