NDSU No. 7 in USA Today Sports Weekly, No. 9 in Lindy's Preseason Top 25s; Dragosavich Named to Lindy's Preseason All-America Team
7/12/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--North Dakota State University was ranked No. 7 in the USA Today Sports Weekly and No. 9 in Lindy's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) Preseason Top 25 polls, while punter Mike Dragosavich landed a spot on Lindy's FCS Preseason All-America Team.
This is the 26th year Lindy's has published a college football preview magazine. The publication touts itself as "America's Leading Football Authority".
Dragosavich, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior from Oak Lawn, Ill. (H.L. Richards H.S.) was named to Lindy's FCS Preseason All-America team. "Drago" only punted 30 times but it was for an average of 46.2 yards per punt -- tops in the NCAA FCS. He landed 14 punts inside the 20 and had seven touchbacks. Dragosavich had a season best punt of 67 yards. He is the program's all-time leader in punting average (44.3 ypk), and has spotted 50 punts inside the 20 and recorded 24 touchbacks on 131 career attempts.
North Dakota State was predicted to win the Great West Football Conference in 2007. Quarterback Steve Walker, a 6-0 1/2, 210-pound senior from Lockport, Ill. (Lockport Township H.S.), was selected the Great West's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Walker completed 185-of-288 passes for 2,220 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions on his way to GWFC Offensive Player of the Year honors last season.
North Dakota State completed the 2006 season with a 10-1 record under the direction of Craig Bohl, including an 8-0 record against FCS schools and a 29-24 win over Mid-American Conference member Ball State. The Bison went 4-0 to win the Great West Football Conference championship -- the program's first league title since 1994 when NDSU was a member of the Division II North Central Conference.
NDSU was ranked No. 5 in The Sports Network and CSN Coaches final 2006 Top 25 polls. The Bison lost 10-9 to bowl-participant Minnesota of the Big Ten at the Metrodome.
The Bison open the 2007 season against Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m., Sept. 8, at the Fargodome.
Lindy's Great West Predictions
1.
2. South Dakota State
3. Cal Poly
4. UC Davis
5.
Great West's Top Players
Offensive Player of the Year: Steve Walker, QB,
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Buck, LB, UC Davis
Lindy's FCS Preseason Top 25
1. Appalachian State
2.
3.
4.
5. Wofford
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. Southern
13.
14.
15. Furman
16. James Madison
17. Tennessee-Martin
18.
19. Eastern
20. Northern
21. Coastal
22.
23.
24.
25.
1. Appalachian State
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Wofford
7.
8.
9.
10. James Madison
11. Southern
12. Furman
13.
14.
15. Tennessee-Martin
16. Northern
17.
18.
19. Coastal
20. Cal Poly
21. Eastern
22.
23. Yale
24. Lehigh
25.
Lindy's FCS Preseason All-America Team
OFFENSE
First team
QB Ricky Santos, Sr.,
RB Kevin Richardson, Sr., Appalachian State
RB Herb Donaldson, Jr.,
WR Alex Watson, Sr.,
WR Jerome Simpson, Sr., Coastal
TE Blake Martin, Sr,
OL
OL Kerry Brown, Sr., Appalachian State
OL Brennan Carvalho, Sr.,
OL Rocky Hanni, Sr.,
OL Cody Balogh, Sr.,
AP Chris Fletcher, Jr.,
K Rob Zarilli, Sr., Hofstra
Second team
QB Joe Flacco, Sr.,
RB Jerome Felton, Sr., Furman
RB Lex Hilliard, Sr.,
WR Micah Rucker, Sr.,
WR Duvaughn Flagler, Sr., Gardner-Webb
TE Chris Wagner, Sr.,
OL Scott Suttle, Sr., Appalachian State
OL Matt Austin, Sr., Massachusetts
OL Alex Miller, Sr., Massachusetts
OL Brandon Hale, Sr., Sam Houston State
OL Brad Samsa, Jr., Youngstown State
AP Omar Cuff, Sr., Delaware
K Jason Leo, Jr., Lehigh
DEFENSE
First team
DL Bryan Smith, Sr.,
DL Kroy Biermann, Sr.,
DL Edgar Jones, Sr.,
DL Gary Tharrington, So., Appalachian State
LB Donald Thomas, Sr.,
LB Mike Gallihugh, Sr., Colgate
LB James Terry, Sr.,
DB Tony LeZotte, Sr., James Madison
DB Corey Lynch, Sr., Appalachian State
DB Bobbie Williams, Sr., Bethune-Cookman
DB Dominique Rodgers, Sr.,
P Mike Dragosavich, Sr.,
Second team
DL Rio Stotler, Jr.,
DL Mychal Savage, Jr.,
DL Kendall Langford, Sr.,
DL Brian Johnston, Sr., Gardner-Webb
LB Bobby Abare, Jr., Yale
LB Damian Perkins, Jr., Stephen F. Austin
LB Mario Brown, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Quintez Smith, Sr.,
DB Torrey Thomas, Sr.,
DB Jamelle Juneau, Sr.,
DB Jarmaul George, Sr., Southern
P Chris MacDonald, Sr.,
