BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Six Camels have been named to 2020 Preseason All-Big South teams, while Campbell has been picked fourth in the league’s coaches’ poll, as announced at the conference’s virtual football media day.
2019 freshman Campbell quarterback All-American quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has been named 2020 Big South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. A 2018 first team all-conference wide receiver, Caleb Snead joins Williams on the preseason All-Big South offensive squad.
On the defensive side, returning First Team All-Big South performers Justice Galloway-Velazquez and Darion Slade, as well as 2019 second team all-conference defensive end Brevin Allen were all named to the preseason team.
Tyler McLellan, a 2019 Second Team All-Big South offensive lineman, was also named honorable mention preseason all-conference.
Campbell was voted fourth in the in the conference’s preseason poll with 42 points, just one point shy of Charleston Southern, which picked up one first place vote. Kennesaw State topped the poll with 68 points and eight first place ballots, while 2019 Big South Champions Monmouth, which will not play football this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, came in second with 57 points and the remaining three first place nods.
Hampton (23 points), which has also opted out of the 2020 season, and Gardner-Webb (19) rounded out the poll. Points were based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving six points, followed by five points for second place, and so on. North Alabama was not eligible for preseason poll due to its transition to Division I.
Two-time All-American, three-time All-Big South honoree and 2019 Big South Defensive Player of the Year Bryson Armstrong, a linebacker from Kennesaw State, was again named 2020 Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Williams, also named the Big South’s top offensive player by HERO Sports in its 2020 preview, was tabbed First Team FCS Freshman All-America by HERO Sports as a rookie in 2019, as well as the Big South’s Offensive Freshman of the Year. The Atlanta, Ga. native was a four-time Big South Freshman of the Week and five-time honorable mention FCS Freshman of the Week last season, earning a spot as a finalist on the STATS Jerry Rice Watch List.
The QB became the second Camel and first CU freshman to pass for more than 2,000 yards in a single season, throwing for 2,042 yards and 17 touchdowns, while rushing for a team-high 664 yards and nine more touchdowns, ranking third in the Big South in total offense (2,686), and standing in the top-six in rushing yards, rushing TDs, passing yards and passing TDs.
Snead is a preseason All-Big South pick for the second straight season, coming off an injury shortened sophomore campaign where he still led the Camels and ranked 11th in the Big South in receiving yards with 554, playing only nine games. Catching at least one pass in each game, Snead added six touchdown grabs in 2019.
McLellan was named honorable mention preseason all-league after garnering Second Team All-Big South accolades in his first season of game action in 2019. McLellan started all 11 games at right tackle as a redshirt sophomore last season, helping Campbell rush for 200-plus yards six times, as well as six individual 100-yard rushing performances.
An honorable mention Sophomore FCS All-America (HERO Sports) and First Team All-Big South performer in 2019, Galloway-Velazquez set a Campbell single season record with 111 tackles last season, recording 10 or more tackles six times, including a career-high 18 against Kennesaw State. He was a two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week, also earning a FCS Defensive Player of the Week honorable mention nod.
Slade was also named First Team All-Big South last season, recording 70 tackles in just nine games, adding 1.5 tackles for loss with a forced fumble, an interception and two pass breakups. Averaging 9.5 stops per game in Big South play, the defensive back posted 10 or tackles four times on the season, including a season-high 12 stops three times (Presbyterian, Monmouth, Charleston Southern).
Allen, named “The Best Player Who Wears No. 97” in the FCS by HERO Sports, totaled 54 tackles with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, adding three QB hurries and two pass breakups in his first season as a starter. He earned Big South Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting 3.5 tackles for loss, including 1.0 sack, to go along with eight tackles in a win over Presbyterian.
2020 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Teams
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Hajj-Malik Williams, Soph., Campbell
RB Isaac Foster, Jr., Kennesaw State
RB Juwon Farri, R-Soph., Monmouth
WR Izaiah Gathings, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR Jadakis Bonds, Jr., Hampton
WR Lonnie Moore IV, R-Sr., Monmouth
WR Terrance Greene Jr., R-Jr., Monmouth (tie)
WR Caleb Snead, R-Jr., Campbell (tie)
TE Gene Scott, Jr., Monmouth
OL AJ Farris, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL Chris Dye, Sr., Kennesaw State
OL Jake Lassiter, Sr., Kennesaw State
OL Justin Szuba, Jr., Monmouth
OL William Nana-Fabu, Jr., Kennesaw State
DEFENSE
DL Shaundre Mims, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
DL Brevin Allen, Jr., Campbell
DL Nick Salley, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
DL Anton Williams, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
LB Bryson Armstrong, R-Sr., Kennesaw State
LB Da’Quan Grimes, R-Sr., Monmouth
LB Darien Reynolds, Sr., Gardner-Webb
LB Justice Galloway-Velazquez, Jr., Campbell
DB Anthony Budd, Sr., Monmouth
DB Cody Cline, Soph., Charleston Southern
DB Darion Slade, R-Sr., Campbell
DB Justin Terry, Sr., Monmouth
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Alex Usry, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
P Joe Gurley, Sr., North Alabama
KR Lonnie Moore, R-Sr., Monmouth
PR Devron Harper, Soph., Gardner-Webb
LS Ethan Ray, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION
QB Jack Chambers, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
RB Shaquil Terry, Sr., Kennesaw State
WR Garris Schwarting, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
OL Tyler McLellan, R-Jr., Campbell (tie)
OL JT Melton, R-Jr., Charleston Southern (tie)
DL Wallace Cowins Jr., Sr., North Alabama
LB Cade Hamilton, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Demetrius Pettway, Jr., Kennesaw State
PK Joe Gurley, Sr., North Alabama
P Nicholas Jones, Sr., Kennesaw State
KR Devron Harper, Soph., Gardner-Webb (tie)
KR Issac Foster, Jr., Kennesaw State (tie)
PR Issac Foster, Jr., Kennesaw State
LS Will Mullins, Sr., Gardner-Webb
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hajj-Malik Williams, Soph., QB, Campbell (Atlanta, Ga.)
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bryson Armstrong, R-Sr., LB, Kennesaw State (Marietta, Ga)
