ST. LOUIS – Led by senior Robert Booker (C, Ozark, Mo.), Missouri State landed four players on the Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Team, the 10-member conference announced Monday (July 27) in advance of its annual preseason teleconference. Additionally, the Bears were picked to finish ninth by the league’s coaches, media and sports information directors.
In addition to Booker’s selection to circuit’s 28-man top preseason squad, junior Dylan Cole (LB, Rogersville, Mo.) and sophomores Calan Crowder (RB, Bartlesville, Okla.) and Sam Ellifrits (OL, Nevada, Mo.) received honorable mention recognition from the Valley pollsters Monday.
A second-team STATS FCS Preseason All-America choice, Booker made all 12 starts at center in 2014, carrying out 83 percent of his assignments and grading out at 86 percent overall with 67 knockdown blocks. The Ozark, Mo., product was a second-team All-MVFC selection last fall after being tabbed MSU’s Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. North Dakota (Sept. 13). Booker was also an AP All-America and first-team All-MVFC selection as a sophomore in 2013 and has started each of the Bears’ 24 contests over the last two seasons.
Cole recorded eight or more tackles six times and ranked second on the club with 92 stops for the year to claim MVFC honorable mention recognition in 2014. He finished 11th in the league in total tackles (7.7), while posting 1.2 TFLs per game, which ranked fifth in the Valley during the regular season and 55th nationally. He recorded team-highs of 54 solo stops and 14.5 TFLs with a pair of interceptions and eight total passes defended for the year. Cole was named CFPA National Linebacker of the Week on Sept. 8 after turning in six tackles for loss at Oklahoma State.
A 2014 Valley All-Newcomer Team selection, Crowder led MSU and ranked ninth in the Valley in rushing last fall, totaling a Bears’ freshman record 766 yards on 153 carries, an average of 5.0 yards per attempt. The Bartlesville, Okla., product started the final seven games of the season, twice topping the 100-yard rushing plateau. He carried the ball 13 times for 119 yards vs. North Dakota on Sept. 13 and later accrued a Bears’ season-high 120 yards on 25 carries vs. Southern Illinois on Nov. 8. Crowder was also named to the CFPA FCS National Freshman of the Year Watch List.
Ellifrits was a FCS Freshman All-America (TonySoftli.com) choice last fall, starting each of the last eight games at right tackle. He was named MSU’s Offensive Lineman of the Week two times (Sept. 20 and Oct. 25), carried out 79 percent of his assignments and graded out at 82 percent overall for the season with 59 knockdown blocks. The Nevada, Mo., native was also named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team in 2014.
The conference also announced its preseason poll, with four-time defending NCAA Division I FCS champion North Dakota State earning the top spot with 389 total points, including 32 of the 40 first-place votes. Defending MVFC co-champion and national runner-up Illinois State (366) was picked second after receiving the remaining eight first-place votes. UNI (300), South Dakota State (261) and Indiana State (190), who each earned a playoff spot in 2014, were slated third, fifth and sixth, respectively. Youngstown State (265), one of two league schools with a new head coach (MSU is the other), was picked fourth in the poll. Southern Illinois (143), Western Illinois (139), MSU (91) and South Dakota (66) rounded out the order of finish.
The MVFC’s preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 17 times in 29 previous seasons a poll has been conducted. Valley Football is celebrating its 31st season in 2015, with six FCS national championships to its credit.
The MVFC Preseason Teleconference is scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. (Central) Monday, and first-year Missouri State head coach Dave Steckel is slated to speak at 9:40 a.m. Members of the media may join the call by dialing (877) 393-4731.
The Bears return 41 lettermen and 12 starters from last year’s 4-8 team that finished ninth in the Valley. MSU players will report to campus on Aug. 2 for fall camp in preparation for the team’s Sept. 5 season opener at Memphis.
— MSU Sports Information —