Gaither, Allen Headline 2022 Preseason All-Conference Team
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) –- Gardner-Webb senior running back Narii Gaither (Rock Hill, S.C.) and Campbell redshirt-senior defensive lineman Brevin Allen (Greensboro, N.C.) have been voted the Big South Conference’s 2022 Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, by the league’s head football coaches and media panel, it was announced today at the Big South Conference Football Media Day Kickoff Luncheon presented by BuyB1.com at the SouthPark Marriott Hotel in Charlotte.
Gaither is Gardner-Webb’s first Big South preseason Offensive Player of the Year honoree since 2017 (QB Tyrell Maxwell) and just the second overall. A First-Team All-Conference performer in 2021, Gaither led the Big South last season with 991 rushing yards and 132.8 all-purpose yards per game. He ranked ninth nationally in all-purpose yards, and led the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 42 receptions -- just one of two running backs in the country to lead his team in rushing yards and receptions. Gaither scored 12 total touchdowns a season ago (seven rushing, five receiving), had a league-leading five games with 100+ rushing yards, as well as two games with more than 200 all-purpose yards. He enters this season needing 521 rushing yards for 2,000 in his career, and 37 catches to break the Big South career record for most receptions by a running back. Gaither received six first-place votes and 27 total points in the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year voting, ahead of Campbell quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams (two first-place votes and 18 points) and Robert Morris running back Alijah Jackson (one first-place vote and 13 points).
Allen is the first Camel to be voted the Big South’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and was the league’s postseason Defensive Player of the Year honoree in 2021. Last year, he was named an FCS All-American by the AFCA (2nd Team), Stats Perform (2nd Team), Associated Press (3rd Team), Phil Steele Magazine (3rd team) and Hero Sports (3rd Team), and was a finalist for the Stats Perform Buck Buchanan FCS National Defensive Player of the Year Award. Allen was the Big South leader in quarterback sacks with 9.5 and tackles-for-loss with 17.5. He ranked 11th nationally in TFL and 17th in sacks, and was one of 10 Big South defenders with at least two forced fumbles last season. The first Camel to be voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year, Allen set the school single-season record for sacks and tied the program record for tackles-for-loss in 2021. He was the Big South Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 11 after posting 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, five total tackles and a pass break-up in Campbell’s victory over Gardner-Webb in the East/West BBQ Bowl. Allen recorded at least 2.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage in six games -- two of which were games with 3.0 TFL -- and finished the year with a TFL in eight of his 11 appearances. He amassed 44 total tackles (26 solo, 18 assisted), six quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery in 2021. Allen collected five first-place votes and 22 points from the panel, ahead of North Carolina A&T linebacker Jacob Roberts (two first-place votes and 13 points).
Gaither and Allen were also voted to the preseason All-Conference First-Team, which is comprised of 12 offensive and defensive positions, plus specialty positions. A preseason Honorable Mention squad features the next highest vote-getters at each position where available. Campbell and Gardner-Webb tied for the most preseason selections with 10, followed by North Carolina A&T (8), Robert Morris (5), Charleston Southern (4), and Bryant (3). The 2022 preseason All-Conference team appears below.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Hajj-Malik Williams, R-Jr., Campbell
RB - Narii Gaither, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB - Alijah Jackson, Gr., Robert Morris
WR - Cayden Jordan, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
WR - Justin Franklin, Soph., Gardner-Webb
WR - Jamison Warren, Soph., North Carolina A&T
TE - Julian Hill, Gr., Campbell
OL - Tyler McLellan, Gr., Campbell
OL - Clayton Frady, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL - Gabe Thompson, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL - Ricky Lee III, R-Sr., North Carolina A&T
OL - Hayden Baron, Jr., Robert Morris
DEFENSE
DL - Brevin Allen, R-Sr., Campbell
DL - Ty French, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Ricardo Watson, R-Jr., Robert Morris
DL - Jermaine McDaniel, Gr., North Carolina A&T
LB - Garrett Sayegh, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB - William McRainey, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB - Jacob Roberts, Sr., North Carolina A&T
LB - Joe Andreessen, Gr., Bryant
DB - Hombre Kennedy, Gr., Charleston Southern
DB - Jamari Brown, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB - Karon Prunty, R-Jr., North Carolina A&T
DB - Sydney Audiger, Gr., Robert Morris
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Andrew Brown, Soph., North Carolina A&T
P - Corey Petersen, Gr., Campbell
KR - Josh McNeely, Gr., Campbell
PR - Josh McNeely, Gr., Campbell
LS - Jackson Hayes, Gr., Campbell
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION
QB - Bailey Fisher, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB - Bhayshul Tuten, Soph., North Carolina A&T
WR - David Zorilla, Sr., Bryant
TE - Nicholas Dobson, Jr., North Carolina A&T
OL - Mike Edwards, R-Sr., Campbell
DL - Anton Williams, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB - Jamar Shegog, R-Jr., Robert Morris
DB - Dorian Jones, Gr., Campbell
P - Bailey Fisher, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
KR - TJ Luther, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
LS - David McCain, Jr., Bryant
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Narii Gaither, Sr., RB, Gardner-Webb (Rock Hill, S.C.)
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brevin Allen, R-Sr., DL, Campbell (Greensboro, N.C.)