Aug. 2, 2012
2012 NEC Pre-Season Honors and Poll
For the second straight season, Duquesne University has been picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference Football League, according to a preseason poll of the league's nine head coaches released today.
Defending NEC champion Albany, which finished tied with Duquesne for first place in the conference last season and earned the NEC's automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision Play-offs, was tabbed as the preseason favorite with six first place votes. Duquesne, which was named Co-NEC champions in 2011, received one first place vote while Bryant, who was picked third by the coaches, had two first place votes. Following Bryant in the preseason poll were Central Connecticut State, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Wagner, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis.
Eighth-year head coach Jerry Schmitt returns nine starters, from last year's 9-2, 7-1 (NEC) team.
"We are very excited to go into this season, our fifth in the NEC," said Schmitt. "We look forward to competing in this challenging conference each and every week. I like where our program is, but I also know that if you want to continue having success you have to continue working hard. We had a productive offseason and we are excited to start preparing for a challenging 2012 schedule."
A trio of Dukes - senior running back Larry McCoy (Wytheville, Va./George Wythe), senior quarterback Sean Patterson (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) and senior defensive back Serge Kona (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) - were named to the NEC Football Preseason All-Conference Team.
McCoy, a 2011 First Team All-NEC choice, carried 288 times for 1,381 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He leads all FCS returnees in career rushing attempts with 700 and is second in career rushing yards with 3,479. A three-year starter, McCoy has topped the 100 yard mark 19 times, including 15 of his past 19 games.
Patterson, who threw for 2,011 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, ranks tied for fourth among FCS returning quarterbacks with 46 career TD passes. The 2011 Second Team All-NEC pick is 13-3 as a starter in his past 16 games and established himself as a dual-threat last year with 552 yards and two touchdowns rushing.
Kona was a Third Team FCS Associated Press All-America, NEC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-NEC honoree last season. An impact player who made the seamless transition from linebacker to safety last year, totaled 48 tackles - including 4.0 tackles for loss - from the free safety spot. He intercepted a pair of passes and forced three fumbles in joining nine-year NFL veteran Leigh Bodden (AP All-America defensive back in 2002 & 2003) as the only other DU player to earn AP All-America honors as a junior. Kona has also been bestowed Pre-Season All-America status by the Sports Network and College Sporting News.
Duquesne, which opens Fall camp on August 5, kicks off the 2012 season at Old Dominion at 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 1.
2012 Northeast Conference Football League Preseason Poll
First place votes in parentheses
1. Albany (6)
2. DUQUESNE (1)
3. Bryant (2)
4. Central Connecticut State
5. Monmouth
6. Robert Morris
7. Wagner
8. Sacred Heart
9. Saint Francis, Pa.
