SIAC Media Day: FVSU picked 5th; All-SIAC Wildcats; schedule, Central Georgians on roster, more

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          New Fort Valley State head coach Shawn Gibbs has seven preseason all-conference players he’ll rely on to help the Wildcats do better than expected.

          The latest new head coach at FVSU has a team picked to finish fifth in the SIAC East during conference media day Wednesday in Atlanta.

          Two Central Georgians earned preseason honors.

          Offensive lineman Emanuel Boone, a Westside, grad, is a first-team pick while Peach County grad Tim Alderman is a second-team pick at linebacker.

          Boone is a two-time all-conference first-team selection, and teams with Bell to give the Wildcats some experience up front.

          Alderman had seven tackles for loss and four sacks as a true freshman.

          FVSU has only two home games this season, on Sept. 17 against Allen and Oct. 1 against Benedict. The Wildcats open the season on Sept. 4 against Tuskegee in Montgomery, Ala.

          FVSU and Savannah State play in Macon – an event that has yet to be publicly announced – on Oct. 29 in what its schedule bills as the Macon Central City HBCU Football Classic. It was initially scheduled to be played at Savannah State.

          There is no mention of what stadium will host the game.

          The Wildcats’ game against Morehouse was to be in Fort Valley, but that at some point was changed to be part of a Classic for Columbus in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 15. But Morehouse still lists it as a game in Fort Valley.

          Albany State’s Dionte Bonneau and Lane’s Andrew Farmer were voted preseason offensive and defensive players of the year.

          Washington County grad Shamarcus Poole of Savannah State made the second team on offensive at running back.

          Warner Robins grad and former Fort Valley State head coach Kevin Porter begins his first year as the boss at Central State, located just west of Dayton, Ohio. He was hired last December.

          Porter went 18-23 in four years at FVSU – 15-10 in conference games - with two trips to the SIAC title game, but he was fired in November of 2019.

          Buddy Blevins was FVSU’s offensive coordinator in 2019, and has the same position at Central State. QB coach Michael Whitley and associated head coach Michael Ervin were also on FVSU’s staff. DBs coach Colby Brown Sr., coached at Mercer in 2019.

          FVSU will be Central State’s homecoming opponent on Oct. 8.

FVSU preseason All-SIAC
First Team
OL Waylin Bell
OL Emanuel Boone
DB Tyler Moore
RB Emanuel Wilson
Second team
DL Tim Alderman
PR Hakeem Ellington
DB Christian Maddox

East Division
1. Albany State
2. Benedict
3. Savannah State
4. Morehouse
5. Fort Valley State
6. Edward Waters
7. Clark Atlanta
8. Allen
Edward Waters and Allen are ineligible for the championship during NCAA membership transition
West
1. Miles
2. Lane
3. Tuskegee
4. Kentucky State
5. Central State 

FVSU head coach Shawn Gibbs is interviewed starting at 56:55.