Oilers Picked to Finish 3rd in South Division
The University of Findlay football team was picked to finish third in the South Division of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as the league office unveiled their annual preseason coaches poll on Aug. 15.
The Oilers received 97 points in the poll, which included one first place vote. Ashland University was picked as the favorite to win the division and received 113 points and ten first place votes.
Ohio Dominican was picked one spot ahead of the Oilers in the poll as they received 108 points to go along with five first place votes.
Grand Valley State University is the favorite in the North Division as the Lakers received 108 points and six first place votes. National runner-up Wayne State University was second, receiving 99 points and four first place votes.
The Oilers finished last season with a 6-5 record, which included a 6-4 mark in the GLIAC. Their record was a five-game improvement from the 2010 campaign, when they finished 1-10.
Offensively the Oilers will be led by senior running back Monterae Williams, who was named first team all-conference one year ago. Williams led the Oilers in rushing with 1,268 yards to go along with 18 touchdowns as a junior.
Williams, who has racked up 3,312 rushing yards during his tenure with the Oilers, needs only 698 yards on the ground this season to become the all-time leader at Findlay. The record of 4,009 career rushing yards belongs to former great Nelson Bolden, whom accomplished the feat from 1977-80.
Paving the way for Williams will be senior center Scott Dearwester, a second team all-conference pick last season, and junior tackle Justin Music, who earned honorable mention all-league accolades in 2011.
Also returning to the Oilers offense will be senior quarterback Clay Belton and his two favorite targets, junior wide receiver Seth White and junior tight end Jaryd Brown.
Belton threw for 2,039 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. His yardage was the third best total in the history of Findlay football while his 175 completions equaled the second best single-season mark in school history.
White is back after posting a team-high 60 receptions for 628 yards and four scores while Brown returns after making 46 catches for 598 yards and six scores. Both players earned honorable mention all-conference honors and will be looking for higher accolades this season.
On defense the Oilers will be led by senior defensive tackle Richard Sumlin and senior linebacker Brandon Butler, who each earned honorable mention all-conference honors last season.
Sumlin registered 44 tackles and a team-high 4.5 sacks in 2011 while Butler led the squad with 102 stops as a junior.
For more information on the poll and previews of each team, please click below: