SDSU, NDSU headline Missouri Valley preseason team

(STATS) - If the offense and defense on the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team could face off, it would be a dandy of a matchup.

Potential All-Americans help fill the team which was announced Monday. Defending co-champions South Dakota State and North Dakota State led the way with nine and seven first-team selections, respectively, and both had 10 picks overall including honorable mention choices.

SDSU junior quarterback Taryn Christion, who was the MVFC's 2016 offensive player of the year, highlighted the offense. The defense included Western Illinois senior linebacker Brett Taylor, who's led the conference in tackles the last two seasons.

Illinois State and Youngstown State, the 2016 FCS runner-up, had the second-most first-team selections with four each.

The MVFC preseason poll will be announced Tuesday.

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MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL CONFERENCE PRESEASON TEAM=

Offense

QB - Taryn Christion, South Dakota State, Jr.

RB - Lance Dunn, North Dakota State, Jr.

RB - Steve McShane, Western Illinois, Jr.

RB - Brady Mengarelli, South Dakota State, Sr.

FB - Kane Louscher, South Dakota State, Sr.

WR - Malik Earl, Missouri State, Sr.

WR - Spencer Schnell, Illinois State, Jr.

WR - Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State, Sr.

TE - Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State, Sr.

OL - Jacob Judd, Western Illinois, Sr.

OL - Charlie Harmon, South Dakota State, Sr.

OL - Vitas Hrynkiewicz, Youngstown State, Jr.

OL- Jacob Ohnesorge, South Dakota State, Sr.

OL - Austin Olsen, Southern Illinois, Sr.

OL - Justin Spencer, Youngstown State, Sr.

Defense

DL - Colby Isbell, Missouri State, Sr.

DL - Dalton Keene, Illinois State, Sr.

DL - Greg Menard, North Dakota State, Sr.

DL - Kellen Soulek, South Dakota State, Sr.

DL - Nate Tanguay, North Dakota State, Sr.

LB - Armand Dellovade, Youngstown State, Jr.

LB - Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State, Sr.

LB - Jared Farley, Northern Iowa, Sr.

LB - Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota State, So.

LB - Brett Taylor, Western Illinois, Sr.

DB - Tre Dempsey, North Dakota State, Sr.

DB - Robbie Grimsley, North Dakota State, Jr.

DB - Davontae Harris, Illinois State, Sr.

DB - Alec Kocour, Illinois State, Sr.

DB - Malcolm Washington, Northern Iowa, Sr.

Special Teams

PK - Jerry Nunez, Indiana State, So.

P - Mark Schuler, Youngstown State, So.

RS - Deion Holliman, Missouri State, Sr.

LS - James Fisher, North Dakota State, Sr.

Honorable Mention - QB: Steve Streveler, South Dakota; Sean McGuire, Western Illinois. RB - Trevor Allen, Northern Iowa; LeMonte Booker, Indiana State. FB - Hans Carmien, Southern Illinois. WR - Connor Iwema, Southern Illinois; Darrius Shephard, North Dakota State; RJ Urzendowski, North Dakota State; LS - Brandon Godsey, South Dakota. OL - Coleman Clanton, Missouri State; Austin Kuhnert, North Dakota State; Cal Twait, Northern Iowa; PK - Sean Slattery, Illinois State. DL - Khalen Sanders, Western Illinois. LB - McNeece Egbim, Missouri State; Quentin Moon, Western Illinois. DB - Elijah Campbell, Northern Iowa; Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois; Craig James, Southern Illinois; Danny Rambo, South Dakota. P - Brady Hale, South Dakota State; Sam Kuhter, Northern Iowa. RS - D.J. Davis, Southern Illinois; Jalen Rima, Northern Iowa.