Four Eastern Kentucky University football players have been chosen to the HERO Sports preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Team.
Running back Alonzo Booth, offensive linemen Tucker Schroeder and Jackson Bardall, and linebacker Steven Crowder were the EKU players receiving the honors. Booth earned second team All-OVC honors from the coaches and communications directors last season. He was also chosen to the 2019 Academic All-District Team.
Alonzo Booth rushed for 673 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. (EKU photo)
Booth finished the season with 673 rushing yards on 140 carries (4.8 yards per carry) and scored 14 touchdowns on the ground. He led the OVC and ranked 16th in the nation in rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 250-pound redshirt junior rushed for 128 yards on seven carries and scored three touchdowns against Valparaiso.
Schroeder, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound redshirt junior, received honorable mention for the HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-America Team and was a second team All-OVC selection by coaches and communications directors in 2019. He started all 12 games at left guard and ended the season having started 23 straight contests.
Bardall, a 6-foot-3, 301-pound redshirt senior, started all 12 games at center and ended the season with 22 straight starts at the position.
The two offensive linemen helped EKU rush for 2,468 yards in 2019, the second-most in the past 17 seasons by an Eastern Kentucky team. The Colonels led the OVC and ranked 20th in FCS football with 205.5 rushing yards per game. During the final six games of the season, the offensive line allowed only three sacks. Both players started the game against Tennessee State and aided a running attack that churned out 379 yards, averaging nine yards per rush.
Crowder was a third team All-OVC linebacker by Phil Steele and chosen to the 2019 Academic All-District Team. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior totaled 63 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for a loss and 2.0 sacks, forced one fumble, recovered one fumble and had one pass break-up.
He tied for 29th in the OVC in tackles (5.2/game) and tied for ninth in tackles for a loss (9.5/game). Crowder recorded a season-high 11 tackles at Louisville.
EKU opens the season at home against Western Carolina on Sept. 5. The kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
After playing three straight road games, EKU will be back at Roy Kidd Stadium on Oct. 3 to host Tennessee-Martin at 7 p.m. That will be this year’s Hall of Fame Game.
From Eastern Kentucky University
