By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When the Ohio Valley Conference coaches poll was released on Monday in Nashville during the league's annual football media day, the Tennessee Tech football team was projected seventh.
That pick didn't faze new head coach Marcus Satterfield.
"It's not really an issue," Satterfield said. "We knew that coming in that we weren't going to be picked high. We feel like if we continue on the trend that we're going right now, all of that will take care of itself."
The poll, voted on by the football coaches and sports information contacts, saw Jacksonville State as the top vote-getter, claiming 16 of the 18 total first-place votes.
Eastern Illinois, who was projected third in the poll, had the other two first-place votes.
Following the Gamecocks, Eastern Kentucky was second, followed by the Panthers, UT Martin, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tech, Murray State and Austin Peay in the projected order.
Tech was also projected eighth in the league's media poll, which was released last Friday.
Two Golden Eagles earned selections to the OVC preseason team, including junior wide receiver Brock McCoin and senior defensive back Maleek Hall.
McCoin, a junior from Livingston, had 61 catches for 747 yards and four touchdowns last season and rushed for 271 yards and passed for 456.
Hall, a senior from Clarksville, had 64 tackles a season ago with three tackles for loss, one interception and 17 pass breakups, which tied for the national lead.
"I hadn't really thought about it (the preseason all-OVC pick) much," Hall said. "I don't really focus on things like that because it can go mess with your head and stuff like that. Some guys take it real personal. I just want to go play ball with my teammates and live the dream of playing D-I football."
Now with only a couple of weeks before camp starts, there's still work Satterfield wants to see done.
"We have to create leadership," Satterfield said. "That's what the summer is all about. It's not so much about the X's and O's. We just have to build leadership, whether it's in the freshman class or in the transfers. They're just as important as upper-class leadership.
"Chandler (Nelson) and Maleek are here for a reason, because they're two of the best leaders we have on this football team. They're two of the toughest guys we have on this football team. Hopefully, that trickles down to the rest of our team and into those young guys as we go into camp. They're tough dudes and their eyes are set on high expectations. We're exactly where we need to be."
The Golden Eagles will report for summer camp Monday, Aug. 1 with the first day of practice set for Tuesday, Aug. 2.
Click here to view a photo gallery from the 2016 OVC Football Media Day.
Photos by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
