Senior running back Marcus Curry was named to the Third-Team All-Western Athletic Conference preseason squad. Curry rushed for 637 yards and three touchdowns last season. He is one of eight Bobcats named to the preseason All-WAC team. (Photo courtesy of Texas State University)
STAFF REPORTS
Eight Texas State football players have been named Preseason All-Western Athletic Conference selections by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview Magazine.
Senior tight end Chase Harper earned Second-Team honors after catching 20 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns last season. He also had the second-longest reception by a Bobcat in 2011 with a 71-yard TD catch at Stephen F. Austin.
In addition, junior wide receiver Isaiah Battle joins running backs Marcus Curry, a senior, and Terrence Franks, a junior, on the Third-Team Offense.
Battle is the top returning receiver for the Bobcats after catching 27 passes for 368 yards and leading the team with five touchdown receptions. Curry registered 637 yards and three touchdowns on 127 carries, while Franks led Texas State’s rushing attack with 863 yards and nine TDs on 146 attempts.
Four other Bobcats are on the Third-Team Defense. They include senior defensive end Jordan Norfleet, senior linebacker Joplo Bartu, senior cornerback Darryl Morris and junior safety Xavier Daniels.
Norfleet recorded 5½ tackles for a loss of 33 yards, 2½ quarterback sacks and led the Bobcats with six quarterback hurries in his junior campaign. He had 32 tackles overall, forced a fumble and broke up one pass.
Bartu recorded 51 tackles in 10 games and had five tackles for a loss of 26 yards. He ranked second on the team with four quarterback sacks, had two quarterback hurries and broke up another pass. He also led the Bobcats with two forced fumbles, recovered a fumble and blocked a kick in his first season as a full-time starter.
Daniels led Texas State’s 4-2-5 defense in tackles with 77. He also led the team with three interceptions and broke up five other passes in his first season as a starter.
A three-year starting cornerback, Morris recorded 62 tackles, had six tackles for losses and three quarterback sacks. He returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown and broke up six other passes throughout the season. In addition, he scored on a safety against Lamar and recovered a fumble.
Texas State begins its inaugural schedule at Houston on Sept. 1. The Bobcats play their first home game against Texas Tech Sept. 8 to mark the first time Texas State has played a home game against a Big 12 Conference team.
Texas State plays its first Western Athletic Conference game against Idaho at Bobcat Stadium on Oct. 13. Texas State also plays conference home games against defending WAC champion Louisiana Tech on Nov. 10 and New Mexico State on Dec. 1.
