Four Demons on 1st-team Preseason All-Southland

NATCHITOCHES - Two-time All-America linebacker Derek Rose, honorable mention All-America kicker John Shaughnessy, two-time All-Southland Conference safety Jamaal White and three-year starting offensive lineman Larry Calcote all were first-team selections Tuesday as the Southland unveiled its preseason all-conference football team.

NSU joined defending league champ Sam Houston State (11) and Stephen F. Austin (4) with at least four first-team honorees in a team comprised of returning All-Southland choices and players picked by the SLC's head coaches. It was announced a week ahead of the annual Southland Conference Football Kickoff Event next Tuesday in Lake Charles.

Rose can become one of the few three-time All-America selections in Southland Conference history, and only the second ever for the Demons along with linebacker Gary Reasons. The 5-11, 230-pounder from New Orleans-O. Perry Walker High School has 21 career tackles for loss among his 238 career stops.

Shaughnessy, a senior from Shreveport-Byrd, is riding a streak of 12 consecutive successful field goals after going 14 of 16 last season. His distance, height and accuracy on kickoffs helped Northwestern rank second in the Southland in 2011 on kickoff coverage, allowing 19.9 yards per return.

Calcote, a senior from Natchez, Miss.-Trinity Episcopal, was a key as the Demons' offense ranked second in the Southland last season in red zone efficiency by scoring on 81 percent of its trips inside the opponents' 20 yard line. He has 27 career starts at tackle and guard, including all 21 games he was available to play in the past two seasons.

White has stacked up seven interceptions, eight pass breakups and 123 tackles in the past two seasons while earning second-team All-Southland recognition both years. A hard-hitting defender, the 6-0, 190-pounder from Garland, Texas-South Garland High School is ranked among the top 10 defensive backs in the Football Championship Subdivision by The Sports Network and is regarded as a solid 2013 NFL Draft prospect.

Sam Houston State, which put together an undefeated regular season en route to winning the 2011 conference title, led all universities with 19 of the 46 selections on the first and second-team preseason all-conference lists.