Seven named to OVC-Big South Preseason Offensive Players to Watch list
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – With the Ohio Valley Conference and Big South Conference’s Football Media Day coming up on Thursday, the combined league announced the first of its preseason honors on Monday, focusing on the offensive side of the ball and special teams. Among the leagues’ Offensive Preseason Players to Watch, Tennessee Tech came away with seven picks – three returning from last year’s team, showing the strength of the offseason transfers head coach Bobby Wilder and his staff brought in to bolster the Golden Eagle lineup. The representatives included quarterback Kekoa Visperas, running back Aidan Littles, wide receiver Noah Robinson, tight end Brian Courtney, offensive lineman Drew Wilder, all-purpose standout Tremel Jones and placekicker Dom LeBlanc.
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – With the Ohio Valley Conference and Big South Conference's Football Media Day coming up on Thursday, the combined league announced the first of its preseason honors on Monday, focusing on the offensive side of the ball and special teams.
Among the leagues' Offensive Preseason Players to Watch, Tennessee Tech came away with seven picks – three returning from last year's team, showing the strength of the offseason transfers head coach Bobby Wilder and his staff brought in to bolster the Golden Eagle lineup.
The representatives included quarterback Kekoa Visperas, running back Aidan Littles, wide receiver Noah Robinson, tight end Brian Courtney, offensive lineman Drew Wilder, all-purpose standout Tremel Jones and placekicker Dom LeBlanc.
The defensive selections will be announced Tuesday, while the Preseason Players of the Year and the Preseason Poll will be released on Wednesday before Thursday's Virtual Media Day over Zoom.
Visperas was a standout at Eastern Washington last season as he threw for 2,171 yards last season with 17 touchdowns, while also rushing for 375 yards and nine more trips into the end zone. He finished the season with a 74.3-percent passing rate – leading both the Big Sky Conference and the Football Championship Subdivision.
Last season, Visperas threw for five touchdowns in the opener against Monmouth, then threw for four scores and ran for two more against Montana.
Littles ran for 389 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Golden Eagles, rushing for a season-best 118 yards and a score at Gardner-Webb to earn Stats Perform honorable mention National Freshman of the Week honors with the longest touchdown run in 10 years.
Robinson, who is making a return to the OVC-Big South after finishing his career at Robert Morris, had strong seasons with the Colonials, including a first-team All-OVC/Big South selection in 2023 with 70 catches for 846 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, he finished the year with 57 catches for 796 yards and five scores.
Courtney, a newcomer coming in from Florida State, spent time on the Seminoles' offense and special teams units and enters his first campaign with the Golden Eagles bringing in size and ability to disrupt opposing defenses.
Wilder was a second-team All-OVC/Big South selection while at Eastern Illinois before transferring to Cookeville to join his father. Wilder played every offensive snap at center, helping create 342.3 yards of total offense per game in Charleston. Under his protection, EIU was able to get room for a 3,000-yard passer and that ability will be crucial for the Golden Eagles' success this season.
Jones was a jack-of-all-trades last season with the Golden Eagles as he caught 27 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown, ran 10 times for 155 yards and three scores and returned 19 kicks for 505 yards, including a 53-yard breakaway.
LeBlanc was the team's leading scorer last season as a kicker with 68 points as the true freshman was 13-for-19 on field goals, hitting a season-long from 46 yards out. He was also 29-of-31 on extra points.
The Golden Eagles open the season on August 30 against Cumberland for the first of seven home games this season at Tucker Stadium as Tech looks to win the OVC-Big South title outright.
Season tickets for Golden Eagle Football are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
