2023, July 12th: "Five Golden Bears named to 2023 Preseason All-SIAC team"

As issued by College earlier this week. 

ATLANTA – Five Miles student-athletes were named to the 2023 Preseason All-SIAC football team, announced at the league's Football Media Day at the College Football Hall of Fame.

Kick returner Jaylin Peterson and offensive lineman Eric Blair were elected to the First Team while offensive lineman Tyler Lowery, defensive lineman Roosevelt Thompson, and defensive back Graderius Brown were all slotted on the Second Team. The selections were made based on voting from the conference's head football coaches and media relations professionals.

Peterson (right), a junior from Birmingham, Ala., is a speedster who is capable of breaking loose at any time. In his first season with the Golden Bears in 2022, he finished second in the conference in kickoff return yards (507) as a freshman and was the tops in average per return (23.0) among qualifiers.

Blair, a graduate senior from Miami, was the top lineman last season for the Golden Bears, forced to play multiple positions on the offensive line throughout the campaign. As the leader of the offensive line, he helmed a group to marked improvement in yards per play and total yards over the second half of the 2022 season.

Brown, a senior from Linden, Ala., played in just seven contests last season but his 25 solo tackles were fourth on the Golden Bears. Capable of playing both corner and safety, Brown had 33 tackles, three tackles for loss, an interception, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery last season. His best game was against West Alabama with seven tackles (five solo), an interception and two pass breakups. Brown is also a capable punt returner, having manned the position since the 2019 season.

Thompson, a junior from Dixon Mills, Ala., was named to the 2022 preseason First Team on the defensive line. Last season, he started in nine games on the interior line and has played in 20 games with 19 starts in his two seasons, where he has averaged 30 tackles (16 solo), 3.3 tackles for loss, a sack, forced fumble and blocked kick in his career. He also added a 30-yard scoop and score in a win over Central State in 2022.

Lowery, a senior from Evergreen, Ala., did not play last season but was named to the preseason First Team on the offensive line. He was also a First Team All-SIAC pick in 2021. In 2021, he started every game and helped Miles to a West Division title after the Golden Bears finished third in the conference in rushing yards per game while allowing the fourth-fewest sacks per game.

The preseason predicted order of finish was also announced at SIAC Media Day, where the second-year head coach Sam Shade and the Golden Bears were picked to finish eighth in the 13-team league. The conference scrapped the division format beginning this season, with the top two teams in the standing now earning the right to play in the SIAC Championship Game in November.

Let's back-pocket that 8th place prediction to revisit come December or so. 😉