James, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior placekicker from Fayetteville, Ga., has already been selected first-team preseason All-America by The Sports Network and I-AA.org. A first-team all-league selection in 2005, he led the conference with 1.36 field goals and 7.91 points per game as he finished among the top 25 in the country in both categories. James’ 87 points paced WKU, as he hit all 42 extra-point attempts and 15-of-17 field goals. He was twice named the Gateway’s Special Teams Player of the Week during the year.
Rumph also earned first-team all-conference honors last fall after becoming the first Hilltopper defensive back to lead the team in tackles since the 1989 season. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Bradenton, Fla., native posted 93 total tackles as he ranked fourth in the league with 8.6 stops per contest, adding four passes defensed — which was tied for second on the team — and an interception he returned 24 yards in WKU’s 35-point win at Western Illinois. Rumph paced the squad in tackles a team-high five times, including recording a career-best 15 in games at I-A Auburn and against nationally ranked Southern Illinois.
A 5-foot-8, 180-pound cornerback from Indianapolis, Mitchell earned honorable mention recognition both as a defensive back and a return specialist. Last season, he was voted second-team all-Gateway Football Conference as a return specialist after leading the league and standing sixth in the country with an average of 16.13 yards per punt return — Mitchell also averaged 17.7 yards per kick return. And, on defense he posted 55 total tackles, including six (for a loss of 17 yards) behind the line of scrimmage while pacing the team with 11 passes defensed after making the switch from safety.
Moore was one of two players in the league to average better than 100 yards per game, as he ranked 22nd nationally after posting 1,037 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound resident of Columbus, Ohio, also finished ninth in the GFC with 104.9 all-purpose yards per contest — he added three receptions for 12 yards — and was 10th in the league in total offense. Moore, who led the team with 1,049 all-purpose yards, was selected first-team all-conference after recording five 100-yard contests.
In the preseason poll, WKU was picked to finish fifth — the Hilltoppers received one first-place vote while collecting 141 total points. Northern Iowa, which advanced to last year’s NCAA Division I-AA title game, is the preseason favorite after receiving 239 points and 22 of 32 first-place votes. Youngstown State (seven first-place votes) was picked to finish second, Illinois State (two first-place votes) was chosen third and Southern Illinois fourth. Rounding out the poll were Western Illinois, Missouri State and Indiana State.
Voting was conducted among the league’s eight head coaches, sports information directors, and selected members of the media.
