ST. LOUIS – Four Illinois State defensive standouts were selected to the 2019 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason defensive team Wednesday, as safety Luther Kirk and defensive back Devin Taylor were named to the first team while nose tackle John Ridgeway and return specialist Christian Uphoff were named honorable mention selections in the annual vote conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
Counting both the offensive and defensive units (offensive unit announced yesterday), North Dakota State tops the league with nine total selections, including a league-best six on the first-team unit. Illinois State and South Dakota State, meanwhile, have the second-most selections, with eight total honorees each.
Kirk was a 2018 MVFC First-Team selection, starting all 11 games at safety for the Redbirds. The Garland, Texas, native served as one of the team's three captains and tied for the MVFC lead with five interceptions on the season. He ranked second on the team with 61 tackles, including 34 solo stops, and added three pass breakups.
Like his defensive backfield teammate, Taylor also earned 2018 All-MVFC honors as a second-team selection. The Lansing, Michigan, product started all 11 games at cornerback for the Redbirds and ranked first in the MVFC in passes defended with 15 total (12 breakups, 3 interceptions), which ranked him No. 6 in the FCS with 1.4 passes defended per game. He tied for third on the team with 51 tackles, including 32 solo stops, and tied for second on the team with those three interceptions on the season.
Ridgeway had a standout first season for the Redbirds in 2018, as he was named an FCS Freshman All-America selection by Phil Steele and a MVFC All-Newcomer Team pick. The Bloomington, Illinois, native played in all 11 games, with 10 starts at the nose guard position, and was a vital component of the ISU rushing defense that was second in the conference allowing just 126.8 yards per contest. He recorded 30 tackles on the season, including nine solo stops, and added a sack and 2.0 tackles for loss in his redshirt freshman season.
Rounding out the group is return specialist and safety Uphoff, who was named an All-MVFC Honorable Mention selection in 2018 after he ranked No. 17 in the FCS and No. 1 in the MVFC with a 26.1-yard kick return average. The Washington, Illinois, product returned 18 kickoffs for 470 yards and had kick returns of 58 yards in two separate games. He posted returns of over 30 yards four times, while also playing safety in all 11 games, with 18 tackles.
The Redbirds return to the turf at Hancock Stadium on Friday to being fall camp, in preparation for the August 31 season opener at Northern Illinois.
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