MOREHEAD, Ky. -- A low pick in the Pioneer Football League preseason coaches' poll is motivating for Morehead State University.

The Eagles (4-7 in 2016) were predicted for an eighth-place finish in the PFL, the nation's only non-scholarship football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. San Diego was picked to finish first for the seventh consecutive season. Dayton also picked up first-place votes and was second in the poll followed by Marist and Drake.

San Diego won the 2016 regular season championship and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.

"We are excited about the upcoming season and believe that we can compete for a PFL title, just like we did in 2015," Morehead State head coach Rob Tenyer said in a release (www.msueagles.com). "That season, we were picked near the bottom of the league and used that as motivation throughout the season. We're looking to do the same in 2017."

The Eagles graduated quarterback Austin Gahafer and wideout Jake Raymond, who both left Morehead State with several PFL records.

Redshirt sophomore running back Trevor Jones (5-foot-9, 186 pounds) from Irvine, Ky., returns after rushing for 500 yards and nine touchdowns in a pass-dependent offense last season.

College Sports Madness selected senior cornerback Braylyn Cook, junior cornerback Brandyn Duncan, sophomore safety Juanyea Tarver and senior offensive lineman Kyler Corbett for its Preseason All-PFL team. Cook was on the first team while Corbett and Tarver were part of the second team. Tarver was tabbed as a kick returner and Duncan was a third-team pick.

Cook (6-foot, 183) from College Park, Ga., led the defense with 17 passes defended and 14 pass breakups in 2016. Cook intercepted a team-best three passes and totaled 36 tackles.

Corbett, a 6-2, 281-pound native of Liberty Township, Ohio, blocked for an offensive unit that generated 445.7 yards and 32.4 points per game while ranking among the best teams in the PFL in passing yards at 310 per game.

Tarver, who hails from Kennesaw, Ga., ranked among PFL leaders in kickoff returns, averaging 21.4 yards per return. The 5-10, 162-pounder He totaled 642 yards on 30 returns.

Duncan, a 5-9, 182-pound product of Lexington, Ky., ranked second on the team, only behind Cook, in passes defended (13) and pass breakups (13). He also registered 39 total tackles.

Tanner Duncan (6-4, 260) is a freshman offensive lineman from East Carter High School in Grayson, Ky., Dalton Frasure (6-3, 233) a redshirt freshman tight end from Prestonburg, Ky., and Caleb Montgomery (5-10, 180) a freshman defensive back from Vinton County High School in McArthur, Ohio.

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Morehead State has motivation entering season - Huntington Herald Dispatch