er coach Brad Stevens. Boston won just 25 games his first season in 2013-14 but have improved to 40 and 48 wins the past two, which have included back-to-back playoff berths.B

(STATS) -- Following a thoroughly dominant regular season, Jeremiah Briscoe and Sam Houston State were far and away the biggest winners of the Southland Conferences top honors.Briscoe began what should be a busy award season for the junior quarterback by being named the Southlands Player of the Year, and the top-ranked Bearkats nearly pulled off a sweep of the conferences postseason honors after their 11-0 campaign.All but one of the Southlands seven awards went to Sam Houston State, the only FCS team yet to lose after defeating its opponents by an average of 28.3 points -- none by fewer than 13. The Bearkats placed six players on the all-conference first-team offense and another three on defense.Briscoe appears to be a favorite for the Walter Payton Award, given to the STATS national FCS player of the year. His 52 touchdown passes are 12 more than any quarterback, including the FBS, and put him within four of the all-time FCS single-season record. He also led the Subdivision with 4,096 passing yards while throwing just seven interceptions.Two of Briscoes favorite targets are also taking home hardware, with junior Yedidiah Louis winning Southland Offensive Player of the Year and fellow wideout Nathan Stewart being named Freshman of the Year. Each of them caught 11 TD passes, with Louis making 65 catches for 977 yards while Stewart had 47 receptions for 903 yards.Bearkats junior defensive end P.J. Hall earned Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the Southland with 9 1/2 sacks and 20 tackles for loss, and teammate Bridge Blount won Offensive Lineman of the Year.SHSUs K.C. Keeler was the obvious choice for Southland Coach of the Year. He guided the Bearkats to the second undefeated season in school history, with the other coming in 2011. His team has a first-round playoff bye after reaching the national semifinals last year.The only player who prevented a complete Sam Houston State sweep was McNeese quarterback James Tabary, who was named Newcomer of the Year. The sophomore transferred from Arkansas State and finished second in the conference behind Briscoe with 3,036 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes.---=SOUTHLAND POSTSEASON AWARDS=PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sam Houston StateOFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Yedidiah Louis, WR, Sam Houston StateDEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- P.J. Hall, DE, Sam Houston StateFRESHMAN OF THE YEAR -- Nathan Stewart, WR, Sam Houston StateNEWCOMER OF THE YEAR -- James Tabary, QB, McNeeseOFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR -- Bridge Blount, OL, Sam Houston StateCOACH OF THE YEAR -- K.C. Keeler, Sam Houston StateALL-SOUTHLAND FIRST TEAMOFFENSEQB -- Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston StateRB -- DeMard Llorens, Northwestern StateRB -- Corey Avery, Sam Houston StateTE -- Juwaan Rogers, Southeastern LouisianaWR -- Yedidiah Louis, Sam Houston StateWR -- Desmond Smith, Central ArkansasWR -- Nathan Stewart, Sam Houston StateOL -- Bridge Blount, Sam Houston StateOL -- Stockton Mallett, Central ArkansasOL -- Chandler Arceneaux, NichollsOL -- Tyler Tezeno, Sam Houston StateOL -- Taylor Gadbois, Southeastern LouisianaDEFENSEDL -- P.J. Hall, Sam Houston StateDL -- Sully Laiche, NichollsDL -- Jordan Toliver, Central ArkansasDL -- John Franklin, Stephen F. AustinLB -- Garrett Dolan, Houston BaptistLB -- Sam Denmark, Abilene ChristianLB -- Justin Johnson, Sam Houston StateDB -- Brendan Langley, LamarDB -- Tremon Smith, Central ArkansasDB -- George Odum, Central ArkansasDB -- Tyler Williams, Central ArkansasDB -- Darion Flowers, Sam Houston StateSPECIAL TEAMSK -- Nik Grau, Abilene ChristianP -- Joseph Figenshaw, Sam Houston StateKR -- Khalil Thomas, McNeesePR -- Brendan Langley, LamarAP -- Jatavius Wilson, Central Arkansas Balenciaga Shoes NZ For Sale . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Balenciaga Shoes NZ . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. http://www.discountbalenciaganz.com/ . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Wholesale Balenciaga Shoes NZ . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Balenciaga Shoes NZ Online . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. BOSTON -- From afar, Al Horford has always had respect for the history of the Boston Celtics.He made his first visit to the Garden as a rookie in 2007 and found himself drawn to the championship banners that hung above the court.That was the same season that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce to form the Big 3 and went on to win Bostons 17th NBA championship.As the Celtics biggest free agent signing since then, Horford -- with his four-year, $113 million contract -- is now the centerpiece of the franchise as it chases banner No. 18.He enters the 2016-17 campaign no longer the wide-eyed rookie that arrived in Atlanta nine years ago. Hes now a veteran four-time All-Star that team president Danny Ainge believes can provide leadership to a young core led by Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. The immediate goal is to help Boston advance past the first round of the playoffs for first time since 2012.I know that Im gonna help our team be better, Horford said. Im gonna try to come in and try to gel as fast as I can and just make sure that were playing at a high level, and that were working every day. And well see what happens.Theres no denying that Horford joins a team that has been on the upswing under coach Brad Stevens. Boston won just 25 games his first season in 2013-14 but have improved to 40 and 48 wins the past two, which have included back-to-back playoff berths.But each of those postseason appearances ended in first-round exits, including a 4-2 loss to Horfords Hawks last season.That loss was marred by a hamstring injury to Bradley in Game 1, as well as nagging injuries which dogged Crowder and center Kelly Olynyk.With all of that behind them, Thomas is anxious to see what this group can accomplish when healthy and with some extra star power.Aside from providing some help defending the rim and rebounding, Horfords shooting ability also should open up the floor more for a scoring point guard like Thomas, and improved shooter like Bradley.The expectation is that Crowder will also be freer to operate with Horford drawing attention in the paint.There is also No. 3 overall draft pick Jaylen Brown, whose athleticissm should fit right in with a group that loves to run the floor.ddddddddddddWe have a pretty good team, a team that could make some noise -- some legitimate noise, Thomas said. If we put it together and play the right way, we can make a lot happen this season. You dont ever want to put a ceiling on it, but we have a really good team I know that.MAKING ADJUSTMENTSProbably the Celtics biggest loss this offseason was the departure of swingman Evan Turner to Portland in free agency. Aside from being a productive sixth man, he also at times triggered their half-court sets when he was in the game. Thats a big loss, Stevens said. A big loss because of the way he handled the ball, the big shots that he made late in the game, his positional versatility defensively, his everyday workman-like attitude in the gym.MINUTES FOR ROZIERThe Celtics were dealt a small blow to their second unit when Marcus Smart suffered a left ankle sprain in their preseason finale. The silver lining is that while hes out, it will almost certainly mean increased playing time for second-year point guard Terry Rozier. Rozier had his best moments as a rookie on the defensive end, but showed a lot of improvement in his shooting during the preseason. He works hard at the game and its no surprise that hes having success, Stevens said. Were going to rely on him.INJURY WATCHOlynyk sat out the entire preseason recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in May. After not being cleared for contact in time to appear in any preseason games, its possible he could miss a good chunk of games early in the season. It will mean one less body to relieve Horford, but will give the Celtics opportunities to play smaller at times.MARK YOUR CALENDARThe Celtics have a fairly balanced schedule over the first full month of the season, but will play 10 of their first 18 games on the road. Horford will play his former Hawks team three times this season, beginning Jan. 13 in Atlanta.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '