IRVING, Texas - Louisiana Tech placed four football student-athletes on the 2015 Preseason All-Conference USA team as the league office announced the preseason honors Tuesday. The Bulldogs had two players on either side of the ball listed with Vernon Butler, Kenneth Dixon, Trent Taylor and Xavier Woods receiving preseason honors.

Butler was recently named to the Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award watch lists. A senior tackle from Summit, Mississippi, he registered 56 total tackles last year with 13.5 tackles for a loss, the most by any returning player. Billed as "an unmovable force in the middle," Butler forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and was credited with a QB hurry and a pass break-up last year.

Dixon ââ'¬" listed on the Maxwell Award Watch List ââ'¬" enters the 2015 season as the program's all-time leader in rushing yards (3,410), rushing touchdowns scored (53), touchdowns scored (61), and points scored (366). He was the only FBS player last season to record a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown of 80-plus yards and his 99-yard touchdown run at Louisiana-Lafayette last year marked the longest play from scrimmage in Louisiana Tech, Conference USA and Cajun Field history.

Taylor led the Bulldogs with 834 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season on 64 catches. The slot receiver averaged 13.0 yards per reception as he played in all 14 games last season. His nine catches and three touchdown catches against Western Kentucky last season were the most by any Bulldog in a single game over the course of the 2014 season and he was one of six players on the Louisiana Tech roster with over 25 catches on the season.

Woods was named to the Bronko Nagurski Award and Jim Thorpe Award watch lists as he led Louisiana Tech and was tied for seventh in the nation with six interceptions while setting a school record and ranking second in the nation with 230 interception return yards. He ran back two picks for touchdowns on the year. In addition, Woods registered seven pass break-ups, forced three fumbles, blocked a kick, was credited with a QB hurry and was second on the team with 71 total tackles in 2014.

Defending conference champion Marshall had the most overall preseason selections with six, while FIU had four players comprising five spots. Louisiana Tech and WKU each placed four players on the team. All twelve C-USA schools that competed in the league last season had at least one player named to the squad.

The 11th annual Conference USA Football Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West divisions, will be held Saturday, Dec. 5.

The 2015 C-USA Football season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 3, with three non-conference games. Twelve of the league's 13 teams are in action during opening weekend, which is spread out from Thursday to Sunday, with eight games scheduled to air on national or regional television.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow @LATechFB on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.

2015 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Year: Brandon Doughty, Sr., QB, WKU
Defensive Player of the Year: Richard Leonard, Sr., DB, FIU
Special Teams Player of the Year: Autrey Golden, Sr., KR, UTEP

First Team Offense
QB Brandon Doughty, Sr., WKU
RB Leon Allen, Sr., WKU
RB Kenneth Dixon, Sr., Louisiana Tech
RB Devon Johnson, Sr., Marshall
RB Aaron Jones, Jr., UTEP
OL Jordan Budwig, Jr., FIU
OL Darius Johnson, Sr., Middle Tennessee
OL Kaydon Kirby, Jr., North Texas
OL Andrew Reue, Sr., Rice
OL Clint Van Horn, Jr., Marshall
WR Jared Dangerfield, Sr., WKU
WR Carlos Harris, Sr., North Texas
WR Zach Pascal, Jr., Old Dominion
WR Trent Taylor, Jr., Louisiana Tech
TE Jonnu Smith, Jr., FIU

First Team Defense
DL Vernon Butler, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DL Jason Neill, Sr., UTSA
DL Jarquez Samuel, Sr., Marshall
DL Michael Smith, Sr., Southern Miss
DL Michael Wakefield, Sr., FIU
LB T.T. Barber, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB Drew Douglas, UTSA
LB D.J. Hunter, Sr., Marshall
DB Kevin Byard, Sr., Middle Tennessee
DB Crevon LeBlanc, Florida Atlantic
DB Richard Leonard, Sr., FIU
DB Bennett Okotcha, Sr., UTSA
DB Wonderful Terry, Sr., WKU
DB Xavier Woods, Jr., Louisiana Tech

First Team Special Teams
K Trevor Moore, So., North Texas
P Tyler Williams,, Sr., Marshall
KR Autrey Golden, Jr., UTEP
PR Richard Leonard, Sr., FIU
LS Matt Cincotta, Sr., Marshall