July 27, 1998

Furman's Ruff Named Pre-Season Southern Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year

GREENVILLE -- Furman senior linebacker Orlando Ruff was named Southern Conference Pre-Season Defensive Player-of-the-Year and, in all, seven Paladins were named to the coaches' pre-season all-conference team, which was announced today at the 1998 Southern Conference Football Rouser in Greenville.

Ruff, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound senior and two-time all-conference selection, is the pre-season favorite to succeed his former teammate, defensive end Bryan Dailer, as the league's defensive player-of-the-year. Dailer captured league player-of-the-year accolades in 1997. Ruff heads into the 1998 campaign ranked seventh on Furman's career tackles ledger with 391 stops. A year ago he totaled 140 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss and three interceptions.

"Orlando Ruff is an outstanding football player who goes about his business in a very solid way," said Furman head coach Bobby Johnson Monday morning. "He is a leader and is very talented, and he has worked hard to put himself in position to contend for honors."

Ruff was joined on the coaches' pre-season all-conference first team by teammates Ben Hall (OG), Mark Foster (C), Jason Wells (PK), and John Keith (SS). Desmond Kitchings (WR) and B.J. Pate (DT) were named to the pre-season all-conference second team.

Furman was a consensus fourth place pick in the coaches and media polls, trailing Georgia Southern (consensus No. 1), East Tennessee State (second in coaches, third in media), and Appalachian State (third in coaches, second in media).