Big 12 Football Winners Announced

[Wesley]

Irving, Texas - The AT&T All-Big 12 Conference football teams and individual award winners have been announced.Selections are made by the league's 12 head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own players.

AT&T OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zac Taylor, Nebraska, Sr., QB, Norman, Okla.

AT&T DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma, Sr., LB, Baton Rouge, La.

AT&T SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor, Sr., P, Dallas, Texas

AT&T OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Colt McCoy, Texas, QB, RF, Tuscola, Texas

AT&T DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Andre Sexton, Oklahoma State, S, RF, Houston, Texas

AT&T OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State, WR, Jr., Chattanooga, Tenn.

AT&T DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Misi Tupe, Texas A&M, LB, Jr., St. George, Utah

AT&T OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Justin Blalock, Texas, OT, Sr., Plano, Texas

AT&T DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Adam Carriker, Nebraska, DE, Sr., Kennewick, Wash.

AT&T COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma, 8th season

All-Big 12 Honors Notebook:

Zac Taylor is the second player from Nebraska to be named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.He joins two-time winner Eric Crouch (2001, 1999) in earning the honor.

Rufus Alexander is the third Oklahoma player to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, following Teddy Lehman (2003) and Roy Williams (2001).

Daniel Sepulveda's Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year recognition marks the first time in conference history a Baylor player has earned a major football award.

Bob Stoops wins Coach of the Year for the third time.The total is more than any coach in league history.

Sexton and Bowman's honors mark just the second and third time in Big 12 history an Oklahoma State athlete has garnered a major award.Former Cowboy quarterback Tony Lindsay was chosen as Freshman of the Year in 1997.

Texas and Oklahoma are tied for the most major award honorees in the 11-year history of the Big 12 with 18 each.Kansas State is next with 11 winners, followed by Nebraska (9), Iowa State (6), Colorado (5) and Texas Tech (4).

Three athletes earned All-Big 12 First Team honors for the third time in their career.Mason Crosby (Colorado), Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma) and Justin Blalock were first team choices in 2006, `05 and `04.

2006 AT&T All-Big 12 Football First Team

OFFENSEPos.PlayerSchoolClassHometown/Previous School(s)
QB Zac TaylorNebraskaSr.Norman, Okla./Wake Forest/Butler County CC
RB Jon CornishKansasSr.New Westminster, British Columbia/Saint Thomas More
RB Adrian Peterson [3r]OklahomaJr.Palestine, Texas/Palestine
FB Dane ToddNebraskaSr.Lincoln, Neb./Southeast
WR Adarius BowmanOklahoma StateJr.Chattanooga, Tenn./Notre Dame/North Carolina
WR Joel Filani [r]Texas TechSr.Phoenix, Ariz./Paradise Valley
WR Limas SweedTexasJr.Brenham, Texas/Brenham
TE Martin RuckerMissouriJr.St. Joseph, Mo./Benton
OL Justin Blalock [3r]TexasSr.Plano, Texas/East
OLKasey StuddardTexasSr.Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch
OL Corey HilliardOklahoma StateSr.New Orleans, La./Jesuit
OL Joel ClingerMissouriSr.Warrenton, Mo./Warren County R-III
OL Chris MessnerOklahomaSr.Frederick, Okla./Frederick
PK Mason Crosby [3r]ColoradoSr.Georgetown, Texas/Georgetown
KR/PR Damon FigursKansas StateSr.Lakeland, Fla./Garden City CC

DEFENSE
DL C.J. Ah YouOklahomaSr.Highland, Utah/Snow CC
DL Adam CarrikerNebraskaSr.Kennewick, Wash./Kennewick
DL Ian CampbellKansas StateSo.Cimarron, Kan./Cimarron
DL Abraham WrightColoradoSr.Oklahoma City, Okla./Southeast/NE Oklahoma A&M
DL Larry BirdineOklahomaSr.Lawton, Okla./Eisenhower
LB Rufus Alexander [r]OklahomaSr.Baton Rouge, La./Christian Life Academy
LB Marcus BaconMissouriSr.Houston, Texas/Cypress Springs
LB Bo Ruud NebraskaJr.Lincoln, Neb./Southeast
DB Michael GriffinTexasSr.Austin, Texas/Bowie
DB Aaron RossTexasSr.Tyler, Texas/John Tyler
DB Aqib TalibKansasSo.Richardson, Texas/Berkner
DB Melvin BullittTexas A&MSr.Garland, Texas/Naaman Forest
DB Terrence WheatleyColoradoJr.Richardson, Texas/Plano East
P Daniel Sepulveda [r04]BaylorSr.Dallas, Texas/Highland Park
[3r] - 3-time All-Big 12 selection (2004, `05, `06)
[r] - Repeat selection from last season
[r04] - Repeat selection from 2004

2006 AT&T All-Big 12 Football Second Team

OFFENSEPos.PlayerSchoolClassHometown/Previous School(s)

QB Chase DanielMissouriSo.Southlake, Texas/Carroll
RB Jorvorskie LaneTexas A&MSo.Lufkin, Texas/Lufkin
RB Brandon JacksonNebraskaJr.Horn Lake, Miss./Horn Lake
FB Brandon McAndersonKansasJr.Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence
FBChris AlexanderTexas A&MJr.Humble, Texas/Humble
WR Malcolm KellyOklahomaSo.Longview, Texas/Longview
WR Maurice PurifyNebraskaJr.Eureka, Calif./San Francisco City College
WR Dominique ZeiglerBaylorSr.Killeen, Texas/Harker Heights
TE Martellus BennettTexas A&MSo.Alief, Texas/Taylor
TE Chase CoffmanMissouriSo.Peculiar, Mo./Raymore-Peculiar
OL Scott StephensonIowa StateSr.St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall/Minnesota
OL David OchoaKansasSr.Houston, Texas/Dobie
OL Cody WallaceTexas A&MJr.Cuero, Texas/Cuero
OL Lyle SendleinTexasSr.Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral
OL Glenn JanuaryTexas TechSr.Houston, Texas/Second Baptist
PK Garrett HartleyOklahomaJr.Southlake, Texas/Southlake Carroll
KR/PR Aaron RossTexasSr.Tyler, Texas/John Tyler
DEFENSE
DL Keyunta DawsonTexas TechSr.Shreveport, La./Evangel Christian
DL Brian SmithMissouriSr.Denton, Texas/Ryan
DL Tim CrowderTexasSr.Tyler, Texas/John Tyler
DL Victor DeGrateOklahoma StateSr.DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto
DL Jay MooreNebraskaSr.Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn
LB Brandon ArcherKansas StateSr.St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Durham
LB Alvin BowenIowa StateJr.East Orange, N.J./Montclair/Garden City CC
LB Joe PawelekBaylorFr.Spring Branch, Texas/Smithson Valley
DB Marcus WattsKansas StateJr.Hays, Kan./Hays
DB Marcus WalkerOklahomaJr.Waco, Texas/Waco
DB David OverstreetMissouriSr.Dallas, Texas/W.W. Samuel
DB Nic HarrisOklahomaSo.Alexandria, La./Alexandria
DB Reggie SmithOklahomaSo.Edmond, Okla./Sante Fe
P Matt FodgeOklahoma StateSo.Garland, Texas/Garland

Ties in the voting created additional positions on the second team for fullback and tight end.

2006 AT&T All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team
Baylor:Anthony Arline, DB; Shawn Bell, QB; Dwain Crawford, DB; Ryan Havens, PK; Maurice Linguist, DB; Trent Shelton, WR; C.J. Wilson, DB
Colorado:Brian Daniels, OL; Jordon Dizon, LB; George Hypolite, DL; Thaddaeus Washington, LB
Iowa State:Ryan Baum, PR/KR; Todd Blythe, WR; Aaron Brant, OL; Brent Curvey, DL; Shawn Moorehead, DL
Kansas:Jerome Kemp, DB; James McClinton, DL; Mike Rivera, LB; Bob Whitaker, OL
Kansas State:Zach Diles, LB; Yamon Figurs, WR; Rob Jackson, DL; Jermaine Moreira, WR; Leon Patton, PR/KR; Jeff Snodgrass, PK; Greg Wafford, OL; Kyle Williams, DB
Missouri:Will Franklin, WR; Xzavie Jackson, DL; Darnell Terrell, DB; Tony Temple, RB; Lorenzo Williams, DL; Dedrick Harrington, LB; Jeff Wolfert, PK
Nebraska:Stewart Bradley, LB; Brett Byford, OL; Cortney Grixby, DB; Marlon Lucky, RB; Corey McKeon, LB; Andrew Shanle, DB; Matt Slauson, OL
Oklahoma:Steven Coleman, DL; Brody Eldridge, FB; Joe Jon Finley, TE; Lendy Holmes, DB; Zach Latimer, LB; Allen Patrick, RB; George Robinson, OL; Reggie Smith, PR/KR; Paul Thompson, QB; Brandon Walker, OL; Darien Williams, DB
Oklahoma State:Perrish Cox, PR/KR; Nathan Peterson, DL; Brandon Pettigrew, TE; Andre Sexton, DB; D'Juan Woods, WR
Texas:Billy Pittman, WR; Tony Hills, OL; Colt McCoy, QB; Brian Robison, DL
Texas A&M:Justin Brantly, P; Mike Goodson, RB; Kirk Elder, OL; Chris Harrington, DL; Stephen McGee, QB; Chad Schroeder, WR; Misi Tupe, LB; Justin Warren, LB
Texas Tech:Joe Garcia, DB; Graham Harrell, QB; Chris Hudler, DL; Manuel Ramirez, OL; Jake Ratliff, DL; Alex Reyes, P; Brock Stratton, LB; Louis Vasquez, OL; Shannon Woods, RB

 

[Wesley]

Not to say some of these selction are blatantly ridiculous, but some are. Boy Ruud is considered the fourth best linebacker at Nebraska after Stewart Bradley, Steve Octavian, and Corey McKeon and maybe Phillip Dilliard. He is slow and cannot catch people. He is not as good as his other family members. Alviun Bowen and Tyrone get bumped. Alvin led the nation in solo and total tackles. HMMMM. Guess the other coaches like McC, but they did not give him any parting gifts. With our new coach, I expect a turnaround in post season honors. McC may have been quipping so much and answering phone messages to well wishes that he had little time to poush the linebackers with the other coaches. Such is life. Wait till next year. If Blythe wants to go pro, he better have a much better season. Same for Bret.

In the end, the leadership appears to have come from Ryan Koch. Hope the new coach sparks more leadership on this team next year. Milan Moses looks like he can move on up and lead. The intangibles that Zac taylor brought with leadership to Nebraska probably resulted in an extra four wins in the last two years. He was a money player when the chips were down. Hope to see the same in the big games next year and not just Toledo.

 

[PolkCityClone]

Oh my, Texas has no defensive first teamers. Why did we hire this guy?? The sky is falling, the sky is falling.

 

[Wesley]

The team is stacked with Andrew Shanle, Brett Byford and other borderline honorable mention players confirms this theory. You pat my back, I will pat yours. Most of the time seniors are thrust into the limelight as a send off. Mason Crosby is an exception. Shaggy and Tyrone did not even get an honorable mention.

 

[mj4cy]

if our punter had done all year what he did later in the season, he would be up there with the baylor guy

 

[Wesley]

Scott did okay as second team. He must have been pushed by McC. Pro tryout?

 

[CY ST8T]

2 of our lineman as one on 2nd team and one honorable mention? They must have based it on the last game of the season rather than the rest of the year when Meyer was getting pounded.

 

[Nedrick]

How did Ryan Koch get missed here? Crazy!

 

[cmoore_23]

how is baum not on 2nd team at least when he is a finalist for the returner of the year?..i 4 1 dont believ he should be but stil..just kinda weird

 

[jkoo]

how is baum not on 2nd team at least when he is a finalist for the returner of the year?..i 4 1 dont believ he should be but stil..just kinda weird

cuz he had one too many muffs this year. need i remind you thet back to back muffs against UNI.

 

[jkoo]

How did Ryan Koch get missed here? Crazy!

you can blame cotton for that. he wasnt used much til the end of the season. If the awards were for the last 2 weeks of the year...then we got an argument, but its not.