The Big 12 Conference coaches selections for All Conference Honors were announced on Tuesday with Darrel Stuckey among 10 Jayhawks named to the teams.
Stuckey was the only Jayhawk on a loaded first team but several others received either 2nd team or Honorable Mention honors including:
- Dezmon Briscoe (2nd)
- James Holt (2nd)
- Caleb Blakesly (HM)
- Ryan Cantrell (HM)
- Jake Sharp (HM)
- Adrian Mayes (HM)
- Jake Laptad (HM)
- Mike Rivera (HM)
- Kerry Meier (HM)
Obviously the glaring missing Jayhawk would be Todd Reesing but with a stacked Big 12 it's not totally unexpected. Things will likely clear out this season paving the way for Reesing to have a banner Senior campaign and a possible mention on the All Conference Squad.
Huge kudos to Stuckey for a well earned and much deserved honor. Also felt like James Holt was a huge contributor on this team and in any other conference both Briscoe and Meier would certainly garner 1st team attention.
Also worth mentioning the oft rumored to be injured Mike Rivera for a gutsy Senior campaign and Jake Sharp another local boy for resurecting a non existent running game.
Jake Laptad, several key plays in the year and the lone bright spot for a pass rush that is beginning to see improvement
As for the big boys, Cantrell, Mayes, and perhaps most of all Blakesly. It wasn't always pretty but they got it done and Blakesly certainly earned a lot of my respect throughout the season.
Jump into the post for the full story and entire list of awards...
In addition to Stuckey’s first-team selection, wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe and linebacker James Holt were both tabbed to the second team.
KU’s honorable mention selections included defensive tackle Caleb Blakesley, center Ryan Cantrell, defensive end Jake Laptad, offensive guard Adrian Mayes, wide receiver Kerry Meier, linebacker Mike Rivera and running back Jake Sharp.
Stuckey, a junior from
Stuckey has been the lone constant in a KU secondary, which has started six different players at cornerback and two different players at free safety. The strong safety has started 29 consecutive games at that position.
This year he has registered four different double-digit tackle games, including 15 at
Last year Stuckey was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
Briscoe, a sophomore from
His 78 catches are the second-most in a season in KU history behind only Kerry Meier’s 87 receptions this year. He has registered six 100-yard receiving games this season for another school record
Briscoe has averaged 100.5 yards per game to rank eighth nationally. His 6.50 receptions per game are tied for 20th in the country. His 269-yard game at
Holt, a senior from
He has five 10-plus tackle games this season with bests of 13 at
Last year he was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
Blakesely, a junior from
Cantrell, a senior from
Laptad, a sophomore from
Mayes, a senior from
Meier, a junior from
Rivera, a senior from Shawnee Mission, Kan., has 79 tackles through 12 games. He has been named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in each of the last three years.
Sharp, a junior from
All-Big 12 Football Teams
Individual Awards
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sam Bradford,
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brian Orakpo,
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Robert Griffin, Baylor, Fr., QB,
DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Travis Lewis,
OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Brandon Banks,
DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Jon Cooper,
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Brian Orakpo,
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Bob Stoops,
Mike Leach, Texas Tech, 9th season
2008 All-Big 12 Football First Team
OFFENSE
Pos. Player School Class
QB Sam Bradford
RB DeMarco Murray
RB Kendall Hunter
FB Matt Clapp
WR Jeremy Maclin [r1] Missouri So.
WR Dez Bryant
WR Michael Crabtree** [r1] Texas Tech So.
TE Jermaine
OL Jason Smith Baylor Sr.
OL Phil Loadholt
OL Duke Robinson [r1] Oklahoma Sr.
OL Trent Williams
OL Russell Okung
OL Adam Ulatoski
PK Jeff Wolfert
KR/PR Dez Bryant
DEFENSE
DL Ziggy Hood
DL Gerald McCoy
DL Roy Miller
DL Brian Orakpo
DL Brandon Williams
LB Joe Pawelek Baylor Jr.
LB Sean Weatherspoon
LB Sergio Kindle
DB
DB Darrell Stuckey
DB William Moore**
DB Nic Harris [r1] Oklahoma Sr.
DB Darcel McBath
P Justin Brantly
A tie in voting created an additional offensive line spot on the first- and second-teams.
[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season
**Unanimous Selection
2008 All-Big 12 Football Second Team
OFFENSE
Pos. Player School Class
QB Colt McCoy
RB Derrick Washington
RB Shannon Woods
FB
WR Dezmon Briscoe
WR Juaquin Iglesias
WR Jordan Shipley
TE Chase Coffman
OL Kurtis Gregory
OL Matt Slauson
OL Jon Cooper
OL Chris Hall
OL Louis Vasquez
OL Rylan Reed
PK Hunter Lawrence
KR/PR Jordan Shipley
DEFENSE
DL George Hypolite
DL Ian Campbell
DL Stryker Sulak [r2] Missouri Sr.
DL Ndamukong Suh
DL Jeremy Beal
LB James Holt
LB Travis Lewis
LB Andre Sexton
DB Dominique Franks
DB Lendy Holmes
DB Jacob Lacey
DB Ryan Palmer
DB Daniel Charbonnet
P Matt Fodge
[r2] - Repeat second team selection from last season
2008 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Baylor: Derek Epperson, P; Dan Gay, OL
Iowa State: Mike Brandtner, P; Leonard Johnson, DB/KR/PR; Rashawn Parker, DL; James Smith, DB; Jesse Smith, LB; Reggie Stephens, OL; Kurtis Taylor, DL
Kansas: Caleb Blakesley, DL; Ryan Cantrell, OL; Jake Laptad, DL; Adrian Mayes, OL; Kerry Meier, WR; Mike Rivera, LB; Jake Sharp, RB
Kansas State: Brandon Banks, KR/PR/WR; Jordan Bedore, OL; Eric Childs, DL; Brandon Harold, DL; Joshua Moore, DB; Brooks Rossman, PK; Nick Stringer, OL
Missouri: Tim Barnes, OL; Jaron Baston, DL; Castine Bridges, DB; Colin Brown, OL; Brock Christopher, LB; Chase Daniel, QB; Justin Garrett, DB; Jeremy Maclin, KR/PR; Tommy Saunders, WR
Nebraska: Larry Asante, DB; Roy Helu Jr., RB; Alex Henery, PK; Jacob Hickman, OL; Zach Potter, DL; Ty Steinkuhler, DL; Nate Swift, KR/PR/WR
Oklahoma State: Jeray Chatham, DL; Perrish Cox, KR/PR; Orie Lemon, LB; Ricky Price, DB; Tonga Tea, DL
Texas: Quan Cosby, KR/PR/WR; Cedric Dockery, OL; Blake Gideon, DB; Aaron Lewis, DL; Henry Melton, DL; Roddrick Muckelroy, LB; Chris Ogbonnaya, RB; Charlie Tanner, OL; Earl Thomas, DB <