2008 SEC FOOTBALL ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM ANNOUNCED

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Nine of the Southeastern Conference football squads are represented on the ninth annual SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman Team, it was announced Thursday.

Georgia led the way with six selections. Arkansas had five selections, while Alabama, Florida and Vanderbilt added four on the rookie squad. Auburn had three members on the team.

Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, center Ben Jones, Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve and Auburn punter Clinton Durst were the only players to be a unanimous selections to the team. Green was the SEC Freshman of the Year.

The entire team is listed below:

2008 FRESHMAN ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
(*-Ties / #-Unanimous Selection / Coaches could not vote for their own players)

FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Hometown

TE Brandon Barden Vanderbilt 6-5 245 Lincolnton, Ga.
OL Justin Anderson Georgia 6-5 338 Ocilla, Ga.
OL Cordy Glenn Georgia 6-5 331 Riverdale, Ga.
OL *John Michael Boswell Alabama 6-5 300 Tuscaloosa, Ala.
OL *Grant Cook Arkansas 6-6 320 Jonesboro, Ark.
OL *Kyle Fischer Vanderbilt 6-6 300 Columbia, S.C.
OL *Quentin Saulsberry Miss. State 6-3 293 Independence, Miss.
C #Ben Jones Georgia 6-3 304 Centerville, Ala.
WR #A.J. Green Georgia 6-4 200 Summerville, S.C.
WR Julio Jones Alabama 6-4 210 Foley, Ala.
QB Randall Cobb Kentucky 5-11 185 Alcoa, Tenn.
RB Mark Ingram Alabama 5-10 215 Flint, Mich.
RB *Jeffery Demps Florida 5-8 176 Winter Garden, Fla.
RB *Chris Rainey Florida 5-9 185 Lakeland, Fla.

FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Hometown

DL Jake Bequette Arkansas 6-5 265 Little Rock, Ark.
DL *T.J. Greenstone Vanderbilt 6-3 278 Lawrenceville, Ga.
DL *Zach Stadther Arkansas 6-1 285 N. Little Rock, Ark.
DL *DeAngelo Tyson Georgia 6-2 306 Statesboro, Ga.
LB #Chris Marve Vanderbilt 6-0 225 Memphis, Tenn.
LB Dont’a Hightower Alabama 6-4 250 Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB Jerry Franklin Arkansas 6-2 229 Marion, Ark.
LB *Spencer Pybus Auburn 6-0 207 Dothan, Ala.
LB *Daryl Vereen Tennessee 6-0 200 Charlotte, N.C.
DB Janoris Jenkins Florida 5-10 185 Pahokee, Fla.
DB Will Hill Florida 6-2 203 West Orange, N.J.
DB Charles Mitchell Miss. State 5-11 196 Clarksdale, Miss.
DB Neiko Thorpe Auburn 6-2 171 Tucker, Ga.

FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Hometown

PK Blair Walsh Georgia 5-10 183 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
P #Clinton Durst Auburn 6-1 190 Destin, Fla.
RS Dennis Johnson Arkansas 5-7 195 Texarkana, Ark.
Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media

SEC FOOTBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS ANNOUNCED

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry and Florida return specialist Brandon James were voted as the Southeastern Conference’s top offensive player, top defensive player and top special teams player, respectively, in a vote of the league’s coaches, it was announced on Wednesday.

The league’s coaches also selected Tebow and Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green as the league’s scholar-athlete of the year and top freshman performer, respectively.

Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher was selected as the recipient of the Jacobs Trophy, given to the league’s top blocker. Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt, Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson and Alabama’s Nick Saban were all voted by their peers as the SEC Coaches of the Year and will share the award.

All of this year’s individual award winners were named first-team All-SEC in voting by the league’s coaches that was announced on Tuesday, outside of Green, who was second team. There were no unanimous selections to this year’s individual awards.

Tebow leads the SEC in completion percentage (64.9), touchdowns (28) and passing efficiency (176.7), while also owning the lowest interception percentage in the league (.7). Tebow's on the field accomplishments include being the only sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy. Also, he is the only player in NCAA history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in a season and ranks first in Florida's record book for the most career rushing touchdowns. He has thrown for 5,557 yards and 56 touchdowns in three seasons, while having also gained 1,757 yards on the ground with 42 rushing touchdowns, both school records by a Florida quarterback.

Berry, one of only two unanimous selections to the first team, is tied atop the FBS with seven interceptions and posted school and conference records for interception return yards with 265. The Fairburn, Ga., native also finished third on the team with 72 tackles from his strong safety position. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press on Monday.

James has scored two touchdowns off punt returns this season and is currently tied with Jacquez Green (1995-97) for the school record for career punt returns for a touchdown with four. His 687 kick return yards are the second- highest single season total in UF history and he improved his single-season punt return yards record to 509 after the Alabama game. James ranks fifth all-time in SEC history in total kick return yards, including kickoff and punt returns, with 3,037 total yards. He set an SEC Championship game record with five kickoff returns for 121 yards.

Green leads the SEC with 951 yards receiving for an average of 79.2 yards per game. He has hauled in 55 passes including eight touchdowns and is looking to become the first Bulldog to lead the SEC in receiving since Brice Hunter in 1994. For freshmen, he would be the first to lead the league in receiving yards per game since 1999.

Tebow carries a 3.70 grade point average, earning the honor of 2007 SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient. Tebow was also the second sophomore football player in school history to earn ESPN.com Academic All-America first-team honors in the 2007 season. Thanks to Tebow, Florida became one of only three schools to have a Heisman winner receive Academic All-America honors in the same year.

Paving the way for the Ole Miss offense is Oher. Ole Miss ranks in the top four in the SEC in total offense, scoring, rushing and passing. Oher was named first team All-SEC by the coaches and was one of six unanimous selections on the Associated Press first team.

Nutt, in his first year at the helm of the Ole Miss football program, led the Rebels to an 8-4 record and a trip to the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss finished second in the SEC West. Saban, in only his second year at Alabama, led the Tide to a perfect 12-0 regular season, the SEC Western Division Championship and a No. 1 national ranking. Johnson led Vanderbilt to six wins and their first bowl berth since the 1982 season.

2008 SEC FOOTBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

Offensive Player of the Year
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

Defensive Player of the Year
Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee

Special Teams Player of the Year
Brandon James, RS, Florida

Freshman of the Year
A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Michael Oher, Ole Miss

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box

Game of the Week: Georgia vs. Florida

THERE’LL BE NO love lost between these two bitter rivals this Saturday, as Florida will try to avenge a humiliating defeat to the Bulldogs last year in which several Gators took exception to what they considered to be a contentious touchdown celebration on the part of Georgia. If that weren’t enough to spice up this SEC showdown, this game will also likely decide the winner of the conference’s Eastern Division while also having national championship implications.

When the Gators Have the Ball

COMING OFF YET another stellar performance in Florida’s whitewash of Kentucky last week, quarterback Tim Tebow is tailor made for coach Urban Meyer’s offense. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner orchestrates the spread-option like a true maestro, giving defenses fits with his ability to score both with his arm and his feet. Tebow’s 6’3” frame belies his elusiveness as a runner. The junior has a good arm, but doesn’t always throw the most catchable ball. Florida’s cadre of talented receivers is also the source of quite a few sleepless nights for opposing defensive coordinators, starting with Percy Harvin. Despite being hampered by a heel injury during the past two seasons, the 5’11” speedster is a home run threat every time he touches the ball at both the running back and wide out positions. This open-field dynamo combines 4.3 speed with a dose of wiggle ability that makes many defenders miss. Louis Murphy is no slouch either, in fact, after a slow start to his collegiate career, the 6’2” playmaker has developed into a force that is toasting cornerbacks on downfield routes. Murphy’s 18 receptions for 292 yards and four touchdowns this season would be significantly higher across the board in a more pass-oriented attack. Florida’s running backs are weapons in their own right. The undersized, but speedy Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey are cut from the same cloth. Rainey can start and stop on a dime, and then explode as he runs downfield with exceptional balance and vision. Demps’ unmatched pure speed makes him a dangerous chess piece that can be used in a variety of ways. The freshman will become even better once he improves his patience and change-of-direction tendencies. Tight end Aaron Hernandez has filled in admirably for the injured Cornelius Ingram. Left tackle Phil Trautwein is a strong run blocker with excellent technique.

GEORGIA OPERATES A DEFENSE that’s strong versus the run despite the absence of standout defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who’s recovering from a season-ending ACL injury. This linebacker-driven unit has a plethora of difference makers at the position, including Darryl Gamble, who filled in for Dannell Ellerbe last week and played a key role in his team’s dismantling of LSU. Gamble returned two interceptions for touchdowns and recorded a career-high 13 tackles. Outside linebacker Rennie Curran is another key component who uses his remarkable lateral quickness to close in on opposing ball carriers and thwarts any hopes of a big running play. This sideline-to-sideline enforcer leads the Bulldogs with 69 tackles and three sacks. Justin Houston and Demarcus Dobbs are a pair of promising defensive ends who both chipped in with one sack each last Saturday. Dobbs in particular, has displayed flashes of greatness, with the mobility and all-out intensity that makes him an invaluable member of this defense. Corey Irvin and Geno Atkins do all the run-stuffing dirty work at defensive tackle. Irvin is second on the team with six tackles for a loss. Georgia’s secondary isn’t quite up to par, as evidenced by the fact that they’ve allowed 13 touchdowns passes and have only eight pickoffs even though they haven’t faced any top-level quarterbacks to date. In last week’s game, the Bulldogs allowed four passes of 20 yards or more. Cornerback Asher Allen is the headliner of this defensive backfield. The 5’10” junior is a complete player adept at forcing fumbles, blitzing quarterbacks, and also providing tight coverage.

When the Dawgs Have the Ball

BLESSED WITH AN immense throwing arm, quarterback Matthew Stafford is perhaps the best pure passer in the nation, but his production hasn’t always been at the same level as his skill set. Stafford’s pedestrian statistics are due in large part to coach Mark Richt’s conservative game planning. But against Florida this week, the future pro will probably be called upon to throw quite a few deep outs to keep pace with Florida’s high-octane scoring machine. What’s been most notable about Stafford lately is how he’s improved as a pocket passer by keeping his eyes downfield despite being surrounded by a chaotic mass of pass rushers. The reason for that hellacious pass rush is due to Georgia’s young offensive line that’s been plagued by injury. In the past two games, however, this makeshift unit has come together, allowing only one sack of Stafford. In the past two weeks, that same offensive line, led by true freshman center Ben Jones, has paved the way for the spectacular exploits of Knowshon Moreno. The sophomore has gained 335 yards on only 44 carries during that stretch. The New Jersey native’s 4.4 speed, vision, instincts and relentlessness have made him an unstoppable weapon that continues to get better as the season wears on. At wide receiver, A.J. Green has provided the Bulldog attack with a playmaking component they’ve lacked at the position in recent years. The 6’4” freshman may still be undisciplined in his route running at times. He more than makes up for that with his one-of-a-kind agility and body control, which along with his excellent hands, allow him to come down with a number of long receptions along the sidelines. Mohamed Massaquoi is more of the possession type with at least one catch in 29 straight games. Tight end Aron White has loads of potential and finally showed signs of his physical gifts by making a 48-yard grab last week.

THE UNQUESTIONED LEADER of Florida’s defense is middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, who sets the tone with his toughness and instincts, which allow him to quickly flow to the ball carrier and drop back in coverage. While he may not be as fast as some other top players at his position, Spikes has a knack of always putting himself in the best position to make a play. His partner in crime, A.J. Jones, is an aggressive outside linebacker who makes plays all over the field and is one superb hitter. Jones is physical at the point of attack and has good feet and agility to get around blockers. The real star of this defense, however, is Florida’s intense defensive end Jermaine Cunningham. His quick first step and feline quickness off the edge make him a load to contain as a pass rusher. But for all his skill in pressuring quarterbacks, the junior must improve in playing the run. Fellow end Carlos Dunlap is a freakish 6’7”, 290-pound defender with 4.7 speed. Dunlap’s long arms help him disengage from blockers and his noteworthy quickness enables him to run down plays from the backside. Talented cornerback Janoris Jenkins remains probable to start in this week’s contest. The Gator coaching staff hopes to have his unique anticipatory skills and exceptional closing speed at its disposal as they try to contain Matthew Stafford and company. Heat seeking missile Major Wright excels at knocking down passes and laying the wood from his safety position.

Final Analysis

LOOK FOR FLORIDA to put up some quick points in this ball game and force the Bulldogs to play catch up. Georgia’s 80th ranked offense will put up a valiant effort, but won’t be able to muster enough points to have a chance in this SEC battle. Tim Tebow is primed for yet another masterful performance.

Prediction: Florida 41 Georgia 27

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media