Arkansas Picked Fourth by SEC Media; Eight Hogs Earn All-SEC Honors
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas is projected to finish fourth in the Southeastern Conference’s western division according to a vote by league media members attending the 2006 SEC Football Media Days in Hoover, Ala. it was released on Friday.
Auburn was a near consensus pick to win the western division collecting 87 of 104 first-place votes. The Tigers were also the run-away favorite to clinch the overall SEC title garnering 73 championship votes. LSU earned 12 first-place votes and Alabama picked up five first-place votes for the divisional crown. Arkansas was picked fourth in the division while Ole Miss and Mississippi State were picked fifth and sixth, respectively.
Florida edged Georgia for the top spot in the eastern division rankings. Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt rounded out the predictions.
Led by first-team selections Darren McFadden and Sam Olajubutu, Arkansas placed eight players on the pre-season All-SEC teams selected by league media. Auburn led the league with 12 selections with Georgia and LSU boasting 10 total selections. Arkansas and Florida each earned eight spots on the pre-season teams. The Hogs tallied two first-team, two second-team and four third-team selections. In the pre-season voting by league coaches last week, Arkansas tied for second in the league with 12 Razorbacks garnering recognition.
McFadden was named to the first-team offense by league media members joining Auburn’s Kenny Irons at the running back position. McFadden become one of only seven freshmen in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards last season when he tallied 1,113 yards rushing. McFadden is a pre-season candidate for The Maxwell Award, given annually to the nation’s top players. He has also been named as a pre-season All-American.
Olajubutu earned a spot on the first-team defense at linebacker. The LaGrange, Ga., product is on a bevy of national award watch lists after a spectacular junior season in 2005. Olajubutu earned honorable mention All-America honors last season after racking up 118 tackles. He is a pre-season All-America selection at linebacker this season.
Senior Keith Jackson and sophomore Felix Jones garnered second-team honors on defense and special teams, respectively. Jackson earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after making 74 tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss (-32) at defensive tackle. Jones became the first UA freshman in history to garner first-team All-America honors in 2005 after finishing second in the nation with a 31.9 yard per return kickoff average.
The Razorbacks racked up four third-team selections on the offensive side of the ball. Offensive guards Stephen Parker and Robert Felton joined offensive tackle Zac Tubbs as Razorbacks selected to the third-team offensive line. Junior Marcus Monk also earned all-conference honors at wide receiver.
Parker has started 21 of the last 22 games at left guard and in penciled in again as the starter in 2006. Felton is back at offensive guard after spending much of the last two seasons at offensive tackle. The Houston, Texas, product owns 16 career starts. Tubbs is returning to the gridiron after missing the second-half of the 2005 campaign with injuries. The senior from Cullman, Ala., played in five games last season before suffering a broken ankle.
Monk hauled in 35 catches for 476 yards and seven touchdowns in 2005. He has caught at least one pass in all 22 of his career games and already ranks tied for seventh on the UA career touchdown receiving list with 13 scores.
2006 SEC MEDIA DAYS PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
[104 total voters (NOTE: Most in SEC Media Days history)]
FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC — OFFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
TE – Martrez Milner (35), Georgia, 6-4, 240, Sr., Gainesville, Ga.
OL – Arron Sears (95), Tennessee, 6-4, 320, Sr., Russellville, Ala.
OL – Will Arnold (72), LSU, 6-4, 322,Jr., Gloster, Miss.
OL – Daniel Inman (69), Georgia, 6-7, 319, Sr., Hope Mills, N.C.
OL – Tim Duckworth (65), Auburn, 6-4, 310, Sr., Taylorsville, Miss.
C – Nick Jones (73), Georgia, 6-3, 295, Sr., Bowdon, Ga.
WR – Sidney Rice (94), South Carolina, 6-4, 200, So., Gaffney, S.C.
WR – Earl Bennett (49), Vanderbilt, 6-1, 202, So., Birmingham, Ala.
QB – Chris Leak (69), Florida, 6-0, 207, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.
RB – Kenny Irons (84), Auburn, 5-11, 200, Sr., Dacula, Ga.
RB – Darren McFadden (59), Arkansas, 6-2, 210, So., N. Little Rock, Ark.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC — OFFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
TE – Jacob Tamme (33), Kentucky, 6-5, 240, Jr., Danville, Ky.
OL – Brian Stamper (49), Vanderbilt, 6-5, 305, Sr., Windermere, Fla.
OL – Michael Oher (14), Ole Miss, 6-5 ½, 330, So., Memphis, Tenn.
OL – Ben Grubbs (13),Auburn,6-3,301,Sr.,Eclectic, Ala.
OL – Brian Anderson (7),Miss. State, 6-6, 307, Sr., Butler, Ala
C – Antoine Caldwell (27), Alabama, 6-3, 296, So., Montgomery, Ala.
WR – Dallas Baker (19), Florida,6-3, 206, Sr., New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
WR -Courtney Taylor (16), Auburn, 6-2, 202, Sr., Carrollton, Ala.
QB – Brandon Cox (21), Auburn,6-2,201,Jr.,Trussville, Ala.
RB – Kenneth Darby (52), Alabama, 5-11, 205, Sr., Huntsville, Ala.
RB – Arian Foster (7), Tennessee, 6-1, 215, So., San Diego, Calif.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC — OFFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
TE – Cole Bennett (14), Auburn, 6-4, 261, Sr., Dalton, Ga.
OL – Zac Tubbs (6), Arkansas, 6-6, 335, Sr., Cullman, Ala.
OL – Robert Felton (5),Arkansas, 6-4, 319, Jr., Houston, Texas
OL – Stephen Parker (3), Arkansas, 6-4, 310, Sr.,Mandeville, La.
OL – Brian Johnson (3), LSU, 6-4, 297, Sr., Tallahassee, Fla.
C – Joe Cope (3), Auburn, 6-0, 276, Sr., Andalusia, Ala.
WR – Dwayne Bowe (13), LSU, 6-3, 217, Sr., Miami, Fla.
WR – Marcus Monk (5), Arkansas, 6-6, 227, Jr., Lepanto, Ark.
QB – JaMarcus Russell (10), LSU, 6-6, 252, Jr., Mobile, Ala.
RB – Rafael Little (2), Kentucky, 5-10, 188, Jr., Anderson, S.C.
RB – Thomas Brown (2), Georgia, 5-8, 185, Jr., Tucker, Ga.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC — DEFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
DL – Quentin Moses (91), Georgia, 6-5, 250, Sr., Athens, Ga.
DL – Justin Harrell (64), Tennessee, 6-4, 300, Sr., Martin, Tenn.
DL – Marcus Thomas (41), Florida, 6-3, 286, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.
LB – Patrick Willis (98), Ole Miss, 6-2, 230, Sr., Bruceton, Tenn.
LB – Sam Olajubutu (80), Arkansas, 5-9, 229, Sr., LaGrange, Ga.
LB – Brandon Siler (79), Florida, 6-2, 235, Jr., Orlando, Fla.
LB – Will Herring (40), Auburn, 6-3, 220, Sr., Opelika, Ala.
DB -LaRon Landry (89), LSU, 6-2, 204, Sr., Ama, La.
DB -Fred Bennett (68),South Carolina, 6-1, 199, Sr., Manning, S.C.
DB -David Irons (61),Auburn, 5-11, 188, Sr.,Dacula, Ga.
DB -Ramzee Robinson (51), Alabama, 5-10, 190, Sr., Huntsville, Ala.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC — DEFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
DL – Quentin Groves (25), Auburn, 6-3, 250, Jr., Greenville, Miss.
DL – Keith Jackson (20), Arkansas, 6-0, 300, Sr., Little Rock, Ark.
DL – Marquies Gunn (18), Auburn, 6-4, 254, Sr., Alexander City, Ala.
LB – Juwan Simpson (25), Alabama, 6-3, 222, Sr., Decatur, Ala.
LB – Jarvis Jackson (14), Georgia, 6-2, 218, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.
LB – Quinton Culberson (13), Miss. State, 6-0, 239, Sr., Jackson, Miss.
LB – Ali Highsmith (13), LSU,6-1, 226, Jr., Miami, Fla.
DB – Tra Battle (35),Georgia, 5-11, 176, Sr., Forsyth, Ga.
DB – Reggie Nelson (29), Florida, 6-1, 195, Jr., Melbourne, Fla.
DB – Jonathan Hefney (16), Tennessee, 5-9, 185,Jr., Rock Hill, S.C.
DB – Jeramie Johnson (13), Miss. State, 5-11, 216, Sr., East Point, Ga.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC — DEFENSE
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
DL – Chase Pittman (9), LSU, 6-4, 265, Sr., Shreveport, La.
DL- Jarvis Moss (9), Florida, 6-6, 255, Jr., Denton, Texas
DL – Ray McDonald (8), Florida, 6-3, 280, Sr., Belle Glade, Fla.
LB – Earl Everett (12), Florida, 6-2, 231, Sr., Webster, Fla.
LB – Tony Taylor (12), Georgia, 6-1,237, Sr., Watkinsville, Ga.
LB – Jonathan Goff (10), Vanderbilt, 6-4, 240, Jr., Lynn, Mass.
LB – Wesley Woodyard (7), Kentucky, 6-1, 212, Jr.,LaGrange, Ga.
DB – Chevis Jackson (11), LSU, 6-0, 189, Jr., Mobile, Ala.
DB – Simeon Castille (8), Alabama, 6-1, 192, Jr., Birmingham, Ala.
DB – Jessie Daniels (6), LSU, 5-11, 203, Sr., Breaux Bridge, La.
DB – Jonathan Wade (6), Tennessee, 6-0, 195, Sr., Shreveport, La.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC — SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
PK – Brandon Coutu (74), Georgia, 6-0, 185, Jr., Lawrenceville, Ga.
P – Kody Bliss (70), Auburn, 5-10, 177, Sr., Brentwood, Tenn.
RS – Rafael Little (59), Kentucky, 5-10, 188, Jr., Anderson, S.C.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC — SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
PK – James Wilhoit (12), Tennessee, 5-10, 195, Sr., Hendersonville, Tenn.
P – Gordon Ely-Kelso (16), Georgia, 6-2, 215, Sr., Athens, Ga.
RS – Felix Jones (30), Arkansas, 6-0, 202, So., Tulsa, Okla.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC — SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos. – Name, School, Ht., Wt.,Class, Hometown
PK – Jamie Christensen (9), Alabama, 6-1, 181, Jr., Norcross, Ga.
P – Chris Jackson (6), LSU, 5-11, 174, Sr., River Ridge, La.
RS -Tyrone Prothro (4), Alabama, 5-8, 178, Sr., Heflin, Ala.
SEC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Tabulated on a 1-2-3-4-5-6 scale) [104 total voters]
SEC CHAMPION – Auburn 73, Florida 11, Georgia 7, LSU 6, Alabama 5, Tennessee 2.
Eastern Division (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
1.Florida (49) – 179
2.Georgia (42) – 200
3.Tennessee (9) – 303
4.South Carolina (4) – 362
5.Kentucky- 545
6.Vanderbilt -595
Western Division (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
1.Auburn (87) – 129
2.LSU (12) – 217
3.Alabama (5) – 348
4.Arkansas – 364
5.Ole Miss – 550
6.Mississippi State – 576
