Five Hogs Named to The Sporting News' Freshman All-America Teams
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Five freshmen Razorbacks were among the nation’s first-year college football players honored on Monday by The Sporting News for their play in 2005. Tailback Darren McFadden, tailback and kick return specialist Felix Jones, linebacker Freddie Fairchild, offensive lineman Jonathan Luigs and quarterback Casey Dick all earned recognition on the publication’s freshman All-America teams or honorable mention list.
McFadden garnered first-team honors, while Fairchild and Jones earned a spot on the second team at linebacker and kickoff return specialist, respectively. Jones also garnered honorable mention accolades as a running back. Luigs and Dick were tabbed by the publication as honorable mention selections on the offensive line and at quarterback. Monday’s honor marked the first national recognition for the Arkansas quarterback this postseason.
“I’m proud of all of our freshmen for their great seasons,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “The members of this freshman class have the potential to accomplish even bigger things in their time as Razorbacks. Darren, Freddie, Felix and Jonathan have been honored previously, but I’m glad that Casey was recognized for his contributions to our team as well. He made tremendous strides in pressure situations in the four games he played for us down the stretch.”
McFadden, the 2005 SEC Freshman of the Year, has made every freshman All-America team published this season. He turned in the most prolific freshman campaign in Arkansas history rushing for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns. He became just the seventh freshman in SEC history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. McFadden ranks second in the SEC and 27th in the nation after posting an average of 137.5 all-purpose yards per outing in 2005.
Fairchild was named SEC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year earlier this month by The Sporting News. The Little Rock, Ark., product started nine games in his freshman campaign earning 59 tackles including six tackles for loss (-28) and two sacks (-16). He tallied five or more tackles in six games including a season-high nine stops against Alabama and South Carolina.
Jones leads the nation in kickoff returns with an average of 31.9 yards per return. He returned 17 kickoffs for 543 yards and a touchdown. He also ranked as the Razorbacks’ second-leading rusher racking up 626 yards and three touchdowns on 99 rushing attempts. Jones averaged 116.4 all-purpose yards per outing in his freshman season a total that ranks sixth in the SEC and 61st in the nation.
As a redshirt freshman, Luigs started 10 games on the offensive line including seven at right guard and three at center. He racked up 52 knockdown blocks on the season. He helped clear the way for 10 100-yard rushing efforts by UA running backs and a 1,000-yard rusher (McFadden). Arkansas leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the nation in rushing yards per game (216.91).
Dick became the first quarterback in school history to start in his first collegiate game. The Allen, Texas, signal caller made his collegiate debut against South Carolina and then started the Hogs’ final three games against Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU. He completed 53-of-99 pass attempts for 584 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. He led the Razorbacks to wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Against the Rebels, he engineered a second-half comeback that was keyed by three touchdown passes by the freshman quarterback.
2005 TSN Freshman All-American Teams
* denotes redshirt freshman
Offensive Freshman of the Year: Tyrell Sutton, RB, Northwestern
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Brian Orakpo, E, Texas*
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR Sidney Rice, South Carolina*
WR Davone Bess, Hawaii
TE Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M
L (G) Jeremy Perry, Oregon State*
L (G) Michael Oher, Ole Miss
L (T) Yemi Babalola, Texas A&M*
L (G) Ryan Stanchek, West Virginia*
L (G) Cole Popovich, Fresno State
QB Pat White, West Virginia*
RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
RB Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern
Defense
L (E) Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin
L (E) Steven Davis, Minnesota
L (T) Mitch King, Iowa*
L (E) Brian Orakpo, Texas*
LB Michael Brown, Duke
LB Rashad Bobino, Texas*
LB Maurice Crum, Notre Dame*
DB (FS) Kenny Phillips, Miami
DB (SS) Patrick Chung, Oregon*
DB (SS) Reggie Smith, Oklahoma
DB (CB) Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
Special Teams
K Sam Swank, Wake Forest*
P Chris Miller, Ball State*
KR Brandon Tate, North Carolina
AP Justin King, Penn State
SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR Mike Thomas, Arizona
WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt
TE Chase Coffman, Missouri
L (G) Antoine Caldwell, Alabama*
L (T) Max Unger, Oregon*
L (C) Eric Wood, Louisville*
L (T) Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin*
L (C) David Washington, Oklahoma State*
QB Drew Weatherford, Florida State*
RB Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan
RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia
Defense
L (E) Barry Turner, Nebraska
L (T) Jeff Owens, Georgia
L (E) Trey Covington, Maryland*
LB Jason Phillips, TCU*
LB Greg Trent, Washington State
LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest*
LB Freddie Fairchild, Arkansas
DB (CB) Tony Carter, Florida State*
DB (S) Brandon Harrison, Michigan
DB (CB) Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest*
DB (FS) Michael Hamlin, Clemson*
Special Teams
K Jordan Congdon, Nebraska
P Justin Brantly, Texas A&M
KR Felix Jones, Arkansas
THIRD TEAM
Offense
WR Greg Carr, Florida State
WR Deon Butler, Penn State*
TE Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss*
L (G) Branden Albert, Virginia
L (T) Ryan Clady, Boise State*
L (G) Dallas Reynolds, BYU
L (T) Jon Borst, Northern Illinois*
L (T) Sean Sester, Purdue*
QB Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma*
RB Ray Rice, Rutgers
RB Mike Hamilton, Oklahoma State*
Defense
L (E) Jonathan Turner, Arizona
L (T) Chase Moline, UCLA
L (T) Fevaea’i Ahmu, Washington State
LB Clint Sintim, Virginia*
LB Braxton Kelley, Kentucky
LB Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Michigan
LB Jake Hutton, Utah State
DB (SS) Jamarca Sanford, Ole Miss*
DB (S) Courtney Greene, Rutgers
DB (CB) Joe Burnett, Central Florida
DB (CB) Aqib Talib, Kansas*
Special Teams
K Kevin Kelly, Penn State
P Blake McAdams, Mississippi State
KR Joe Burnett, Central Florida
HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
QB: Zack Asack, Duke; Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State*; Casey Dick,
Arkansas; Allan Evridge, Kansas State*; Julian Foster, Troy; Dustin
Grutza, Cincinnati*; QB Tim Hiller, Western Michigan; Curtis Painter,
Purdue*; Willie Tuitama, Arizona; Drew Willy, Buffalo
RB: Aaron Brown, TCU; Andre Brown, N.C. State; Jamaal Charles, Texas;
James Davis, Clemson; Arian Foster, Tennessee*; Keegan Herring, Arizona
State; Felix Jones, Arkansas; DeMyron Martin, SMU; Mico McSwain, Ole
Miss*; Javon Ringer, Michigan State; Wynel Seldon, Wyoming*; Kory
Sheets, Purdue*; Kevin Smith, Central Florida
WR: Brent Casteel, Utah*; Ryan Grice-Mullen, Hawaii*; James Hardy,
Indiana*; DeSean Jackson, Cal; Aaron Kelly, Clemson*; Malcolm Kelly,
Oklahoma; Mario Manningham, Michigan; Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia; Nate
Swift, Nebraska*; Mario Urrutia, Louisville*
TE: Anthony Harrison, Louisiana Tech; Jamar Hunt, UTEP*; Johnie Kirton,
Washington*; Anthony Moeaki, Iowa; Bear Pascoe, Fresno State*; Nick
Walker, Alabama*
Line: T Alex Boone, Ohio State; G Chris DeGeare, Wake Forest; C Alex
Derenthal, Temple*; C Robby Felix, UTEP; G Alex Fletcher, Stanford*; T
Jared Gaither, Maryland; T Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech*; T Andrew
Hartline, Central Michigan*; G/C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas*; G J.D.
Quinn, Oklahoma*; G Austin Wilkinson, Rice*
DEFENSE
Line: E Bobby Greenwood, Alabama; E Jameson Hartke, Ohio; E Moton
Hopkins, Tulsa; T Rashaad Jackson, Clemson*; E Kenny Mainor, Troy*; E
Albert McClellan, Marshall; E Kevin Mims, Northwestern*; T Alphonso
Moran, Kansas State*; E Cody Pree, Houston*; T Matt Rupp, Colorado
State*; T Brian Soi, Utah State*; E Stryker Sulak, Missouri*; E Ronald
Talley, Notre Dame*; E Derek Walker, Illinois*
Linebackers: Russell Allen, San Diego State*; Adam Carper, Iowa State*;
Dustin Duclo, Western Michigan*; Solomon Elimimian, Hawaii; Anthony
Felder, Cal; Kevin Grant, Akron*; Bryant Haines, Ball State*; John Hale,
UCLA; Jeff Horinek, Colorado State*; Cody Lubojasky, Houston*; Joshua
Mauga, Nevada; Tim McCarthy, Northern Illinois*; Ronnie Palmer,
Arizona*; Corey Smith, Cincinnati; Remond Willis, Illinois*
Secondary: CB Darius Butler, UConn*; CB Rod Council, Louisville*; CB
Louis Delmas, Western Michigan; FS Kenneth Fontenette, Houston*; CB Jack
Ikegwuonu, Wisconsin*; SS Dominic Jones, Minnesota; S Reshard Langford,
Vanderbilt*; CB Keenan Lewis, Oregon State*; S Trey Lewis, Ball State*;
S Blake Ligon, New Mexico*; CB Mike Mickens, Cincinnati; S Rico Murray,
Kent; CB Orlando Scandrick, Boise State; CB Antonio Smith, Bowling
Green; SS Brendan Smith, Northwestern; CB Morgan Trent, Michigan*; FS
Carlton Williams, South Florida*; S DeAndre Wright, New Mexico*
SPECIALISTS
Kickers: Jason Giannini, Minnesota*; Bryant Hahnfeldt, Vanderbilt; Brett
Jaekle, Nevada*; Pat McAfee, West Virginia; Jared Strubeck, San Jose
State
Punters: Britton Colquitt, Tennessee*; Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State; Aaron
Perez, UCLA*; A.J. Trapasso, Ohio State*