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*