UF OT Wins Jacobs Award; Seven Named All-SEC
Wednesday, December 6, 2000 | Football
Representing Florida on the Coaches All-SEC First Team were Walker, OT Mike Pearson (Seffner, Fla.), WR Jabar Gaffney (Jacksonville, Fla.), DE Alex Brown (White Springs, Fla.) and CB Lito Sheppard (Jacksonville, Fla.). The All-SEC second team included PK Jeff Chandler (Jacksonville, Fla.) and DT Gerard Warren (Raiford, Fla.).
Walker started 10 of 12 games this year for UF on the offensive line and was one of the key performers in an offense that led the SEC by scoring 37.3 points per game and was second by averaging both 308.2 passing yards per game and 418.7 yards per game in total offense.
Pearson started all 12 games this year for Florida and ranked third on the team by playing on 809 snaps this year.
Gaffney, who is the first freshman WR in UF history to garner first-team All-SEC honors, set NCAA freshman receiving records this year with his 1,184 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 71 catches set an SEC freshman record and was only four shy of the NCAA mark in that category.
Brown started all but one game at DE this year and placed fifth on the team with 56 total tackles and led the Gators with 41.5 "Big Plays," 7.5 sacks and tied Warren for the team lead with his 11.5 total tackles for loss.
Sheppard was a dangerous cover man and returner for the Gators this year. He led the SEC by averaging 14.0 yards per punt return, bringing two back for TDs. His six interceptions was one shy of the school record and ties Tim Wansley of Georgia for the most in the SEC this season.
Chandler became the school's all-time leading scorer this year and still has one year of eligibility to go. Chandler's 265 career points and 48 career field goals broke school records during the course of the season.
Warren was third on the team, and first for defensive linemen, with his 76 tackles this year. He led the Gators with 23 forced hurries and posted 4.5 sacks and 36.5 "Big Plays," both second on the team. His 11.5 total tackles for loss tied Brown for the team lead.
