Four Gators Named Sporting News' All-Americans
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | Football
Led by junior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) and junior athlete Brandon James (St. Augustine, Fla.), several Gators earned post-season All-America honors by Sporting News. Spikes and James garnered First-Team All-America honors, while junior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) was a Second-Team selection at quarterback. Freshman safety Janoris Jenkins (Pahokee, Fla.) was named to Sporting News' Freshman All-America Team.
To accompany the quartet's All-America honors, Spikes was named the SEC Defensive MVP and Tebow was tabbed the SEC Offensive MVP by Sporting News.
Spikes is a key member of the SEC Champion Gators' defense and leads the team with 87 tackles, to go with four interceptions and 8.0 tackles for loss, including two sacks. All four of his interceptions have come against top-25 opponents, which is tied for first among all players nationally and is the most by any linebacker in the country. Spikes is one of five linebackers in the nation to have two interceptions returned for touchdowns this season. He has led the Gators in tackles in 10 of the last 17 games he has played in, recording 10-or-more tackles in five of his last 14 outings.
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.
The 2008 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, in addition to the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, 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 (0.7). He is the only player in NCAA history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in a season, with 32 passing and 23 rushing scores in 2007, and ranks first in Florida's record book for the most career rushing touchdowns. Tebow has thrown for 6,159 yards and 65 touchdowns in three seasons, while also gaining 1,928 yards on the ground with 43 rushing touchdowns, both school records by a Gator quarterback.
As a freshman, Jenkins ranks third on the team in interceptions, with three so far this season, while recording 34 tackles and one sack for a loss of 12 yards. Jenkins was additionally named a Freshman All-SEC selection by the league's coaches.
SPORTING NEWS' ALL-AMERICANS
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, Soph.
RB Shonn Greene, Iowa, Jr.
RB Donald Brown, Connecticut, Jr.
WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, Soph.
WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, Soph.
TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma, Jr.
T Michael Oher, Mississippi, Sr.
G Duke Robinson, Oklahoma, Sr.
C Antoine Caldwell, Alabama, Sr.
G Brandon Carter, Texas Tech, Jr.
T Andre Smith, Alabama, Jr.
K Louie Sakoda, Utah, Sr.
KR Michael Ray Garvin, Florida State, Sr.
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DE Brian Orakpo, Texas, Sr.
DT Terrence Cody, Alabama, Jr.
DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma, Soph.
DE Jerry Hughes, TCU, Jr.
LB Brandon Spikes, Florida, Jr.
LB Rey Maualuga, USC, Sr.
LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, Sr.
CB D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt, Jr.
CB Victor Harris, Virginia Tech, Sr.
S Eric Berry, Tennessee, Soph.
S Taylor Mays, USC, Jr.
P T.J. Conley, Idaho, Sr.
PR Brandon James, Florida, Jr.
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
QB Tim Tebow, Florida, Jr.
RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State, Sr.
RB Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State, Soph.
WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, Soph.
WR Austin Collie, BYU, Jr.
TE Chase Coffman, Missouri, Sr.
OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia, Sr.
OT Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma, Sr.
G Seth Olsen, Iowa, Sr.
G Herman Johnson, LSU, Sr.
C Alex Mack, California, Sr.
K Graham Gano, Florida State, Sr.
KR Derrick Williams, Penn State, Sr.
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State, Soph.
DE Nick Reed, Oregon, Sr.
DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi, Sr.
DT Fili Moala, USC, Sr.
LB Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh, Sr.
LB Brian Cushing, USC, Sr.
LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest, Sr.
CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, Sr.
CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest, Sr.
S Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech, Soph.
S Rashad Johnson, Alabama, Sr.
P Kevin Huber, Cincinnati, Sr.
PR Kyle Wilson, Boise State, Jr.
FLORIDA'S SPORTING NEWS FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
CB Janoris Jenkins
SPORTING NEWS CONFERENCE AWARDS
SEC
Offensive MVP: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Defensive MVP: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
Coach of the year: Nick Saban, Alabama
Freshman of the year: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
