Eleven Gator Football Players Named AP All-SEC Selections
Monday, December 7, 2009 | Football
A total of 11 Florida Gator football players highlighted the 2009 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference football team, released Monday, with six first-team selections, four second-team selections and one honorable mention honor for junior safety Ahmad Black (Lakeland, Fla.), his second career AP honorable mention.
Florida's 11 AP All-SEC selections were the most of any league institution in 2009. The Gators' 2009 AP All-SEC list marks the eighth season in UF football history the Orange and Blue have had 10 or more AP selections, the second in head coach Urban Meyer's tenure in Gainesville.
Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) received his third consecutive AP first-team All-SEC quarterback honor, while junior linemen Mike (OL) and Maurkice Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) (C) and junior tight end Aaron Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) join Tebow as first-team offensive selections. The honor marked the second for both Pounceys, after being AP honorable mention candidates in 2008, while Hernandez picked up his first career All-SEC accolade.
Thorpe Award Finalist Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.) and UF defensive end Carlos Dunlap (North Charleston, S.C.) represented the Gators as first-team defensive selections, the second career AP honors for both juniors.
UF's second-team selections consisted of senior wide receiver Riley Cooper (Clearwater, Fla.), who earned his first All-SEC honor as an offensive candidate, and repeat defensive selections, senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and senior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.). After being named to the coaches' All-SEC second team in 2008, junior punter Chas Henry (Dallas, Ga.) earned his first AP honor in 2009. Cunningham was additionally a second-team selection in 2009, while Spikes picked up first-team All-SEC honors in both 2007 and 2008.
Alabama's Mark Ingram and Rolando McClain claimed AP Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, while Vanderbilt's Warren Norman was named the 2009 Freshman of the Year. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban garnered AP Coach of the Year distinction.
2009 AP All-SEC Team
(u-unanimous selection)
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR Shay Hodge, Ole Miss, 6-2, 207, Sr.
WR A.J. Green, Georgia, 6-4, 207, So.
L Mike Johnson, Alabama, 6-5, 303, Sr.
L Ciron Black, LSU, 6-5, 322, Sr.
L Mike Pouncey, Florida, 6-5, 315, Jr.
L John Jerry, Ole Miss, 6-6, 335, Sr.
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida, 6-5, 310, Jr.
TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida, 6-2, 250, Jr.
QB Tim Tebow, Florida, 6-3, 240, Sr.
RB u-Mark Ingram, Alabama, 5-10, 212, So.
RB Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State, 6-1, 235, Sr.
K Leigh Tiffin, Alabama, 6-2, 212, Sr.
All-Purpose, Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss, 5-9, 170, Sr.
All-Purpose, Randall Cobb, Kentucky, 5-11, 188, So.
Defense
E Antonio Coleman, Auburn, 6-3, 261, Sr.
E Carlos Dunlap, Florida, 6-6, 290, Jr.
T u-Terrence Cody, Alabama, 6-5, 354, Sr.
T Dan Williams, Tennessee, 6-3, 327, Sr.
LB u-Rolando McClain, Alabama, 6-4, 258, Jr.
LB u-Eric Norwood, South Carolina, 6-1, 252, Sr.
LB Rennie Curran, Georgia, 5-11, 225, Jr.
CB Javier Arenas, Alabama, 5-9, 195, Sr.
CB Joe Haden, Florida, 5-11, 190, Jr.
S u-Eric Berry, Tennessee, 5-11, 203, Jr.
S Mark Barron, Alabama, 6-2, 214, So.
P Drew Butler, Georgia, 6-2, 203, So.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR Joe Adams, Arkansas, 5-10, 182, So.
WR Riley Cooper, Florida, 6-3, 215, Sr.
WR Brandon LaFell, LSU, 6-3, 206, Sr.
L Clint Boling, Georgia, 6-5, 297, Jr.
L Chris Scott, Tennessee, 6-5, 346, Sr.
L James Carpenter, Alabama, 6-5, 300, Jr.
L Mitch Petrus, Arkansas, 6-4, 315, Sr.
C Ryan Pugh, Auburn, 6-4, 289, Jr.
TE Colin Peek, Alabama, 6-6, 255, Sr.
QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas, 6-7, 238, So.
RB Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss, 5-9, 170, Sr.
RB Montario Hardesty, Tennessee, 6-0, 215, Sr.
RB Ben Tate, Auburn, 5-11, 218, Sr.
K Blair Walsh, Georgia, 5-10, 185, So.
All-Purpose, Derrick Locke, Kentucky, 5-9, 190, Jr.
All-Purpose, Javier Arenas, Alabama, 5-9, 195, Sr.
Defense
E Jermaine Cunningham, Florida, 6-3, 257, Sr.
E Justin Houston, Georgia, 6-3, 259, So.
E Pernell McPhee, Mississippi State, 6-4, 275, Jr.
T Geno Atkins, Georgia, 6-1, 290, Sr.
T Corey Peters, Kentucky, 6-3, 295, Sr.
T Jerrell Powe, Ole Miss, 6-2, 330, Jr.
T Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas, 6-2, 291, Sr.
LB Brandon Spikes, Florida, 6-4, 255, Sr.
LB Sam Maxwell, Kentucky, 6-3, 248, Sr.
LB Rico McCoy, Tennessee, 6-1, 220, Sr.
CB Patrick Peterson, LSU, 6-1, 211, So.
CB Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt, 6-2, 205, Sr.
CB Walt McFadden, Auburn, 6-0, 175, Sr.
S Chad Jones, LSU, 6-3, 231, Jr.
S Chris Culliver, South Carolina, 6-0, 190, Jr.
P Chas Henry, Florida, 6-4, 222, Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense
Zipp Duncan, T, Kentucky, 6-5, 291, Sr.; Trindon Holliday, All-Purpose, LSU, 5-5, 161, Sr.; Lee Ziemba, T, Auburn, 6-8, 308, Jr.
Defense
Ahmad Black, S, Florida, 5-9, 185, Jr.; Chris Marve, LB, Vanderbilt, 6-0, 230, So.; Cliff Matthews, E, South Carolina, 6-4, 249, Jr.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mark Ingram, Alabama
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rolando McClain, Alabama
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nick Saban, Alabama
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Warren Norman, Vanderbilt
-UF-
