December 04, 2003
Four members of the Texas A&M football team were named to the eighth annual All-Big 12 Conference coaches' football team, the league office announced Tuesday.
Junior wide receiver Terrence Murphy, junior offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner, freshman running back Courtney Lewis and sophomore defensive back Jaxson Appel earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003.
Murphy was named to the second-team offense as a kick returner. The Tyler, Texas native averaged 27.2 yards per kick return and broke several school records in the process. His 626 return yards broke the old record of 590 set by Leeland McElroy in 1993, while Murphy's 23 kickoff returns tied the school record set by Dave Elmendorf in 1970. Murphy, a member of Coach Fran's Leadership Council, was named a permanent captain for the 2003 season.
Hangartner was a third-team selection at offensive line. A member of the Leadership Council and a native of New Braunfels, Texas, he played center on an Aggie front line that helped the team to its most prolific offensive output in years. A&M averaged 177.2 yards per game on the ground and 389.8 overall in 2003.
Lewis, a redshirt freshman from Houston, rushed for 1,024 yards on the year to become the Aggies' first 1,000-yard rusher since Dante Hall in 1998. Lewis, whose yardage total was the second most by a freshman in school history, averaged 5.5 yards per carry in '03 and scored a team-high 12 touchdowns. He had five 100-yard performances on the season including a season-best 171 yards against Oklahoma State at Kyle Field.
Appel, from Friendswood, Texas, was an honorable mention selection at defensive back. He led the team with 135 tackles in 2003, breaking the A&M record for tackles by defensive backs of 132, set in 1977 by Carl Grulich. Appel grabbed four interceptions for 109 yards and returned two for touchdowns. A member of the Leadership Council and a permanent captain, he also broke up five passes, recovered three fumbles and forced two more.
The following is the complete Coaches' All-Big 12 Team:
First Team Offense
- Tight End: Matt Herian, Nebraska, 6-5, 245, So., Pierce, Neb.
Offensive Line: Nick Leckey, Kansas State, 6-4, 285, Sr., Grapevine, Texas; A.J. Ricker, Missouri, 6-4, 305, Sr., Klein, Texas; Jammal Brown, Oklahoma, 6-6, 313, Jr., Lawton, Okla.; Vince Carter, Oklahoma, 6-3, 289, Jr., Waco, Texas; Tillman Holloway, Texas, 6-3, 315, Sr., Basalt, Colo.
Wide Receiver: Rashaun Woods, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 190, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.; Mark Clayton, Oklahoma, 5-11, 187, Jr., Arlington, Texas
Quarterback: Jason White, Oklahoma, 6-3, 221, Sr., Tuttle, Okla.
Running Back: Darren Sproles, Kansas State, 5-7, 170, Jr., Olathe, Kan.; Tatum Bell, Oklahoma State, 5-11, 205, Sr., DeSoto, Texas
Placekicker: Trey DiCarlo, Oklahoma, 6-0, 180, So., Carrollton, Texas
Kick Returner: Wes Welker, Texas Tech, 5-9, 190, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.
First Team Defense
- End/Outside Linebacker: Dan Cody, Oklahoma, 6-5, 270, Jr., Ada, Okla.; Greg Richmond, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 245, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.
Interior Line: Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma, 6-3, 282, Jr., Lake Dallas, Texas; Tommie Harris, Oklahoma, 6-3, 289, Jr., Killeen, Texas; Marcus Tubbs, Texas, 6-4, 310, Sr., DeSoto, Texas
Linebacker (tie in voting): Josh Buhl, Kansas State, 6-0, 210, Sr., Mesquite, Texas; Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma, 6-2, 243, Sr., Fort Gibson, Okla.; Derrick Johnson, Texas, 6-4, 230, Jr., Waco, Texas
Defensive Back: Josh Bullocks, Nebraska, 6-1, 205, So., Chattanooga, Tenn.; Derrick Strait, Oklahoma, 5-11, 195, Sr., Austin, Texas; Darrent Williams, Oklahoma State, 5-9, 175, Jr., Ft. Worth, Texas; Nathan Vasher, Texas, 5-11, 180, Texarkana, Texas
Punter: Kyle Larson, Nebraska, 6-0, 205, Sr., Funk, Neb.
Punt Returner: Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma, 6-0, 188, Jr., Lawton, Okla.
Second Team Offense
- Tight End: Billy Bajema, Oklahoma State, 6-5, 260, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.
Offensive Line: Ryan Lilja, Kansas State, 6-3, 300, Sr., Lake Quivira, Kan.; Rob Droege, Missouri, 6-6, 305, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.; Richie Incognito, Nebraska, 6-3, 305, So., Glendale, Ariz.; Sam Mayes, Oklahoma State, 6-4, 350, Jr., Austintown, Ohio; Daniel Loper, Texas Tech, 6-7, 329, Jr., Houston, Texas
Wide Receiver: James Terry, Kansas State, 6-5, 185, Sr., Homestead, Fla.; Roy Williams, Texas, 6-4, 210, Sr., Odessa, Texas
Quarterback: B.J. Symons, Texas Tech, 6-1, 220, Sr., Houston, Texas
Running Back: Zack Abron, Missouri, 5-10, 228, Sr., Lake St. Louis, Mo.; Cedric Benson, Texas, 6-0, 215, Jr., Midland, Texas
Placekicker: Luke Phillips, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 170, Sr., Tulsa, Okla.
Kick Returner: TERRENCE MURPHY, TEXAS A&M, 6-1, 195, JR., TYLER, TEXAS
Second Team Defense
- End/Outside Linebacker: Gabe Nyenhuis, Colorado, 6-4, 270, Sr., St. Charles, Ill.; Andrew Shull, Kansas State, 6-5, 260, Sr., Webb City, Mo.
Interior Line: Justin Montgomery, Kansas State, 6-2, 281, Sr., Smith Center, Kan.; C.J. Mosley, Missouri, 6-3, 295, So., Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.; Ryon Bingham, Nebraska, 6-3, 290, Sr., Sandy, Utah
Linebacker: John Garrett, Baylor, 6-1, 251, Sr., Mart, Texas; Demorrio Williams, Nebraska, 6-1, 215, Sr., Beckville, Texas
Defensive Back: Medford Moorer, Colorado, 5-2, 205, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.; Rashad Washington, Kansas State, 6-3, 210, Sr., Wichita, Kan.; Brodney Pool, Oklahoma, 6-3, 198, So., Houston, Texas; Ryan Aycock, Texas Tech, 6-0, 210, Sr., Lubbock, Texas
Punter: Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor, 6-2, 210, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Punt Returner: Jeremy Bloom, Colorado, 5-9, 175, So., Loveland, Colo.
Third Team Offense
- Tight End: Mickey Peters, Texas Tech, 6-3, 215, Sr., Weatherford, Texas
Offensive Line: Joe Vaughn, Kansas, 6-2, 290, Jr., Del City, Okla.,; Adrian Jones, Kansas, 6-5, 265, Sr., Dallas, Texas; Jonathan Scott, Texas, 6-7, 300, So., Dallas, Texas; GEOFF HANGARTNER, TEXAS A&M, 6-5, 305, JR., NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS; Toby Cecil, Texas Tech, 6-4, 295, Sr., Richardson, Texas
Wide Receivers: D.J. Hackett, Colorado, 6-3, 200, Sr., Ontario, Calif.; Lane Danielsen, Iowa State, 6-0, 195, Sr., Dike, Iowa
Quarterback (tie in voting): Bill Whittemore, Kansas, 6-0, 205, Sr., Brentwood, Tenn.; Ell Roberson, Kansas State, 6-1, 205, Sr., Baytown, Texas; Brad Smith, Missouri, 6-3, 205, So., Youngstown, Ohio
Running Back (tie in voting): Rashad Armstrong, Baylor, 5-8, 195, Sr., Miami, Fla.; Vernand Morency, Oklahoma State, 5-10, 225, So., Miami, Fla.; COURTNEY LEWIS, TEXAS A&M, 5-10, 190, FR., HOUSTON, TEXAS
Placekicker: Joe Rheem, Kansas State, 6-2, 210, Jr., Wichita, Kan.
Kick Returner: Robert Quiroga, Baylor, 6-3, 190, Sr., San Antonio, Texas
Third Team Defense
- End/Outside Linebacker: Jonathan Jackson, Oklahoma, 6-3, 235, Jr., Houston, Texas; Adell Duckett, Texas Tech, 6-4, 265, Jr., Mineral Wells, Texas
Interior Line: Jordan Carstens, Iowa State, 6-5, 305, Sr., Bagley, Iowa; Atiyyah Ellison, Missouri, 6-4, 295, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.; Rodrique Wright, Texas, 6-5, 315, So., Houston, Texas
Linebacker (tie in voting): Gabriel Toomey, Kansas, 6-4, 240, Jr., West Des Moines, Iowa; James Kinney, Missouri, 6-1, 239, Jr., Kankakee, Ill.; Barrett Ruud, Nebraska, 6-2, 245, Jr., Lincoln, Neb.
Defensive Back: Randy Jordan, Kansas State, 6-2, 180, Sr., Tulare, Calif.; Fabian Washington, Nebraska, 5-11, 176, So., Bradenton, Fla.; Donte Nicholson, Oklahoma, 6-2, 210, Jr., Walnut, Calif.; Brandon Everage, Oklahoma, 6-0, 202, Sr., Granger, Texas
Punter: Curtis Ansel, Kansas, 6-0, 210, Sr., Lakin, Kan.
Kick Returner: Charles Gordon, Kansas, 5-11, 170, So., Santa Monica, Calif.
Honorable Mention
- Tight End: Joe Klopfenstein, Colorado; Brian Casey, Kansas State; J.D. McCoy, Missouri; Charlie Johnson, Oklahoma State
Offensive Line: Marwan Hage, Colorado; Tony Palmer, Missouri; Josh Sewell, Nebraska; Davin Joseph, Oklahoma; Wes Sims, Oklahoma
Wide Receiver: Derek McCoy, Colorado; Mark Simmons, Kansas; Isaiah Fluellen, Nebraska; Barndon Jones, Oklahoma; B.J. Johnson, Texas; Nehemiah Glover, Texas Tech; Carlos Francis, Texas Tech
Quarterback: Joel Klatt, Colorado; Jammal Lord, Nebraska; Josh Fields, Oklahoma State
Running Back: Brian Calhoun, Colorado; Clark Green, Kansas; Travis Wilson, Kansas State; J.D. Runnels, Oklahoma; Shawn Willis, Oklahoma State; Taurean Henderson, Texas Tech
Defensive End/Outside Linebacker: Jason Berryman, Iowa State; Brian Smith, Missouri; Trevor Johnson, Nebraska; Antonio Smith, Oklahoma State; Kareem Smith, Oklahoma State; Kalen Thornton, Texas
Interior Line: Clay Coe, Oklahoma State
Linebacker: Sean Tufts, Colorado; Nick Reid, Kansas; Banks Floodman, Kansas; Bryan Hickman, Kansas State; Brandon Barnes, Missouri; T.J. Hollowell, Nebraska; Brock Stratton, Texas Tech
Defensive Back: J.J. Billingsley, Colorado; JaMaine Billups, Iowa State; Ellis Hobbs, Iowa State; Tony Stubbs, Kansas; John Randle (also RB), Kansas; Mike Harden, Missouri; Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska; Jon Holland, Oklahoma State; Robert Jones, Oklahoma State; Phillip Geiggar, Texas; JAXSON APPEL, TEXAS A&M; Vincent Meeks, Texas Tech
Special Teams: Adam Benike, Iowa State; Jared Brite, Kansas State; Cole Farden, Oklahoma State