Dec. 1, 2009
IRVING, Texas - Six members of the Texas A&M football team earned All-Big 12 honors in a vote of the league's head coaches, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Highlighting the Aggie selections were Offensive Freshman of the Year Von Miller (DeSoto). Quarterback Jerrod Johnson (Humble), tight end Jamie McCoy (Midland, selected at fullback), offensive lineman Lee Grimes (Brownwood) and defensive back Trent Hunter (Katy) were named to the All-Big 12 second team.
“I am proud of our team and how hard they worked last off-season, during the spring and summer as well as this fall,” head coach Mike Sherman said. “They have done everything I have asked of them. The older guys took the younger players under their wings and helped our team improve. Due to our improved play as a team, some of the players have earned recognition as All-Big 12 and I am happy for their recognition.”
Michael ran for 767 yards and nine touchdowns, both team highs, in 11 games. His pair of 100-yard rushing efforts helped A&M to big wins over Texas Tech and Baylor, while setting the school record for longest play from scrimmage with a 97-yard TD run against the Bears. Michael becomes the first Aggie football player to win a Big 12 freshman of the year honor and the first to win a major award since Misi Tupe was named Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2006.
Miller, playing at the hybrid “jack” position, has racked up 21 tackles for loss and a nation-leading 17 sacks and sits just three sacks shy of tying the school record. He also forced a team-high four fumbles and broke up five passes, second most on the defense.
Johnson has shattered numerous school records this fall in leading the Aggies to a bowl berth. The junior has thrown for a school record 28 touchdowns and became the first player in A&M history to surpass 3,000 yards through the air (3,217). Along with posting five 300-yard passing games, another first for an Aggie quarterback, Johnson ran for eight touchdowns and 455 yards, ranking second and third on the squad, respectively.
McCoy, who was selected to the second team as a fullback, is one of the team's best blockers and ran for 80 yards on just 11 carries. As a tight end, the senior hauled in 31 passes for 328 yards - fifth on the team - and caught a touchdown pass.
Grimes, who has started 11 games at right tackle, is an anchor of an offensive line who helped the Big 12's best offense to an average of over 465 yards per game during the regular season. A&M totaled 24 rushing touchdowns and an average of just over 190 yards on the ground this year, finishing the regular season ranked sixth nationally in total offense and 23rd nationally in rushing.
Hunter started all 12 games at strong safety and led the defense in tackles (87) and solo stops (53). The sophomore has nine or more tackles in six games this season.
In addition, 10 other Aggies earned honorable mention recognition - punter Michael Hodges, offensive lineman Kevin Matthews, wide receiver Jordan Pugh, wide receiver Ryan Tannehill and linebacker Garrick Williams.
“Now, we have to continue to get better,” Sherman said. “We have an opportunity to play in a bowl game and this preparation time is a great opportunity for our entire team to improve.”
The Aggies will learn their postseason fate this Sunday as bowl selections are revealed.
2009 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL AWARDS
| Coach of the Year | Mack Brown, Texas |
| Offensive Lineman of the Year | Russell Okung, Oklahoma State |
| Defensive Lineman of the Year | Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska |
| Offensive Freshman of the Year | Christine Michael, Texas A&M |
| Defensive Freshman of the Year | Aldon Smith, Missouri |
| Special Teams Player of the Year | Brandon Banks, Kansas State |
| Defensive Newcomer of the Year | David Sims, Iowa State |
| Offensive Newcomer of the Year | Daniel Thomas, Kansas State |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Colt McCoy, Texas |
2009 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM
| Offense | ||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Class | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| QB | Colt McCoy ** | Texas | Sr. | Tuscola, Texas/Jim Ned |
| RB | Daniel Thomas | Kansas State | Jr. | Hilliard, Fla./NW Mississippi CC |
| RB | Keith Toston | Oklahoma State | Sr. | Angleton, Texas/Angleton |
| FB | Bryant Ward | Oklahoma State | Jr. | Stillwater, Okla./Stillwater |
| WR | Jordan Shipley | Texas | Sr. | Burnet, Texas/Burnet |
| WR | Danario Alexander | Missouri | Sr. | Marlin, Texas/Marlin |
| WR | Dezmon Briscoe | Kansas | Jr. | Dallas, Texas/Cedar Hill |
| TE | Jeron Mastrud | Kansas State | Sr. | Beaverton, Ore./Southridge |
| OL | Russell Okung ^ | Oklahoma State | Sr. | Houston, Texas/Bush |
| OL | Trent Williams ^ | Oklahoma | Sr. | Longview, Texas/Longview |
| OL | Nick Stringer | Kansas State | Sr. | Topeka, Kan./Hayden |
| OL | Brandon Carter | Texas Tech | Sr. | Longview, Texas/Spring Hill |
| OL | Nate Solder | Colorado | Jr. | Buena Vista, Colo./Buena Vista |
| PK | Grant Ressel | Missouri | So. | Jackson, Mo./Jackson |
| KR/PR | Brandon Banks | Kansas State | Sr. | Garner, N.C./Bakersfield College |
| Defense | ||||
| DL | Ndamukong Suh ** | Nebraska | Sr. | Portland, Ore./Grant |
| DL | Gerald McCoy ^ | Oklahoma | Jr. | Oklahoma City, Okla./Southeast |
| DL | Von Miller | Texas A&M | Jr. | DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto |
| DL | Brandon Sharpe | Texas Tech | Sr. | Lyons, Ga./Fresno City CC |
| DL | Jared Crick | Nebraska | So. | Cozad, Neb./Cozad |
| LB | Sean Weatherspoon ^ | Missouri | Sr. | Jasper, Texas/Jasper |
| LB | Jesse Smith | Iowa State | Sr. | Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk |
| LB | Travis Lewis | Oklahoma | So. | San Antonio, Texas/Robert E. Lee |
| DB | Earl Thomas | Texas | So. | Orange, Texas/West Orange Stark |
| DB | Perrish Cox | Oklahoma State | Sr. | Waco, Texas/University |
| DB | Dominique Franks | Oklahoma | Jr. | Tulsa, Okla./Union |
| DB | Prince Amukamara | Nebraska | Jr. | Glendale, Ariz./Apollo |
| DB | Larry Asante | Nebraska | Sr. | Alexandria, Va./Hayfield/Coffeyville CC |
| P | Derek Epperson | Baylor | Jr. | Southlake, Texas/Keller |
^ - Repeat first team selection from last season.
2009 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM
| Offense | ||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Class | Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| QB | Jerrod Johnson | Texas A&M | Jr. | Humble, Texas/Humble |
| RB | Roy Helu Jr. | Nebraska | Jr. | Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley |
| RB | DeMarco Murray | Oklahoma | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman |
| FB | Jamie McCoy | Texas A&M | Sr. | Midland, Texas/Lee |
| WR | Ryan Broyles | Oklahoma | So. | Norman, Okla./Norman |
| WR | Kerry Meier | Kansas | Sr. | Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg |
| WR | Brandon Banks | Kansas State | Sr. | Garner, N.C./Bakersfield College |
| TE | Riar Geer | Colorado | Sr. | Grand Junction, Colo./Fruita-Monument |
| OL | J.D. Walton | Baylor | Sr. | Allen, Texas/Allen/Arizona State |
| OL | Chris Hall # | Texas | Sr. | Irving, Texas/Irving |
| OL | Kurtis Gregory # | Missouri | Sr. | Blackburn, Mo./Santa Fe |
| OL | Adam Ulatoski | Texas | Sr. | Southlake, Texas/Carroll |
| OL | Brody Eldridge | Oklahoma | Sr. | La Cygne, Kan./Prairie View |
| OL | Lee Grimes | Texas A&M | Sr. | Brownwood, Texas/Brownwood |
| PK | Alex Henery | Nebraska | Jr. | Omaha, Neb./Burke |
| KR/PR | Perrish Cox | Oklahoma State | Sr. | Waco, Texas/University |
| Defense | ||||
| DL | Sergio Kindle | Texas | Sr. | Dallas, Texas/Woodrow Wilson |
| DL | Lamarr Houston | Texas | Sr. | Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty |
| DL | Jeremy Beal # | Oklahoma | Jr. | Carrollton, Texas/Creekview |
| DL | Jaron Baston | Missouri | Sr. | Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs |
| DL | Daniel Howard | Texas Tech | Sr. | Wichita, Kan./Butler County CC |
| LB | Joe Pawelek | Baylor | Sr. | San Antonio, Texas/Smithson Valley |
| LB | Roddrick Muckelroy | Texas | Sr. | Hallsville, Texas/Hallsville |
| LB | Phillip Dillard | Nebraska | Sr. | Tulsa, Okla./Jenks |
| DB | Jamar Wall | Texas Tech | Sr. | Plainview, Texas/Planview |
| DB | Quinton Carter | Oklahoma | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev./Cheyenne |
| DB | Brian Jackson | Oklahoma | Sr. | De Soto, Texas/De Soto |
| DB | Jordan Lake | Baylor | Sr. | Houston, Texas/Memorial |
| DB | Cha'pelle Brown | Colorado | Sr. | La Puente, Calif./Los Altos |
| DB | Trent Hunter | Texas A&M | So. | Katy, Texas/Katy |
| P | Tress Way | Oklahoma | Fr. | Tulsa, Okla./Union |
# - Repeat second team selection from last season.
2009 ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION
| Baylor | Justin Akers, TE; David Gettis, WR; Jason Lamb, DL; J.D. Walton, Off. Lmn of Yr.; Kendall Wright, WR |
| Colorado | Jake Behrens, FB; Jalil Brown, DB; Benjamin Burney, DB; Marquez Herrod, DL; Scotty McKnight, WR; Ryan Miller, OL; Jeff Smart, LB; Jimmy Smith, DB; Rodney Stewart, RB |
| Iowa State | Michael Brandtner, P; Kelechi Osemele, OL; Paul Rhoads, Coach of Yr.; Alexander Robinson, RB; Reggie Stephens, OL |
| Kansas | Tanner Hawkinson, OL; Jake Laptad, DL; Todd Reesing, QB; Alonso Rojas, P; Darrell Stuckey, DB |
| Kansas State | Jeffrey Fitzgerald, DL; Tysyn Hartman, DB; Joshua Moore, DB; Bill Snyder, Coach of Yr |
| Missouri | Danario Alexander, Off. Ply. of Yr.; Carl Gettis, DB; Jake Harry, P; Dan Hoch, OL; Jared Perry, WR; Kevin Rutland, DB; Jasper Simmons, DB & Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Aldon Smith, DL; Derrick Washington, RB |
| Nebraska | Dejon Gomes, DB & Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Eric Hagg, DB; Alex Henery, P; Jacob Hickman, OL; Mike McNeill, TE; Matt O'Hanlon, DB; Niles Paul, WR; Barry Turner, DL |
| Oklahoma | Jeremy Beal, Def Ply of Yr.; Chris Brown, RB; Ryan Broyles, PR/KR; Keenan Clayton, LB; Auston English, DL; Landry Jones, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Jonathan Nelson, DB; Gerald McCoy Def. Lmn. of Yr. & Def Ply of Yr.; Ryan Reynolds, LB; Adrian Taylor, DL; Trent Williams, Off. Lmn of Yr |
| Oklahoma State | Hubert Anyiam, WR; Ugo Chinasa, DL; Patrick Lavine, LB; Swanson Miller, DL; Zac Robinson, QB; Andre Sexton, LB; Quinn Sharp, P |
| Texas | Emmanuel Acho, LB; Sam Acho, DL; Curtis Brown, DB; Blake Gideon, DB; Kyle Hix, OL; Michael Huey, OL; Sergio Kindle, Def. Lmn. of Yr.; Hunter Lawrence, PK; Alex Okafor, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Keenan Robinson, LB; Jordan Shipley, PR/KR; Charlie Tanner, OL |
| Texas A&M | Von Miller Def. Lmn. of Yr. & Def Ply of Yr.; Jordan Pugh, DB; Ryan Tannehill, WR; Garrick Williams, LB |
| Texas Tech | Baron Batch, RB; Bront Bird, LB; Cody Davis, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Alex Torres, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Colby Whitlock, DL; Marlon Winn, OL |