Morstead, Smart honored by C-USA coaches

[PonyPride]

Morstead, Smart Honored By C-USA Coaches
Punter Named All-C-USA; End Tabbed All-Freshman

Dec. 4, 2007

IRVING, Texas (SMU/C-USA) - SMU punter Thomas Morstead has been named first-team 2007 All-Conference USA by the league's 12 coaches, the conference office announced today. Also honored on Tuesday was defensive end Justin Smart, who was named to the All-Conference USA Freshman Team.

Morstead, a junior from Pearland, Texas, led Conference USA and ranked ninth in the nation with a 44.6-yard average and helped SMU rank second nationally in net punting in 2007. His average is the third best in a single season ever on the Hilltop and his current career average (44.3) is best all-time at SMU. Of his 57 punts this season, 21 landed inside the 20, only four were touchbacks and only 18 were returned for positive yardage.

Morstead is just the fourth Mustang to earn first-team All-Conference honors since 2002, joining Adrian Haywood, Justin Rogers and Joe Sturdivant, who garnered honors in 2006.

Five Mustangs - kick returner Jessie Henderson, offensive tackle Caleb Peveto, wideouts Emmanuel Sanders and Zack Sledge and quarterback Justin Willis - earned honorable mention.

Smart, a native of Marshall, Texas, started six games in 2007. He finished the year with 29 tackles, including a season-high seven tackles at Houston. He had six tackles in the season finale at Memphis and had four stops at Tulsa.

Sam Bennett, James Mapps, Bryan McCann, Emmanuel Sanders and Justin Willis earned All-Freshman honors in 2006.

2007 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS FIRST TEAM OFFENSE Quarterback - Paul Smith, Sr., Tulsa Running Back- Matt Forte', Sr., Tulane Running Back- Kevin Smith, Jr., UCF Offensive Lineman- Jeff Akeroyd, Sr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Chris Clark, Sr., Southern Miss Offensive Linemen- O'Neill Cousins, Sr., UTEP Offensive Lineman- Doug Legursky, Sr., Marshall Offensive Lineman- Andy Smith, Sr., Memphis Tight End- Shawn Nelson, Jr., Southern Miss Wide Receiver- Donnie Avery, Sr., Houston Wide Receiver- Jarett Dillard, Jr., Rice Wide Receiver- Jeff Moturi, So., UTEP DEFENSE Defensive Lineman- Matthew Chatelain, Sr., Southern Miss Defensive Lineman- Leger Douzable, Sr., UCF Defensive Lineman- Phillip Hunt, Jr., Houston Defensive Lineman- Martavius Prince., Sr., Southern Miss
Linebacker- Chris Chamberlain, Sr., Tulsa
Linebacker- Nelson Coleman, Sr., Tulsa
Linebacker- Gerald McRath, So., Southern Miss Defensive Back- Joe Burnett, Jr., UCF Defensive Back- Quintin Demps, Sr., UTEP Defensive Back- Will Dunbar, Sr., UAB Defensive Back- Brandon Sumrall, Sr., Southern Miss
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Jose Martinez, Jr., UTEP
Punter- Thomas Morstead, Jr., SMU
Kick Returner- Chris Johnson, Sr., East Carolina Punt Returner- Joe Burnett, Jr., UCF Long Snapper- Michael Buscemi, Sr., UCF

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Chase Clement, Jr., Rice
Running Back- Chris Johnson, Sr., East Carolina Running Back- Anthony Alridge, Sr., Houston Running Back- Damion Fletcher, So., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Josh Coffman, Sr., East Carolina Offensive Lineman- Nick Dean, Sr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Robby Heos, Sr., Rice Offensive Lineman- Ryan McKee, Jr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Josh Sitton., Sr., UCF Offensive Lineman- Kyle Smith, Sr., UCF Tight End- Cody Slate, So., Marshall Wide Receiver- Duke Calhoun, So., Memphis Wide Receiver- Trae Johnson, Fr., Tulsa Wide Receiver- Brennan Marion, Jr., Tulsa DEFENSE Defensive Lineman- Moton Hopkins, Jr., Tulsa Defensive Lineman- Keith Shologan, Sr., UCF Defensive Lineman- Zack Slate, Jr., East Carolina Defensive Lineman- C.J. Wilson, So., East Carolina
Linebacker- Jeremy Jones, Sr., UTEP
Linebacker- Jake Kasser, Sr., Memphis
Linebacker- Brian Raines, Jr., Rice
Defensive Back- Kenneth Fontennette, Jr., Houston Defensive Back- Sha'Reff Rashad, Sr., UCF Defensive Back- Van Eskridge, So., East Carolina Defensive Back- C.J. Spillman, Jr., Marshall SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Swayze Waters, Jr., UAB
Punter- Britt Barefoot., So., Southern Miss Kick Returner- Donnie Avery, Sr., Houston Punt Returner- Quintin Demps, Sr., UTEP Long Snapper- Norby Juist., Jr., Houston

HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Justin Willis, So., SMU Quarterback - Case Keenum, Fr., Houston Quarterback - Bernard Morris, Sr., Marshall Quarterback - Martin Hankins, Sr., Memphis Quarterback - Jeremy Young, Sr., Southern Miss Quarterback - Trevor Vittatoe, Fr., UTEP Running Back- Jay Sonnhalter, Sr., East Carolina Running Back- Tarrion Adams, Jr., Tulsa Running Back- Charles Clay, Fr., Tulsa Running Back- Marcus Thomas, Sr., UTEP Caleb Peveto, Sr., SMU Offensive Lineman- Matt Butler, So., East Carolina Offensive Lineman- Doug Palmer, So., East Carolina Offensive Lineman- Carl Barnett, So., Houston Offensive Lineman- Michael Bloesch, Jr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Dustin Dickinson, Sr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Sebastian Vollmer, Jr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Brandon Pearce, Jr., Memphis Offensive Lineman- David Berken, Jr., Rice Offensive Lineman- Offensive Lineman- Calvin Wilson, Jr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Aryan Barto, Sr., Tulane Offensive Lineman- Troy Kropog, Jr., Tulane Offensive Lineman- Michael Parenton, Jr., Tulane Offensive Lineman- Justin Morsey, Jr., Tulsa Offensive Lineman- Rodrick Thomas, Jr., Tulsa Offensive Lineman- Jake Seitz, So., UAB Offensive Lineman- Adam Truitt, Sr., UAB Offensive Lineman- Pat Brown, Jr., UCF Offensive Lineman- Mike Aguayo, So., UTEP Offensive Lineman- Robby Felix, Jr., UTEP Tight End- Davon Drew, Jr., East Carolina Tight End- Mark Hafner, Jr., Houston Tight End- Brett Russell, Jr., Memphis Tight End- David Sigler, Sr., UAB Tight End- Michael Merritt, Sr., UCF Tight End- Jake Sears, Sr., Wide Receiver- Emmanuel Sanders, So., SMU Wide Receiver- Zack Sledge, Sr. SMU UTEP Wide Receiver- Jamar Bryant, So., East Carolina Wide Receiver- Jeron Harvey, Sr., Houston Wide Receiver- Maurice Jones, Jr., Memphis Wide Receiver- Carlos Singleton, So., Memphis Wide Receiver- Earnest Williams, Jr., Memphis Wide Receiver- James Casey, Fr., Rice Wide Receiver- Torris Magee, Fr., Southern Miss Wide Receiver- Frantrell Forrest, Fr., UAB Wide Receiver- Joseph Webb, So., UAB Wide Receiver- Lorne Sam, Sr., UTEP Wide Receiver- Joe West, Sr., UTEP DEFENSE Defensive Lineman- Khalif Mitchell, Jr., East Carolina Defensive Lineman- Jay Ross, So., East Carolina Defensive Lineman- Ell Ash, Jr., Houston Defensive Lineman- Byron Tinker, Sr., Marshall Defensive Lineman- Clinton McDonald, Jr., Memphis Defensive Lineman- Robert Henderson, Sr., Southern Miss Defensive Lineman- Antonio Harris, Sr., Tulane Defensive Lineman- Reggie Scott, Jr., Tulane Defensive Lineman- Avery Williams, Sr., Tulane Defensive Lineman- Brandon Jones, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Lineman- Bruce Miller, So., UCF
Linebacker- Pierre Bell, Jr., East Carolina
Linebacker- Fred Wilson, Sr., East Carolina
Linebacker- Trent Allen, Sr., Houston
Linebacker- Brendan Pahulu, Sr., Houston
Linebacker- Byron Kitchens, Jr., Marshall
Linebacker- Evan Lee, Jr., Tulane
Linebacker- Alain Karatepeyan, Sr., Tulsa
Linebacker- Joe Henderson, Jr., UAB
Linebacker- Adam Vincent, Jr., UTEP
Defensive Back- Travis Williams, Sr., East Carolina Defensive Back- Rocky Schwartz, Sr., Houston Defensive Back- LaKeitharun Ford, Sr., Memphis Defensive Back- Gary Anderson, Sr., Rice Defensive Back- Brandon King, Jr., Rice Defensive Back- Andrew Sendejo, So., Rice Defensive Back- David Skehan, Sr., Tulane Defensive Back- Steve Craver, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Back- Defensive Back- Charles Davis, So., Tulsa Defensive Back- Anthony Germany, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Back- Roy Roberts, Jr., Tulsa Defensive Back- Kevin Sanders, Jr., UAB Defensive Back- Jason Venson, Sr., UCF Defensive Back- Braxton Amy, So., UTEP Defensive Back- Cornelius Brown, So., UTEP Defensive Back- Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith, So., UTEP
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- T.J. Lawrence, Sr., Houston
Placekicker- Justin Estes, Fr., Southern Miss
Placekicker- Michael Torres, Sr., UCF
Punter- Chase Turner, Jr., Houston
Punter - Swayze Waters, Jr., UAB
Kick Returner- Jessie Henderson, Jr., SMU Kick Returner- Michael Grandberry, Jr., Memphis Kick Returner- Ade Tuyo, Sr., Tulane Kick Returner- Roy Roberts, Jr., Tulsa Kick Returner- Curtis Francis, Sr., UCF Kick Returner- Fred Rouse, So., UTEP Punt Returner- Emmanuel Spann, Jr., Marshall Punt Returner- Earnest Williams, Jr., Memphis Long Snapper- Wilson Raynor, Jr., East Carolina Long Snapper- Craig Gelhardt, Jr., Tulane Long Snapper- John Warren, Jr., Tulsa Long Snapper- Jeff Hamby, Jr., UAB

2007 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Case Keenum, Houston
Running Back - Darius Marshall, Marshall Running Back - Charles Clay, Tulsa Offensive Lineman - D.J. Scott, East Carolina Offensive Lineman - Josh Evans, Marshall Offensive Lineman - Dominik Riley, Memphis Offensive Lineman - Scott Mitchell, Rice Offensive Lineman - Andrew Nierman, Tulane Offensive Lineman - Jah Reid, UCF Tight End - Jeffrey Anderson, UAB Wide Receiver - James Casey, Rice Wide Receiver - Trae Johnson, Tulsa
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman - Justin Smart, SMU Defensive Lineman - Linval Joseph, East Carolina Defensive Lineman - Scott Soloman, Rice Defensive Lineman - Bruce Miller, UCF Linebacker - Mike Tashman, UAB Linebacker - Derrick Hallman, UCF Linebacker - Darius Nall, UCF Defensive Back - Travis Simmons, East Carolina Defensive Back - Loyce Means, Houston Defensive Back - C.J. Bailey, USM Defensive Back - Chico Hunter, USM SPECIAL TEAMS Placekicker - Justin Estes, Southern Miss Punter - Kyle Peterson, UTEP Kick Returner - Trae Johnson, Tulsa Punt Returner - Dwayne Harris, East Carolina Long Snapper - Keenan Bratcher, Memphis

[OC Mustang]

Will make sure his supporters here in Marshall find out. Wow. That's cool!
Saw his cousin today...she's a nurse in Marshall's ER...and a good nurse at that...she's taken care of my youngest son (eight yrs old) and my grandmother (93 years old). That's versatility.

[bigdaddy08091]

Congratulations to both.

The fact that Willis only made honorable mention is a joke. Would like to have seen Peveto go higher, too.

We did not win. Hey, but honorable mention is great for a 1-11 team. Take this as a positive. I promise you PJ is looking at this and saying this 1-11 team had opponents who still had respect for the core of the team.

[bigdaddy08091]

Where is Ben Poynter in all of this crap! Hey Ben, thanks a bunch buddy. What you did for 4 years is outstanding at this university and any university across the country. God Bless and Good Luck to you. You could play on the OL of any of my teams.