Nnabuife, Kieschnick named all-C-USA

[Webmaster]

DALLAS (SMU) --- Seniors Alvin Nnabuife and Brad Kieschnick were named preseason All-Conference USA by CollegeFootballNews.com. Nnabuife earned first-team recognition as a defensive back and is ranked as the 14th best player in the league's "Top 30". Kieschnick garnered second-team honors for his work on the offensive line.

Nnabuife is entering his third season as a starter on defense and was the team defensive MVP in 2004. He led the team with 80 tackles while moving from safety to linebacker due to several injuries in the linebacking corp. Nnabuife also returned two fumbles and an interception for touchdowns last season.

Kieschnick is also entering his third season as a starter. He started every game at center in 2004 and earned the Charles H. Trigg Award as the team's top offensive lineman. Kieschnick also serves as the snapper on PATs and field goals.

FIRST TEAM (OL is regardless of position)
Offense
QB - Darrell Hackney, Sr. , UAB
RB - Jovon Jackson, Sr., Tulane
RB - DeAngelo Williams, Sr., Memphis
WR - Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. . UTEP
WR - Vincent Marshall, Sr. Houston
TE - Garrett Mills, Sr., Tulsa
OL - Matt Batusic, Sr., UAB
OL - Seth Cook, Jr. , Marshall
OL - Jose Garcia, Sr., UTEP
OL - Jeff Parrett, Soph., Tulsa
OL - SirVincent Rogers, Soph., Houston

Defense
DL - Akeem Lockett, Sr., Southern Miss
DL - Larry McSwain, Jr., UAB
DL - Chris Mineo, Sr., UTEP
DL - John Syptak, Sr., Rice
LB - Trevis Coley, Jr. , Southern Miss
LB - Thomas Howard, Sr.. UTEP
LB - Chris Moore, Sr., East Carolina
DB - John Eubanks, Sr., Southern Miss
DB - Alvin Nnabuife, Sr., SMU (LB/S)
DB - Curtis Keyes, Jr., Marshall
DB - Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis

Special Teams
PK - Stephen Gostkowski, Sr., Memphis
P - Ian O'Connor, Jr., Marshall
KR - Ashlan Davis, Sr. , Tulsa
PR - Travis Williams, Soph. East Carolina

SECOND TEAM
Offense (OL is regardless of position)
QB - Kevin Kolb, Jr., Houston
RB - Ahmad Bradshaw, Soph., Marshall
RB - Uril Parrish, Sr., Tulsa
WR - Maurice Avery, Sr.. Memphis
WR - Mike Walker, Jr., UCF
TE - Darcy Johnson, Sr., UCF
OL - Willie Henderson, Jr., Memphis
OL - Josh House, Sr. UTEP
OL - Dominic Ignelzi, Soph., UCF
OL - Brad Kieschnick, Sr., SMU
OL - Chris McGee, Sr., Tulane

Defense
DL - Brandon Lohr, Sr., Tulsa
DL - Marcus West, Sr., Memphis
DL - Zach West, Jr., UTEP
DL - Sam Williamson, Sr., UAB
LB - Nick Bunting, Jr., Tulsa
LB - Anthony Cannon, Sr., Tulane
LB - Adam Herrin, Sr., Rice
DB - Tra Boger, Sr., Tulane
DB - Dominique Cosper, Sr., UAB
DB - Chris Royal, Sr ., Marshall
DB - Willie Smith, Sr., Marshall

Special Teams
PK - Darren McCaleb, Jr. Southern Miss
P - Chris Beckman, Jr., Tulane
KR - John Eubanks, Sr., Southern Miss
PR - Fred Smith, Jr. Tulane
Top 30 Conference USA Players
1. RB DeAngelo Williams, Sr. Memphis
2. QB Darrell Hackney, Sr. UAB
3. QB Kevin Kolb, Jr., Houston
4. DE John Syptak, Sr. Rice
5. LB Thomas Howard, Sr., UTEP
6. WR Vincent Marshall, Sr. Houston
7. TE Garrett Mills, Sr., Tulsa
8. LB Trevis Coley, Jr., Southern Miss
9. DE Larry McSwain, Jr., UAB
10. KR/CB John Eubanks, Sr., Southern Miss
11. LB Chris Moore, Sr., East Carolina
12. SS Curtis Keyes, Jr., Marshall
13. FS Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis
14. S/LB Alvin Nnabuife, Sr., SMU
15. LB Anthony Cannon, Sr., Tulane
16. QB Jordan Palmer, Jr., UTEP
17. WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr., UTEP
18. WR/KR Ashlan Davis, Sr., Tulsa
19. FS Tra Boger, Sr., Tulane
20. QB Lester Ricard, Jr., Tulane
21. FS Chris Royal, Sr., Marshall
22. RB Jovon Jackson, Sr., Tulane
23. WR Mike Walker, Jr., UCF
24. CB Willie Smith, Sr., Marshall
25. FS Dominique Cosper, Sr., UAB
26. LB Nick Bunting, Jr., Tulsa
27. DE Akeem Lockett, Sr., Southern Miss
28. LB Adam Herrin, Sr., Rice
29. RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Soph., Marshall
30. RB Uril Parrish, Sr., Tulsa

[SMU Football Blog]

Wow. Does this mean I scooped SMU's own SID department by a whole day?

[HFvictory]

2 of 52, moving on up!

[PonyFan]

Considering how little most CUSA media types know about SMU, and our record in recent years, this isn't bad. At the end of the year, I expect to see all-conference recognition for Nnabuife, Ryan Kennedy, Ro Humphrey, Bobby Chase and Justin Rogers. Not all first-team, but I expect big things from all of them.

[SMUguy]

For what it's worth, I hear Kieschnick is fully recovered from the shoulder injury that plagued him last year and kept him out of spring workouts.

[Silk]

So Kieschnick is ready and Johnson is bigger and also has been cleared?
Great news - twice.