Houston Chronicle All CUSA
Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:27 amOffensive Player of the Year
KEVIN KOLB, QB, HOUSTON
Defensive Player of the Year
WILL GULLEY, DB, HOUSTON
Special Teams Player of the Year
JOHNNIE LEE HIGGINS, UTEP
Coach of the Year
TODD GRAHAM, RICE
Offensive Freshman of the Year
JUSTIN WILLIS, QB, SMU
Defensive Freshman of the Year
VAN ESKRIDGE, LB, EAST CAROLINA
First-team offense
(Position, player, school, class, height, weight, hometown)
QB, Kevin Kolb, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 225, Stephenville. COMMENT: Has all the numbers — 3,423 passing yards, 27 TDs, only 3 INTs — but the number he cares most about is 10, the Cougars' win total.
RB, Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall, Jr., 5-11, 192, Bluefield, Va. COMMENT: Dominated the conference with 1,523 yards and 19 touchdowns, highlighted by a 261-yard, 5-TD performance against UTEP.
RB, Quinton Smith, Rice, Sr., 5-11, 195, Cedar Park. COMMENT: A versatile bull who rushed for 1,092 yards and 10 TDs, also catching 32 passes for 335 yards and two more scores.
OL, Sterling Doty, Houston, Sr., 6-2, 295, Stephenville. COMMENT: Time in the weight room was well-spent for this center who anchored the line for the conference's best offense
OL, Robby Heos, Rice, Jr., 6-3, 295, Pearland. COMMENT: The skill-position guys got all the ink for Rice's renaissance, but Heos and the hawgs did the grunt work.
OL, George Batiste, S. Miss, Sr., 6-5, 300, Avondale, La. COMMENT: A key member of a unit that helped generate 173 rushing yards per game and allowed only 18 sacks.
OL, Jeff Perrett, Tulsa, Sr., 6-7, 329, Alberta, Can. COMMENT: A fixture at right tackle, the massive Perrett spearheaded a line that allowed a mere 14 sacks.
OL, Doug Legursky, Marshall, Jr., 6-3, 311, Beckley, W.Va. COMMENT: A two-year starter at center who has helped open the holes for Ahmad Bradshaw. Need we say more?
TE Shawn Nelson, S. Miss, So., 6-5, 238, Gonzales, La. COMMENT: More hybrid than pure tight end, Nelson led the run-centric Golden Eagles with 35 catches for 506 yards.
WR, Jarett Dillard, Rice, So., 5-11, 160, San Antonio. COMMENT: Even just by the numbers — 82 catches, 1,176 yards, 20 TDs — he was great. But Dillard made every big play, too.
WR, J.L. Higgins, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 180, Sweeny. COMMENT: A dynamic home-run threat as a receiver (82 catches, 1,319 yards, 13 TDs).
AP, Anthony Alridge, Houston, Jr., 5-9, 170, Denton. COMMENT: An exciting, still-developing big-play threat who can run (85 carries, 904 yards, 8 TDs), catch (18 for 250 yards, 1 TD) and return.
K, Ben Bell, Houston, So., 5-11, 165, Stephenville. COMMENT: Injuries forced Bell into the job, and he responded by nailing 14 of 18 field-goal attempts and 47 of 49 extra points.
KR, Chris Johnson, E. Carolina, Jr., 5-11, 200, Orlando, Fla. COMMENT: Returned from neck surgery to average a conference-best 24.9 yards on 17 returns, including a 96-yarder against Southern Miss.
Second-team offense
QB, Justin Willis, SMU, Fr., 6-2, 197, Denton; RB, Damion Fletcher, S. Miss, Fr., 5-9, 175, Biloxi, Miss.; RB, Kevin Smith, Central Fla., So., 6-1, 210, Eustis, Fla.; OL, Travis Cooley, S. Miss, Sr., 6-2, 295, Wynsbr, Miss.; OL, Dustin Dickinson, Houston, Jr., 6-3, 300, Springtown; OL, Eric Graham, E. Carolina, Sr., 6-6, 327, Rchlnds, N.C.; OL, Julius Wilson, UAB, Sr., 6-5, 310, Brdnton, Fla.; OL, Ben Poynter, SMU, Jr., 6-4, 285, Arlington; TE, Cody Slate, Marshall, Fr., 6-4, 212, Chipley, Fla.; WR, Vincent Marshall, Houston, Sr., 5-9, 170, Ennis; WR, Mike Walker, Central Fla., Sr., 6-2, 202, Orlando, Fla.; AP, Joseph Doss, Memphis, Jr., 5-9, 200, Memphis; K, Reagan Schneider, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 180, Canyon Lake; KR, Manny Sanders, SMU, Fo., 6-1, 170, Bellville.
First-team defense
(Position, player, school, class, height, weight, hometown)
DL, Albert McClellan, Marshall, Sr., 6-2, 225, Lakeland, Fla. COMMENT: A havoc-wreaking monster who rolled up 77 tackles (19 1/2 for losses) and a conference-high 11 1/2 sacks.
DL, Justin Rogers, SMU, Sr., 6-4, 250, Greenville. COMMENT: Didn't get the pub that McClellan received, but Rogers had comparable numbers — 9 1/2 sacks and 15 tackles for losses.
DL, Marquay Love, Houston, Sr., 6-0, 304, Fort Worth. COMMENT: Dropped 25 pounds, which allowed the "Love Boat" to show off his footwork to the tune of 51 tackles, 11 for losses.
DL, Courtney Gordon, Rice, Sr., 6-3, 255, Gladewater. COMMENT: Showed promise early in his career but finally realized his full potential with 43 tackles (15 for losses) and eight sacks.
LB, Troy Collavo, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 235, Mathis. COMMENT: The Miners didn't stop many teams, but you certainly can't blame Collavo, who had 125 tackles, 9 1/2 for losses.
LB, Brian Raines, Rice, So., 5-11, 190, Missouri City. COMMENT: A speedy hitter who opened up with 17 tackles against Houston and finished the season with 110 tackles, forcing five fumbles.
LB, Nelson Coleman, Tulsa, Jr., 6-2, 235, Dallas. COMMENT: A bruising dominator who finished with 91 tackles for a defense that allowed just 19.8 points and 287.8 yards per game.
DB, Will Gulley, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 225, Newton. COMMENT: Gulley, who made his biggest plays in the biggest games, led the Cougars with 93 tackles and five interceptions.
DB, Quintin Demps, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 205, San Antonio. COMMENT: One of C-USA's most-feared free safeties, Demps is a seek-and-destroy type who registered 67 tackles and seven interceptions.
DB, Caleb Hendrix, S. Miss, Sr., 5-10, 185, Ensley, Ala. COMMENT: Combines pure talent (46 tackles, four interceptions) with undisputed leadership skills that kept the Golden Eagles glued together.
DB, Pierre Parker, E. Carolina, Sr., 6-0, 215, Wilson, N.C. COMMENT: A former quarterback who was tried at linebacker but settled in at safety, finishing with 58 tackles and four interceptions.
P, Michael Gibson, Memphis, Sr., 6-2, 217, Tupelo, Miss. COMMENT: A boomer who averaged 43.1 yards on 42 punts, parking 12 inside the 20-yard line and netting 35.8 yards per boot.
PR, J.L. Higgins, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 180, Sweeny. COMMENT: One of the most electric return men in the game, averaging an eye-popping 23.4 yards per return, with two TDs.
Second-team defense
DL, Larry McSwain, UAB, Sr., 6-1, 255, Mobile, Ala.; DL, Robert Latu, Tulsa, Sr., 6-2, 271, Fort Worth; DL, Mark Robinson, E. Carolina, Jr., 6-3, 286, Lngwd, Fla.; DL, Adrian Haywood, SMU, Sr., 6-3, 276, Mesquite; LB, Nick Bunting, Tulsa, Sr., 6-1, 230, Tulsa, Okla.; LB, Wade Koehl, Houston, Sr., 6-2, 235, Midland; LB, Troy Collavo, UTEP, Sr., 6-0, 235, Mathis; DB, Curtis Keyes, Marshall, Sr., 6-0, 206, Mt. Olive, Ms.; DB, Willie Gaston, Houston, Sr., 5-11, 190, Houston; DB, Bobby Blackshire, Tulsa, Sr., 6-3, 205, Tulsa, Okla.; DB, Joe Sturdivant, SMU, Sr., 6-2, 210, Liburn, Ga.; P, Chris Beckman, Tulane, Sr., 6-2, 202, Grnda, Miss.; PR, Joe Burnett, UCF, So., 5-11, 180, Eustis, Fla.
Justin Rogers being our only member of the first team. Willis, Sanders, Poynter, Haywood, and Sturdivant representing SMU on the second team.