Six Jayhawks Earn All-Big 12 Honors from Rivals.com
Dec. 14, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Six University of Kansas football players earned All-Big 12 recognition from Rivals.com including senior running back Jon Cornish, junior defensive tackle James McClinton and sophomore cornerback Aqib Talib who were each honored as first-team selections. Senior offensive lineman David Ochoa and sophomore kick returner Marcus Herford were named to the second-team.
Cornish became KU’s single-season rushing record holder after collecting 1,457 yards on the ground during the year, breaking the mark in KU’s last contest of the season against Missouri. The previous record was held by Tony Sands who set the standard in 1991 with 1,442 rushing yards. In addition, Cornish’s 5.8 yards per carry is the highest single-season mark in school history by a back with more than 200 carries. Cornish, a native of New Westminster, B.C., also ended the year as the Big 12’s leader in all-purpose yards with an average of 137.6 yards per contest.
McClinton led all Big 12 interior linemen with an average of 1.21 tackles-for-loss per game and finished second among all league players in that category. The Garland, Texas, native ended the season fourth on the team with 51 total tackles, including 41 solo stops. His six quarterback sacks were the most by any Jayhawk this season.
Talib finished the regular-season as the nation’s leader in passes defended as he batted down 2.80 passes per contest. The Richardson, Texas, native also ended the regular-season as the Big 12 leader with six interceptions.
Ochoa started all 12 games at center on the offensive line, helping the Jayhawks rush for an average of 176.6 yards per game — the highest average since the 1995 season.
Herford, a native of DeSoto, Texas, ranked second in the Big 12 with an average of 26.1 yards per kickoff return. His 757 kickoff return yards this season marked a school record.
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