Kansas Football Players Earn Honors This Week
Dec. 18, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. – A handful of publications announced All-America, Freshman All-America and All-Big 12 football teams this week and seven different Kansas players were named to the teams.
Wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe was tabbed an SI.com All-America honorable mention selection after recording 78 receptions for 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season.
Three Kansas first-year players earned Freshman All-America honors as offensive tackle Jeremiah Hatch was a Rivals.com second-team selection and offensive tackle Jeff Spikes and defensive tackle Richard Johnson were named to Phil Steele Magazine’s third-team lists.
Hatch started 11 games, including the final eight at left tackle. Spikes, who started all 12 games on the year, started the first four at left tackle and the final eight at right tackle. Johnson, was a starter for the first eight games and finished the year with 13 tackles.
Two Big 12 area newspapers also released their All-Big 12 Teams. The Houston Chronicle placed safety Darrell Stuckey on its first team and Briscoe, running back Jake Sharp and linebacker James Holt on the second team.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram awarded Stuckey first-team honors, while Briscoe and Holt were named to the second team.
Stuckey is the team’s second-leading tackler with 94 stops, while also recording five interceptions. Holt leads the team with 97 tackles and is tied for first in the NCAA with six fumbles forced. Sharp became KU’s featured running back in conference play and rushed for 796 yards in the regular season.
Kansas will play Minnesota in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. on Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. Central time. The game will be televised on the NFL Network, as well as on WDAF (Fox 4) in Kansas City, Mo.
SI.com All-America
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Honorable Mention
Phil Steele Magazine Freshman All-America
OT Jeff Spikes, Third Team
DT Richard Johnson, Third Team
Rivals.com Freshman All-America
OT Jeremiah Hatch, Second Team
Houston Chronicle All-Big 12
S Darrell Stuckey, First Team
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Second Team
LB James Holt, Second Team
RB Jake Sharp, Second Team
Forth Worth Star-Telegram All-Big 12
S Darrell Stuckey, First Team
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Second Team
LB James Holt, Second Team
