Dec. 5, 2007
 |
|
| (Left to Right: Bennett, Williams, Goff and Moore) |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four Commodores – junior wide receiver Earl Bennett, senior offensive tackle Chris Williams, senior linebacker Jonathan Goff and sophomore defensive back D.J. Moore – were named to the All-Southeastern Conference team by the league’s 12 head coaches Tuesday.
Bennett and Williams were first team All-SEC selections by the coaches. Goff and Moore earned second team all-conference honors on the ballot.
Last year, the coaches named Bennett, Goff and offensive tackle Brian Stamper as All-SEC recipients, though none were recognized on the first team. Only twice previously – in 1984 and 2005 – have the coaches named more than two Commodores to their All-SEC first team.
Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson said the four Commodores were deserving of the coaches’ recognition.
“I’m extremely pleased for these four young men, and I’m glad that the coaches around our league took notice of their production this season. Each played extremely well for our team this year,” Johnson said.
“Chris and Jonathan really blossomed here at Vanderbilt, and truly finished off their careers in outstanding fashion. What can I say about Earl – his production during the last three years is unmatched, and simply remarkable. And I think this league is just beginning to see how good a player D.J. can be,” Johnson added.
Bennett, a product of West End High School in Birmingham, Ala., has become one of the most celebrated receivers in Southeastern Conference history. This year, he became the first receiver in league history to catch at least 75 passes for the third consecutive season. In fact, no other player in SEC history has ever managed consecutive seasons of 75 receptions or more.
He became the league’s all-time leader during the eighth game of the 2007 season – and in just the 31st game of his Commodore career. He concluded the season with 236 career receptions, 28 more than former Kentucky receiver Craig Yeast, second on the SEC all-time charts.
A semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Trophy, Bennett finished the regular season as the SEC’s No. 2 receiver with 75 catches, good for 830 yards and five touchdowns. Bennett holds or shares at least three SEC receiving marks, and owns an abundance of team records. With one season of eligibility left, Bennett needs 81 receptions to become the NCAA all-time leader.
It also marks the third consecutive season that SEC coaches have named Bennett to their postseason team. Only one other Commodore, former standout linebacker Jamie Winborn, has been recognized by the coaches in three different seasons.
Many observers believe Williams, from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La., is one of the finest offensive linemen in modern day Vanderbilt history. A senior offensive co-captain, Williams was a three-time recipient of the team’s Offensive Player of the Week honors, and earned SEC Player of the Week recognition after his performance versus Ole Miss on Sept. 15.
Protecting the blindside of Vanderbilt quarterbacks, Williams allowed a single sack against Georgia during the 2007 season, and has permitted just two quarterback sacks as a two-year starter at left tackle.
Williams also becomes the first Commodore offensive lineman named to the coaches’ first team ballot since Will Wolford was honored in 1984.
Goff, from St. Johns Preparatory in Boston, has been one of the SEC’s most consistent linebackers for the last two years. A two-time team captain, Goff finished this season as the league’s third leading tackler with a career-high 113 stops. He also posted at least 12 total tackles in each of his last three games, and had 10 tackles or more in five of his final six performances.
Considered for the Nagurski and Bednarik awards, Goff started 40 consecutive games at middle linebacker for the Commodores. A two-time captain, Goff finished his career with 304 total tackles, third among active SEC players.
Moore, a product of Broome High School in Spartanburg, S.C., became the Commodores’ top defensive playmaker as a sophomore starting cornerback. He finished the year tied for second in the SEC with six interceptions, the most by a Commodore in 25 years. He also topped all SEC cornerbacks with 63 solo tackles and 83 total tackles.
Moore also made a national impact in Vanderbilt’s 17-6 win at then-No. 6 ranked South Carolina. He swept national Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a two-interception performance against the Gamecocks.
Moore was also one of the SEC’s most productive return specialists. He averaged 25.7 yards as a kickoff returner, third best in the league. He also produced seven kickoff returns of 40 yards or more.
SEC Champion LSU had a league-high 10 representatives on the Coaches’ team, including seven first-team members. Every team except Mississippi State had a recipient on the coaches’ first team All-SEC squad.
The SEC individual award winners are expected to be released on Wednesday.
2007 COACHES’ ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
(*-Ties/Coaches could not vote for their own players)
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
TE – Jacob Tamme, Sr., Kentucky
OL – Robert Felton, Sr., Arkansas; Andre Smith, So., Alabama; Anthony Parker, Jr., Tennessee; *Chris Williams, Sr., Vanderbilt; *Herman Johnson, Jr., LSU; *Michael Oher, Jr., Ole Miss
OC – Jonathan Luigs, Jr., Arkansas
WR – Earl Bennett, Jr., Vanderbilt; Kenny McKinley, Jr., South Carolina
QB – Tim Tebow, So., Florida
RB – Darren McFadden, Jr., Arkansas; Knowshon Moreno, Fr., Georgia
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
TE – Cornelius Ingram, Jr., Florida
OL – Carlton Medder, Sr., Florida; Michael Brown, Jr., Miss. State; *Ciron Black, So., LSU; *Antoine Caldwell, Jr., Alabama; *Nate Garner, Sr., Arkansas; *Mitch Petrus, Jr., Arkansas; *Jim Tartt, Jr., Florida; *Garry Williams, Jr., Kentucky
OC – Fernando Velasco, Sr., Georgia
WR – Percy Harvin, So., Florida; DJ Hall, Sr., Alabama
QB – Andre’ Woodson, Sr., Kentucky
RB – Felix Jones, Jr., Arkansas; Jacob Hester, Sr., LSU
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Glenn Dorsey, Sr., LSU; Wallace Gilberry, Sr., Alabama; *Quentin Groves, Sr., Auburn; *Greg Hardy, So., Ole Miss; *Eric Norwood, So., South Carolina
LB – Ali Highsmith, Sr., LSU; Wesley Woodyard, Sr., Kentucky; Jerod Mayo, Jr., Tennessee; Brandon Spikes, So., Florida
DB – Craig Steltz, Sr., LSU; Chevis Jackson, Sr., LSU; * Simeon Castille, Sr., Alabama; * Rashad Johnson, Jr., Alabama; * Jonathan Hefney, Sr., Tennessee; * Captain Munnerlyn, So., South Carolina
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Titus Brown, Sr., Miss. State; Derrick Harvey, Jr., Florida; Jeremy Jarmon, So., Kentucky
LB – Jonathan Goff, Sr., Vanderbilt; Rico McCoy, Jr., Tennessee; Darry Beckwith, Jr., LSU; *Jamar Chaney, Jr., Miss. State; *Dannell Ellerbe, Jr., Georgia
DB – D.J. Moore, So., Vanderbilt; Emanuel Cook, So., South Carolina; Michael Grant, Sr., Arkansas 5-11 186 Sr. Stone Mountain, Ga.
*Eric Berry, Fr., Tennessee; *Derek Pegues, Jr., Mississippi State
FIRST-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Colt David, Jr., LSU
P – Patrick Fisher, Sr., LSU
RS – Felix Jones, Jr., Arkansas
