Dec. 8, 2008
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt cornerback D.J. Moore and linebacker Patrick Benoist were named to the Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference team released Monday by the sportswriters association.
Moore, a junior from Broome High School in Spartanburg, S.C., was named to the sportswriters’ first team defense. Benoist, a junior from Southlake, Texas, was honored with second team recognition.
Moore was arguably the SEC’s most versatile player this season, seeing action as a defensive back, wide receiver, running back, quarterback and return specialist. He also excelled in every area – picking off six interceptions as a full-time cornerback, catching seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for a 9.1-yard average, and ranking among the nation’s elite as a punt returner.
Benoist, a first-year starter who played five weeks with a broken bone in his left hand, topped the Commodores and ranked among the SEC leaders with 100 total tackles. He also was among the team leaders in tackles for loss, sacks, defensed passes and quarterback hurries.
Head Coach Bobby Johnson praised the sportswriters for recognizing Moore and Benoist, and said other players from the first bowl-eligible Vanderbilt squad in 26 years deserved consideration.
“D.J. and Patrick enjoyed fantastic seasons and are very deserving of this recognition. Both played key roles in our season this year,” Johnson said. “At the same time, we had other guys that played at an All-SEC level, including several defensive players. I’m just happy that two of our players on the defensive side were honored knowing how impressive the defenses are in this conference.”
Moore becomes the first Commodore defensive back honor to earn consecutive first-team all-conference honors from the Associated Press.
The fleet Moore put a personal stamp on several games this season, starting in the opener at Miami (Ohio) where he contributed a quarterback sack, 91-yard punt return and interception in a three-minute span that resulted in 14 Commodore points. Later, he was remarkable in Vanderbilt’s sixth victory of the season at Kentucky.
Playing both ways, Moore is believed to be the first major college player in decades to collect two interceptions and two touchdown receptions in the same game, against the Wildcats. The receptions were the first two of Moore’s career.
Besides receiving Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors after the game, Moore also earned the rare distinction of also getting consideration for SEC Offensive Player of the Week recognition.
Benoist also earned national recognition during the season. After a 16-tackle effort in Vanderbilt’s victory over ranked South Carolina, Benoist received Walter Camp Foundation Defensive Player of the Week honors. He was a two-time recipient of the SEC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
The full Associated Press All-SEC team follows:
| Pos. | Name | School | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. |
| FIRST TEAM – OFFENSE | |||||
| WR | Brandon LaFell | LSU | 6-3 | 209 | Jr. |
| WR | A.J. Green | Georgia | 6-4 | 200 | Fr. |
| L | u-Michael Oher | Mississippi | 6-5 | 318 | Sr. |
| L | u-Andre Smith | Alabama | 6-5 | 330 | Jr. |
| L | Phil Trautwein | Florida | 6-6 | 310 | Sr. |
| L | Clint Boling | Georgia | 6-5 | 286 | So. |
| L | Herman Johnson | LSU | 6-7 | 375 | Sr. |
| C | Antoine Caldwell | Alabama | 6-3 | 305 | Sr. |
| TE | D.J. Williams | Arkansas | 6-2 | 250 | So. |
| QB | u-Tim Tebow | Florida | 6-3 | 240 | Jr. |
| RB | u-Knowshon Moreno | Georgia | 5-11 | 208 | So. |
| RB | Glen Coffee | Alabama | 6-1 | 198 | Jr. |
| K | Joshua Shene | Mississippi | 5-8 | 170 | Jr. |
| All-Purpose | Percy Harvin | Florida | 5-11 | 195 | Jr. |
| FIRST TEAM – DEFENSE | |||||
| E | Rahim Alem | LSU | 6-3 | 254 | Jr. |
| E | Antonio Coleman | Auburn | 6-3 | 250 | Jr. |
| T | Terrence Cody | Alabama | 6-5 | 365 | Jr. |
| T | Peria Jerry | Mississippi | 6-2 | 290 | Sr. |
| LB | u-Brandon Spikes | Florida | 6-3 | 245 | Jr. |
| LB | Rolando McClain | Alabama | 6-4 | 249 | So. |
| LB | Eric Norwood | South Carolina | 6-1 | 253 | Jr. |
| CB | Trevard Lindley | Kentucky | 6-0 | 175 | Jr. |
| CB | D.J. Moore | Vanderbilt | 5-10 | 182 | Jr. |
| S | u-Rashad Johnson | Alabama | 6-0 | 186 | Sr. |
| S | Eric Berry | Tennessee | 5-11 | 195 | So. |
| P | Tim Masthay | Kentucky | 6-2 | 203 | Sr. |
| SECOND TEAM – OFFENSE | |||||
| WR | Percy Harvin | Florida | 5-11 | 195 | Jr. |
| WR | Julio Jones | Alabama | 6-4 | 210 | Fr. |
| WR | Mohamed Massaquoi | Georgia | 6-2 | 204 | Sr. |
| L | Garry Williams | Kentucky | 6-3 | 300 | Sr. |
| L | Ciron Black | LSU | 6-5 | 325 | Jr. |
| L | Mike Johnson | Alabama | 6-6 | 299 | Jr. |
| L | Anthony Parker | Tennessee | 6-3 | 300 | Sr. |
| C | Jonathan Luigs | Arkansas | 6-4 | 314 | Sr. |
| TE | Jared Cook | South Carolina | 6-5 | 240 | Jr. |
| QB | Matthew Stafford | Georgia | 6-3 | 228 | Jr. |
| RB | Michael Smith | Arkansas | 5-7 | 173 | Jr. |
| RB | Charles Scott | LSU | 5-11 | 233 | Jr. |
| K | Colt David | LSU | 5-9 | 172 | Sr. |
| All-Purpose | Dexter McCluster | Mississippi | 5-8 | 165 | Jr. |
| SECOND TEAM – DEFENSE | |||||
| E | Robert Ayers | Tennessee | 6-3 | 270 | Jr. |
| E | Jermaine Cunningham | Florida | 6-3 | 250 | Jr. |
| E | Carlos Dunlap | Florida | 6-6 | 290 | So. |
| E | Tyson Jackson | LSU | 6-5 | 290 | Sr. |
| T | Malcolm Sheppard | Arkansas | 6-3 | 277 | Jr. |
| T | Myron Pryor | Kentucky | 6-1 | 310 | Sr. |
| LB | Dominic Douglas | Mississippi St. | 6-2 | 235 | Sr. |
| LB | Rennie Curran | Georgia | 5-11 | 228 | So. |
| LB | Darry Beckwith | LSU | 6-1 | 232 | Sr. |
| LB | Patrick Benoist | Vanderbilt | 6-0 | 222 | Jr. |
| CB | Javier Arenas | Alabama | 5-9 | 198 | Jr. |
| CB | Joe Haden | Florida | 5-11 | 185 | So. |
| S | Emanuel Cook | South Carolina | 5-10 | 203 | Jr. |
| S | Reshad Jones | Georgia | 6-2 | 212 | So. |
| P | Jeremy Davis | Arkansas | 5-9 | 206 | Sr. |
| P | Brian Mimbs | Georgia | 5-11 | 209 | Sr. |
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tim Tebow, Florida
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eric Berry, Tennessee
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nick Saban, Alabama
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Julio Jones, Alabama