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Vanderbilt’s Osemwegie, Geisinger Named To Coaches’ All-SEC Squad 12/7/2004
Vanderbilt’s Osemwegie, Geisinger Named To Coaches’ All-SEC Squad Birmingham, Ala. – Vanderbilt linebacker Moses Osemwegie and offensive tackle Justin Geisinger were named to the Coaches All-Southeastern Conference Team, the league announced Monday. The coaches selected Osemwegie, a junior from Nashville, to the first-team defensive unit. Geisinger, a powerful senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., was named to the second team offensive squad. The league’s 12 head coaches voted for the prestigious squad. Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson was pleased for both Osemwegie, one of the SEC’s top tacklers, and Geisinger, who remains under consideration for SEC Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. “That’s great news for both young men, and also great news for our football program. It shows that both of them made an impression on the coaches in this conference,” Johnson said late Monday. “Moses just put together a tremendous year for us at linebacker and is very deserving. Justin was superb all season, and showed a great deal of character at the end of the season when he was playing at less than full strength.” Osemwegie topped the Commodores in tackles for the second consecutive year. Entering the postseason bowl season, he ranks third in the Southeastern Conference in tackles. Osemwegie averaged 9.4 tackles per game, and posted double-digit tackles in seven of 10 games played. He also shared the team lead with six tackles for loss. When Geisinger played his last game in a Commodore uniform last month, the preseason Outland Trophy candidate left behind a distinguished career that included 42 career starts. Responsible for protecting Commodore quarterback Jay Cutler’s blindside, Geisinger allowed just one sack during his last two seasons. Geisinger continued his effective play this season despite playing the second half of the year with a leg injury. Geisinger also distinguished himself in the classroom. A 2003 All-SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and recent District IV Academic All-American recipient, the Vanderbilt postgraduate student is one of 12 candidates for the SEC’s Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. The winner, as well as other individual award recipients, is expected to be announced Tuesday by the league office. Several other Commodores were given consideration by coaches for All-SEC honors. They included four offensive players – quarterback Jay Cutler, offensive guard Brian Kovolisky, and wide receivers Brandon Smith and Erik Davis, and two defensive players – defensive end Jovan Haye and cornerback Dominique Morris. Osemwegie becomes the 18th Commodore to earn first-team All-SEC recognition since league coaches initiated a ballot in 1984. He is the first first-team recipient since another linebacker, Hunter Hillenmeyer, was honored in 2002. Osemwegie and Hillenmeyer both prepped at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. |
