Numerous Area Players Selected To SEC All-Conference First Team
Unanimous first-team selections Michael Oher and Greg Hardy headlined four Ole Miss players chosen to the 2008 Southeastern Conference Coaches Preseason All-SEC Football Team, announced by the league office Monday.
Oher, a senior offensive tackle, and Hardy, a junior defensive end, were two of six league players to be unanimously selected to the first team. Both players received All-SEC first team honors from the coaches at the conclusion of last season.
League coaches tabbed senior defensive tackle Peria Jerry to the second team defense, while his brother, junior offensive tackle John Jerry, was selected to the third team offense.
The LSU Tigers led all teams with 14 players selected among the three preseason squads, while Florida was the only other SEC team with double-figure selections with 10.
Florida led all schools with five first-team selections followed by LSU and Tennessee with four each. They include offensive tackle Anthony Parker, RB Arian Foster, LB Rico McCoy and DB Eric Berry. Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina each had two players selected to the first team while Arkansas, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt each had one first-team selection.
In addition to Oher and Hardy, unanimous first-team selections to the squad include Alabama offensive lineman Andre Smith, Arkansas center Jonathan Luigs, Tennessee offensive lineman Anthony Parker, Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno and Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes. Since coaches cannot vote for their own players, unanimous choices were listed on 11 of the 12 ballots.
Of the 81 student-athletes named to the first, second and third teams, six are sophomores, 35 are juniors and 40 are seniors.
Oher, Luigs and Mississippi State defensive back Derek Pegues were repeat first-team selections from the 2007 Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team.
This is the fifth year of the SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Football Team. It is released in advance of the 2008 SEC Football Media Days, which will be held July 23-25, at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. Media in attendance at SEC Football Media Days will vote on the All-SEC Team and a predicted order of finish for the league.
