University of Memphis Athletics
Coaches Announce All-Conference USA Team
Dec 05, 2006 | Football
Dec. 5, 2006
MEMPHIS, TENN. - Conference USA coaches released their All-C-USA selections today, and Memphis placed four players on the squad. Each school was represented with at least four selections, with C-USA Champion Houston producing a league-high 12 total selections, followed by Tulsa with 11 and East Division Champion Southern Miss with 10 players on the squad.
Punter Michael Gibson was Memphis' only first-team honoree as voted by the league's 12 coaches. Gibson finished the season third in C-USA in punting with an average of 43.1 yards per punt. He booted 12 of his 42 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, including six inside the 5-yard line. In addition, more than half of Gibson's punts were for 40 or more yards, and he also totaled eight punts over 50 yards. His most impressive game this season was against Tennessee when he booted two punts over 70 yards and averaged 50.9 yards per punt in that game, which ranks fourth all-time in school history. Gibson shared the Tigers' Special Teams Player of the Year honor with deep snapper Rusty Clayton.
Memphis landed three Tigers on the third team as senior Blake Butler and sophomore Brandon Pearce represented the offensive line and senior Brandon McDonald was selected as a defensive back.
McDonald had a stellar season for the Tigers and led the defense with 84 tackles, four interceptions and four pass breakups. Most notable was McDonald's blocked field goal in the Houston game that was picked up by Greg Jackson and returned for a game-tying touchdown. He also had two interceptions in the win over UTEP in the season finale. At the team banquet on Sunday, McDonald was a co-recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also listed as an honorable mention pick as a punt returner on the All-C-USA team.
Butler started all 12 games this season and was part of an offensive line that allowed only 14 sacks in 2006, which tied for the C-USA lead. He ends his career having started 34 of his 49 games and participating in over 2700 offensive plays. Butler was selected as the team's Offensive Lineman of the Year at the post-season banquet.
Pearce, who was selected to the C-USA All-Freshman Team last season, received third-team honors this season. He started all 12 games this year at right tackle and logged action in all but two offensive plays as a sophomore. He was also key in Memphis' line giving up just 14 sacks this year, which led Conference USA.
In addition, running back Joseph Doss, receivers Ryan Scott and Duke Calhoun, defensive lineman Greg Terrell, kick returner Michael Grandberry and long snapper Rusty Clayton were named to the honorable mention squad.
C-USA will announce the coaches' selections for Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Year, as well as the Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year on Wednesday.
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Kevin Kolb, Sr., Houston Running Back- Ahmad Bradshaw, Jr., Marshall Running Back- Damion Fletcher, Fr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- George Batiste, Sr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Sterling Doty, Sr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Travis Cooley, Sr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Doug Legursky, Jr., Marshall Offensive Lineman- Jeff Perrett, Sr., Tulsa Tight End- Shawn Nelson, So., Southern Miss Wide Receiver- Jarett Dillard, So., Rice Wide Receiver- Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sr., UTEP Wide Receiver- Mike Walker, Sr., UCFDEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Robert Latu, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Lineman- Albert McClellan, So., Marshall Defensive Lineman- Larry McSwain, Sr., UAB Defensive Lineman- Justin Rogers, Sr., SMU Linebacker- Nick Bunting, Sr., Tulsa Linebacker- Troy Collavo, Sr., UTEP Linebacker - Wade Koehl, Sr., Houston Defensive Back- Bobby Blackshire, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Back- Quintin Demps, Jr., UTEP Defensive Back- Will Gulley, Sr., Houston Defensive Back- Curtis Keyes, Sr., Marshall
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Reagan Schneider, Sr., UTEP Punter- Michael Gibson, Sr., Memphis Kick Returner- Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sr., UTEP Punt Returner- Joe Burnett, So., UCF Long Snapper- Aaron King, Sr., UTEP
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Paul Smith, Jr., Tulsa Running Back- Anthony Alridge, Jr., Houston Running Back- Kevin Smith, So., UCF Offensive Lineman- Jeff Akeroyd, Jr., Houston Offensive Lineman- Aaron Dannenhauer, Sr., Tulsa Offensive Lineman- Eric Graham, Sr., East Carolina Offensive Lineman- Jon Hameister-Ries, Sr., Tulsa Offensive Lineman- Julius Wilson, Sr., UAB Tight End- Ryan Kennedy, Sr., SMU Wide Receiver- Aundrae Allison, Sr., East Carolina Wide Receiver- Vincent Marshall, Sr., Houston Wide Receiver- Idris Moss, Sr., Tulsa
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Courtney Gordon, Sr., Rice Defensive Lineman- Adrian Haywood, Sr., SMU Defensive Lineman- Marquay Love, Sr., Houston Defensive Lineman- Martavius Prince, Jr., Southern Miss Linebacker- Nelson Coleman, Jr., Tulsa Linebacker - Orlandus King, Sr., UAB Linebacker- Brian Raines, So., Rice Defensive Back- Willie Gaston, Sr., Houston Defensive Back- Nick Graham, Sr., Tulsa Defensive Back- Israel Route, Sr., Tulane Defensive Back- Joe Sturdivant, Sr., SMU
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Darren McCaleb, Sr., Southern Miss Punter- Chris Beckman, Sr., Tulane Kick Returner- Chris Johnson, Jr., East Carolina Punt Returner- Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sr., UTEP Long Snapper- Mike Buscemi, Sr., UCF
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Jordan Palmer, Sr., UTEP Running Back- Jackie Battle, Sr., Houston Running Back- Matt Forte, Jr., Tulane Running Back- Quinton Smith, Sr., Rice Offensive Lineman- Blake Butler, Sr., Memphis Offensive Lineman- Chris Clark, Jr., Southern Miss Offensive Lineman- Josh Coffman, Sr., East Carolina Offensive Lineman- Brandon Pearce, So., Memphis Offensive Lineman- Robby Heos, Jr., Rice Tight End- Davon Drew, So., East Carolina Wide Receiver- Donnie Avery, Sr., Houston Wide Receiver- Bobby Chase, Sr., SMU Wide Receiver- Damarcus Davis, Sr., Tulane
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Marcus Hands, Jr., East Carolina Defensive Lineman- Robert Henderson, Jr., Southern Miss Defensive Lineman- Phillip Hunt, So., Houston Defensive Lineman- Alex Obomese, Sr., UTEP Linebacker- Reggie Carrington, Sr., SMU Linebacker- Chris Chamberlain, So., Tulsa Linebacker- Quentin Cotton, So., East Carolina Linebacker- Joe Henderson, So., UAB Defensive Back- Will Dunbar, Jr., UAB Defensive Back- Caleb Hendrix, Sr., Southern Miss Defensive Back- Brandon Sumrall, Jr., Southern Miss Defensive Back- Brandon McDonald, Sr., Memphis
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Robert Lee, Sr., East Carolina Punter- Ryan Dougherty, Sr., East Carolina Kick Returner- Marculus Elliott, Sr., UAB Punt Returner- Emmanuel Spann, So., Marshall Long Snapper- Drew Clardy, Sr., Rice
