BIRMINGHAM, AL — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was selected for the third consecutive year to the first team All-Southeastern Conference Coaches Football Team, joining Alabama running back Mark Ingram and Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain as the only three unanimous selections for this year’s team. SEC champion Alabama had eight first team All-SEC selections while SEC East champion Florida had seven.
Tebow, who won the 2007 Heisman Trophy, and is a finalist for the third straight year for college football’s most prestigious award, led Florida to the SEC East championship while throwing for 18 touchdowns and rushing for 13 more. With the Sugar Bowl still remaining to be played, Tebow has thrown for 2,413 yards and rushed for 859. During his career, he has thrown for 8,803 yards and 85 touchdowns while rushing for 2,896 yards and 55 touchdowns.
Also selected to the first team from Florida were tight end Aaron Hernandez (59 catches, 739 yards, four touchdowns), offensive linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, linebacker Brandon Spikes and cornerback Joe Haden. Second team selections from Florida were defensive end Jermaine Cunningham and linebacker Ryan Stamper.
Eleven of the 12 SEC schools had a member on the first-team All-SEC squad. Georgia had three players on the first team, with Ole Miss claiming two.
Georgia had seven total representatives on the annual list. Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt had a league-high four players on the second unit followed by Arkansas, Kentucky and LSU with three each.
Every SEC squad had at least two players represented on the first and second teams.
There were only three unanimous selections to this year’s All-SEC squad – Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Alabama running back Mark Ingram and Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of 12 first-team votes.
The All-SEC squad had 15 first-team seniors, eight juniors and four sophomores. There were no freshmen on the first team. Return specialist Warren Norman of Vanderbilt was recognized on the second team and was the only freshmen listed. Alabama senior Javier Arenas made the first team twice – once as a return specialist and once as a defensive back.
The SEC individual award winners will be released on Wednesday and the SEC All-Freshman Team will be announced on Thursday.
2009 ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC OFFENSE
TIGHT END: Aaron Hernandez, Florida (6-2, 250, JR, Bristol, CT)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Mike Pouncey, Florida (6-5, 315, JR, Lakeland, FL); Mike Johnson, Alabama (6-5, 303, SR, Pensacola, FL); Ciron Black, LSU (6-5, 322, SR, Tyler, TX); Mitch Petrus, Arkansas (6-4, 315, SR, Carlisle, AR); John Jerry, Ole Miss (6-6, 335, SR, Batesville, MS); Maurkice Pouncey, Florida (6-5, 310, JR, Lakeland, FL).
WIDE RECEIVERS: A.J. Green, Georgia (6-4, 207, SO, Summerville, SC); Shay Hodge, Ole Miss (6-2, 207, SR, Morton, MS).
QUARTERBACK: Tim Tebow, Florida (6-3, 240, SR, Jacksonville, FL).
RUNNING BACKS: Mark Ingram, Alabama (5-10, 212, SO, Flint, MI; Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State (6-1, 235, SR, Jackson, MS).
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC OFFENSE
TIGHT END: D.J. Williams, Arkansas (6-2, 251, JR, Little Rock, AR).
OFFENSIVE LINE: Chris Scott, Tennessee (6-5, 346, SR, Riverdale, GA); Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State (6-6, 305, JR, Columbus, MS); Lee Ziemba, 6-8, 308, JR, Rogers, AR); Zipp Duncan, (Kentucky, 6-5, 291, SR, Magnolia, KY); Ben Jones, Georgia, (6-3, 300, SO, Centerville, AL).
WIDE RECEIVERS: Brandon LaFell, LSU (6-3, 206, SR, Houston, TX); Julio Jones, Alabama (6-4, 211, SO, Foley, AL).
QUARTERBACK: Ryan Mallett, Arksansas (6-7, 238, SO Texarkana, AR);
RUNNING BACKS: Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss (5-9, 170, SR Largo, FL); Montario Hardesty, Tennessee (6-0, 215, SR, New Bern, NC).
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE: Antonio Coleman, Auburn (6-3, 261, SR, Mobile, AL); Terrence Cody, Alabama, 6-5, 354, SR, Fort Myers, FL); Carlos Dunlap (6-6, 290, JR, North Charleston, SC); Corey Peters, Kentucky (6-3, 295, SR, Louisville, KY).
LINEBACKERS: Rolando McClain, Alabama (6-4 258, JR, Decatur, AL); Eric Norwood, South Carolina (6-1, 252, SR, Acworth, GA); Brandon Spikes, Florida (6-4, 255, SR, Shelby, NC); Rennie Curran, Georgia (JR, 5-11, 225, JR, Snellville, GA).
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Eric Berry, Tennessee (5-11, 203, JR, Fairburn, GA); Joe Haden, Florida (5-11, 190, JR, Ft. Washington, MD); Javier Arenas, Alabama (5-9, 195, SR, Tampa, FL); Mark Barron, Alabama (6-2, 214, SO, Mobile, AL).
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE: Jermaine Cunningham, Florida (6-3, 257, SR, Stone Mountain, GA); Dan Williams, Tennessee (6-3, 327, SR, Memphis, TN);
Geno Atkins, GA (6-1, 290, SR, Pembroke Pines, FL); Justin Houston, Georgia (6-3, 259, SO, Statesboro, GA); Cliff Matthews (6-4, 249, JR, Cheraw, SC); Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas (6-2, 291, SR, Bainbridge, GA); Pernell McPhee, Mississippi State (6-4, 275, JR, Pahokee, FL).
LINEBACKERS: Micah Johnson, Kentucky (6-2, 258, SR, Ft. Campbell, KY); Rico McCoy, Tennessee (6-1, 220, SR, Washington, DC); Chris Marve, Vanderbilt (6-0, 230, SO, Memphis, TN); Ryan Stamper, Florida (6-2, 235, SR, Jacksonville, FL).
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt, 6-2, 205, SR, Pompano Beach, FL); Chad Jones, LSU (6-3, 231, JR, New Orleans, LA); Walter McFadden, Auburn (6-0, 175, SR, Pompano Beach, FL); Patrick Peterson, LSU (6-1, 211, SO, Pompano Beach, FL); Tevard Lindley, Kentucky (6-0, 179, SR, Hiram, GA).
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACEKICKER: Leigh Tiffin, Alabama (6-2, 212, SR, Muscle Shoals, AL).
PUNTER: Drew Butler, Georgia (6-2, 203, SO, Duluth, GA).
RETURNER: Javier Arenas, Alabama (5-9, 165, SR, Tampa, FL)
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACEKICKER: Blair Walsh, Georgia (5-10, 185, SO, Boca Raton, FL).
PUNTER: Brett Upson, Vanderbilt (5-11, 190, SR, Griffin, GA).
RETURNER: Warren Norman, Vanderbilt (5-10, 188, FR, Stone Mountain, GA)
The Southeastern Conference assisted with this report.