12/2/2009
By ARNE GREEN Salina Journal
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State's surprising Big 12 season -- the Wildcats were picked fifth in the North Division and tied for second at 4-4 -- brought two major awards and four all-conference selections Tuesday from league coaches.

Junior running back Daniel Thomas became the third straight K-State player named Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year while senior wide receiver Brandon Banks was honored as special teams player of the year.

"I'm excited about it. I think it's a neat thing for Daniel," K-State coach Bill Snyder said of Thomas' selection. "He's very deserving.

"I think the things that will be so neat is that he'll handle it in a very humble way. He's a good young guy."

Thomas, also a first-team all-league pick at running back, led the Big 12 with 1,265 rushing yards and 105.4 yards per game.

Banks, last year's offensive newcomer of the year, returned four kickoffs for touchdowns this season and finished his two-year Wildcat career with five. He was a first-team all-conference selection as a return man and second-teamer at receiver, where he caught a team-best 56 passes for 705 yards and a touchdown.

"He's very deserving as well," Snyder said of Banks. "Obviously, if you put as many in the end zone as he did, that's very unique and that makes him very deserving. I am proud of Brandon."

Thomas and Banks were joined on the first team by senior offensive tackle Nick Stringer and senior tight end Jeron Mastrud. Stringer started 35 games in his career, including the last 25, and Mastrud caught 21 passes for 233 yards as a senior.

The Wildcat defense, one of the nation's worst in 2008 but ranked among the top 40 nationally this season, did not have a first-team or second-team pick. Senior defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, sophomore safety Tysyn Hartman and junior cornerback Joshua Moore all received honorable mention, and Snyder received honorable mention in the coach of the year voting behind winner Mack Brown of Texas.

Briscoe named to first team

Kansas junior Dezmon Briscoe was honored as a first-team All-Big 12 receiver.

Briscoe finished with 84 receptions for 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He was fifth nationally in receiving yards per game (121.55) and eighth in catches per game (7.64).

Kerry Meier earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after catching 102 passes for 985 yards and eight touchdowns. His 102 receptions were a school record.

KU had five players selected as Big 12 honorable mention: offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson, defensive end Jake Laptad, quarerback Todd Reesing, punter Alonso Rojas and safety Darrell Stuckey.

All-Big 12

OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Daniel Thomas, Kansas State, jr., RB

DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

David Sims, Iowa State, jr., DB

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR

Russell Okung, Oklahoma State, sr.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR

Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, sr., DT

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mack Brown, Texas

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Colt McCoy, Texas, sr., QB

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, sr., DT

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Brandon Banks, Kansas State, sr., PR/KR

OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Christine Michael, Texas A M, RB

DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Aldon Smith, Missouri, DL

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB Colt McCoy**, Texas, sr.

RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State, jr.

RB Keith Toston, Oklahoma State, sr.

FB Bryant Ward, Oklahoma State, jr.

WR Jordan Shipley, Texas, sr.

WR Danario Alexander, Missouri, sr.

WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas, jr.

TE Jeron Mastrud, Kansas State, sr.

OL Russell Okung [r1], Oklahoma State, sr.

OL Trent Williams [r1], Oklahoma, sr.

OL Nick Stringer, Kansas State, sr.

OL Brandon Carter, Texas Tech, sr.

OL Nate Solder, Colorado, jr.

PK Grant Ressel, Missouri, so.

KR/PR Brandon Banks, Kansas State, sr.

DEFENSE

DL Ndamukong Suh**, Nebraska, sr.

DL Gerald McCoy [r1], Oklahoma, jr.

DL Von Miller, Texas A M, jr.

DL Brandon Sharpe, Texas Tech, sr.

DL Jared Crick, Nebraska, so.

LB Sean Weatherspoon [r1], Missouri, sr.

LB Jesse Smith, Iowa State, sr.

LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, so.

DB Earl Thomas, Texas, so.

DB Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State, sr.

DB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma, jr.

DB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska, jr.

DB Larry Asante, Nebraska, sr.

P Derek Epperson, Baylor, jr.

[r1] -- Repeat first team selection from last season.

**Unanimous Selection.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB Jerrod Johnson, Texas A M, jr.

RB Roy Helu jr., Nebraska, jr.

RB DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma, jr.

FB Jamie McCoy, Texas A M, sr.

WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, so.

WR Kerry Meier, Kansas, sr.

WR Brandon Banks, Kansas State, sr.

TE Riar Geer, Colorado, sr.

OL J.D. Walton, Baylor, sr.

OL Chris Hall [r2], Texas, sr.

OL Kurtis Gregory [r2], Missouri, sr.

OL Adam Ulatoski, Texas, sr.

OL Brody Eldridge, Oklahoma, sr.

OL Lee Grimes, Texas A M, sr.

PK Alex Henery, Nebraska, jr.

KR/PR Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State, sr.

DEFENSE

DL Sergio Kindle, Texas, sr.

DL Lamarr Houston, Texas, sr.

DL Jeremy Beal [r2], Oklahoma, jr.

DL Jaron Baston, Missouri, sr.

DL Daniel Howard, Texas Tech, sr.

LB Joe Pawelek, Baylor, sr.

LB Roddrick Muckelroy, Texas, sr.

LB Phillip Dillard, Nebraska, sr.

DB Jamar Wall, Texas Tech, sr.

DB Quinton Carter, Oklahoma, jr.

DB Brian Jackson, Oklahoma, sr.

DB Jordan Lake, Baylor, sr.

DB Cha'pelle Brown, Colorado, sr.

DB Trent Hunter, Texas A M, so.

P Tress Way, Oklahoma, fr.

A tie in voting created an additional second-team offensive line and defensive back spot.

[r2] -- Repeat second team selection from last season.

Honorable mention

Baylor: Justin Akers, TE; David Gettis, WR; Jason Lamb, DL; J.D. Walton, Off. Lmn of Yr.; Kendall Wright, WR.

Colorado: Jake Behrens, FB; Jalil Brown, DB; Benjamin Burney, DB; Marquez Herrod, DL; Scotty McKnight, WR; Ryan Miller, OL; Jeff Smart, LB; Jimmy Smith, DB; Rodney Stewart, RB.

Iowa State: Michael Brandtner, P; Kelechi Osemele, OL; Paul Rhoads, Coach of Yr.; Alexander Robinson, RB; Reggie Stephens, OL.

Kansas: Tanner Hawkinson, OL; Jake Laptad, DL; Todd Reesing, QB; Alonso Rojas, P; Darrell Stuckey, DB.

Kansas State: Jeffrey Fitzgerald, DL; Tysyn Hartman, DB; Joshua Moore, DB; Bill Snyder, Coach of Yr.

Missouri: Danario Alexander, Off. Ply. of Yr.; Carl Gettis, DB; Jake Harry, P; Dan Hoch, OL; Jared Perry, WR; Kevin Rutland, DB; Jasper Simmons, DB Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Aldon Smith, DL; Derrick Washington, RB.

Nebraska: Dejon Gomes, DB Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Eric Hagg, DB; Alex Henery, P; Jacob Hickman, OL; Mike McNeill, TE; Matt O'Hanlon, DB; Niles Paul, WR; Barry Turner, DL.

Oklahoma: Jeremy Beal, Def Ply of Yr.; Chris Brown, RB; Ryan Broyles, PR/KR; Keenan Clayton, LB; Auston English, DL; Landry Jones, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Jonathan Nelson, DB; Gerald McCoy Def. Lmn. of Yr. Def Ply of Yr.; Ryan Reynolds, LB; Adrian Taylor, DL; Trent Williams, Off. Lmn of Yr.

Oklahoma State: Hubert Anyiam, WR; Ugo Chinasa, DL; Patrick Lavine, LB; Swanson Miller, DL; Zac Robinson, QB; Andre Sexton, LB; Quinn Sharp, P.

Texas: Emmanuel Acho, LB; Sam Acho, DL; Curtis Brown, DB; Blake Gideon, DB; Kyle Hix, OL; Michael Huey, OL; Sergio Kindle, Def. Lmn. of Yr.; Hunter Lawrence, PK; Alex Okafor, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Keenan Robinson, LB; Jordan Shipley, PR/KR; Charlie Tanner, OL.

Texas A M: Ryan Epperson, P; Jeff Fuller, WR; Cyrus Gray, RB PR/KR; Michael Hodges Def Nwcmr. of Yr.; Jerrod Johnson, Off. Ply. of Yr.; Patrick Lewis, OL; Kevin Matthews, OL; Jamie McCoy, TE; Von Miller Def. Lmn. of Yr. Def Ply of Yr.; Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR Off. Fr. of Yr.; Jordan Pugh, DB; Ryan Tannehill, WR; Garrick Williams, LB.

Texas Tech: Baron Batch, RB; Bront Bird, LB; Cody Davis, Def. Fr. of Yr.; Alex Torres, Off. Fr. of Yr.; Colby Whitlock, DL; Marlon Winn, OL.

The Lawrence Journal-World contributed to this story

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