BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Punter Donnie Jones, offensive lineman Rodney Reed and running back LaBrandon Toefield were each named the 2000 SEC Football Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team which was announced Thursday by the league.
All three Tigers named to the team were redshirt freshmen during the 2000 season.
Jones, a native of Baton Rouge and a product of Catholic High School, punted 57 times for 2,174 yards with a long of 69 yards against Alabama-Birmingham, the longest punt for the Tigers since Matt DeFrank hit a 69-yarder against Kentucky on Oct. 17, 1987. Jones landed 17 punts inside the 20 and averaged 38.1 yards as the Tigers’ lone punter.
DeFrank also hit a 71-yard punt in 1986 against Florida, five yards short of the school record of 76 yards set by Ray Coates on Oct. 7, 1944.
Before injuring his ankle in the 10th game of the season, Toefield led the Tigers on the ground, rushing for 682 yards on 165 carries. He scored five touchdowns and also caught seven passes for 44 yards in 10 games.
Reed, a redshirt freshman from West Monroe, La., started at both left guard and left tackle for the Tigers in 2000, filling in for one of three Tiger starters who missed most of the season with injuries. He helped the LSU rushing game gain 1,442 yards this season.
Toefield and Reed were also named to The Sporting News’ Freshman All-America Teams on Tuesday, Nov. 29, while Jones, Reed and Toefield were each named the the Knoxville News-Sentinel Freshman All-SEC Team on Friday, Dec. 1.
2000 SEC FOOTBALL COACHES’ FRESHMAN ALL-SEC TEAM
(#-Unanimous/*-Ties)
(Coaches could not vote for their own players)
OFFENSE TE Robert Johnson Auburn
OL Michael Munoz Tennessee
OL Antonio Hall Kentucky
OL Travelle Wharton South Carolina
OL Rodney Reed LSU
C Scott Wells Tennessee
#WR Jabar Gaffney Florida
*WR Derek Abney Kentucky
*WR Richard Smith Arkansas
QB Rex Grossman Florida
#RB LaBrandon Toefield LSU
RB Chad Scott Kentucky
PK Billy Bennett Georgia
DEFENSE
#DL DeMarco McNeil Auburn
DL Dewayne Robertson Kentucky
DL Clint Mitchell Florida
#LB Jason Clark Miss. State
#LB Caleb Miller Arkansas
#LB Dontarrious Thomas Auburn
#LB Travis Harris Florida
DB Ken Hamlin Arkansas
DB Rashad Baker Tennessee
DB Deandre’ Eiland South Carolina
DB Roshard Gilyard Auburn
#P Donnie Jones LSU
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Jabar Gaffney, WR, Florida