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Dorsey Named 'Blue Ribbon' Preseason Defensive POY

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
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Dorsey Named 'Blue Ribbon' Preseason Defensive POY

BATON ROUGE — LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey has been named by Blue Ribbon Magazine as its National Defensive Player of the Year heading into the 2007 season, the publication announced.

Dorsey, a senior from Gonzales, La., returns for his final season with the Tigers in 2007 after opting out of the recent NFL Draft despite being projected as a high first round pick. In three years with the Tigers, Dorsey has played in 38 games, starting 17 times, as he’s been a key component to LSU’s nationally-ranked defense during his career. 

His most productive season came in 2006 when he earned First-Team All-America honors from the Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association and Sports Illustrated.com. He was also a First-Team All-Southeastern Conference selection after recording 64 tackles, 8.5 tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks for the third-ranked Tigers. He was twice named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week during the 2006 season, the first time coming in a win over Arizona and then again the following week against Auburn.

Dorsey’s performance in 2006 continued a trend for the Tigers that has seen an LSU defensive lineman earn First-Team All-America honors for four straight years. Chad Lavalais was an All-American in 2003, followed by Marcus Spears in 2004 and Kyle Williams and Claude Wroten in 2005.

A year ago, Dorsey anchored an LSU defense that ranked among the top five in the nation in several categories, including a No. 3 rating in total defense (242.8 yards per game) and a No. 4 ranking in scoring defense (12.6 points per game). The Tigers also ranked No. 3 nationally in pass defense (145.7 yards per game), No. 4 in pass efficiency defense (163.3 rating), and No. 14 in rushing defense (97.1 yards per game).

LSU was also tops in the league in red zone defense and ranked first in the conference in sacks with 39.

Dorsey, who was also a First-Team All-America and All-SEC pick by Blue Ribbon going into the 2007 season, is joined on the magazine’s all-conference team by linebacker Ali Highsmith, defensive end Tyson Jackson, and cornerback Chevis Jackson. Guard Will Arnold was LSU’s lone offensive player on Blue Ribbon’s preseason all-conference team.

Blue Ribbon also picked LSU to win the SEC Western Division and to face Florida in the SEC Championship Game in December in Atlanta. Arkansas’ Darren McFadden was named the yearbook’s national offensive player of the year.