BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The defending national champion LSU football team was picked to finish second in the Southeastern Conference Western Division by the league’s media on the final day of Kickoff 2008. Additionally, eight Tigers were selected to the media’s first or second All-SEC teams.
Of the 70 members of the media who voted, Florida was named SEC Champion on 36 ballots, Georgia on 18, Auburn 13 and LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss one each. In the Western Division, Auburn was named first place on 48 ballots, while LSU received 21 first place votes and Ole Miss 1. The predicted order of finish in the Western Division was Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Arkansas.
In the Eastern Division, Florida had 45 first-place votes, Georgia (23) and Tennessee (2). The Gators, Bulldogs and Volunteers were selected 1-2-3 in the Eastern Division followed by South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
LSU offensive lineman Herman Johnson, defensive end Tyson Jackson, linebacker Darry Beckwith and placekicker Colt David were each named to the media’s All-SEC Preseason First-Team. Tight end Richard Dickson, offensive lineman Ciron Black, wide receiver Demetrius Byrd and defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois were named to the second team.
The four Tigers first-team members tied Tennessee for the second-most behind Florida (5). Auburn had the most combined members with nine.
LSU reports to camp on Sunday, Aug. 3 with practice set to begin on Monday, Aug. 4. The Tigers open the season against Appalachian State on Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.
2008 SEC Media’s Predicted Order of Finish
SEC Champion – Florida (36), Georgia (18), Auburn (13), LSU (1), Tennessee (1), Ole Miss (1).
No. School (First-Place Votes) Overall Points
Eastern Division
1. Florida (45) 98
2. Georgia (23) 121
3. Tennessee (2) 222
4. South Carolina 266
5. Kentucky 356
6. Vanderbilt 407
Western Division
1. Auburn (48) 99
2. LSU (21) 120
3. Alabama 228
4. Mississippi State 299
5. Ole Miss (1) 338
6. Arkansas 386
2008 SEC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS PRESEASON ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
#-Ties
70 total voters / Total Votes in parenthesis
ALL-SEC OFFENSE
FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
TE
Cornelius Ingram (56)
Florida
6-4
223
Sr.
Hawthorne, Fla.
OL
Andre Smith (64)
Alabama
6-5
340
Jr.
Birmingham, Ala.
OL
Michael Oher (64)
Ole Miss
6-5
318
Sr.
Memphis, Tenn.
OL
Anthony Parker (56)
Tennessee
6-3
305
Sr.
Jonesboro, Ga.
OL
Herman Johnson (45)
LSU
6-7
351
Sr.
Olla, La.
C
Jonathan Luigs (58)
Arkansas
6-4
314
Sr.
Little Rock, Ark.
WR
Percy Harvin (68)
Florida
5-11
178
Jr.
Virginia Beach, Va.
WR
Kenny McKinley (46)
South Carolina
6-0
182
Sr.
Mableton, Ga.
QB
Tim Tebow (64)
Florida
6-3
232
Jr.
Jacksonville, Fla.
RB
Knowshon Moreno (68)
Georgia
5-11
207
So.
Belford, N.J.
RB
Arian Foster (50)
Tennessee
6-1
215
Sr.
San Diego, Calif.
SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
TE
Richard Dickson (9)
LSU
6-3
237
Jr.
Ocean Springs, Miss.
OL
Ciron Black (12)
LSU
6-5
314
Jr.
Tyler, Texas
OL
Tyronne Green (9)
Auburn
6-2
307
Sr.
Pensacola, Fla.
OL
Lee Ziemba (8)
Auburn
6-8
288
So.
Rogers, Ark.
OL
Garry Williams (8)
Kentucky
6-3
300
Sr.
Louisville, Ky.
C
Antoine Caldwell (10)
Alabama
6-3
292
Sr.
Montgomery, Ala.
WR
Mohamed Massaquoi (11)
Georgia
6-2
198
Sr.
Charlotte, N.C.
WR
Demetrius Byrd (9)
LSU
6-2
195
Sr.
Miami, Fla.
QB
Matthew Stafford (6)
Georgia
6-3
237
Jr.
Dallas, Texas
RB
Anthony Dixon (16)
Mississippi State
6-1
240
Jr.
Jackson, Miss.
RB
Ben Tate (2)
Auburn
5-11
215
Jr.
Newark, Md.
ALL-SEC DEFENSE
FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
DL
Greg Hardy (53)
Ole Miss
6-4
265
Jr.
Millington, Tenn.
DL
Tyson Jackson (52)
LSU
6-5
292
Sr.
Edgard, La.
DL
Sen’Derrick Marks (45)
Auburn
6-1
288
Jr.
Mobile, Ala.
LB
Brandon Spikes (65)
Florida
6-3
245
Jr.
Shelby, N.C.
LB
Rico McCoy (46)
Tennessee
6-1
215
Jr.
Washington, D.C.
LB
Jasper Brinkley (41)
South Carolina
6-2
275
Sr.
Thomson, Ga.
LB
#Darry Beckwith (40)
LSU
6-1
232
Sr.
Baton Rouge, La.
LB
#Dannell Ellerbe (40)
Georgia
6-1
232
Sr.
Hamlet, N.C.
DB
Derek Pegues (60)
Mississippi State
5-10
196
Sr.
Batesville, Miss.
DB
Eric Berry (56)
Tennessee
5-11
195
So.
Fairburn, Ga.
DB
D.J. Moore (46)
Vanderbilt
5-10
182
Jr.
Spartanburg, S.C.
DB
Rashad Johnson (43)
Alabama
6-0
187
Sr.
Sulligent, Ala.
SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
DL
Ricky Jean-Francois (18)
LSU
6-3
281
Jr.
Miami, Fla.
DL
Antonio Coleman (10)
Auburn
6-2
250
Jr.
Mobile, Ala.
DL
Jeremy Jarmon (9)
Kentucky
6-3
277
Jr.
Collierville, Tenn.
LB
Tray Blackmon (17)
Auburn
6-2
220
Jr.
LaGrange, Ga.
LB
Rolando McClain (15)
Alabama
6-4
255
So.
Decatur, Ala.
LB
Eric Norwood (14)
South Carolina
6-1
270
Jr.
Acworth, Ga.
LB
Jamar Chaney (8)
Mississippi State
6-1
236
Sr.
Fort Pierce, Fla.
DB
Captain Munnerlyn (20)
South Carolina
5-9
185
Jr.
Mobile, Ala.
DB
Trevard Lindley (15)
Kentucky
6-0
175
Jr.
Hiram, Ga.
DB
Asher Allen (13)
Georgia
5-10
198
Jr.
Tucker, Ga.
DB
Jerraud Powers (12)
Auburn
5-9
188
Jr.
Decatur, Ala.
ALL-SEC SPECIAL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
PK
Colt David (41)
LSU
5-9
175
Sr.
Grapevine, Texas
P
Ryan Shoemaker (40)
Auburn
6-0
192
So.
Birmingham, Ala.
RS
Brandon James (35)
Florida
5-6
179
Jr.
St. Augustine, Fla.
SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Name
School
Hometown
PK
Wes Byrum (16)
Auburn
6-1
209
So.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
P
Ryan Succop (20)
South Carolina
6-3
224
Sr.
Hickory, N.C.
RS
Javier Arenas (20)
Alabama
5-9
193
Jr.
Tampa, Fla.