BATON ROUGE – LSU senior left tackle La’el Collins led a group of four Tigers named to the Associated Press’ All-SEC teams, the AP announced Monday.
Collins earned a spot on the All-SEC first team after an outstanding senior season. Junior linebacker Kwon Alexander and senior safety Ronald Martin were named to the All-SEC second team, and junior offensive guard Vadal Alexander received honorable mention status.
Collins led all LSU linemen in offensive snaps played at 792 and knockdown blocks with 84.5 this season.
Collins shattered his career high in knockdowns in LSU’s 23-17 win over Texas A&M when he posted 13.5 in 79 snaps. He also paved the way for the Tigers to rush for a season-best 384 yards on 57 carries against the Aggies, a total that included 100-yard performances by running back Leonard Fournette and quarterback Anthony Jennings.
Kwon Alexander leads LSU in tackles with 79 through 12 games. Alexander has also posted 7.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup. Three times this season he has recorded double-digit tackles in a game as he earned 13 versus Mississippi State and 10 against Florida and Alabama.
Martin ranks third on the squad with 66 tackles, and he is tied with Jalen Collins for the team lead in passes defended with 10. Martin has broken up eight passes and intercepted two, including the game-clinching pick with two seconds left in LSU’s 10-7 victory over Ole Miss.
Vadal Alexander started 11 games at left guard. He finished second on the team with 73 knockdowns, including a career-high 15.5 against Ole Miss that ranks as the most knockdowns in a single game by any Tiger this season. He joined La’el Collins in creating a formidable left side of the offensive line.
No. 22 LSU will make its first trip to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 when the Tigers face Notre Dame in Nashville, Tenn. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT.
Tickets to the bowl game are on sale at http://www.lsutix.net/. Tickets in the lower section of LP Field, which is the home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, are $85, while club level seats are $120. All tickets include a processing fee.
LSU lower level seats are located in sections 106-108 and 113-121. The LSU areas in the club level are in sections 206-208 and 214-218.
For more information, call the LSU Ticket Office at 225-578-2184.
2014 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference Football Teams
The 2014 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference football team released Monday, with player’s position, name, school, height, weight and class (u-unanimous selection to first team; t-tied at a position):
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR – u-Amari Cooper, Alabama, 6-1, 210, Jr.
WR – t-Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 201, So.
WR – t-Bud Sasser, Missouri, 6-2, 220, Sr.
L – La’el Collins, LSU, 6-5, 321, Sr.
L – Ben Beckwith, Mississippi State, 6-3, 306, Sr.
L – Arie Kouandjio, Alabama, 6-5, 315, Sr.
L – Laremy Tunsil, Mississippi, 6-5, 305, So.
C – Reese Dismukes, Auburn, 6-3, 295, Sr.
TE – Evan Engram, Mississippi, 6-3, 227, So.
QB – Dak Prescott, Mississippi State, 6-2, 230, Jr.
RB – Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn, 5-11, 210, Sr.
RB – Nick Chubb, Georgia, 5-10, 228, Fr.
PK – Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky, 5-10, 168, Fr.
All-Purpose – Marcus Murphy, Missouri, 5-9, 190, Sr.
Defense
E – Shane Ray, Missouri, 6-3, 245, Jr.
E – Bud Dupree, Kentucky, 6-4, 264, Sr.
T – Robert Nkemdiche, Mississippi, 6-4, 280, So.
T – Johnathan Allen, Alabama, 6-3, 272, Sr.
LB – Martrell Spaight, Arkansas, 6-2, 231, Sr.
LB – Reggie Ragland, Alabama, 6-2, 254, Jr.
LB – Amarlo Herrera, Georgia, 6-2, 231, Sr.
CB – u-Senquez Golson, Mississippi, 5-9, 176, Sr.
CB – Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, 5-11, 195, So.
S – u-Landon Collins, Alabama, 6-0, 222, Jr.
S – Cody Prewitt, Mississippi, 6-2, 217, Sr.
P – JK Scott, Alabama, 6-4, 185, Fr.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR – Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M, 6-4, 190, So.
WR – Sammie Coates, Auburn, 6-2, 201, Jr.
L – Greg Pyke, Georgia, 6-6, 321, So.
L – A.J. Cann, South Carolina, 6-4, 311, Sr.
L – Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M, 6-5, 305, Sr.
L – Austin Shepherd, Alabama, 6-5, 320, Sr.
C – David Andrews, Georgia, 6-2, 294, Sr.
TE – Steven Scheu, Vanderbilt, 6-5, 250, Jr.
QB – Blake Sims, Alabama, 6-0, 208, Sr.
RB – Josh Robinson, Mississippi State, 5-9, 215, Jr.
RB – Jonathan Williams, Arkansas, 6-0, 223, Jr.
PK – Josh Lambo, Texas A&M, 6-0, 220, Sr.
All-Purpose – Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 201, So.
Defense
E – Preston Smith, Mississippi State, 6-6, 270, Sr.
E – Derek Barnett, Tennessee, 6-3, 267, Fr.
T – Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, 6-5, 255, Fr.
T – Darius Philon, Arkansas, 6-2, 272, So.
LB – Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State, 6-5, 249, Jr.
LB – t-Kwon Alexander, LSU, 6-2, 227, Jr.
LB – t-Kentrell Brothers, Missouri, 6-1, 240, Jr.
LB – t-Antonio Morrison, Florida, 6-1, 225, Jr.
LB – t-Curt Maggitt, Tennessee, 6-3, 251, Jr.
LB – t-Ramik Wilson, Georgia, 6-2, 237, Sr.
CB – t-Cyrus Jones, Alabama, 5-10, 194, Jr.
CB – t-Damian Swann, Georgia, 5-11, 180, Sr.
CB – t-Jonathan Jones, Auburn, 5-10, 182, Jr.
S – Braylon Webb, Missouri, 6-0, 200, Sr.
S – t-Ronald Martin, LSU, 6-2, 220, Sr.
S – t-Tony Conner, Mississippi, 6-0, 217, So.
P – Kyle Christy, Florida, 6-3, 198, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense
Vadal Alexander, L, LSU, 6-6, 320, Jr.; Daniel Carlson, PK, Auburn, 6-4, 215, Fr.; Andre Debose, All-Purpose, Florida, 6-0, 195, Sr.; Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas, 6-5, 250, So.; Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama, 6-5, 296, Jr.; Denver Kirkland, L, Arkansas, 6-5, 337, So.; Marshall Morgan, PK, Georgia, 6-3, 200, Jr.; Speedy Noil, All-Purpose, Texas A&M, 5-11, 185, Fr.; Dan Skipper, L, Arkansas, 6-10, 326, So.; John Theus, L, Georgia, 6-6, 313, Jr.
Defense
Harold Brantley, T, Missouri, 6-3, 290, So.; Trey DePriest, LB, Alabama, 6-2, 250, Sr.; Trey Flowers, E, Arkansas, 6-3, 270, Sr.; Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia, 6-4, 230, So.; Dante Fowler Jr., E, Florida, 6-3, 260, Jr.; Markus Golden, E, Missouri, 6-3, 260, Sr.; A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee, 6-2, 245, Sr.; Quincy Mauger, S, Georgia, 6-0, 199, So.; Jarran Reed, T, Alabama, 6-4, 315, Jr.; A’Shawn Robinson, NG, Alabama, 6-4, 320, So.; Gabe Wright, T, Auburn, 6-3, 284, Sr.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Amari Cooper, Alabama
DEFENSIVE PLAYE OF THE YEAR
Shane Ray, Missouri
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Nick Chubb, Georgia