The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorns lead Big 12 in academic all-conference selections for third straight year
11.25.2008 | Football
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Big 12 Conference named its 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Football Team on Tuesday, and for the third straight year, Texas led the conference with 22 selections, including 17 first-team accolades.
Texas' 17 first-team honorees were more than all but two other schools in the conference had in combined first- and second-team selections with the exception of Nebraska, which had 19 total (13 first team/six second team) and Texas Tech, which had 18 total (12 first team/six second team).
The first-team included sophomore DE Sam Acho, junior K Ryan Bailey, senior WR Quan Cosby, sophomore LB Dustin Earnest, sophomore P John Gold*, junior C Chris Hall, junior DS Will Harvey, senior LB Chad Kugler*, senior FB Drew Marcantonio*, junior QB Colt McCoy, junior TE Mac McWhorter, senior DE Cory Michner, senior RB Chris Ogbonnaya, senior WR Daniel Orr*, senior RB Alex Spears*, senior FB Luke Tiemann* and junior OT Adam Ulatoski.
McCoy, McWhorter, Ogbonnaya and Ulatoski all earned first-team honors for the third straight year, while Bailey, Harvey and Tiemann did so for the second straight year. Hall was selected for the third straight year overall after being on the second team in the previous two years.
Five others were named to the 2008 second team, including junior DB Clark Ford, junior DT Lamarr Houston, junior TE/OL Greg Smith, junior OG Charlie Tanner and junior WR Chris Wieland*.
Tanner is on the second team for the second straight year after earning first team honors two years ago, while Smith is also on the second team for the second consecutive year.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the football academic all-league team consisted of 91 first team members combined with 46 on the second team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second-team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
2008 Academic All-Big 12 Selections School First team Second team Total Texas 17 5 22 Nebraska 13 6 19 Texas Tech 12 8 18 Baylor 11 5 16 Kansas 7 5 13 Oklahoma 6 7 13
