The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Twelve Longhorns earn All-Big 12 football honors from coaches
12.09.2015 | Football
Linebacker Malik Jefferson was named Defensive Freshman of the Year.
IRVING, Texas -- Twelve Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition from the league's coaches, the conference announced Wednesday.
The group was highlighted by LB Malik Jefferson being selected as Defensive Freshman of the Year, along with seniors FB Alex De La Torre and LB Peter Jinkens earning second-team All-Big 12 honors.
Jefferson becomes the sixth Longhorn to be recognized as Defensive Freshman of the Year, joining CB Quandre Diggs (2011), DE Brian Orakpo (2005), DT Rodrique Wright (2002), LB Derrick Johnson (2001) and DE Cory Redding (1999).
Despite both missing the final game of the season due to injury, Jinkens and Jefferson led the team in tackles with 75 and 61, respectively. Jinkens also led the team with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss while adding four pressures. Jefferson led the team in pressures with six, and recorded seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a TD.
De La Torre was a key factor in the Longhorns offense this season, including blocking for a rushing attack that ranked 20th in the nation with 224.8 yards per game. That average was even higher in the last seven games at 263.0 ypg. The offense also became only the fourth unit at Texas since 1950 to record three games with six rushing TDs in a season.
Jefferson also was selected honorable mention All-Big 12 and was joined in that category by fellow freshmen CB Davante Davis, P Michael Dickson, CB Holton Hill, OG Patrick Vahe and OT Connor Williams, plus junior DT Hassan Ridgeway and seniors DT Desmond Jackson, KR/PR Daje Johnson and CB Duke Thomas. This marks the second straight year Thomas has been named honorable mention.
Davis led the team with seven pass breakups, while recording 35 tackles and one interception. Dickson emerged at punter and averaged 41.3 yards per kick with 32 fair catches, 19 inside the 20 and 17 punts over 50 yards to help Texas rank 19th in the nation in punt return defense (3.85 ypr). Hill led the freshman defensive backs with 49 tackles while notching four PBUs, one fumble recovery and an interception return for a TD, while Vahe and Williams combined to be the only true freshman duo to start on the offensive line in the nation.
Ridgeway also missed the team's finale with an injury, however he led the team with two fumble recoveries while registering 36 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6.5 TFL. Fellow defensive tackle Desmond Jackson returned from injury to help anchor the line while posting 31 tackles.
Johnson led the Big 12 and ranked 24th in the nation in punt return average at 10.7 on 21 attempts, including an 85-yard TD. He also returned 22 kickoffs for 528 yards (24.0 ypr). Thomas was third on the team in tackles with 58 and second in PBUs with five while recording an interception and three tackles for loss.
In addition to the players, head coach Charlie Strong received honorable mention Coach of the Year accolades.
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