MCNEIL HEADLINES THREE VOLS ON SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Dec. 7, 2006

Tennessee redshirt freshman center Josh McNeil was the only player to be a unanimous selection to the seventh annual SEC Coaches All-Freshman Team as announced by the Southeastern Conference office. The Volunteers were one of seven league teams to place three players on the team as tailback LaMarcus Coker and linebacker Rico McCoy were also named to the squad.

All 12 schools were represented with Kentucky leading the way with four selections. SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Championship Game MVP Percy Harvin of Florida also received a spot on the annual listing.

McNeil made eight starts in 11 games, taking over the starting position in the fifth game of the season against Memphis. He was part of an offensive line unit that allowed only 17 sacks (third-fewest in the league) against 378 pass attempts (second-most in the league). The Collins, Miss., native was also named Freshman All-America by Rivals.com.

One of the most explosive runners in the conference was Coker who finished the regular season as the leading freshman rusher and seventh overall among SEC ball carriers with average of 66.0 yards per game. He rushed for a season-high 146 yards that included the third-longest rush in UT history when he broke free for an 89-yard TD. The Antioch native became first player in UT history to have two runs over 80 yards when he ran 87 yards for a score against Vanderbilt. He was also named second team Freshman All-America by Rivals.com.

McCoy Saw his first collegiate action in win over California garnering two tackles. He played in all 12 games, registering 36 tackles (27 solo). The Washington, D.C., native posted solid performances in the final two games of the season by making three tackles for loss against Vanderbilt followed by a career-high nine tackles and forced fumble versus Kentucky.

The entire team is listed below:

2006 FRESHMAN ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM
(*-Ties / #-Unanimous Selection / Coaches could not vote for their own players)

Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE
TE	Ben Cleveland	Arkansas	6-4	235	Springdale, Ark.
OL	Andre Smith	Alabama	6-5	315	Birmingham, Ala.
OL	Ciron Black	LSU	6-5	314	Tyler, Texas
OL	John Jerry	Ole Miss	6-5	350	Batesville, Miss.
*OL	Justin Jeffries	Kentucky	6-5	300	Louisville, Ky.
*OL	Craig Jenkins	Mississippi State	6-4	319	Pearl, Miss.
#C	Josh McNeil	Tennessee	6-4	290	Collins, Miss.
WR	Percy Harvin	Florida	5-11	180	Virginia Beach, Va.
*WR	Brandon LaFell	LSU	6-3	194	Houston, Texas
*WR	Damian Williams	Arkansas	6-1	188	Springdale, Ark.
*QB	Matthew Stafford	Georgia	6-3	228	Dallas, Texas
*QB	Tim Tebow	Florida	6-3	229	Jacksonville, Fla.
RB	LaMarcus Coker	Tennessee	5-11	205	Antioch, Tenn.
RB	Anthony Dixon	Mississippi State	6-1	235	Jackson, Miss.
FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE
DL	Ricky Jean-Francois	LSU	6-3	281	Miami, Fla.
DL	Sen'Derrick Marks	Auburn	6-1	287	Mobile, Ala.
DL	Kade Weston	Georgia	6-5	315	Red Bank, N.J.
LB	Prince Hall	Alabama	5-11	253	Moreno Valley, Calif.
LB	Rodney Paulk	South Carolina	6-0	200	Columbia, S.C.
LB	Micah Johnson	Kentucky	6-2	255	Ft. Campbell, Ky.
*LB	Rico McCoy	Tennessee	6-1	215	Washington, D.C.
*LB	Wendel Davis	Arkansas	6-1	205	Sweeny, Texas
*LB	Jamon Hughes	Mississippi State	6-0	221	Rolling Fork, Miss.
DB	Trevard Lindley	Kentucky	6-0	175	Hiram, Ga.
DB	Emanuel Cook	South Carolina	6-0	205	Riviera Beach, Fla.
DB	D.J. Moore	Vanderbilt	5-10	180	Spartanburg, S.C.
*DB	Aairon Savage	Auburn	5-11	187	Albany, Ga.
*DB	Jerraud Powers	Auburn	5-9	184	Decatur, Ala.
FRESHMAN ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS
*PK	Lones Seiber	Kentucky	5-9	180	Knoxville, Tenn.
*PK	Joshua Shene	Ole Miss	5-9	170	Oklahoma City, Okla.
P	P.J. Fitzgerald	Alabama	6-0	196	Coral Springs, Fla.
RS	Brandon James	Florida	5-7	180	St. Augustine, Fla.

University of Tennessee Athletics

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