Luke
12-05-2008, 02:45 PM
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was good enough to be The Associated Press' Big 12 offensive player of the year. But he was not good enough to make the AP All-Big 12 first team.
That honor, announced Thursday, went to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, who made the first team by one vote over McCoy.
As was the case in the Big 12 South race -- which saw Oklahoma emerge from a three-way tie with the Longhorns and Texas Tech-- the Red Raiders played the spoiler in the race.
Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was the only other quarterback to get a vote from the 20 voters who decided the AP's Big 12 all-conference teams. Harrell picked up four votes -- one for first team and three for second team. Thus, the race swung on whether Harrell voters picked McCoy or Bradford as their second choice.
Three of those voters went with Bradford at second team and left McCoy off the ballot.
To emphasize how big of a difference that was, consider that Bradford and McCoy were both named on 16 of the 20 ballots. Nine favored McCoy over Bradford, seven went the other way.
Oklahoma earned a league-best six first-team all-conference picks, including linebacker Travis Lewis, the only freshman to make the top squad, and offensive lineman Duke Robinson, who was first-team last year, too.
Missouri has five first-teamers, as did Texas Tech.
Only three players were unanimous choices: Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter and Texas defensive lineman Brian Orakpo, who also was the defensive player of the year. This was Crabtree's second straight season as a unanimous pick.
Missouri Tigers Jeremy Maclin was a first-teamer at two spots, receiver and all-purpose, which accounts for his elusiveness as a returner. He was a unanimous first-teamer at all-purpose last season. His teammates Sean Weatherspoon, a linebacker, and kicker Jeff Wolfert are returning first-teamers. Weatherspoon is the only defensive player back from last year's first team.
That honor, announced Thursday, went to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, who made the first team by one vote over McCoy.
As was the case in the Big 12 South race -- which saw Oklahoma emerge from a three-way tie with the Longhorns and Texas Tech-- the Red Raiders played the spoiler in the race.
Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was the only other quarterback to get a vote from the 20 voters who decided the AP's Big 12 all-conference teams. Harrell picked up four votes -- one for first team and three for second team. Thus, the race swung on whether Harrell voters picked McCoy or Bradford as their second choice.
Three of those voters went with Bradford at second team and left McCoy off the ballot.
To emphasize how big of a difference that was, consider that Bradford and McCoy were both named on 16 of the 20 ballots. Nine favored McCoy over Bradford, seven went the other way.
Oklahoma earned a league-best six first-team all-conference picks, including linebacker Travis Lewis, the only freshman to make the top squad, and offensive lineman Duke Robinson, who was first-team last year, too.
Missouri has five first-teamers, as did Texas Tech.
Only three players were unanimous choices: Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter and Texas defensive lineman Brian Orakpo, who also was the defensive player of the year. This was Crabtree's second straight season as a unanimous pick.
Missouri Tigers Jeremy Maclin was a first-teamer at two spots, receiver and all-purpose, which accounts for his elusiveness as a returner. He was a unanimous first-teamer at all-purpose last season. His teammates Sean Weatherspoon, a linebacker, and kicker Jeff Wolfert are returning first-teamers. Weatherspoon is the only defensive player back from last year's first team.