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Five Beavers named to first team
Story URL: http://oregonstate.scout.com/2/819661.html

DAN NORZ
BeaverFootball.com

Dec 9, 2008

MIKE RILEY IS named Coach of the Year while Jacquizz Rodgers becomes first freshman in the Pac-10's history to be named Player of the Year. Plus, nine OSU players earn first and/or second team honors.

Coach Mike Riley

For the first time in his eight years at Oregon State as the head coach Riley was named the conference's Coach of the Year. He is the third Beaver in the history of the award to be recognized, joining Dave Kragthorpe (1989) and Dennis Erickson (2000).

Riley led the Beavers, who were predicted to finish seventh in the preseason Pac-10 media poll and had the fewest returning starters in the league, to a 7-2 conference record and a tie for second.

His team upset then No. 1 USC 27-21 at Reser Stadium Sept. 25, the only loss for the Rose Bowl bound Trojans.

First Team Selections

RB Jacquizz Rodgers | Freshman

Quizz made one of the biggest impacts in recent Pac-10 history for a freshman and was one of three players to be a unanimous selection.

He is the first freshman to ever be named Offensive Player of the Year.

The Richmond, Texas native rushed for a Pac-10 freshman record 1,253 yards, and added12 touchdowns for the season. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week three times and earned national player of the week honors after gaining 186 yards in the win over USC.

He is the first Beaver to be named the Offensive Player of the Year since the award was inaugurated in 1975.

KR James Rodgers | Sophomore

Rodgers 24.8 kick return average and his 818 total kickoff returns yards ranks second in the conference.

His 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Cal is the only kickoff returned for a touchdown this year in the Pac-10.

The 5-foot-7 dynamo was named Pac-10 Player of the Week after his performance against Cal.

OT Andy Levitre | Senior

With a team high 34 consecutive starts Levitre has been a stalwart on the offensive line helping the offense average 418.2 yards per game, good for third in the conference.

Levitre is also part of an offensive line that has given up just 16 sacks all year long - the least amount in the Pac-10.

He was a second team selection a year ago.

WR Sammie Stroughter | Senior

For the second time in his career Stroughter led the Pac-10 in receiving yards (952) and receiving yards per game (79.3) while his 5.3 catches for game is good for second in the conference.

His 55-yard touchdown reception at Stanford is the team's longest of the year while his seven receiving touchdowns is second on the team.

The senior will finish his career in the top five of Oregon State's career receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdown lists.

Stroughter was a second team selection as a junior in 2006.

DE Victor Butler | Senior

Despite starting just 12 games in his career Butler will finish his career as the school's second all-time sack leader.

His 54 stops this year is good for third on the team while his 16.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks are good for second.

Butler's three forced fumbles is a co-team high

Second Team Selections

OG Adam Speer | Senior

The 6-foot-3, 286-pound guard has quietly been one of the best offensive lineman of the team with 26 career starts.

Speer has earned Pac-10 Academic Honorable Mention four times.

S Greg Laybourn | Senior

The Pac-10's co-leading tackler at 8.8 stops has 105 tackles this year as he is just one of two players in the Pac-10 with triple digits.

The former walk-on also has a co-team high three interceptions and was named Pac-10 Player of the Week three times this season.

CB Brandon Hughes | Senior

The Bloomington, IL product has turned into one of the top corners in the conference with the strength to defend the run and the range to defend the deep pass.

His 11 pass breakups is a team high and is good for seventh in the conference.

Hughes, a team captain, finished the regular season with 34 tackles, two for loss, and one interception.

LB Keaton Kristick | Junior

In his first season as a starter Kristick tallied 77 tackles, good for second on the team, including 14 for loss, good for third on the team, 3.5 sacks and three pass breakups.

PR Sammie Stroughter | Senior

Stroughter didn't return a punt for a touchdown in the regular season but his 350 yards is the second highest in the conference while his 10.9 yards per return was good for fifth.

Honorable mention: senior safety Al Afalava, senior cornerback Keenan Lewis, junior quarterback Lyle Moevao, senior receiver Shane Morales, senior defensive end Slade Norris and sophomore defensive tackle Stephen Paea.

LINKS: 2007 all-conference player cards | 2006 all-conference player cards | 2005 all-conference player cards | 2004 all-conference player cards

Additional news and notes:

Riley thought Lewis and Norris should have made an All-Pac-10 squad.
The Beavers placed eight players on the first and second teams a year ago.
For the full list of all-Pac-10 players visit Pac-10.org.
USC placed the most players on the first team with eight selections, followed by Oregon and Oregon State with five each. Arizona and California were next with four each. Five of the 12 players named to the first-team defensive unit are Trojans.
Patrick Chung of Oregon is a double first-teamer, being named on both defense and as the first-team special teams performer (non-kicker or returner). Plus first-team wide receiver picks Mike Thomas of Arizona and Sammie Stroughter of Oregon State also were voted onto the team as punt returners (Thomas first team, Stroughter second team).
Five players were named to the first team on both the All-Pac-10 Team and the Pac-10 All-Academic Football Team--C Alex Mack of California, P Aaron Perez of UCLA, DE Nick Reed of Oregon, WR Sammie Stroughter of Oregon State and QB Mark Sanchez of USC. In addition, DE Clay Matthews of USC and CB Alterraun Verner of UCLA were named first-team All-Academic and second-team All-Pac-10.