Tide the clear pick, ties records for All-SEC selections
HOOVER _ The University of Alabama football team was named the overwhelming favorite to win the Southeastern Conference this season by journalist attending Media Days at the Wynfrey Hotel, with a record-tying eight players receiving preseason first-team All-SEC honors Friday morning.
The Crimson Tide was listed as the team to beat on 143 out of 177 ballots, 80.79 percent, with Florida a very distant second with 17. Auburn was the only other team to land more than three votes, with seven.
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Junior running back Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, received the most individual votes with 165, and was joined in the backfield by Trent Richardson, who edged Kentucky's Derrick Locke for first-team honors even though the sophomore doesn't start. However, Locke was named first-team as a return specialist.
Ingram was one of six Alabama players named first-team by both the media and coaches, joining wide receiver Julio Jones, guard Barrett Jones, defensive end Marcell Dareus, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron.
Joining them on the media's first-team were Richardson and tackle James Carpenter. Second-team selections were quarterback Greg McElroy, center William Vlachos, linebacker Courtney Upshaw and Julio Jones as a return specialist.
The 12 players overall tied the SEC record (since 1992), as did the eight first-team selections, both set last year by Florida. Both were coming off national championships.
Alabama received a whopping 157 first-place votes to win the West Division, with Florida receiving 153 in the East, which should they hold true would mean a third-straight meeting in the SEC Championship Game.
The media has accurately predicted the SEC champion just four times since 1992, but two of the last three (2007 and 2008). It's the first time Alabama got the nod since 2000, and just third time since 1992.
2010 SEC MEDIA DAYS PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC TEAM
FIRST-TEAM
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Ryan Mallett (118) Arkansas 6-6 238 Jr. Texarkana, Ark.
RB Mark Ingram (165) Alabama 5-10 215 Jr. Flint, Mich.
RB Trent Richardson (69) Alabama 5-11 220 So. Pensacola, Fla.
WR A.J. Green (142) Georgia 6-4 205 Jr. Summerville, S.C.
WR Julio Jones (123) Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, Ala.
TE D.J. Williams (105) Arkansas 6-2 251 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Lee Ziemba (114) Auburn 6-8 391 Sr. Rogers, Ark.
OL Barrett Jones (103) Alabama 6-4 301 So. Memphis, Tenn.
OL Clint Boling (85) Georgia 6-5 310 Sr. Alpharetta, Ga.
OL James Carpenter (77) Alabama 6-5 300 Sr. Augusta, Ga.
C Mike Pouncey (109) Florida 6-4 310 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.
Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Marcell Dareus (126) Alabama 6-4 306 Jr. Birmingham, Ala.
DL Jerrell Powe (77) Ole Miss 6-2 320 Sr. Waynesboro, Miss.
DL Cliff Matthews (46) South Carolina 6-4 260 Sr. Cheraw, S.C.
LB Dont'a Hightower (158) Alabama 6-4 258 So. Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB Kelvin Sheppard (84) LSU 6-3 239 Sr. Stone Mountain, Ga.
LB Josh Bynes (72) Auburn 6-2 235 Sr. Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
LB Brandon Hicks (65) Florida 6-2 228 Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.
DB Mark Barron (127) Alabama 6-2 210 Jr. Mobile, Ala.
DB Patrick Peterson (116) LSU 6-1 211 Jr. Pompano Beach, Fla.
DB Ahmad Black (67) Florida 5-9 189 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.
DB Stephon Gilmore (61) South Carolina 6-1 188 So. Rock Hill, S.C.
Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Blair Walsh (72) Georgia 5-10 191 Jr. Boca Raton, Fla.
P Drew Butler (104) Georgia 6-2 207 Jr. Duluth, Ga.
RS Derrick Locke (45) Kentucky 5-9 190 Sr. Hugo, Okla.
AP Randall Cobb (123) Kentucky 5-11 186 Jr. Alcoa, Tenn.
SECOND-TEAM
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Greg McElroy (44) Alabama 6-3 225 Sr. Southland, Texas
RB Derrick Locke (40) Kentucky 5-9 190 Sr. Hugo, Okla.
RB Mario Fannin (22) Auburn 5-11 228 Sr. Hampton, Ga.
WR Darvin Adams (19) Auburn 6-3 185 Jr. Kennesaw, Ga.
WR Randall Cobb (14) Kentucky 5-11 186 Jr. Alcoa, Tenn.
TE Luke Stocker (26) Tennessee 6-6 253 Sr. Berea, Ky.
OL Carl Johnson (53) Florida 6-5 360 Sr. Durham, N.C.
OL Marcus Gilbert (48) Florida 6-5 322 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
OL Derek Sherrod (47) Miss. State 6-6 305 Sr. Columbus, Miss.
OL DeMarcus Love (27) Arkansas 6-5 315 Sr. Lancaster, Texas
C William Vlachos (27) Alabama 6-1 289 Jr. Mountain Brook, Ala.
Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Pernell McPhee (34) Miss. State 6-4 285 Sr. Pahokee, Fla.
DL Justin Trattou (31) Florida 6-3 252 Sr. Ramsey, N.J.
DL Kentrell Lockett (29) Ole Miss 6-5 260 Sr. Hahnville, La.
LB Chris Marve (62) Vanderbilt 6-0 232 Jr. Memphis, Tenn.
LB Nick Reveiz (32) Tennessee 5-10 224 Sr. Farragut, Tenn.
LB Courtney Upshaw (31) Alabama 6-2 263 Jr. Eufala, Ala.
LB Justin Houston (30) Georgia 6-3 260 Jr. Statesboro, Ga.
DB Janoris Jenkins (56) Florida 5-11 186 Jr. Pahokee, Fla.
DB Will Hill (41) Florida 6-1 204 Jr. West Orange, N.J.
DB Brandon Boykin (39) Georgia 5-10 183 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga.
DB Zac Etheridge (33) Auburn 6-0 213 Sr. Troy, Ala.
Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Wes Byrum (65) Auburn 6-2 216 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
P Chas Henry (34) Florida 6-3 222 Jr. Dallas, Ga.
RS *Julio Jones (42) Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, Ala.
RS *Warren Norman (42) Vanderbilt 5-10 192 So. Stone Mountain, Ga.
AP Chris Rainey (35) Florida 5-9 176 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.
(* - Tie)
ALL-SEC BY TEAM
School 1st 2nd Total
Alabama 8 4 12
Arkansas 2 1 3
Auburn 2 4 6
Florida 3 7 10
Georgia 4 2 6
Kentucky 2 2 4
LSU 2 0 2
Ole Miss 1 1 2
Miss. State 0 2 2
South Carolina 2 0 2
Tennessee 0 2 2
Vanderbilt 0 2 2
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
SEC Champion - Alabama (143) , Florida (17), Auburn (7), Arkansas (3), Ole Miss (2), Georgia (2), LSU (1), South Carolina (1), Kentucky (1).
Eastern Division (First Place Votes)
1. Florida (153) 1030
2. Georgia (15) 791
3. South Carolina (8) 790
4. Kentucky 462
5. Tennessee 450
6. Vanderbilt (1) 194
Western Division (First Place Votes)
1. Alabama (157) 1034
2. Arkansas (6) 726
3. Auburn (10) 691
4. LSU (1) 653
5. Miss. State 320
6. Ole Miss (3) 293
In comparison, Alabama had six players named first-team by league coaches, which was released Tuesday.
2010 SEC COACHES PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC TEAM
FIRST-TEAM
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Ryan Mallett Arkansas 6-6 238 Jr. Texarkana, Ark.
RB Mark Ingram Alabama 5-10 215 Jr. Flint, Mich.
RB Derrick Locke Kentucky 5-9 190 Sr. Hugo, Okla.
WR A.J. Green Georgia 6-4 205 Jr. Summerville, S.C.
WR Julio Jones Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, Ala.
TE D.J. Williams Arkansas 6-2 251 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Clint Boling Georgia 6-5 310 Sr. Alpharetta, Ga.
OL Carl Johnson Florida 6-5 360 Sr. Durham, N.C.
OL Barrett Jones Alabama 6-4 301 So. Memphis, Tenn.
OL Lee Ziemba Auburn 6-8 391 Sr. Rogers, Ark.
C Mike Pouncey Florida 6-4 310 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.
Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Marcell Dareus Alabama 6-4 306 Jr. Birmingham, Ala.
DL Jerrell Powe Ole Miss 6-2 320 Sr. Waynesboro, Miss.
DL Cliff Matthews South Carolina 6-4 260 Sr. Cheraw, S.C.
LB Josh Bynes Auburn 6-2 235 Sr. Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
LB Dont'a Hightower Alabama 6-4 258 So. Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB Chris Marve Vanderbilt 6-0 232 Jr. Memphis, Tenn.
LB Kelvin Sheppard LSU 6-3 239 Sr. Stone Mountain, Ga.
DB Mark Barron Alabama 6-2 210 Jr. Mobile, Ala.
DB Patrick Peterson LSU 6-1 211 Jr. Pompano Beach, Fla.
DB Stephon Gilmore South Carolina 6-1 188 So. Rock Hill, S.C.
DB Janoris Jenkins Florida 5-11 186 Jr. Pahokee, Fla.
Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Blair Walsh Georgia 5-10 191 Jr. Boca Raton, Fla.
P Drew Butler Georgia 6-2 207 Jr. Duluth, Ga.
RS Warren Norman Vanderbilt 5-10 192 So. Stone Mountain, Ga.
AP Randall Cobb Kentucky 5-11 186 Jr. Alcoa, Tenn.
SECOND-TEAM
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Greg McElroy Alabama 6-3 225 Sr. Southland, Texas
RB Jeff Demps Florida 5-8 184 Jr. Winter Garden, Fla.
RB Trent Richardson Alabama 5-11 220 So. Pensacola, Fla.
WR Darvin Adams Auburn 6-3 185 Jr. Kennesaw, Ga.
WR Alshon Jeffery South Carolina 6-4 237 So. St. Matthews, S.C.
TE Luke Stocker Tennessee 6-6 253 Sr. Berea, Ky.
OL James Carpenter Alabama 6-5 300 Sr. Augusta, Ga.
OL DeMarcus Love Arkansas 6-5 315 Sr. Lancaster, Texas
OL Derek Sherrod Miss. State 6-6 305 Sr. Columbus, Miss.
OL *Cordy Glenn Georgia 6-5 330 Jr. Riverdale, Ga.
OL *Joseph Barksdale LSU 6-5 315 Sr. Detroit, Mich.
C Ryan Pugh Auburn 6-4 297 Sr. Hoover, Ala.
Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Pernell McPhee Miss. State 6-4 285 Sr. Pahokee, Fla.
DL Drake Nevis LSU 6-1 292 Sr. Marrero, La.
DL *DeQuin Evans Kentucky 6-3 256 Sr. Long Beach, Calif.
DL *Chris Walker Tennessee 6-3 245 Sr. Memphis, Tenn.
DL * Ladi Ajiboye South Carolina 6-2 278 Sr. Riverdale, Ga.
LB Jerry Franklin Arkansas 6-1 241 Jr. Marion, Ark.
LB A.J. Jones Florida 6-1 226 Sr. Tampa, Fla.
LB Craig Stevens Auburn 6-3 229 Sr. Tallahassee, Fla.
LB K.J. Wright Miss. State 6-4 250 Sr. Olive Branch, Miss.
DB Ahmad Black Florida 5-9 189 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.
DB Chris Culliver South Carolina 6-1 197 Sr. Garner, N.C.
DB Will Hill Florida 6-1 204 Jr. West Orange, N.J.
DB Neiko Thorpe Auburn 6-2 186 Jr. Tucker, Ga.
Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Caleb Sturgis Florida 5-10 192 Jr. St. Augustine, Fla.
P Chas Henry Florida 6-3 222 Jr. Dallas, Ga.
RS Brandon Boykin Georgia 5-10 183 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga.
AP Chris Rainey Florida 5-9 176 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.
(* - Tie)
ALL-SEC BY TEAM
School 1st 2nd Total
Alabama 6 3 9
Arkansas 2 2 4
Auburn 2 4 6
Florida 3 7 10
Georgia 4 2 6
Kentucky 2 1 3
LSU 2 2 4
Ole Miss 1 0 1
Miss. State 0 3 3
South Carolina 2 3 5
Tennessee 0 2 2
Vanderbilt 2 0 2