The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2015 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team and individual awards, chosen by media representatives who cover the league.
The preseason team was dominated by upperclassmen with 19 seniors and 10 juniors among the 30 honorees. Eleven players were named to the 2014 All-Big 12 First Team while eight were on the second team.
Individual selections include quarterback Trevone Boykin (TCU) as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, lineman Shawn Oakman (Baylor) as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and running back Chris Carson (Oklahoma State) as Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
Boykin led TCU to a share of the 2014 Big 12 championship and a win over Mississippi in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year set TCU single-season records for passing yards (3,901), touchdown passes (33), touchdowns responsible for (42) and total offense (4,608). He ranked third in the nation in total offensive yards per game (354.5) and became just the third quarterback since 2009 to average at least 300 yards per game passing (300.1) and 50 rushing (54.4). Boykin was a consensus second-team All-American as well as the recipient of the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club Quarterback of the Year Award. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Oakman is a two-time All-Big 12 selection at defensive end and helped lead Baylor to consecutive Big 12 titles. Entering the 2015 season, he has 13 career sacks through 26 games to rank tied for sixth on the school all-time chart (two shy of school record of 15), and 32 career tackles for loss to rank eighth. He set the BU single-season sack record in 2014 with 11 while totaling 51 tackles (38 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss, nine QB hurries, three PBUs, three forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered. Oakman was named third-team All-America by Associated Press, Lindy's and Phil Steele, and honorable mention by Sports Illustrated.
Carson joins the Cowboys after spending two seasons at Butler Community College (Kan.), where he rushed for 994 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. In addition to hauling in 12 catches for two scores, Carson also led the Grizzlies in all-purpose yards, producing an average of 117.4 per contest.
The media Preseason Big 12 Poll will be released on Thursday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days to be conducted in Dallas on July 20-21. Both days will be televised live from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CT nationally on FOX Sports 2 and on FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports Oklahoma, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City. Exclusive, live coverage from the event will also be available on the Big 12's social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram (@Big12Conference) with #Big12FB serving as the official hashtag of the event.
Offensive Player of the Year: Trevone Boykin, TCU, QB, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Shawn Oakman, Baylor, DE, Sr.
Newcomer of the Year: Chris Carson, Oklahoma State, RB, Jr.
Offense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
QB Trevone Boykin # TCU 6-2 205 Sr./3L Dallas, Texas
RB Shock Linwood #^ Baylor 5-9 195 Jr./2L Linden, Texas
RB Samaje Perine # Oklahoma 5-11 237 So./1L Pflugerville, Texas
FB Glenn Gronkowski # K-State 6-3 234 Jr./2L Amherst, N.Y.
WR Corey Coleman * Baylor 5-11 190 Jr./2L Richardson, Texas
WR Sterling Shepard # Oklahoma 5-10 191 Sr./3L Oklahoma City, Okla.
WR Josh Doctson * TCU 6-3 195 Sr./2L Mansfield, Texas
TE Tre'Von Armstead Baylor 6-6 270 Jr./2L Port Arthur, Texas
OL Spencer Drango #^ Baylor 6-6 310 Sr./3L Cedar Park, Texas
OL Cody Whitehair #^ K-State 6-4 305 Sr./3L Abilene, Kan.
OL Joey Hunt * TCU 6-3 295 Sr./3L El Campo, Texas
OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai * TCU 6-6 308 Sr./3L Haltom, Texas
OL Le'Raven Clark #^ Texas Tech 6-6 307 Sr./3L Rockdale, Texas
PK Josh Lambert * West Virginia 5-11 215 Jr./2L Garland, Texas
KR/PR Alex Ross Oklahoma 6-1 220 Jr./2L Jenks, Okla.
Defense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
DL Andrew Billings # Baylor 6-2 300 Jr./2L Waco, Texas
DL Shawn Oakman # Baylor 6-9 280 Sr./2L Philadelphia, Pa.
DL Emmanuel Ogbah # Oklahoma State 6-4 275 Jr./2L Houston, Texas
DL Davion Pierson TCU 6-2 305 Sr./3L Oklahoma City, Okla.
DL Pete Robertson * Texas Tech 6-3 243 Sr.3L Longview, Texas
LB Eric Striker #^ Oklahoma 6-0 223 Sr./3L Seffner, Fla.
LB Ryan Simmons Oklahoma State 6-0 240 Sr./3L Cibolo, Texas
LB Nick Kwiatkoski West Virginia 6-2 235 Sr./3L Bethel Park, Pa.
DB Orion Stewart Baylor 6-2 200 Jr./2L Waco, Texas
DB Dante Barnett * K-State 6-1 193 Sr./3L Tulsa, Okla.
DB Zack Sanchez #^ Oklahoma 5-11 175 Jr./2L Fort Worth, Texas
DB Kevin Peterson Oklahoma State 5-11 190 Sr./3L Wagoner, Okla.
DB Duke Thomas Texas 5-10 178 Sr./3L Killeen, Texas
DB Karl Joseph #^ West Virginia 5-11 197 Sr./3L Orlando, Fla.
P Taylor Symmank Texas Tech 6-3 194 Sr./2L McKinney, Texas
A tie in voting at DB created an additional spot.
^ 2014 Preseason Team
# 2014 All-Big 12 First Team selection
* 2014 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
The preseason team was dominated by upperclassmen with 19 seniors and 10 juniors among the 30 honorees. Eleven players were named to the 2014 All-Big 12 First Team while eight were on the second team.
Individual selections include quarterback Trevone Boykin (TCU) as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, lineman Shawn Oakman (Baylor) as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and running back Chris Carson (Oklahoma State) as Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
Boykin led TCU to a share of the 2014 Big 12 championship and a win over Mississippi in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year set TCU single-season records for passing yards (3,901), touchdown passes (33), touchdowns responsible for (42) and total offense (4,608). He ranked third in the nation in total offensive yards per game (354.5) and became just the third quarterback since 2009 to average at least 300 yards per game passing (300.1) and 50 rushing (54.4). Boykin was a consensus second-team All-American as well as the recipient of the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club Quarterback of the Year Award. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Oakman is a two-time All-Big 12 selection at defensive end and helped lead Baylor to consecutive Big 12 titles. Entering the 2015 season, he has 13 career sacks through 26 games to rank tied for sixth on the school all-time chart (two shy of school record of 15), and 32 career tackles for loss to rank eighth. He set the BU single-season sack record in 2014 with 11 while totaling 51 tackles (38 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss, nine QB hurries, three PBUs, three forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered. Oakman was named third-team All-America by Associated Press, Lindy's and Phil Steele, and honorable mention by Sports Illustrated.
Carson joins the Cowboys after spending two seasons at Butler Community College (Kan.), where he rushed for 994 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. In addition to hauling in 12 catches for two scores, Carson also led the Grizzlies in all-purpose yards, producing an average of 117.4 per contest.
The media Preseason Big 12 Poll will be released on Thursday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days to be conducted in Dallas on July 20-21. Both days will be televised live from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CT nationally on FOX Sports 2 and on FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports Oklahoma, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City. Exclusive, live coverage from the event will also be available on the Big 12's social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram (@Big12Conference) with #Big12FB serving as the official hashtag of the event.
Offensive Player of the Year: Trevone Boykin, TCU, QB, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Shawn Oakman, Baylor, DE, Sr.
Newcomer of the Year: Chris Carson, Oklahoma State, RB, Jr.
Offense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
QB Trevone Boykin # TCU 6-2 205 Sr./3L Dallas, Texas
RB Shock Linwood #^ Baylor 5-9 195 Jr./2L Linden, Texas
RB Samaje Perine # Oklahoma 5-11 237 So./1L Pflugerville, Texas
FB Glenn Gronkowski # K-State 6-3 234 Jr./2L Amherst, N.Y.
WR Corey Coleman * Baylor 5-11 190 Jr./2L Richardson, Texas
WR Sterling Shepard # Oklahoma 5-10 191 Sr./3L Oklahoma City, Okla.
WR Josh Doctson * TCU 6-3 195 Sr./2L Mansfield, Texas
TE Tre'Von Armstead Baylor 6-6 270 Jr./2L Port Arthur, Texas
OL Spencer Drango #^ Baylor 6-6 310 Sr./3L Cedar Park, Texas
OL Cody Whitehair #^ K-State 6-4 305 Sr./3L Abilene, Kan.
OL Joey Hunt * TCU 6-3 295 Sr./3L El Campo, Texas
OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai * TCU 6-6 308 Sr./3L Haltom, Texas
OL Le'Raven Clark #^ Texas Tech 6-6 307 Sr./3L Rockdale, Texas
PK Josh Lambert * West Virginia 5-11 215 Jr./2L Garland, Texas
KR/PR Alex Ross Oklahoma 6-1 220 Jr./2L Jenks, Okla.
Defense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
DL Andrew Billings # Baylor 6-2 300 Jr./2L Waco, Texas
DL Shawn Oakman # Baylor 6-9 280 Sr./2L Philadelphia, Pa.
DL Emmanuel Ogbah # Oklahoma State 6-4 275 Jr./2L Houston, Texas
DL Davion Pierson TCU 6-2 305 Sr./3L Oklahoma City, Okla.
DL Pete Robertson * Texas Tech 6-3 243 Sr.3L Longview, Texas
LB Eric Striker #^ Oklahoma 6-0 223 Sr./3L Seffner, Fla.
LB Ryan Simmons Oklahoma State 6-0 240 Sr./3L Cibolo, Texas
LB Nick Kwiatkoski West Virginia 6-2 235 Sr./3L Bethel Park, Pa.
DB Orion Stewart Baylor 6-2 200 Jr./2L Waco, Texas
DB Dante Barnett * K-State 6-1 193 Sr./3L Tulsa, Okla.
DB Zack Sanchez #^ Oklahoma 5-11 175 Jr./2L Fort Worth, Texas
DB Kevin Peterson Oklahoma State 5-11 190 Sr./3L Wagoner, Okla.
DB Duke Thomas Texas 5-10 178 Sr./3L Killeen, Texas
DB Karl Joseph #^ West Virginia 5-11 197 Sr./3L Orlando, Fla.
P Taylor Symmank Texas Tech 6-3 194 Sr./2L McKinney, Texas
A tie in voting at DB created an additional spot.
^ 2014 Preseason Team
# 2014 All-Big 12 First Team selection
* 2014 All-Big 12 Second Team selection