We’re pleased to announce the “official” 2009 All-SEC team.
No biases. No slant. No trying to take care of every team. No career achievement awards.
Just the best players in the SEC this season with heavy emphasis placed on how they did against league competition.
The quarterback decision was extremely difficult. Florida’s Tim Tebow is one of the best college football players I’ve ever seen over the course of his career, but the numbers say Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett was a little better this season.
Mallett had 2,189 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions in eight SEC games. Tebow had 1,552 passing yards, eight touchdown passes and five interceptions in nine games against SEC foes. Tebow also had eight rushing touchdowns compared to Mallett’s two.
I realize that Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody is in the running for several national awards. At times, he’s a force in the middle, but he wasn’t one of the four best defensive linemen this season on an every-down basis.
Alabama's Javier Arenas was the only player in the league to make it at two different positions. What a senior season he's had. Vanderbilt's Warren Norman was the only freshman to make the team.
There were several tough choices (running back and defensive line, in particular), but here’s our 2009 All-SEC team. On offense, we’ve included an all-purpose player:
OFFENSE
QB -- Ryan Mallett, So., Arkansas
RB -- Mark Ingram, Jr., Alabama
RB -- Anthony Dixon, Sr., Mississippi State
AP -- Randall Cobb, So., Kentucky
WR -- Shay Hodge, Sr., Ole Miss
WR -- A.J. Green, So., Georgia
TE -- Aaron Hernandez, Jr., Florida
OL -- John Jerry, Sr. Ole Miss
OL -- Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama
OL -- Chris Scott, Sr., Tennessee
OL -- Mike Pouncey, Jr., Florida
C -- Maurkice Pouncey, Jr., Florida
DEFENSE
DE -- Antonio Coleman, Sr., Auburn
DE -- Pernell McPhee, Jr., Mississippi State
DT -- Dan Williams, Sr., Tennessee
DT -- Malcolm Sheppard, Sr., Arkansas
LB -- Eric Norwood, Sr., South Carolina
LB -- Rolando McClain, Jr., Alabama
LB -- Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida
DB -- Joe Haden, Jr., Florida
DB -- Patrick Peterson, So., LSU
DB -- Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama
DB -- Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee
SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- Leigh Tiffin, Sr., Alabama
P -- Drew Butler, So., Georgia
KR -- Warren Norman, Fr., Vanderbilt
PR -- Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama