Seven Sooners named to All-Big 12 Team

DALLAS (AP) _ With Oklahoma ranked No. 1 and the nation's only undefeated team, it's understandable that Sooners dominated The Associated Press All-Big 12 team. <br><br>What may be surprising is

Thursday, November 30th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DALLAS (AP) _ With Oklahoma ranked No. 1 and the nation's only undefeated team, it's understandable that Sooners dominated The Associated Press All-Big 12 team.

What may be surprising is where they appear most: Defense.

Known mostly for a high-scoring offense led by quarterback Josh Heupel, Oklahoma had only two players make the first team on that side of the ball compared with four players _ plus the punter _ on defense.

``We can win without just outscoring everybody,'' Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. ``We've had big stops in the fourth quarter, big turnovers the entire year. Our defense has just been exceptional with the big plays they've come up with.''

The seven first-team choices for the Sooners were easily the most. No. 8 Kansas State, which plays OU on Saturday in the conference title game, was the closest with five.

The AP team, released Thursday, was picked by sports writers from the league's seven states who regularly cover the conference. Earlier this week, Stoops was named coach of the year and three of the four individual honors went to Sooners.

Heupel, the unanimous choice for offensive player of the year, was among three unanimous picks on the first-team offense. The only one on defense was Sooners linebacker Rocky Calmus, who also was the AP's defensive player of the year.

Other Oklahoma defenders on the first team were linebacker Torrance Marshall and defensive backs J.T. Thatcher and Roy Williams. Williams is the only sophomore on the first team. Calmus was picked as a sophomore last season.

The Sooners' defense led the Big 12 and was fifth in the country in points allowed per game at 15.3. They ranked third overall in the conference and ninth in the nation at 282.5 yards per game.

How's this for consistency: Oklahoma also was No. 3 in the league in defending the run and the pass.

``That's pretty special,'' said Stoops, who was defensive coordinator at Florida before taking over the Sooners last season. ``It's a good league and we've played strong teams in this league through the year.''

Offensive lineman Frank Romero joined Heupel on the offensive first team. Punter Jeff Ferguson also was selected.

Along with chasing the national championship, Heupel is within reach of several high personal honors, such as All-American and the Heisman Trophy.

While the debate about whether he or Florida State's Chris Weinke deserve the big prize, the left-hander isn't even paying attention.

``I live a pretty sheltered life,'' Heupel said. ``I don't read the newspapers or watch TV when it has anything to do with what's going in inside the walls of this football program.''

The Sooners also had three second-team picks _ including Thatcher again, this time at the all-purpose spot on offense _ and nine players made honorable mention. That means a total of 18 Oklahoma players received votes, a phenomenal feat.

Kansas State had 15 vote-getters. The Wildcats' first-team honorees were receiver Quincy Morgan, a unanimous pick, all-purpose performer Aaron Lockett, kicker Jamie Rheem and defensive linemen Monty Beisel and Mario Fatafehi. Rheem and Morgan were first-teamers last year, too.

No. 10 Nebraska had four first-teamers in center Dominic Raiola, another unanimous pick, and a trio of returning honorees in offensive lineman Russ Hochstein, tight end Tracey Wistrom and linebacker Carlos Polk.

Fatafehi and Raiola are both from Honolulu. That's as many as Houston and Tulsa, Okla., produced. Another interesting hometown nugget: both first-team running backs _ Ennis Haywood of Iowa State and No. 12 Texas' Hodges Mitchell _ are from Dallas.

Mitchell was joined on the first team by his biggest blocker, 6-foot-6, 365-pound Leonard Davis. Another Longhorn selected was Casey Hampton on the defensive line. Mitchell and Hampton also were first-teamers in 1999.

Haywood, who led the conference in rushing at 123.7 yards per game, also was joined by one of his top blockers, Ben Bruns.

The only other school with multiple honorees was Texas A&M. The Aggies produced receiver Robert Ferguson, the offensive newcomer of the year, and linebacker Jason Glenn.

The rest of the first team was defensive lineman Justin Smith of Missouri, who also was honored last season, and defensive backs Gary Baxter of Baylor and Kevin Curtis of Texas Tech.

Offense

Center: Dominic Raiola-a, Nebraska, Jr., 6-2, 300, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Guards-Tackles: Ben Bruns, Iowa State, Sr., 6-3, 307, Denver, Iowa; Leonard Davis, Texas, Sr., 6-6, 365, Wortham, Texas; Russ Hochstein, Nebraska, Sr., 6-4, 290, Hartington, Neb.; Frank Romero, Oklahoma, Jr., 6-4, 274, Moore, Okla.

Tight end: Tracey Wistrom, Nebraska, Jr., 6-5, 220, Webb City, Mo.

Receivers: Robert Ferguson, Texas A&M, Jr., 6-2, 220, Houston, Texas; Quincy Morgan-a, Kansas State, Sr., 6-2, 215, Garland, Texas.

Running Backs: Ennis Haywood, Iowa State, Jr., 5-11, 206, Dallas, Texas; Hodges Mitchell, Texas, Sr., 5-7, 185, Dallas, Texas.

Quarterback: Josh Heupel-a, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-2, 214, Aberdeen, S.D.

All-purpose: Aaron Lockett, Kansas State, Jr., 5-7, 165, Tulsa, Okla.

Kicker: Jamie Rheem, Kansas State, Sr., 6-2, 190, Wichita, Kan.

Defense

Linemen: Monty Beisel, Kansas State, Sr., 6-4, 265, Douglas, Kan.; Mario Fatafehi, Kansas State, Sr., 6-2, 305, Honolulu, Hawaii; Casey Hampton, Texas, Sr., 6-1, 310, Galveston, Texas; Justin Smith, Missouri, Jr., 6-5, 265, Holts Summit, Mo.

Linebackers: Rocky Calmus-a, Oklahoma, Jr., 6-3, 234, Jenks, Okla.; Jason Glenn, Texas A&M, Sr., 6-1, 235, Houston, Texas; Torrance Marshall, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-2, 247, Miami, Fla.; Carlos Polk, Nebraska, Sr., 6-2, 250, Rockford, Ill.

Defensive Backs: Gary Baxter, Baylor, Sr., 6-2, 195, Tyler, Texas; Kevin Curtis, Texas Tech, Jr., 6-3, 209, Lubbock, Texas; J.T. Thatcher, Oklahoma, Sr., 5-11, 217, Norman, Okla.; Roy Williams, Oklahoma, Soph., 6-0, 221, Union City, Calif.

Punter: Jeff Ferguson, Oklahoma, Jr., 5-10, 190, Tulsa, Okla.

Second team

Center: Seth McKinney, Texas A&M, Jr., 6-3, 290, Austin, Texas.

Guards-Tackles: Randall Cummins, Kansas State, Sr., 6-3, 285, Cedar Hill, Texas; Toniu Fonoti, Nebraska, Soph., 6-4, 330, Hauula, Hawaii; Andre Gurode, Colorado, Jr., 6-4, 320, Houston, Texas; Scott Kempenich, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-5, 302, Wagoner, Okla.

Tight end: Daniel Graham, Colorado, Jr., 6-3, 240, Denver, Colo.

Receivers: Tim Baker, Texas Tech, Sr., 6-5, 202, Borger, Texas; J.J. Moses, Iowa State, Sr., 5-6, 170, Waterloo, Iowa.

Running backs: Dan Alexander, Nebraska, Sr., 6-0, 245, Wentzville, Mo.; Reggie White, Oklahoma State, Jr., 5-11, 225, Liberty, Texas.

Quarterback: Eric Crouch, Nebraska, Jr., 6-1, 205, Omaha, Neb.

All-purpose: J.T. Thatcher, Oklahoma, Sr., 5-11, 217, Norman, Okla.

Kicker: Kris Stockton, Texas, Sr., 5-9, 195, Katy, Texas.

Defense

Linemen: Ryan Fisher, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-1, 291, Arlington, Texas; Reggie Hayward, Iowa State, Sr., 6-5, 245, Dolton, Ill.; Chris Johnson, Kansas State, Sr., 6-1, 255, Chickasha, Okla.; Kyle Vanden Boesch, Nebraska, Sr., 6-4, 270, Larchwood, Iowa.

Linebackers: Lawrence Flugence, Texas Tech, Soph., 6-1, 221, Klein, Texas; Brian Gamble, Texas A&M, Soph., 6-2, 231, Alto, Texas; Ben Leber, Kansas State, Jr., 6-4, 250, Vermillion, S.D.; D'Andre Lewis, Texas, Jr., 6-1, 245, Houston, Texas.

Defensive Backs: Jerametrius Butler, Kansas State, Jr., 5-10, 180, Dallas, Texas; Dyshod Carter, Kansas State, Sr., 5-10, 185, Denver, Colo.; Quentin Jammer, Texas, Jr., 6-1, 198, Angleton, Texas; Carl Nesmith, Kansas, Sr., 6-3, 215, Jacksonville, Fla.

Punter: Dan Hadenfeldt, Nebraska, Sr., 5-11, 195, Des Moines, Iowa.

Honorable mention (others receiving votes)

Offensive linemen (center, guard-tackle): Tom Ashworth, Colorado; Ben Beaudet, Iowa State; Bubba Burcham, Oklahoma; Mike Hayes, Missouri; Matt Heider, Texas Tech; Antwan Kirk-Hughes, Texas; Josh Lind, Oklahoma State; Marc Owen, Kansas; Rex Richards, Texas Tech; Victor Rogers, Colorado; Andy Stensrud, Iowa State; Milford Stephenson, Kansas State; Chris Valleta, Texas A&M; Dave Volk, Nebraska; Mike Williams, Texas.

Tight ends: Dwayne Blakely, Missouri; Shad Meier, Kansas State; Marcellus Rivers, Oklahoma State; Trent Smith, Oklahoma.

Receivers: Derek Dorris, Texas Tech; Justin Gage, Missouri; Javon Green, Colorado; Antwone Savage, Oklahoma; Roy Williams, Texas.

Running backs: Correll Buckhalter, Nebraska; Quentin Griffin, Oklahoma; Cortlen Johnson, Colorado; Ja'Mar Toombs, Texas A&M; David Winbush, Kansas.

Quarterbacks: Jonathan Beasley, Kansas State; Sage Rosenfels, Iowa State.

All-purpose: Jamaal Fobbs, Oklahoma State; Quentin Griffin, Oklahoma; Hodges Mitchell, Texas; J.J. Moses, Iowa State; Bobby Newcombe, Nebraska; Wes Welker, Texas Tech.

Kickers: Tim Duncan, Oklahoma; Terrence Kitchens, Texas A&M.

Defensive linemen: Nate Dwyer, Kansas; Corey Callens, Oklahoma; Kris Kocurek, Texas Tech; Kris Micheaux, Baylor; Pat Mingucci, Missouri; Cory Redding, Texas; James Reed, Iowa State; Ramon Richardson, Oklahoma; Shaun Rogers, Texas; Juqua Thomas, Oklahoma State.

Linebackers: Cornelius Anthony, Texas A&M; Roylin Bradley, Texas A&M; Sean Doyle, Missouri; Rombrose Jones, Oklahoma; Dwayne Levels, Oklahoma State; John Norman, Texas Tech; Dorian Pitts, Texas Tech; Marcus Rogers, Kansas; Jashon Sykes, Colorado.

Defensive backs: Jay Brooks, Texas A&M; Greg Brown, Texas; Jarrod Cooper, Kansas State; Keyuo Craver, Nebraska; Sammy Davis, Texas A&M; Kareem High, Kansas; Michael Jameson, Texas A&M; Terrence Kiel, Texas A&M; Michael Lewis, Colorado; Jon McGraw, Kansas State; Jamarcus Powers, Iowa State; Derrick Strait, Oklahoma; Troy Watchorn, Nebraska.

Offensive player of the year: Heupel-a, Oklahoma.

Defensive player of the year: Calmus, Oklahoma.

Offensive newcomer of the year: Ferguson, Texas A&M.

Defensive newcomer of the year: Strait, Oklahoma.

Coach of the year: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma.

Voters: Lee Barfknecht, Omaha (Neb.) World Herald; B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News, Denver; Erik Brooks, Ames (Iowa) Tribune; Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Kim Gorum, Waco Tribune-Herald; Tim Griffin, San Antonio Express-News; Suzanne Halliburton, Austin American-Statesman; Justin Harper, Norman (Okla.) Transcript; Kevin Haskin, Topeka (Kan.) Capitol-Journal; Kent Heitholt, Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune; Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City (Mo.) Star; Fred Mann, Wichita (Kan.) Eagle; John Rohde, The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City; Brent Schrotenboer, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal; John Shipley, Des Moines (Iowa) Register; Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle; Adam Thompson, Denver Post; Jimmie Trammel, Tulsa (Okla.) World; Keith Whitmire, The Dallas Morning News.