2008 Woodie Awards
Seven make all-Sun Belt
Press Release
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Sports
The Sun Belt Conference announced its all-league team today and Middle Tennessee had seven players honored. The Blue Raiders had four first team selections, one second team pick, and two on the honorable mention list.
In just two years, the Blue Raiders have had 11 first team honors under Rick Stockstill.
The league's coaches and selected media members honored junior Franklin Dunbar, senior Tavares Jones, senior Erik Walden, sophomore Desmond Gee, and senior Bradley Robinson as all-league picks in 2007. DeMarco McNair and Alex Suber made the honorable mention list.
The Blue Raiders' first-team selections were Dunbar, Gee, Jones, and Walden while Robinson made the second team.
Dunbar, a second team selection in 2006, started all 12 games for the Blue Raiders at left tackle and led all linemen with 840 snaps. The Waycross, Ga., native played 80 or more snaps in three straight games during the season and will enter play in 2008 having started in 30 straight games.
Jones, who joins Walden and Gee as Middle Tennessee's first back-to-back first team picks since Kerry Wright in 2003-2004, led the Blue Raiders in tackles with a career-best 61. The disruptive defensive end also paced the team in sacks with a personal-high seven to go along with 9.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups. The Swainsboro, Ga., product ended his career with 12.5 sacks to rank third all-time.
Despite missing two games with an injury, Walden impressed the voters with his relentless pressure even though he faced numerous double teams. Walden, who ended his career as the conference's second all-time leading sack man with 22.5, had 46 total tackles in 2007 to finish just two shy of his career mark. The Dublin, Ga., native had 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, and a safety in 2007.
The final first team selection was Gee, who earned the honor as an all-purpose performer for the second straight year. The true definition of all-purpose, Gee gained yards as a wide receiver, running back, kick returner, and punt returner in 2007 on his way to leading the team with 1,323 all-purpose yards. The Greenville, Fla., native was second on the team with a career-best 29 receptions.
In just two years, the Blue Raiders have had 11 first team honors under Rick Stockstill.
The league's coaches and selected media members honored junior Franklin Dunbar, senior Tavares Jones, senior Erik Walden, sophomore Desmond Gee, and senior Bradley Robinson as all-league picks in 2007. DeMarco McNair and Alex Suber made the honorable mention list.
The Blue Raiders' first-team selections were Dunbar, Gee, Jones, and Walden while Robinson made the second team.
Dunbar, a second team selection in 2006, started all 12 games for the Blue Raiders at left tackle and led all linemen with 840 snaps. The Waycross, Ga., native played 80 or more snaps in three straight games during the season and will enter play in 2008 having started in 30 straight games.
Jones, who joins Walden and Gee as Middle Tennessee's first back-to-back first team picks since Kerry Wright in 2003-2004, led the Blue Raiders in tackles with a career-best 61. The disruptive defensive end also paced the team in sacks with a personal-high seven to go along with 9.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups. The Swainsboro, Ga., product ended his career with 12.5 sacks to rank third all-time.
Despite missing two games with an injury, Walden impressed the voters with his relentless pressure even though he faced numerous double teams. Walden, who ended his career as the conference's second all-time leading sack man with 22.5, had 46 total tackles in 2007 to finish just two shy of his career mark. The Dublin, Ga., native had 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, and a safety in 2007.
The final first team selection was Gee, who earned the honor as an all-purpose performer for the second straight year. The true definition of all-purpose, Gee gained yards as a wide receiver, running back, kick returner, and punt returner in 2007 on his way to leading the team with 1,323 all-purpose yards. The Greenville, Fla., native was second on the team with a career-best 29 receptions.
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