Photo by: Southern ConferenceSPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference Sports Media Association selected its Football All-Conference Team and specialty awards for the 2012 season. Wofford's Eric Breitenstein earned the Roy M. "Legs" Offensive Player of the Year honor for the second consecutive season, while Chattanooga's Davis Tull was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year. Appalachian State wideout Sean Price earned the Freshman of the Year Award, while The Citadel's Kevin Higgins was named the Wallace Wade Coach of the Year.
Breitenstein led the Southern Conference and ranks fifth nationally with 150.3 rushing yards per game. A native of Valle Crucis, N.C., he scored 16 touchdowns on the ground for the Terriers and helped Wofford win a share of the Southern Conference regular-season championship with a 6-2 record. The senior rushed for at least 100 yards in 10 of 11 games this year. He set a new Southern Conference single-game record with 321 yards at Elon on Sept. 29.
Tull becomes the second UTC defensive lineman in the past four years to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, as Josh Beard took home the honor in 2009. Tull leads the SoCon and ranks third nationally with 12.5 sacks. He ranks sixth nationally with 18.5 tackles for loss and finished the regular season with 56 tackles. Originally from Knoxville, Tenn., Tull helped anchor the UTC defense, which ranked 10th nationally in total defense.
Price ranks seventh in the nation in receiving yards per game (114.3 ypg) and is eighth in receptions per contest (7.6 rpg). He has recorded at least 100 receiving yards in six of nine games this year, including a 231-yard effort at Georgia Southern on Nov. 3. Price caught eight touchdowns on the year and was named the league's Freshman of the Week twice during the season. He finished the regular season with 1,029 yards on 68 receptions as the Mountaineers earned a share of the SoCon title.
The Citadel was picked eighth in the SoCon preseason rankings before Higgins guided the Bulldogs to a 7-4 overall record and 5-3 mark in the league this season. The Citadel's five conference wins were the most since 1992, while the seven overall wins matched the mark set in 2007. Higgins becomes the first Citadel head coach to win the Wallace Wade Coach of the Year Award since Charlie Taaffe in 1990.
Appalachian State led all schools with 10 all-conference selections, including eight on the first team. Samford placed eight student-athletes on the all-conference team, while Georgia Southern and Chattanooga each had seven honorees.
2012 Media All-Southern Conference Football Team
Roy M. "Legs" Hawley Offensive Player of the Year - Eric Breitenstein, Sr., RB, Wofford
Defensive Player of the Year - Davis Tull, So., DE, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year - Sean Price, WR, Appalachian State
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year - Kevin Higgins, The Citadel
First Team Offense
QB Jamal Jackson, Jr., Appalachian State
RB Steven Miller, Sr., Appalachian State
RB Eric Breitenstein, Jr., Wofford
OL Mike Sellers, Sr., The Citadel
OL Dakota Dozier, Jr., Furman
OL Dorian Byrd, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL Ryan Dudchock, Sr., Samford
OL Jake Miles, Sr., Wofford
TE Colin Anderson, Sr., Furman
WR Sean Price, Fr., Appalachian State
WR Aaron Mellette, Sr., Elon
First Team Defense
DL Ronald Blair, So., Appalachian State
DL Brent Russell, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL Nicholas Williams, Sr., Samford
DL Davis Tull, So, Chattanooga
LB Jeremy Kimbrough, Sr., Appalachian State
LB Wes Dothard, Jr., Chattanooga
LB Rock Williams, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Demetrius McCray, Sr., Appalachian State
DB Troy Sanders, Sr., Appalachian State
DB Jaquiski Tartt, So., Samford
DB D.J. Key, Jr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Cameron Yaw, Sr., Samford
P Sam Martin, Sr., Appalachian State
RS Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
Second Team Offense
QB Thomas Wilson, Sr., Elon
RB Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
RB Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
OL Logan Daves, So., Georgia Southern
OL Jacob Kirschenbaum, Sr., Samford
OL Adam Miller, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Calvin Cantrell, Sr., Wofford
OL Ty Gregory, Jr., Wofford
OL (tie) Jared Singleton, Jr., Wofford
TE Faysal Shafaat, So., Chattanooga
WR Andrew Peacock, Jr., Appalachian State
WR Kelsey Pope, Jr., Samford
Second Team Defense
DL Chris Billingslea, Sr., The Citadel
DL Javon Mention, Jr., Georgia Southern
DL Dion Dubose, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL Derrick Lott, Jr., Chattanooga
LB Brandon Grier, Sr., Appalachian State
LB Jonathan Spain, So., Elon
LB Alvin Scioneaux, Jr., Wofford
DB Brandon McCladdie, Jr., The Citadel
DB Darius Eubanks, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB JJ Wilcox, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB Kadeem Wise, Jr., Chattanooga
Second Team Specialists
PK Adam Shreiner, Sr., Elon
P Cass Couey, Sr., The Citadel
RS Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
