Dec. 21, 2007

BATON ROUGE, La. - The Colonels placed five on the LSWA All-Louisiana football squads with junior Ladarius Webb taking home LSWA Newcomer of the Year, while being selected to the first team on defense and as a return specialist.

Making the second team was senior defensive back Kareem Moore and senior offensive lineman Benjamin Gombossy. Sophomore Jairus Jarvis was selected to the honorable mention team to round out all of Nicholls players on the coveted list.

The release from the LSWA is below:

LOUISIANA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LSU, TULANE, NICHOLLS STATE ATHLETES TAKE TOP HONORS IN LSWA FOOTBALL VOTE

BATON ROUGE - LSU's Glenn Dorsey added another award to his list of honors, while Tulane running back Matt Forte put up numbers that were hard to ignore in taking the top two honors on this year's Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Football team announced by the association late Friday night.

Also earning special recognition honors were LSU freshman Chad Jones, Nicholls State newcomer Ladarius Webb and like some LSU football games this year, the Coach of the Year wasn't decided until the last two ballots when LSU's Les Miles earned the honor.

The team was voted on by a panel of LSWA members after nominations were processed from the various football playing schools in Louisiana. The nominations were submitted by the sports information personnel at the respective schools.

Dorsey was named the Outstanding Defensive Football Player of the Year, while Forte earned the Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year. Jones was named the Freshman of the Year, while Webb, who nailed down two first-team positions, was named the Outstanding Newcomer in the state of Louisiana for non-freshman playing their first year of football in the state of Louisiana.

Joining Forte on the first team offense were - Offensive Line: Demetrius Bell, Northwestern State; Herman Johnson and Ciron Black, LSU; Kyle Cunningham, Louisiana-Monroe; and, Jessie Newman, Louisiana-Lafayette. Tight End: Zeek Zacharie, Louisiana-Monroe. Wide Receiver: Early Doucet, LSU; Carlese Franklin, McNeese State. Running Back: Calvin Dawson, Louisiana-Monroe. Quarterback: Matt Flynn, LSU.

With Dorsey on the first team defense were - Defensive Line: Bryan Smith, McNeese State; Vincent Lands, Southern; and, Rodney Hardeway, Louisiana-Lafayette. Linebacker: Ali Highsmith, LSU; Allen Nelson, McNeese State; and, Darry Beckwith, LSU. Defensive Back: Chevis Jackson and Craig Steltz, LSU; Webb, Nicholls State; and, Greg James, Louisiana-Monroe.

The first team special team players were - Kicker: Colt David, LSU. Punter: Patrick Fisher, LSU; Return Specialist: Webb, Nicholls State.

Dorsey adds the nearly unanimous POY honor to his awards list that includes the Nagurski, Lombardi and the Lott awards along with the Outland Trophy/ The first team All-American is the most decorated defensive player in LSU history and had 64 tackles, six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. The senior from Gonzales had four quarterback hurries all while being double teamed and sometimes triple teamed.

Forte seemed to be putting up records each week as he rushed for 2,217 yards (second best in the NCAA), averaging 177.2 yards per game and 11.7 points per game. He was just the 11th player in Division I history to surpass 2,000-yards in a single season. He had five 200-plus and two 300-plus games in 2007, most noted by a school and Conference USA record 342 yards versus SMU. He score five touchdowns each against Southeastern Louisiana and Rive and was voted first-team All-Conference USA and second team All-American. Jones earned freshman of the year honors for his efforts on defense and special teams for LSU. The Freshman All-American had 34 tackles, two sacks and an interception, including a career high six tackles in the SEC Championship game. He was best hailed for his late-game sack in the Alabama game that resulted in a fumble that set up the game-winning score. He also made a team-leading 21 tackles on special team units.

Webb, the Southland Newcomer of the Year, earned Walter Camp All-American honors and was the only player in NCAA history to win all three (offense, defense, special teams) weekly conference player of the week awards through the course of a season. Had 51 tackles, five interceptions with three returned for a touchdown with one rushing touchdown on offense and one touchdown on a punt return. He was ranked third nationally with a 17.1 punt return average and 17th in kickoff average at 26.7 yards.

Miles, taking LSU to the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7 as the No. 2 in the BCS standings, led LSU to an 11-2 record and the SEC Championship with the only two losses coming in triple overtime at Kentucky and to Arkansas. In his third season as coach, Miles was a finalist for the 2007 Bryant Award, given to the nation's top coach. Miles won a close vote for coach of the year at the end over Matt Viator of McNeese State who led the Cowboys to the FCS playoffs as the No. 2 seed and Charlie Weatherbie of Louisiana-Monroe who led the Warhawks to their first bowl eligible season since jumping to the FBS in 1994, including a win over SEC foe Alabama.

Eight teams had players on the 25-player first team with LSU getting 11 spots with Louisiana-Monroe putting four on the first team. McNeese State had three first-teamers with Louisiana-Lafayette and Nicholls State getting two spots each and Northwestern State, Tulane and Southern University one each.

All-Louisiana College Football Team

(As selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association)

First Team Offense

Pos/Name/School/Class/Hometown/Stats, Notes>

OL/Demetrius Bell/Northwestern St./Sr./Summerfield, La./First Team All-American (FCS)

OL/Herman Johnson/LSU/So./Denton, Texas/First Team All-SEC

OL/Kyle Cunningham/Louisiana-Monroe/Sr./Oklahoma City, Okla./First Team All-Sun Belt

OL /Jesse Newman/Louisiana-Lafayette/Sr./Powell River, B. C./First Team All-Sun Belt

OL/Ciron Black/LSU/So./Tyler, Texas/Second Team All-SEC

TE/Zeek Zacharie/Louisiana-Monroe/Jr./Cade, La./6 TDs, First Team All-Sun Belt

WR/Early Doucet/LSU/Sr./St. Martinsville, La./4 TDs, injured 5 weeks

WR/Carlese Franklin/McNeese State/Sr./Kentwood, La./4 TDs, All-Southland

RB/Matt Forte/Tulane/Sr./Slidell, La./2,127 yards, Second Team All-American

RB/Calvin Dawson/Louisiana-Monroe/Sr./Bossier City, La./1,414 yards, First Team All-Sun Belt

QB/Matt Flynn/LSU/Sr./Tyler, Texas/17 TDs passing, 4 TDs rushing, 2,233 passing yards

First Team Defense

Pos/Name/School/Class/Hometown/Stats, Notes>

DL/Glenn Dorsey/LSU/Sr./Gonzales, La./Nagurski, Lott, Outland, Lombardi winner

DL/Bryan Smith/McNeese State/Sr./Newton, Texas/Southland Conference Player of the Year

DL/Vincent Lands/Southern/Sr./Baton Rouge, La./First Team All-SWAC, 60 tackles, 9 sacks

DL/Rodney Hardeway/Louisiana-Lafayette/Sr./Tyler, Texas/First Team All-Sun Belt, 33 tackles, 7 sacks

LB/Ali Highsmith/LSU/Sr./Miami, Fla./First Team All-American, 93 tackles

LB/Allen Nelson/McNeese State/Jr./Beaumont, Texas/First Team All-SLC, 103 tackles

LB/Darry Beckwith/LSU/Jr./Baton Rouge, La./First Team All-SEC, 63 tackles

DB/Chevis Jackson/LSU/Sr./Mobile, Ala./First Team All-SEC, 42 tackles, 4 int.

DB/ Ladarius Webb /Nicholls State/Jr./Opelika, Ala./All-American, SLC Newcomer, 51 tackles, 5 int.

DB/Craig Steltz/LSU/Sr./Kenner, La./First-team All-American, 97 tackles, 6 int.

DB/Greg James/Louisiana-Monroe/So./Monroe, La./First Team All-Sun Belt, 68 tackles, 5 int.

First Team Special Teams

K/Colt Davis/LSU/Jr./Grapevine, Texas/First Team All-SEC, 25-31 FG, 58-58 PATs

P/Patrick Fisher/LSU/Sr./Hyattsville, Md./First Team All-SEC, 43.9 avg.

RS/Ladarius Webb/Nicholls State/Jr./Opelika, Ala./Second Team All-SLC Return Specialist

Offensive Player of the Year - Matt Forte, Tulane

Voting - Forte (13): Jacob Hester, LSU (4); Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana Lafayette (1)

Defensive Player of the Year - Glenn Dorsey, LSU

Voting - Dorsey (17); Bryan Smith, McNeese State (1)

Freshman of the Year - Chad Jones, LSU

Voting - Jones (11); Grant Fleming, Louisiana-Lafayette (2); Phillip Livas, Louisiana Tech (2); Frank Warren, Grambling State (2); Mark Newbill, Southeastern Louisiana (1).

Newcomer of the Year - Ladarius Webb, Nicholls State

Voting - Webb (12); Demetrius Byrd, LSU (6)

Coach of the Year - Les Miles, LSU

Voting - Miles (7); Matt Viator, McNeese (6); Charlie Weatherbie, Louisiana-Monroe (4); Rod Broadway, Grambling (1).

Second Team

Offense - OL: Aryan Barto, Tulane; Tavarus Cockrell, Grambling State; Eman Naghavi, McNeese State; Brett Helms, LSU; Benjamin Gombossy, Nicholls State. TE: Richard Dickson, LSU. WR: Demetrius Byrd, LSU; Clyde Edwards, Grambling State. RB: Jacob Hester, LSU; Tyrell Fenroy, Louisiana-Lafayette. QB: Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana-Lafayette.

Defense - DL: Kirston Pittman, LSU; Antonio Harris, Tulane; Vaalyn Jackson, McNeese State; Chris Pugh, Louisiana Tech; David Cooper, Louisiana-Monroe. LB: Trey Bennett, McNeese; Quin Harris, Louisiana Tech; Antwyne Zanders, Louisiana-Lafayette. DB: Kareem Moore, Nicholls State; Antonio Baker, Louisiana Tech; Chad Jones, LSU; David Skehan, Tulane; Jonathon Zenon, LSU.

Special Teams - K: Jeff Turner, Southeastern Louisiana. P: Scott Love, Louisiana-Monroe. RS: Jordan Rideaux, Louisiana College.

Honorable Mention

Offense: OL: Adam Hill, Louisiana-Monroe; Andrew Nierman, Tulane. WR: Taylor Huffman, Louisiana College. Defense: DL: Jairus Jarvis, Nicholls State; Christian Anthony, Grambling. LB: Evan Lee, Tulane. P: Chris Keagle, Louisiana Tech. RS: Phillip Beck, Louisiana Tech.