Sooner Football Gains More Accolades

Nov. 22, 2000

NORMAN, Okla. - The top-ranked and undefeated University of Oklahoma football team continues to receive honors, as several Sooners have won or are finalists for conference and national awards. Head football coach Bob Stoops has also been named one of three finalists for the Football News National Coach of theYear Award.

Senior quarterback Josh Heupel was named to the publication's All-Big 12 Offensive team, while linebackers Torrance Marshall and Rocky Calmus were selected to the Defensive team. Defensive back J.T. Thatcher and punter Jeff Ferguson earned Defensive team honors as well. In addition, Heupel was selected as the Conference Player of the Year.

OU's Heisman hopeful is also one of five finalists for the Football News Offensive Player of the Year, while Thatcher is on the short list for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Heupel has completed 67 percent of his passes this season while averaging just over 300 yards a game and scoring 17 touchdowns. The senior from Aberdeen, S.D., now owns virtually every Oklahoma season and career passing record in just two years as a Sooner.

Thatcher has also been announced one of five finalists for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award which will be presented at the 2001 Hula Bowl Maui. The Norman, Okla., junior has grabbed seven interceptions on defense and leads the Sooners averaging 16.5 yards per punt return and 23.4 yards per kick return return.

Oklahoma has enjoyed outstanding contributions from Calmus, Ferguson and Marshall in 2000. Calmus, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., has totaled 100 tackles,12 of those for a loss, and returned one interception for a touchdown. Ferguson leads the Big 12 Conference averaging 44 yards a punt. Marshall, who hails from Miami, Fla., has tabulated 78 tackles, 11 for a loss, and five sacks. The senior also returned an interception for a touchdown in OU's 35-31 victory over Texas A&M.

South Carolina coach Lou Holtz and Notre Dame's Bob Davie are the other two finalists for the Coach of the Year Award.

Football News will annouce its National Coach of theYear and Offensive and Defensive Players of theYear on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000.

Football News Offensive Player of the Year Finalists
Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU
JOSH HEUPEL QB, OKLAHOMA
Damien Anderson, RB, Northwestern
Drew Brees, QB, Purdue

Football News Defensive Player of the Year Finalists
Keith Adams, LB, Clemson
Jamal Reynolds, DE, Florida State
Dan Morgan, LB, Miami, Fla.
Fred Smoot, DB, Mississippi State
J.T. THATCHER, DB, OKLAHOMA

Football News Coach of the Year Finalists
BOB STOOPS, OKLAHOMA
Lou Holtz, South Carolina
Bob Davie, Notre Dame

Football News All-Big 12 Team

Offense
QB JOSH HEUPEL, OKLAHOMA
RB Ennis Haywood, Iowa State
RB Hodges Mitchell, Texas
WR Quincy Morgan, Kansas State
WR Robert Ferguson, Texas A&M
TE Tracey Winstrom, Nebraska
OL Russ Hochstein, Nebraska
OL Ben Bruns, Iowa State
OL Leonard Davis, Texas
OL Andre Gurode, Colorado
K Jamie Rheem, Kansas State

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - JOSH HEUPEL, OKLAHOMA

Defense
DL Casey Hampton, Texas
DL Justin Smith, Missouri
DL Mario Fatafehi, Kansas State
LB ROCKY CALMUS, OKLAHOMA
LB Jason Glenn, Texas A&M
LB TORRANCE MARSHALL, OKLAHOMA
DB Quentin Jammer, Texas
DB Kevin Curtis, Texas Tech
DB Gary Baxter, Baylor
DB J.T. THATCHER, OKLAHOMA
P Jeff Ferguson, Oklahoma

Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award
David Allen, Kansas State
Bobby Newcombe, Nebraska
Stevoonne Smith, Utah
Chad Speck, Clemson
J.T. THATCHER, OKLAHOMA

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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