Stoops, Alexander Get Big 12 Honors

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops was named coach of the year and linebacker Rufus Alexander the defensive player of the year on the AT&T All-Big 12 Coaches Team announced Tuesday.

Other OU honorees include first team selections Adrian Peterson (RB), Chris Messner (offensive line), C.J. Ah You (defensive end) and Larry Birdine (defensive end). In additiion, Alexander was a first-team selection.

Peterson became the 20th Sooner to earn all-conference honors three times and the first running back to do so since Joe Washington from 1973-75.

Second team selections from Oklahoma included Malcolm Kelly (wide receiver), Garrett Hartley (kicker), Marcus Walker (defensive back), Nic Harris (defensive back) and Reggie Smith, defensive back.

Complete List of 2006 All-Big 12 Selections

OU's honorable mention selections included Steven Coleman (defensive end), Brody Eldridge (fullback), Joe Jon Finley (tight end), Lendy Holmes (defensive back), Zach Latimer (LB), Allen Patrick (running back), George Robinson (offensive line), Reggie Smith (return specialist), Paul Thompson (quarterback), Brandon Walker (offensive line) and Darien Williams (defensive back)

It is the third time Stoops has been so honored and the sixth time that a Sooner has won offensive or defensive player of the year recognition.

Stoops directed his fifth Big 12 South title team to a 10-2 mark overall, a 7-1 standard in league play. It has been an impressive job by the OU coach, who dismissed a starting quarterback the day before fall drills began, then lost the services of his top rusher, Peterson, one game into the Big 12 slate.

Oklahoma managed to reel off seven straight victories in the face of all the adversity and has climbed back to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll, No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Stoops also won Big 12 Coach of the year honors from his peers in 2000 and 2003. He has led the Sooners to three Big 12 titles.

Between national and conference recognition, Stoops has now won 17 coach of the year awards. His eight-year record at OU stands at 85-18.

Alexander, OU weak side linebacker, is the leading tackler on the Big 12's top-rated defense. He has 95 stops, just five off a second-straight 100-tackle season. The senior from Baton Rouge, La., is trying to become the first player to lead Oklahoma tackles in back-to-back seasons since Rocky Calmus did in three straight from 1999-2001.

Alexander also was the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Previous Big 12 players of the year from Oklahoma included Teddy Lehman (2003) and Roy Williams (2000) on defense and Jason White (2003, 2004) and Josh Heupel (2000) on offense.

Oklahoma and Texas are tied for the most major award honorees from the league with 18 each. That spans the 11-year history of the Big 12.

The 2006 Oklahoma team will be in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday to take on Nebraska for the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game. Kickoff on ABC is set for 7 p.m.

OU on 2006 All-Big 12 First Team
RB Adrian Peterson, Jr.
DE C.J. Ah You, Sr.
LB Rufus Alexander, Sr.
DE Larry Birdine, Sr.

OU on All-Big 12 2nd Team
WR Malcolm Kelly, So.
PK Garrett Hartley, Jr.
DB Nic Harris, So.
DB Reggie Smith, So.

OU Honorable Mention
Steven Coleman, DL; Brody Eldridge, FB; Joe Jon Finley, TE; Lendy Holmes, DB; Zach Latimer, LB; Allen Patrick, RB; George Robinson, OL; Reggie Smith, PR/KR; Paul Thompson, QB; Brandon Walker, OL; Darien Williams, DB

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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