Decker, VanDeSteeg named first team All Big Ten

[BleedGopher]

Decker by the media and coaches, VDS by the media.

We also had a few second team selections:

http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112408aag.html

Go Gophers!!

[GopherLady]

Here's some more info, Per U of MN communications:

The All-Big Ten Conference Football Teams, as selected by the coaches and media, were announced Monday evening. Two Gophers earned All-Big Ten First Team recognition, while a total of six Minnesota players earned some form of recognition.

Junior wide receiver Eric Decker (Cold Spring, Minn.) earned first-team accolades from both the Big Ten coaches and the media. Decker’s 76 receptions this season set a new Minnesota single-season record and rank No. 1 in the Big Ten. He is No. 2 in the conference in receiving yards, averaging 84.1 yards per game.

Senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg (Silver Lake, Minn.) was a first-team selection by the media. VanDeSteeg finished the regular season No. 4 in the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss. He currently has 18.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks this season. VanDeSteeg is also the Minnesota career leader in tackles for loss with 43.5.

Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber (Shoreview, Minn.) was a second-team selection by the coaches. Junior cornerback Traye Simmons (Marietta, Ga.) was named Second-Team All-Big Ten by both groups.

VanDeSteeg was a second-team choice on the coaches’ team. Senior tight end Jack Simmons (Libertyville, Ill.) was honored with second-team recognition on the media’s ballot.

Simmons was an honorable mention choice of the coaches. Meanwhile, sophomore safety Kyle Theret (Murrieta, Calif.) and Weber were honorable mention selections on the media’s all-conference team.

In addition, the coaches also named a Sportsmanship Award Honoree from each team. Jack Simmons earned that distinction for Minnesota.

[gopher7]

I'm kinda surprised that Marcus Sherels didn't make any of the lists, he did a lot of good things. Considering Decker did basically nothing the last four games and still got first team, it just shows you how great he was during the first two thirds of the season. Congrats!

[Curseislifted33]

surprised bpt wasn't first team. brock n sherels not mentioned either surprised me as well. But congrats to all those honored!

[EG#9]

First of all congrats to Decker and VanDeSteeg, they deserve any recognition they get.

It's strange to see Theret mentioned and not Sherels or Brock both of whom I thought played better in the secondary for the Gophers.

[grunkiejr]

surprised bpt wasn't first team. brock n sherels not mentioned either surprised me as well. But congrats to all those honored!

Keep in mind that the Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State and Vontae Davis from Illinois that both made first team are possibly the best two cornerbacks in the country. Both have been discussed as first round draft picks this year.

Big Play Traye has a much better chance next year and I would be surprised if he wasn't preseason All Big Ten first team.

As for Sherels, I think BPT sealed his fate as being perceived the #1 corner on the team when he picked off two against NU including one for a TD. Statistically Sherels and BPT were not very far apart but plays like the pick 6 against NU stand out. Sherels has probably about the same chance of making first team next year as BPT.

[DCGopher]

Does anyone know when the All Big Ten Freshmen Team is announced? I would guess that a lot of our freshmen will make the list since half of our offense included freshmen.

[gopher7]

Keep in mind that the Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State and Vontae Davis from Illinois that both made first team are possibly the best two cornerbacks in the country. Both have been discussed as first round draft picks this year.

Big Play Traye has a much better chance next year and I would be surprised if he wasn't preseason All Big Ten first team.

As for Sherels, I think BPT sealed his fate as being perceived the #1 corner on the team when he picked off two against NU including one for a TD. Statistically Sherels and BPT were not very far apart but plays like the pick 6 against NU stand out. Sherels has probably about the same chance of making first team next year as BPT.

It didn't go for a TD, but I thought that that the strip-INT that Sherels had against Purdue was the best individual I remember anyone making in the Gopher secondary all year. I like BPT but IIRC correctly didn't he get burned for TD's in at least 3 of the last 4 games?

[50PoundHead]

Congrats to Decker and VanDeSteeg. I don't know what the other coaches are smoking to leave VanDeSteeg off the first team. He's a great talent.

Can't say enough about Decker. The guy is just a footballer plain and simple.

Congrats to our second team and honorable mention players as well.

[grunkiejr]

It didn't go for a TD, but I thought that that the strip-INT that Sherels had against Purdue was the best individual I remember anyone making in the Gopher secondary all year. I like BPT but IIRC correctly didn't he get burned for TD's in at least 3 of the last 4 games?

Sherels and BPT both got burned on more than one occassion against Iowa. I think Sherels got burned twice and made tackles inside the 10 and BPT got burned twice with one for a TD (the guy pushed off) and one that he tackled inside 10.

I agree with you on the Sherels play at Purdue. It should have gone for a TD though. He had a blocker and the only guy left was Painter. If Sherels lets his safety make the block instead of running in front of him that was a TD.

I think Sherels and BPT were pretty comparable so it doesn't matter too much to me which one made the team. The ESPN analyst had Simmons first team and Sherels second team so I think the perception outside of Minnesota was that Simmons was better but that both were talented. To me, neither are great cover corners or true shut down corners and they give big cushions. However, a lot of that was by design because they rarely got beat (a few times at the end of the season) and they made plays when they had opportunities.

[McGopherFan]

But most likely it was last year's struggles. Still I would have put him up for come back of the year for the same reason.



Congrats to Decker and VanDeSteeg. I don't know what the other coaches are smoking to leave VanDeSteeg off the first team. He's a great talent.

Can't say enough about Decker. The guy is just a footballer plain and simple.

Congrats to our second team and honorable mention players as well.