Incognito Named First Team Freshman All-American by Football Writers

Lincoln -- Nebraska redshirt freshman offensive tackle Richie Incognito has been selected to the 2002 Scripps/FWAA Freshman All-America Team. The selections were announced in conjuction with the Football Writers Association of America annual meeting last week in Phoenix, Ariz.

Incognito led Nebraska in pancakes with 171 during the regular season, the second-best total at Nebraska since the statistic has been tracked beginning in 1995. Incognito and his offensive line mates helped the Husker offense lead the Big 12 Conference in rushing at 268.7 yards per game. He became the first Husker offensive lineman in school history to start the season opener in their first season in a Husker uniform.

Incognito had nine double-figure pancake games this season, including three consecutive games with 20 or more pancakes. He posted 28 pancakes at Texas A&M, the second-most ever by a Husker, as the offensive line set a school single-game record with 110 knock-downs. The unit paved the way for 381 rushing yards in Nebraska's 38-31 comeback victory over the Aggies. Incognito also topped 20 pancakes at Oklahoma State (21) and Texas (22). He recorded double-figure pancake totals in each of Nebraska's final six regular-season games and led the Huskers in pancakes eight times during the season.

In addition to his recognition from FWAA, Incognito was also a first-team freshman All-America selection by The Sporting Newsand rivals.com. The Sporting News also named him to its first-team All-Big 12 squad, while the Dallas Morning News picked him second-team all-conference and the AP and league coaches gave him honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors.

Two other Husker freshman received accolades from The Sporting News. Cornerback Fabian Washington was a second-team frosh All-America selection by the publication, while I-back David Horne was a fourth-team all-freshman pick by the magazine. Washington led Nebraska with a Husker freshman record 13 pass breakups and tied for the team lead with four interceptions, while Horne rushed for 651 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games.

Incognito, Horne and Washington were three of six Husker freshmen named to The Sporting News' Big 12 All-Freshman team. Also named to the squad were tight end Matt Herian, split end Ross Pilkington and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Le Kevin Smith.