AP Tabs Three Huskers as First-Team All-Big 12

Lincoln ? Senior quarterback Zac Taylor earned his second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honor, and senior defensive end Adam Carriker and junior I-back Brandon Jackson also were named to the 2006 Associated Press All-Big 12 First Team Thursday.

 

Taylor swept the conference Offensive Player of the Year awards after being tabbed by the league’s coaches earlier this week. Carriker also was named a first-team selection by the coaches, while Jackson earned his first career first-team mention following a second-team pick by the coaches. Jackson has started at I-back each of the last eight games and leads Nebraska this season in both rushing (881) and all-purpose yardage (1,293).

 

A pair of Husker sophomores also claimed their first career conference accolades, as I-back Marlon Lucky and offensive tackle Matt Slauson were named to the AP’s second team. Lucky earned a share of the all-purpose player position with OklahomaState freshman Perrish Cox after the two tied in the voting. Slauson became Nebraska’s only offensive lineman selected to either first- or second-team All-Big 12 this season.

 

Several other NU players were given honorable mention notice by the AP, including: junior center Brett Byford; senior center Kurt Mann; senior offensive guard Greg Austin; junior wide receiver Maurice Purify; senior defensive end Jay Moore; senior linebacker Stewart Bradley; junior linebackers Corey McKeon and Bo Ruud; junior strong safety Tierre Green; and junior cornerback Cortney Grixby.

 

In other Husker awards news, redshirt freshman Ndamukong Suh was named to The Sporting News’ 2006 Big 12 All-Freshman Team as the squad’s lone defensive tackle, as the team featured only three defensive linemen and four linebackers.

 

A native of Portland, Ore., Suh has provided Nebraska with one of the Big 12’s top reserves on the defensive line this year while playing behind starting tackles Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer. Suh has totaled 18 tackles on the season, including eight for loss, and ranks third among all Huskers in sacks with 3.5.