From UT:
Omenihu, Sterns named Big 12 Players of the Year
Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference and its coaches on Wednesday afternoon.
IRVING, Texas - Texas Football’s Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference’s coaches on Wednesday as Players of the Year. Omenihu was named Defensive Lineman of the Year while Sterns was the Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Omenihu, a senior defensive end from Rowlett, Texas, is the second Longhorn in as many years to be honored as the Big 12’s Defensive Lineman of the Year. Poona Ford was honored after the 2017 season, while Brian Orakpo was honored in 2008, making Omenihu the third Longhorn to earn the award.
Omenihu has at least one tackle for loss in each of the last eight games entering Saturday’s Big 12 Conference Championship Game. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 14.5 tackles for loss on the season, while his 8.5 sacks rank second. In nine conference games, Omenihu racked up 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. In total, he has 40 tackles with five QB hurries, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sterns, a freshman safety from Cibolo, Texas, becomes the seventh Longhorn to earn Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Cory Redding (1999), Derrick Johnson (2001), Rodrique Wright (2002), Brian Orakpo (2005), Quandre Diggs (2011) and Malik Jefferson (2015) have all earned the honor previously.
Sterns has started all 12 games to date, the most by a true freshman defensive back at Texas since Blake Gideon started all 13 in 2008. He has 59 tackles, tied for fourth on the team and has added three tackles for loss and a sack. He has four interceptions, tied with Diggs and Chris Carter (1993) for the most ever by a Longhorn true freshman. He has added four pass breakups and a blocked field goal against USC, which was returned for a touchdown by Anthony Wheeler.
Omenihu and Sterns give the Longhorns five Big 12 Players of the Year under Tom Herman in two seasons. Last season, Malik Jefferson was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Dickson was the Special Teams Player of the Year and Ford was Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The Longhorns (9-3, 7-2) meet Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1) in Saturday’s Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on ABC.
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Four Longhorns named All-Big 12 First Team
A total of 18 Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition from the league’s coaches.
IRVING, Texas - A total of 18 Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition on Wednesday afternoon, announced by the league office and voted on by the conference’s head coaches. Four - Andrew Beck, Kris Boyd, Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns - were named to the first team, while three players earned second team honors and 11 more honorable mention.
Beck, a native of Tampa, Fla., has had a career year in starting all 12 games to date. He is fourth on the team with 26 catches and has 256 yards and two touchdowns. After missing all of the 2017 season due to injury, he has returned for his redshirt senior season and is a captain for the second straight year. He was named a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.
Boyd, a native of Gilmer, Texas, earned first team honors at defensive back. He has totaled 57 tackles (44 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He has been a lockdown at the corner position, with 15 pass breakups and an interception. He also has a QB hurry, forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the year.
Omenihu, from Rowlett, Texas, earned first team honors in addition to his Defensive Lineman of the Year accolade. He also received votes to earn honorable mention as the Defensive Player of the Year. He has totaled 40 tackles with 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five QB hurries, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sterns, who hails from Cibolo, Texas, earned first team honors at defensive back in addition to his Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. His four interceptions are tied for the most ever by a Longhorn true freshman, while he has added 59 tackles (43 solo), three TFL, one sack and four pass breakups. He also blocked a field goal that was returned for a touchdown in the win over USC.
The second team honorees were center Zach Shackelford, kicker Cameron Dicker and linebacker Gary Johnson. Shackelford has been an integral part of the offensive line, leading to improvements in both the running and passing games in 2018. Dicker has handled all kickoffs, PATs and field goals for the Longhorns, and his 16 field goals made is currently tied for the most by a freshman in school history. Johnson has been an integral part of the Longhorns’ defensive success, leading the team with 74 tackles while adding 14 TFL, 5.5 sacks, eight QB hurries, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The Longhorns that were honorable mention were Calvin Anderon (offensive line), Davante Davis (defensive back), Sam Ehlinger (quarterback), Breckyn Hager (defensive line), Lil’Jordan Humphrey (wide receiver), Brandon Jones (defensive back), P.J. Locke III (defensive back), Chris Nelson (defensive line), Elijah Rodriguez (offensive line) and Patrick Vahe (offensive line). Sam Cosmi earned honorable mention for receiving votes as the Offensive Freshman of the Year, Cameron Dicker earned honorable mention for receiving votes as Special Teams Player of the Year and Charles Omenihu received votes as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Freshman of the Year — Caden Sterns
Defensive Lineman of the Year — Charles Omenihu
All-Big 12 First Team
Andrew Beck (FB)
Charles Omenihu (DL)
Kris Boyd (DB)
Caden Sterns (DB)
All-Big 12 Second Team
Zach Shackelford (OL)
Cameron Dicker (PK)
Gary Johnson (LB)
Honorable Mention
Calvin Anderson (OL)
Samuel Cosmi (Offensive Freshman of the Year)
Davante Davis (DB)
Cameron Dicker (Special Teams Player of the Year)
Sam Ehlinger (QB)
Breckyn Hager (DL)
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR)
Brandon Jones (DB)
P.J. Locke III (DB)
Chris Nelson (DL)
Charles Omenihu (Defensive Player of the Year)
Elijah Rodriguez (OL)
Patrick Vahe (OL)
Omenihu, Sterns named Big 12 Players of the Year
Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference and its coaches on Wednesday afternoon.
IRVING, Texas - Texas Football’s Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference’s coaches on Wednesday as Players of the Year. Omenihu was named Defensive Lineman of the Year while Sterns was the Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Omenihu, a senior defensive end from Rowlett, Texas, is the second Longhorn in as many years to be honored as the Big 12’s Defensive Lineman of the Year. Poona Ford was honored after the 2017 season, while Brian Orakpo was honored in 2008, making Omenihu the third Longhorn to earn the award.
Omenihu has at least one tackle for loss in each of the last eight games entering Saturday’s Big 12 Conference Championship Game. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 14.5 tackles for loss on the season, while his 8.5 sacks rank second. In nine conference games, Omenihu racked up 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. In total, he has 40 tackles with five QB hurries, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sterns, a freshman safety from Cibolo, Texas, becomes the seventh Longhorn to earn Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Cory Redding (1999), Derrick Johnson (2001), Rodrique Wright (2002), Brian Orakpo (2005), Quandre Diggs (2011) and Malik Jefferson (2015) have all earned the honor previously.
Sterns has started all 12 games to date, the most by a true freshman defensive back at Texas since Blake Gideon started all 13 in 2008. He has 59 tackles, tied for fourth on the team and has added three tackles for loss and a sack. He has four interceptions, tied with Diggs and Chris Carter (1993) for the most ever by a Longhorn true freshman. He has added four pass breakups and a blocked field goal against USC, which was returned for a touchdown by Anthony Wheeler.
Omenihu and Sterns give the Longhorns five Big 12 Players of the Year under Tom Herman in two seasons. Last season, Malik Jefferson was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Dickson was the Special Teams Player of the Year and Ford was Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The Longhorns (9-3, 7-2) meet Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1) in Saturday’s Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on ABC.
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Four Longhorns named All-Big 12 First Team
A total of 18 Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition from the league’s coaches.
IRVING, Texas - A total of 18 Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition on Wednesday afternoon, announced by the league office and voted on by the conference’s head coaches. Four - Andrew Beck, Kris Boyd, Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns - were named to the first team, while three players earned second team honors and 11 more honorable mention.
Beck, a native of Tampa, Fla., has had a career year in starting all 12 games to date. He is fourth on the team with 26 catches and has 256 yards and two touchdowns. After missing all of the 2017 season due to injury, he has returned for his redshirt senior season and is a captain for the second straight year. He was named a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.
Boyd, a native of Gilmer, Texas, earned first team honors at defensive back. He has totaled 57 tackles (44 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He has been a lockdown at the corner position, with 15 pass breakups and an interception. He also has a QB hurry, forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the year.
Omenihu, from Rowlett, Texas, earned first team honors in addition to his Defensive Lineman of the Year accolade. He also received votes to earn honorable mention as the Defensive Player of the Year. He has totaled 40 tackles with 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five QB hurries, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sterns, who hails from Cibolo, Texas, earned first team honors at defensive back in addition to his Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. His four interceptions are tied for the most ever by a Longhorn true freshman, while he has added 59 tackles (43 solo), three TFL, one sack and four pass breakups. He also blocked a field goal that was returned for a touchdown in the win over USC.
The second team honorees were center Zach Shackelford, kicker Cameron Dicker and linebacker Gary Johnson. Shackelford has been an integral part of the offensive line, leading to improvements in both the running and passing games in 2018. Dicker has handled all kickoffs, PATs and field goals for the Longhorns, and his 16 field goals made is currently tied for the most by a freshman in school history. Johnson has been an integral part of the Longhorns’ defensive success, leading the team with 74 tackles while adding 14 TFL, 5.5 sacks, eight QB hurries, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The Longhorns that were honorable mention were Calvin Anderon (offensive line), Davante Davis (defensive back), Sam Ehlinger (quarterback), Breckyn Hager (defensive line), Lil’Jordan Humphrey (wide receiver), Brandon Jones (defensive back), P.J. Locke III (defensive back), Chris Nelson (defensive line), Elijah Rodriguez (offensive line) and Patrick Vahe (offensive line). Sam Cosmi earned honorable mention for receiving votes as the Offensive Freshman of the Year, Cameron Dicker earned honorable mention for receiving votes as Special Teams Player of the Year and Charles Omenihu received votes as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Freshman of the Year — Caden Sterns
Defensive Lineman of the Year — Charles Omenihu
All-Big 12 First Team
Andrew Beck (FB)
Charles Omenihu (DL)
Kris Boyd (DB)
Caden Sterns (DB)
All-Big 12 Second Team
Zach Shackelford (OL)
Cameron Dicker (PK)
Gary Johnson (LB)
Honorable Mention
Calvin Anderson (OL)
Samuel Cosmi (Offensive Freshman of the Year)
Davante Davis (DB)
Cameron Dicker (Special Teams Player of the Year)
Sam Ehlinger (QB)
Breckyn Hager (DL)
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR)
Brandon Jones (DB)
P.J. Locke III (DB)
Chris Nelson (DL)
Charles Omenihu (Defensive Player of the Year)
Elijah Rodriguez (OL)
Patrick Vahe (OL)
