SEC coaches name Manziel to second team; two Kentucky players honored
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Southeastern Conference coaches apparently don't think Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel is the league's best quarterback.
The coaches rated the Texas A&M quarterback as the pre-season second-team selection on the teams released by the league on Thursday. Georgia's Aaron Murray was the first-team choice while Alabama's AJ McCarron received third-team honors.
Two Kentucky players received SEC honors: junior defensive end Alvin "Bud" Dupree and senior linebacker Avery Williamson were named to the third team.
Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman last season, but allegations that he received payment for autographs could threaten his eligibility.
Manziel's lawyer has said he believes the quarterback will play in Texas A&M's season opener against Rice on Aug. 31 even if an NCAA investigation isn't finished, but that decision could ultimately be the Aggies'.
The cloud over his eligibility might have had something to do with Manziel's downgrade. He was the first-team pick by league media before those allegations surfaced.
All three quarterbacks put up big stats, but Manziel had an unprecedented season in the SEC, even one-upping 2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton of Auburn. He led the league with 1,410 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and also passed for 3,706 yards and 26 scores.
Manziel is the first player in NCAA history to surpass 5,000 total yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Murray also has put up impressive numbers.
He is the first quarterback in SEC history to have 3,000 passing yards in three straight seasons, throwing for a school-record 3,893 yards and 36 touchdowns last season while being intercepted 10 times.
Murray already holds the school career marks for touchdown passes with 95 and touchdowns responsible for (104).
McCarron led the nation in passing efficiency with 30 touchdown passes and just three interceptions.
Alabama led the way with five first-team picks and 16 selections overall.
LSU and Georgia both had eight make one of the teams, while Florida and Tennessee had seven each.
Murray and McCarron might have better supporting casts among the skill positions, at least according to the coaches' picks.
Georgia tailback Todd Gurley and tight end Arthur Lynch are both first-teamers. So are Crimson Tide tailback T.J. Yeldon and wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Jake Matthews, who protects Manziel's blind side at left tackle, also made the first team.
Defensively, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was a first-team pick. Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley and safety HaHa Clinton-Dix were also among those selected.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. And the SEC didn't release the ballots or vote totals.
Kentucky's Dupree, who will play defensive end this season after splitting time at defensive end and linebacker his first two seasons at UK, finished in the top 10 in the SEC in tackles (91), quarterback sacks (6.5) and tackles-for-loss (12.5) last season while starting all 12 games.
Williamson is the Wildcats' returning starter at middle linebacker after finishing second in the SEC and seventh nationally with 135 tackles last season.
First Team
Offense
QBAaron Murray, Georgia
RBTodd Gurley, Georgia
RBT.J. Yeldon, Alabama
WRAmari Cooper, Alabama
WRJordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
TEArthur Lynch, Georgia
OLJake Matthews, Texas A&M
OLCyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
OLGabe Jackson, Mississippi State
OLAntonio Richardson, Tennessee
CTravis Swanson, Arkansas
DEFENSE
DLJadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DLDominique Easley, Florida
DLAnthony Johnson, LSU
DLChris Smith, Arkansas
LBC.J. Mosley, Alabama
LBA.J. Johnson, Tennessee
LBDenzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi
DBHa Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama
DBCraig Loston, LSU
DBAndre Hal, Vanderbilt
DBLoucheiz Purifoy, Florida
Special teams
PKCarey Spear, Vanderbilt
PKyle Christy, Florida
RSOdell Beckham Jr., LSU
APBruce Ellington, South Carolina
Second Team
Offense
QBJohnny Manziel, Texas A&M
RBLaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State
RBTre Mason, Auburn
WRMike Evans, Texas A&M
WRDonte Moncrief, Mississippi
TERory Anderson, South Carolina
OLAnthony Steen, Alabama
OLJa'Wuan James, Tennessee
OLWesley Johnson, Vanderbilt
OLx-A.J. Cann, South Carolina
OLx-Chris Burnette, Georgia
OLx-Zach Fulton, Tennessee
OLx-Jon Halapio, Florida
CReese Dismukes, Auburn
Defense
DLKelcy Quarles, South Carolina
DLDaniel McCullers, Tennessee
DLx-Ed Stinson, Alabama
DLx-Xzavier Dickson, Alabama
DLx-Jeoffrey Pagan, Alabama
LBLamin Barrow, LSU
LBJordan Jenkins, Georgia
LBAdrian Hubbard, Alabama
DBDamian Swann, Georgia
DBMarcus Roberson, Florida
DBE.J. Gaines, Missouri
DBDeion Belue, Alabama
Special teams
PKCody Parkey, Auburn
Px-Tyler Campbell, Mississippi
Px-Cody Mandell, Alabama
Px-Steven Clark, Auburn
RSMarcus Murphy, Missouri
APOdell Beckham Jr., LSU
Third Team
Offense
QBAJ McCarron, Alabama
RBAlfred Blue, LSU
RBKeith Marshall, Georgia
WRx-Odell Beckham Jr., LSU
WRx-Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia
WRx-Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
TEx-Brian Vogler, Alabama
TEx-C.J. Uzomah, Auburn
OLLa'el Collins, LSU
OLDavid Hurd, Arkansas
OLJustin Britt, Missouri
OLAaron Morris, Mississippi
CJames Stone, Tennessee
Defense
DLx-Dee Ford, Auburn
DLx-C.J. Johnson, Mississippi
DLx-Ronald Powell, Florida
DLx-Alvin Dupree, Kentucky
DLx-Denico Autry, Mississippi State
LBAvery Williamson, Kentucky
LBBenardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
LBx-Ronald Powell, Florida
LBx-Trey DePriest, Alabama
DBDeshazor Everett, Texas A&M
DBNickoe Whitley, Mississippi State
DBVinnie Sunseri, Alabama
DBCharles Sawyer, Mississippi
Special teams
PKx-Andrew Baggett, Missouri
PKx-Zach Hocker, Arkansas
PMichael Palardy, Tennessee
RSBruce Ellington, South Carolina
APLaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State
x-Tied in the voting
How many players each school had named to the coaches' All-SEC teams:
Alabama 16 Miss. State 6
Georgia 8 Missouri 5
LSU 8 Texas A&M 4
Florida 7 Vanderbilt 4
Tennessee 7 Arkansas 4
So. Carolina 6 Auburn 6
Mississippi 6 Kentucky 2
This story was originally published August 22, 2013 at 12:59 PM with the headline "SEC coaches name Manziel to second team; two Kentucky players honored."