David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez top Texas Tech football all-Big 12 list
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey were the Texas Tech football team’s headliners on the all-Big 12 team released Thursday, Dec. 4, by the conference office.
Rodriguez was named the Big 12 defensive player of the year, and Bailey was named defensive newcomer of the year and defensive lineman of the year.
Rodriguez, a senior from Wichita Falls Rider, finished the regular season with 104 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss. He also had an FBS-leading 7 forced fumbles, 6 pass breakups, 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
Bailey, a senior from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, has been credited with 38 tackles, including an FBS-leading 12 1/2 sacks. He transferred to Tech in April after playing his first three years at Stanford.
The all-conference team was voted on by Big 12 coaches, who could not vote for their own players. Texas Tech will play Brigham Young at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, for the conference championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Both teams ended the regular season 11-1, including 8-1 in Big 12 play.
Six Red Raiders made the all-Big 12 first team, including five on defense: defensive linemen Romello Height, Lee Hunter and Bailey, Rodriguez at linebacker and cornerback Brice Pollock. The Red Raiders’ other first-team honoree was kicker Stone Harrington. Bailey was the only unanimous selection.
Height has 32 tackles, including 8 1/2 sacks. Pollock’s 5 interceptions are most in the Big 12 and tied for third in the FBS. Harrington has made 18 of 21 field goals, including successful kicks from 58 yards at Utah, 55 yards at Kansas State and 53 yards in a home game against Central Florida.
Tech’s second-team selections were running back Cameron Dickey, wide receiver Caleb Douglas and tight end Terrance Carter Jr.
Dickey’s rushed for 1,023 yards, third in the conference, and scored 15 total touchdowns with 13 by rushing, both most in the Big 12. Douglas has caught 53 passes for 823 yards and 7 touchdowns, all team highs, and Carter has 39 catches for 438 yards and 3 TDs.
The Red Raiders had six third-team honorees: Offensive linemen Howard Sampson and Sheridan Wilson, return specialist J’Koby Williams, defensive tackle A.J. Holmes, linebacker Ben Roberts and special-teams player Bryce Ramirez.
Harrington received honorable mention for special teams player of the year, and Tech wide receiver Reggie Virgil earned honorable mention for offensive newcomer of the year and at his position.
Other honorable mentions from Texas Tech were quarterback Behren Morton, Williams at running back, wide receiver Coy Eakin, offensive linemen Davion Carter and Jacob Ponton, linebacker John Curry and safety Cole Wisniewski.
Coronado graduate Sawyer Robertson, a senior quarterback for Baylor, was named the Big 12 football scholar-athlete of the year. Robertson passed for 3,681 yards and 31 touchdowns, both second most in the FBS.
BYU landed three superlatives with his peers voting Kalani Sitake as Big 12 coach of the year, running back L.J. Martin earning offensive player of the year and quarterback Bear Bachmeier offensive freshman of the year. Utah had quarterback Devon Dampier named offensive newcomer of the year and tackle Spencer Fano named offensive lineman of the year.
Baylor punter Palmer Williams was voted special teams player of the year, and Oklahoma State defensive lineman Wendell Gregory was defensive freshman of the year.
This story has been updated with more information.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez top Texas Tech football all-Big 12 list
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos