Dec. 16, 2008
CHARLOTTE , N.C.- Baylor's Robert Griffin was named to the 2008 Sporting News All-Freshman Team, the publication announced Tuesday. Griffin is Baylor's first Freshman All-America honoree since Joe Pawelek was so tabbed by the Football Writers Association of America in 2006; Griffin is the first Baylor player so honored by Sporting News.
A product of Copperas Cove [Texas] High School, Griffin tallied 2,934 yards of total offense, eight yards shy of the school record. He posted a 142.00 passing efficiency rating, the third-best season in school history, connecting on 160-of-267 passes for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
Griffin, the nation's youngest starting quarterback during the 2008 season, enjoyed one of the best passing seasons in Baylor history as he ranked in the program's all-time top 10 in yards (sixth), completions (sixth), completion percentage (second), yards per attempt (ninth), touchdowns (tied-fourth) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (second). He also established a Baylor single-season record with 28 touchdowns produced.
However, Griffin was more than just a passer, finishing the season with 843 yards rushing on 173 carries. He tied Baylor's single-season record with 13 rushing touchdowns and produced four 100-yard games, twice as many as any other Baylor quarterback has ever produced in a career. His yardage total was the 13th-best season in Baylor history as he established Baylor season quarterback and freshman records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Griffin ranks sixth in the Big 12 in rushing and fifth in rushing touchdowns.
Griffinwas one of four Big 12 Conference student-athletes on the Sporting News All-Freshman Team, joining Missouri offensive tackle Elvis Fisher, Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis and Texas safety Earl Thomas.
Sporting Newsalso named Griffin the 2008 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He joins Pawelek as the only Bears to have been so honored.
2008 BAYLOR FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
James Barnard, OG
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)
Krys Buerck, CB
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Rodney Chadwick, LB
• Baylor Defensive Bear Squad Award
Derek Epperson, P
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Kansas CityStar, WacoTribune-Herald)
• Third-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Phil Steele Magazine)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, The Associated Press)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
• Ray Guy Award semifinialist
• Baylor Special Teams MVP
Ty Findley, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Kirby Freeman, QB
• Baylor Kyle Woods Award
Dan Gay, OT
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)
Robert Griffin, QB
• First-Team All-Freshman (Sporting News)
• Honorable Mention Freshman All-America (CollegeFootballNews)
• Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year (The Sporting News, The Dallas Morning News, Pat Forde: SI.com, Rivals.com)
• Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year (Tim Griffin: ESPN.com, San Antonio Express-News)
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year (coaches, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press, Kansas CityStar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
• Baylor Offensive MVP
Ben Hixson, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jake Jackson, OL
• Baylor Offensive Bear Squad Award
Jacoby Jones, RB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Tyler King, LB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jake La Mar, S
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
JordanLake, FS
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, The Associated Press, San Antonio Express-News, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (The Dallas Morning News, Kansas CityStar, Phil Steele Magazine)
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jason Lamb, DE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Gary Mason Jr., DE
• Baylor Defensive Bear Squad Award
Zak Mitchell, S
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Joe Pawelek, LB
• Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America (CoSIDA)
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (unanimous)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
• Baylor Defensive MVP
• Baylor Academic Excellence Award
Ryan Roberts, QB
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Zac Scotton, DE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Sam Shalala, LB
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
• Rudy Award nominee
Sam Sledge, DT
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Jason Smith, OT
• First-Team All-America (FWAA)
• Third-Team All-America (Rivals.com)
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (unanimous)
• Baylor "Mr. Team" Award
• Baylor Off-Season Co-MVP
J.D. Walton, C
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)
John David Weed, TE
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Conference
Thomas White, WR
• Baylor Off-Season Co-MVP
Terrance Williams, WR
• Baylor Offensive Bear Squad Award
Kendall Wright, IR
• Honorable Mention Freshman All-America (CollegeFootballNews)
