Baylor

Associated Press Honors Seven Bears

Football 12/4/2008 12:00:00 AM

Dec. 4, 2008

DALLAS, Texas-- Seven Baylor student-athletes were honored by The Associated Press, the news organization's 20-member media panel announced Thursday. Junior safety Jordan Lake, junior linebacker Joe Pawelek and senior offensive tackle Jason Smith earned first-team honors, while junior offensive guard James Barnard, sophomore punter Derek Epperson and junior center J.D. Walton were named honorable mention. The AP also named quarterback Robert Griffin the league's Offensive Newcomer of the Year.

Oklahoma led all teams with six first-team selections, followed by Missouri and Texas Tech with five each. Baylor, Nebraska and Oklahoma State each had three first-team picks; Nebraska had two, while Texas and Texas A&M had one each.

Lake and Pawelek were second-team AP All-Big 12 selections last year, while Smith was an honorable mention pick. Epperson and Walton were honored for the first time. Pawelek also was an AP honorable mention selection in 2006 when he was named AP Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year. With Barnard and Walton earning AP honorable mention nods, four of Baylor's five starting offensive linemen have earned all-conference honors from at least one outlet this season.

2008 BAYLOR FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS

James Barnard, OG

• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)

Dan Gay, OT

• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)

Robert Griffin, QB

• Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year (coaches)

• Big 12 Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press, Kansas City Star)

• Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year (Pat Forde: SI.com)

Derek Epperson, P

• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Kansas City Star)

• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, Associated Press)