UF's Sturgis named to SEC 1st team

The senior kicker from St. Augustine was the Gators only representative on the SEC 1st team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Eight Gator football players - Caleb Sturgis (St. Augustine, Fla.), Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla.), Sharrif Floyd (Philadelphia, Pa.), Jon Bostic (Wellington, Fla.), Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Dominique Easley (Staten Island, N.Y.), Xavier Nixon (Fayetteville, N.C.) and Jelani Jenkins (Olney, Md.) - have been named to the Southeastern Conference Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Team, announced by the league today.

Sturgis leads the pack with first-team specialist honors at kicker and is one of nine first-team selections from last year's coaches All-SEC post-season team. The redshirt senior went 22-of-26 in 2011 for the Gators with a season long 55-yard kick and was successful on all 31 of his PAT attempts. He held the third-longest kick in the FBS last season, and was one of three kickers to make three field goals of 50-or-more in 2011. Sturgis, an All-American last season, was a second-team preseason selection last season.

Four Gators were named to the defense and specialist second-teams. Debose was named the second-team's return specialist coming off a 2011 campaign where he led UF with 19 kick returns and 495 kick return yards. The junior wide receiver also had three 50-plus yard kick returns including a 99-yard touchdown in the Gator Bowl. Debose was the preseason third-team return specialist a year ago.

Floyd, Bostic and Elam all represented the Orange and Blue on the second-team defense. Floyd played in the final 11 games of the season in 2011 and recorded 46 tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss. He recorded a career-high 11 tackles against LSU last season. Bostic started all games at middle linebacker and led the team with 94 tackles and tied for second with 10.0 tackles for loss in his junior campaign. Bostic was a preseason third-team defensive selection a year ago. Elam completed last season as the leader in tackles-for-loss (11), pass breakups (seven), and forced fumbles (two). Bostic and Elam were two of five Gators to start all 13 games last season.

Rounding out Florida's honorees is third-team offense pick Nixon and third-team defense selections Easley and Jenkins. Nixon, a junior from Fayetteville, N.C., played in nine games last season and saw time at tackle in the Gator Bowl. Easley played in 12 games in 2011 as he recorded 37 tackles and finished fifth on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss. Wrapping up the honorees is Jenkins, who finished third in tackles (75) and second in breakups (six) last season. Jenkins was a preseason third-team defensive selection a year ago.

The Gators open the 2012 season when they host Bowling Green on Sept. 1. at The Swamp.


2012 SEC Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Football Team

OFFENSE
First-Team
QB          Tyler Wilson                          Arkansas               6-3          220         Sr.           Greenwood, Ark.
RB           Marcus Lattimore                South Carolina     6-0          218         Jr.            Duncan, S.C.
RB           Knile Davis                           Arkansas               6-0          226         Jr.            Missouri City, Texas
WR          Da'Rick Rogers                    Tennessee            6-3          215         Jr.            Calhoun, Ga.
WR          *Cobi Hamilton                    Arkansas               6-3          209         Sr.           Texarkana, Texas
WR          *Ryan Swope                       Texas A&M           6-0          206         Sr.           Austin, Texas
TE           Philip Lutzenkirchen           Auburn                   6-5          256         Sr.           Marietta, Ga.
OL           Alex Hurst                             LSU                        6-6          340         Sr.           Bartlett, Tenn.
OL           Luke Joeckel                        Texas A&M           6-6          310         Jr.            Arlington, Texas
OL           D.J. Fluker                             Alabama                               6-6          335         Jr.            Foley, Ala.
OL           Larry Warford                       Kentucky               6-3          343         Sr.           Richmond, Ky.
C             Barrett Jones                        Alabama                               6-5          311         Sr.           Germantown, Tenn.


Second-Team
QB          Aaron Murray                       Georgia                 6-1          211         Jr.            Tampa, Fla.
RB           Eddie Lacy                            Alabama                               6-0          220         Jr.            Geismar, La.
RB           Zac Stacy                              Vanderbilt             5-9          210         Sr.           Centreville, Ala.
WR          Justin Hunter                        Tennessee            6-4          200         Jr.            Virginia Beach, Va.
WR          *Emory Blake                       Auburn                   6-2          197         Sr.           Austin, Texas
WR          *Odell Beckham, Jr.            LSU                        5-11        183         So.          New Orleans, La.
WR          *La'Rod King                        Kentucky               6-4          222         Sr.           Radcliff, Ky.
TE           Chris Gragg                          Arkansas               6-3          236         Sr.           Warren, Ark.
OL           Alvin Bailey                           Arkansas               6-5          312         Jr.            Broken Arrow, Okla.
OL           Chance Warmack               Alabama                               6-3          320         Sr.           Atlanta, Ga.
OL           Chris Faulk                           LSU                        6-6          325         Jr.            Slidell, La.
OL           Gabe Jackson                      Miss. State            6-4          320         Jr.            Liberty, Miss.
C             T.J. Johnson                         South Carolina     6-6          319         Sr.           Aynor, S.C.

Third-Team
QB          A.J. McCarron                      Alabama                               6-4          205         Jr.            Mobile, Ala.
RB           Spencer Ware                      LSU                        5-11        223         Jr.            Cincinnati, Ohio
RB           Christine Michael                Texas A&M           5-11        220         Sr.           Beaumont, Texas
WR          Malcolm Mitchell                 Georgia                 6-1          184         So.          Valdosta, Ga.
WR          T.J. Moe                                 Missouri                 6-0          200         Sr.           O'Fallon, Mo.
TE           Michael Williams                 Alabama                               6-6          269         Sr.           Reform, Ala.
OL           Jake Matthews                     Texas A&M           6-5          305         Jr.            Missouri City, Texas
OL           Dallas Thomas                    Tennessee            6-5          305         Sr.           Baton Rouge, La.
OL           Xavier Nixon                        Florida                   6-6          309         Sr.           Fayetteville, N.C.
OL           Elvis Fisher                           Missouri                 6-5          295         Sr.           St. Petersburg, Fla.
C             Travis Swanson                   Arkansas               6-5          305         Jr.            Kingwood, Texas

DEFENSE
First-Team
DL           Jadeveon Clowney             South Carolina     6-6          256         So.          Rock Hill, S.C.
DL           Sam Montgomery               LSU                        6-4          245         Jr.            Greenwood, S.C.
DL           Corey Lemonier                  Auburn                   6-4          240         Jr.            Hialeah, Fla.
DL           Barkevious Mingo               LSU                        6-5          240         Jr.            West Monroe, La.
ILB          *C.J. Mosley                         Alabama                               6-2          234         Jr.            Theodore, Ala.
ILB          *Nico Johnson                     Alabama                               6-3          245         Sr.           Andalusia, Ala.
OLB        Jarvis Jones                         Georgia                 6-3          241         Jr.            Columbus, Ga.
OLB        Sean Porter                          Texas A&M           6-2          230         Sr.           Schertz, Texas
DB          Tyrann Mathieu                    LSU                        5-9          175         Jr.            New Orleans, La.
DB          Bacarri Rambo                     Georgia                 6-0          218         Sr.           Donalsonville, Ga.
DB          Eric Reid                                LSU                        6-2          208         Jr.            Geismar, La.
DB          Johnthan Banks                   Miss. State            6-2          185         Sr.           Maben, Miss.

Second-Team
DL           John Jenkins                        Georgia                 6-3          351         Sr.           Meriden, Conn.
DL           Devin Taylor                         South Carolina     6-8          267         Sr.           Beaufort, S.C.
DL           Jesse Williams                     Alabama                               6-4          319         Sr.           Brisbane, Australia
DL           Sharrif Floyd                        Florida                   6-3          305         Jr.           Philadelphia, Pa.
ILB          Jon Bostic                            Florida                   6-1          243         Sr.           Wellington, Fla.
OLB        Alonzo Highsmith                Arkansas               6-1          233         Sr.           Missouri City, Texas
OLB        DeVonte Holloman             South Carolina     6-2          241         Sr.           Rock Hill, S.C.
DB          Robert Lester                        Alabama                               6-2          210         Sr.           Foley, Ala.
DB          D.J. Swearinger                   South Carolina     6-0          210         Sr.           Greenwood, S.C.
DB          Prentiss Waggner                Tennessee            6-2          185         Sr.           Clinton, La.
DB          Matt Elam                             Florida                   5-10        210         Jr.           Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Third-Team
DL           Josh Boyd                             Miss. State            6-3          300         Sr.           Philadelphia, Miss.
DL           *Dominique Easley            Florida                   6-2          286         Jr.           Staten Island, N.Y.
DL           *Abry Jones                          Georgia                 6-3          309         Sr.           Warner Robins, Ga.
DL           *Damontre Moore               Texas A&M           6-4          250         Jr.            Rowlett, Texas
DL           *Rob Lohr                              Vanderbilt             6-4          290         Sr.           Phoenixville, Pa.
ILB          *Alec Ogletree                      Georgia                 6-3          236         Jr.            Newnan, Ga.
ILB          *Daren Bates                        Auburn                   5-11        211         Sr.           Memphis, Tenn.
ILB          *Jelani Jenkins                   Florida                   6-0          233         Jr.           Olney, Md.
OLB        Zaviar Gooden                     Missouri                 6-2          230         Sr.           Pflugerville, Texas
OLB        A.J. Johnson                         Tennessee            6-3          245         So.          Gainesville, Ga.
DB          Dee Milliner                          Alabama                               6-1          196         Jr.            Millbrook, Ala.
DB          Charles Sawyer                   Ole Miss                                5-11        175         Jr.            Miami, Fla.
DB          Akeem Auguste                   South Carolina     5-9          188         Sr.           Hollywood, Fla.
DB          *E.J. Gaines                          Missouri                 5-10        190         Jr.            Independence, Mo.
DB          *Sanders Commings          Georgia                 6-2          217         Sr.           Augusta, Ga.


SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P             Brad Wing                             LSU                        6-3          184         So.          Melbourne, Australia
PK          Caleb Sturgis                      Florida                   5-11        187         Sr.           St. Augustine, Fla.
RS           Tyrann Mathieu                    LSU                        5-9          175         Jr.            New Orleans, La.
AP           Dennis Johnson                  Arkansas               6-0          180         Jr.            Russellville, Ark.

Second-Team
P             Steven Clark                         Auburn                   6-5          235         Jr.            Kansas City, Mo.
PK           Drew Alleman                      LSU                        5-11        183         Sr.           Lafayette, La.
RS          Andre Debose                     Florida                   5-11        186         Jr.           Sanford, Fla.
AP           Johnthan Banks                   Miss. State            6-2          185         Sr.           Maben, Miss.

Third-Team
P             *Dylan Breeding                  Arkansas               6-1          211         Sr.           Hoover, Ala.
P             *Tyler Campbell                  Ole Miss                                6-2          220         Sr.           Little Rock, Ark.
PK           Zach Hocker                         Arkansas               6-0          180         Jr.            Russellville, Ark.
RS           Dustin Harris                        Texas A&M           6-0          175         Sr.           Livingston, Texas
AP           Bruce Ellington                    South Carolina     5-9          197         So.          Moncks Corner, S.C.

* - Ties