Checking out the AP All-SEC teams

Here’s the complete list, via Emerson:

First team
Offense
QB: Cam Newton, Auburn
RB: Marcus Lattmiore, South Carolina
RB: Knile Davis, Arkansas
WR: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
WR: Julio Jones, Alabama
TE: D.J. Williams, Arkansas
OL: Lee Ziemba, Auburn
OL: Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama
OL: DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
C: Ryan Pugh, Auburn
K: Josh Jasper, LSU

Defense
DE: Devin Taylor, South Carolina
DT: Nick Fairley, Auburn
DT: Drake Nevis, LSU
LB-DE: Justin Houston, Georgia
LB: Kelvin Sheppard, LSU
LB: Chris White, Mississippi State
LB: Danny Trevathan, Kentucky
CB: Patrick Peterson, LSU
CB: Janoris Jenkins, Florida
S: Ahmad Black, Florida
S: Mark Barron, Alabama
P: Chas Henry, Florida

Second team
Offense
WR: Randall Cobb, Kentucky
WR: A.J. Green, Georgia
L: Byron Isom, Auburn
L: Larry Warford, Kentucky
L: Joseph Barksdale, LSU
L: Clint Boling, Georgia
L: James Carpenter, Alabama
L: Bradley Sowell, Mississippi
C: Mike Pouncey, Florida
TE: Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt
QB: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
RB: Stevan Ridley, LSU
RB: Mark Ingram, Alabama
K: Blair Walsh, Georgia
All-purpose: Patrick Peterson, LSU

Defense
T: Marcell Dareus, Alabama
T: Malik Jackson, Tennessee
E: Jake Bequette, Arkansas
E: Antoine Carter, Auburn
LB: Josh Bynes, Auburn
LB: Akeem Dent, Georgia
LB: Don’t’a Hightower, Alabama
CB: Morris Claiborne, LSU
CB: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt
CB: Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee
S: Robert Lester, Alabama
S: Tramain Thomas, Arkansas
P: Tyler Campbell, Mississippi

Honorable mentions
RB Vick Ballard, Mississippi State; RB Brandon Bolden, Mississippi, QB Greg McElroy, Alabama; RB Tauren Poole, Tennessee; C William Vlachos, Alabama; LB Jonathan Cornell, Mississippi; S Zac Etheridge, Auburn.

And a few thoughts about that:

• A.J. Green. Obviously, if you’re a Georgia fan, his second-team finish is what catches your eye there.  I can see both sides of the argument to some extent.  Green only played in eight games, not enough to qualify to appear in the official SEC stats.  And being fair, there are a lot of very good receivers in the conference this year who did play in more games.  On the other hand, his numbers match up very well against the elite:  his receptions per game rank third (tied with Jeffrery), his yards per game rank second (behind Jeffery and ahead of Jones) and his touchdowns tie for first (despite playing in four or five games less than the others).  There’s also the matter how how dramatically Georgia’s scoring increased after Green was inserted back into the lineup.  But the clincher for me was how much opposing defenses altered their schemes and coverages to account for his presence on the field.  I never saw another receiver affect SEC defenses in that way this season.  I would have voted him first team with Jeffery.
• Receivers. On a related note, no other receivers in the league got honorable mention?  I’m kind of surprised that Darvin Adams or one of the Arkansas wide outs didn’t get a few votes somewhere.
• Aaron Murray. No way I’m suggesting that there’s something wrong with the first or second-team picks, but if Greg McElroy made HM, Murray was just as deserving, especially considering that he was without his best receiver for the first four games of the year.
• Nice job coaching them up. Florida had no first teamers on offense and no second teamers on defense.  What happened with all those top recruits, Corch?
• The center position. Speaking of which, Mike Pouncey on the second team?  I was under the impression that being able to snap the ball to the quarterback on a consistent basis was important.  Is the conference that lacking in decent center play?
• Sentimental picks. I’d have gone with Jasper at kicker just because of the play against Florida.  And Chris White’s certainly earned a special place in my heart.
• Injustices. Casey Hayward and Janoris Jenkins should exchange places.  Mississippi State finished the year second in rushing and fourth in sacks allowed; some lineman in addition to Sherrod (who had a fantastic year) should have at least gotten a nod at honorable mention.  Cornell should have placed ahead of Bynes and Hightower.

Your thoughts?

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UPDATE: Coaches’ picks are here.

One positive over the AP’s is that Pouncey is nowhere to be seen.  On the other hand, Gilmore as a first-teamer is a bit of a stretch.  He may have been the most inconsistent big name DB I saw this year.

And if Dareus is a first-teamer, so is A.J.  (Of course, I guess three of the voters didn’t see him play in person.  Sigh.)

You gotta like the Orson Charles love, though.