"I am very proud of all five of these young men," Marshall Head Coach Mark Snyder said. "For them to be recognized by the league's media members as some of the best at their positions is an honor."
Doug Legursky, a senior from Beckley, is making his third appearance on the All-Conference USA Team. Legursky, who started 36 consecutive games under center for the Herd was a 2006 first-team and 2005 second-team honoree. He is a three-time Rimington Trophy Watch List selection that will play in this January's Hula Bowl. Cody Slate, a sophomore tight end, led all C-USA tight ends in receiving with 66 catches for 818 yards and five , Rice Defensive Lineman - Bruce Miller, UCF Linebacker - Mike Tashman, UAB Linebacker - Derrick Hallman, UCF Linebacker - Anthony Morrow, UTEP touchdowns. The two-time All-Conference USA selection currently ranks third in the nation in receiving among tight ends
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C.J. Spillman, a junior free safety, earned second-team honors after leading Marshall in tackles with 131 stops. He also recorded three forced fumbles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Spillman's 10.2 tackles per game average ties him for third in C-USA and 11th in the nation in that category.
Thundering Herd true freshman running back Darius Marshall and redshirt-freshman guard Josh Evans were Marshall's all-freshman selections. Marshall, a true freshman, led the Herd and all freshmen in C-USA with 631 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Evans, a Fayetteville, W.Va., started all 12 games at left guard for the Herd in his first collegiate season. The Individual C-USA Media Award Winners are scheduled to be announced Wednesday. The C-USA Coaches All-Conference Teams will be announced at a later date.
2007 C-USA FOOTBALL MEDIA ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE: Quarterback - Paul Smith, Sr., Tulsa; Running Backs - Matt Forte', Sr., Tulane and Kevin Smith, Jr., UCF; Offensive Linemen - Jeff Akeroyd, Sr., Houston, Pat Brown, Jr., UCF, Doug Legursky, Sr., Marshall, Josh Sitton., Sr., UCF and Kyle Smith, Sr., UCF Tight End - Cody Slate, So., Marshall; Wide Receiver- Donnie Avery, Sr., Houston, Jarett Dillard, Jr., Rice and Jeff Moturi, So., UTEP.
DEFENSE: Defensive Linemen - Matthew Chatelain, Sr., Southern Miss, Leger Douzable, Sr., UCF, Phillip Hunt, Jr., Houston and Martavius Prince., Sr., Southern Miss; Linebackers - Chris Chamberlain, Sr., Tulsa, Nelson Coleman, Sr., Tulsa and Gerald McRath, So., Southern Miss; Defensive Backs - Joe Burnett, Jr., UCF, Quintin Demps, Sr., UTEP, Will Dunbar, Sr., UAB and Brandon Sumrall, Sr., Southern Miss.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Placekicker - Swayze Waters, Jr., UAB; Punter - Thomas Morstead, Jr., SMU; Kick Returner - Chris Johnson, Sr., East Carolina; Punt Returner - Joe Burnett, Jr., UCF; Long Snapper - Michael Buscemi, Sr., UCF.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE: Quarterback - Chase Clement, Jr., Rice; Running Backs - Anthony Alridge, Sr., Houston and Damion Fletcher, So., Southern Miss; Offensive Linemen - Aryan Barto, Sr., Tulane, Matt Butler, Sr., East Carolina, Chris Clark, Sr., Southern Miss, Nick Dean., Sr., Southern Miss, Robby Heos, Sr., Rice and Andy Smith, Sr., Memphis; Tight End - Shawn Nelson, Jr., Southern Miss; Wide Receivers - Duke Calhoun, So., Memphis, Trae Johnson, Fr., Tulsa and Brennan Marion, Jr., Tulsa.
DEFENSE: Defensive Linemen - Antonio Harris., Sr., Tulane, Moton Hopkins, Jr., Tulsa, Bruce Miller, So., UCF and Zack Slate, Jr., East Carolina; Linebackers - Joe Henderson, Jr., UAB, Jake Kasser, Sr., Memphis and Brian Raines, Jr., Rice; Defensive Backs - Kenneth Fontennette, Jr., Houston, Sha'Reff Rashad, Sr., UCF, Andrew Sendejo, So., Rice and C.J. Spillman, Jr., Marshall.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Placekicker - Jose Martinez, Jr., UTEP; Punter - Britt Barefoot., So., Southern Miss; Kick Returner - Donnie Avery., Sr., Houston; Punt Returner- Quintin Demps, Sr., UTEP; and Long Snapper- John Warren, Jr., Tulsa.
2007 C-USA FOOTBALL MEDIA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OFFENSE: Quarterback - Case Keenum, Houston; Running Backs - Darius Marshall, Marshall and Charles Clay, Tulsa; Offensive Lineman - D.J. Scott, East Carolina Offensive Linemen - Josh Evans, Marshall, Dominik Riley, Memphis, Scott Mitchell, Rice, Andrew Nierman, Tulane and Jah Reid, UCF; Tight End - Jeffrey Anderson, UAB; Wide Receivers - James Casey, Rice and Trae Johnson, Tulsa.
DEFENSE: Defensive Linemen - Linval Joseph, East Carolina, Chetu Ozougwu, Rice, Scott Soloman, Rice and Bruce Miller, UCF; Linebackers - Mike Tashman, UAB, Derrick Hallman, UCF and Anthony Morrow, UTEP; Defensive Backs - Travis Simmons, East Carolina, C.J. Bailey, Southern Miss, Devin Holland, Tulane and Loyce Means, Houston
SPECIAL TEAMS: Placekicker - Justin Estes, Southern Miss; Punter - Kyle Peterson, UTEP; Kick Returner - Jonathan Williams, East Carolina; Punt Returner - Dwayne Harris, East Carolina; Long Snapper - Keenan Bratcher, Memphis.