MANHATTAN — Kansas State senior linebacker Arthur Brown, senior defensive back Nigel Malone and sophomore kick returner Tyler Lockett were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Big 12 team after a vote of various media members who cover the league, the conference office announced Wednesday.
The three Wildcats on the Preseason All-Big 12 team are the most since 2003 when K-State had four selections. All three players, each of whom earned All-Big 12 accolades following the 2011 season, were first-time members of the preseason team.
Big 12 newcomer Geno Smith, quarterback of West Virginia, was named the preseason offensive player of the year, while Texas defensive end Alex Okafor and Oklahoma wide receiver Trey Metoyer picked up preseason defensive and newcomer of the year honors, respectively.
Brown, the 2011 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, led the K-State defense with 101 tackles, the most by a Wildcat since 2006. He also came away with 9.5 tackles for loss and an interception of Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III that led to a game-winning field goal against No. 15 Baylor. A native of Wichita, Brown is on the watch list for four major college football awards (Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award).
A product of Manteca, Calif., Malone led the Big 12 and ranked third nationally last season with seven interceptions, a mark that ranked second in school history and tied for fifth in Big 12 history. A semifinalist for the 2011 Jim Thorpe Award, Malone was a second-team Walter Camp All-American, a third-team Associated Press All-America selection and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches and The Associated Press. The former community-college transfer was named to the watch lists for the 2012 Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Thorpe Award.
Lockett burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2011 as both a wide receiver and kick returner. A native of Tulsa, Okla., Lockett set the Big 12 and K-State single-season records for kickoff return average at 35.2 yards per return. He also took kickoffs back for touchdowns in consecutive weeks at Texas Tech and at Kansas as he was one of 10 players nationally with at least two kickoff return scores and the first K-State player to ever do so in consecutive games.
For his efforts, Lockett was named a 2011 first-team Walter Camp All-America choice, the lone true freshman on the team. He also picked up second-team All-America accolades from Sports Illustrated and Rivals.com, while he was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after hauling in 18 receptions for 246 yards and three touchdowns before an injury cut his season short.
The Wildcats will participate in the annual Big 12 Football Media Days, July 23, in Dallas, Texas. Representing K-State at the event will be head coach Bill Snyder, quarterback Collin Klein, linebackers Arthur Brown and Tre Walker, and defensive back Ty Zimmerman.
Kansas State kicks off the 2012 campaign against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 1 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A four-pack of tickets for the fourth annual K-State Family Reunion game, as well as the game against North Texas on Sept. 15, can be purchased for $75 by Aug. 1.
Also, tickets for the Sept. 8 contest against the University of Miami are going fast but remain available for $75 (bench seating) and $85 (premium bench seating). For more information on season or single-game tickets, contact the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-221-CATS or visit www.k-statesports.com/tickets.
The media Preseason Big 12 Poll will be released on Thursday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days to be conducted in Dallas on July 23-24. Live video coverage, including press conferences and one-on-one interviews with a variety of guests, will be featured both days on the Big 12 Digital Network, including Big12Sports.com.
2012 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Geno Smith, West Virginia (QB, 6-3, 214, Sr/3L, Miami, Fla.)
Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Okafor, Texas (DE, 6-4, 260, Sr/3L, Pflugerville, Texas) Newcomer of the Year: Trey Metoyer, Oklahoma (WR, 6-1, 190, Fr/HS, Whitehouse, Texas)
OFFENSE Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
WR Kenny Stills Oklahoma 6-1 189 Jr/2L Encinitas, Calif.
TE Jordan Najvar Baylor 6-6 260 Jr/1L Spring, Texas
OL Gabe Ikard * Oklahoma 6-4 295 Jr/2L Oklahoma City, Okla.
OL Cyril Richardson Baylor 6-5 335 Jr/2L Fort Worth, Texas
C Ben Habern^ Oklahoma 6-4 292 Sr/3L Argyle, Texas
OL LaAdrian Waddle # Texas Tech 6-6 318 Sr/3L Columbus, Texas
OL Lane Taylor Oklahoma State 6-3 328 Sr/3L Arlington, Texas
WR Tavon Austin West Virginia 5-9 174 Sr/3L Baltimore, Md.
QB Geno Smith West Virginia 6-3 214 Sr/3L Miami, Fla.
RB Joseph Randle # Oklahoma State 6-1 200 Jr/2L Wichita
RB Malcolm Brown Texas 6-0 213 So/1L Cibolo, Texas
PK Quinn Sharp * Oklahoma State 6-1 205 Sr/3L Mansfield, Texas
KR Tyler Lockett # Kansas State 5-11 175 So/1L Tulsa, Okla.
DEFENSE Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
DLJackson Jeffcoat #Texas6-5 250Jr/2L Plano, Texas
DL Stansly Maponga TCU 6-2 265 Jr/2L Carrollton, Texas
DL Alex Okafor *Texas 6-4 260 Sr/3L Pflugerville, Texas
DL Jamarkus McFarland Oklahoma 6-2 296 Sr/3 LLufkin, Texas
LB Arthur Brown *Kansas State 6-1 228 Sr/3L Wichita
LB A.J. Klein *Iowa State 6-2 244 Sr/3L Kimberly, Wis.
LB Jake Knott ^#Iowa State 6-3 239 Sr/3L Waukee, Iowa
DB Brodrick Brown *Oklahoma State 5-8 185 Sr/3L Houston, Texas
DB Kenny Vaccaro *Texas 6-1 215 Sr/3L Brownwood, Texas
DB Tony Jefferson Oklahoma 5-10 199 Jr/2L Chula Vista, Calif.
DBNigel Malone *Kansas State 5-10 185 Sr/3L Manteca, Calif.
P Quinn Sharp ^*Oklahoma State 6-1 205 Sr/3L Mansfield, Texas
PR Tavon Austin West Virginia 5-9 174 Sr/3L Baltimore, Md.
^ 2011 Preseason Team
* 2011 All-Big 12 First Team selection
# 2011 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
