Dizon Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year

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BOULDER - Senior inside linebacker Jordon Dizon has been named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year by the league coaches, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Dizon was also joined by senior cornerback Terrence Wheatley and junior defensive tackle George Hypolite as first-team all-Big 12 Conference selections, with senior offensive tackle Tyler Polumbus earning second-team honors.

Selections are made by the league's 12 head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own players.

Dizon is the first Colorado player to receive Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, as the senior completed a "bookend" career as he was also named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2004. Dizon is the third player in conference history to receive both the defensive freshman and player of the year awards, joining Kansas State's Mark Simoneau (1996, 2000) and Texas' Derrick Johnson (2000, 2004).

"It's an honor, it definitely is. There are a lot of tangibles that go on behind this; I have to thank my coaches, Coach Cabral and Coach Hawk. I have to thank my D-line, [DT] Brandon Nicolas and [DT] George Hypolite because with out both of them none of this would have been possible."

Dizon is the first CU player to win a conference player of the year award since 2002, when tailback Chris Brown earned the offensive honor from the Big 12 coaches. He's the first Buff defensive player to do so since 1992, when cornerback Deon Figures earned the nod the same year he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

"He is very deserving," head coach Dan Hawkins said. "Good things happen to good people and he is one of those guys. He has had a tremendous season; he's played very well and been very productive. He has been very consistent and very solid, all the things I've said before. He shows up every day, he's a very humble guy, he plays hurt, great leader?just very solid all the way around. He should be the Butkus (Award) guy as well."

Dizon is one of three finalists for the Butkus Award, to be presented to the nation's top linebacker on December 7.

MORE TO COME THIS AFTERNOON AFTER PRESS LUNCHEON

2007 All-Big 12 Football

First-Team

OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)

QB Chase Daniel Missouri Jr. Southlake, Texas/Carroll

RB Dantrell Savage Oklahoma State Sr. Columbus, Ga./Mississippi Gulf Coast CC

RB Jamaal Charles Texas Jr. Port Arthur, Texas/Memorial

FB Brody Eldridge Oklahoma So. La Cygne, Kan./Prairie View

WR Jordy Nelson Kansas State Sr. Riley, Kan./Riley County

WR Jeremy Maclin Missouri Fr. Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood

WR Michael Crabtree Texas Tech Fr. Dallas, Texas/Carter

TE Brandon Pettigrew Oklahoma State Jr. Tyler,Texas/Lee

OL Anthony Collins Kansas Jr. Beaumont, Texas/Central Senior

OL Adam Speiker Missouri Sr. Webb City, Mo./Webb City

OL Duke Robinson Oklahoma Jr. Atlanta, Ga./Washington

OL Tony Hills Texas Sr. Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik

OL Cody Wallace Texas A&M Sr. Cuero, Texas/Cuero
PK Alex Trlica Texas Tech Sr. Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood

KR/PR Jeremy Maclin Missouri Fr. Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood

DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)

DL George Hypolite Colorado Jr. Los Angeles, Calif./Loyola

DL James McClinton Kansas Sr. Garland, Texas/Lakeview Centennial

DL Ian Campbell Kansas State Jr. Cimarron, Kan./Cimarron

DL Lorenzo Williams Missouri Sr. Midwest City, Okla./Midwest City

DL Auston English Oklahoma So. Canadian, Texas/Canadian

LB Jordon Dizon Colorado Sr. Kauai, Hawaii/Waimea
LB Joe Mortensen Kansas Jr. Concord, Calif./Clayton Valley

LB Curtis Lofton Oklahoma Jr. Kingfisher, Okla./Kingfisher

DB Terrence Wheatley Colorado Sr. Richardson, Texas/Plano East

DB Aqib Talib Kansas Jr. Richardson, Texas/Berkner

DB Nic Harris Oklahoma Jr. Alexandria, La./Alexandria

DB Reggie Smith Oklahoma Jr. Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe

DB Marcus Griffin Texas Sr. Austin, Texas/Bowie

P Tim Reyer Kansas State Sr. Wamego, Kan./Rock Creek

Second-Team

OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)

QB Todd Reesing Kansas So. Austin, Texas/Lake Travis

QB Graham Harrell Texas Tech Jr. Ennis, Texas/Ennis

RB Brandon McAnderson Kansas Sr. Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence

RB Marlon Lucky Nebraska Jr. North Hollywood, Calif./North Hollywood

FB Chris Alexander Texas A&M Sr. Humble, Texas/Humble

WR Marcus Henry Kansas Sr. Lawton, Okla./Eisenhower

WR Malcolm Kelly Oklahoma Jr. Longview, Texas/Longview

WR Adarius Bowman Oklahoma State Sr. Chattanooga, Tenn/North Carolina

TE Martin Rucker Missouri Sr. St. Joseph, Mo./Benton

OL Tyler Polumbus Colorado Sr. Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek

OL Carl Nicks Nebraska Sr. Salinas Calif./New Mexico State

OL Phil Loadholt Oklahoma Jr. Fountain, Colo./Garden City CC

OL Brandon Walker Oklahoma Jr. Detroit, Mich/Coffeyville CC

OL David Koenig Oklahoma State Sr Cape Coral, Fla./Cape Coral

PK Jeff Wolfert Missouri Jr. Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley West
PK Garrett Hartley Oklahoma Sr. Southlake, Texas/Southlake Carroll

KR/PR Marcus Herford Kansas Jr. DeSoto, Texas/Cedar Hill

DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)

DL Stryker Sulak Missouri Jr. Rockdale, Texas/Rockdale

DL Demarcus Granger Oklahoma So. Dallas, Texas/Kimball

DL Nathan Peterson Oklahoma State Sr. Tulsa, Okla./Union

DL Derek Lokey Texas Sr. Denton, Texas/Ryan
DL Frank Okam Texas Sr. Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands

DL Chris Harrington Texas A&M Sr. Houston, Texas/St. Puis
LB Alvin Bowen Iowa State Sr. East Orange, N.J./Garden City, CC

LB Sean Weatherspoon Missouri So. Jasper, Texas/Jasper

LB Misi Tupe Texas A&M Sr. St. George, Utah/Dixie State College

DB Jordan Lake Baylor So. Houston, Texas/Memorial

DB Justin McKinney Kansas State Sr. Sanford, Fla./Garden City CC

DB Cornelius Brown Missouri Sr. Adel, Ga./Reedley CC (Calif.)

DB William Moore Missouri Jr. Hayti, Mo./Hayti

DB D.J. Wolfe Oklahoma Sr. Lawton, Okla./Eisenhower

P Justin Brantly Texas A&M Jr. Sealy, Texas/Sealy

Ties in the voting created additional positions on the second team for quarterback, placekicker and defensive line.

Honorable Mention

Baylor: Dan Gay, OL; Jake La Mar, DB; Jason Lamb, DL; Joe Pawelek, LB; Brandon Whitaker, RB;

Colorado: Hugh Charles, RB; Kevin Eberhart, PK; Edwin Harrison, OL; Brandon Nicolas, DL; Terrence Wheatley, PR/KR;

Iowa State: Todd Blythe, WR; Bryce Braaksma, DL; Athyba Rubin, DL;

Kansas: Ryan Cantrell, OL; James Holt, LB; Mike Rivera, LB; Cesar Rodriguez, OL; Darrell Stuckey, DB; Scott Webb, PK;

Kansas State: Alesana Alesana, OL; Chris Carney, DB; Josh Freeman, QB; Rob Jackson, DL; James Johnson, RB;

Deon Murphy,WR; Deon Murphy, PR/KR; Jordy Nelson, PR/KR; Michael Pooschke, FB; Logan Robinson, OL;

Brooks Rossman, PK; Reggie Walker, LB;

Missouri: Colin Brown, OL; Tommy Chavis, DL; Brock Christopher, LB; Chase Coffman, TE; William Franklin, WR;

Carl Gettis, DB; Ziggy Hood, DL; Tony Temple, RB;

Nebraska: Larry Asante, DB; Brett Byford, OL; Cortney Grixby, PR/KR; Jacob Hickman, OL; Lydon Murtha, OL;

Steve Octavien, LB; Zach Potter, DL; Maurice Purify, WR; Bo Ruud, LB; Dan Titchener, P;

Oklahoma: Lewis Baker, LB; Sam Bradford, QB; Joe Jon Finley, TE; Jermaine Gresham, TE; Juaquin Iglesias, WR;

Gerald McCoy, DL; DeMarco Murray, RB;

Oklahoma State: Perrish Cox, PR/KR: Jacob Lacey, DB; Russell Okung, OL; Donovan Woods, LB;

Texas: Ryan Bailey, PK; Quan Cosby, PR/KR; Scott Derry, LB; Jermichael Finley, TE; Brandon Foster, DB;

Dallas Griffin, OL; Roy Miller, DL; Adam Ulatoski, OL;

Texas A&M: Michael Bennett, DL; Martellus Bennett, TE; Red Bryant, DL; Marquis Carpenter, DB; Corey Clark, OL;

Mark Dodge, LB; Kirk Elder, OL; Jorvorskie Lane, RB; Stephen McGee, QB;

Texas Tech: Danny Amendola, WR; Brandon Carter, OL; Joe Garcia, DB; Rajon Henley, DL; Darcel McBath, DB;

Chris Parker, DB; Jonathan LaCour, P; Rylan Reed, OL; Louis Vasquez, OL; Jamar Wall, DB; Colby Whitlock, DL;

Brandon Williams, DL; Marlon Williams, LB;

Specialty Awards

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Chase Daniel, Missouri, Jr., QB, Southlake, Texas

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jordon Dizon, Colorado, Sr., LB, Kauai, Hawaii

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Marcus Herford, Kansas, Jr., WR, DeSoto, Texas

OFFENSIVE FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR

Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, Fr., WR, Kirkwood, Mo.

Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, Fr., WR, Dallas, Texas

DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma, Fr., DT, Oklahoma City, Okla.

OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Deon Murphy, Kansas State, Jr., WR, Houston, Texas

DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Gary Chandler, Kansas State, Jr., DB, Wichita, Kan.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR

Adam Spieker, Missouri, Sr., Webb City, Mo.

Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, Sr., Cuero, Texas

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR

James McClinton, Kansas, Sr., Garland, Texas

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mark Mangino, Kansas, 6th season

Colorado University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Hugh Charles

Jordon Dizon

Kevin Eberhart

Edwin Harrison

George Hypolite

Brandon Nicolas

Tyler Polumbus

Terrence Wheatley

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