University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Trio Grab First-Team Honors
11/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 28, 2006
HOUSTON, Texas - Record-setting quarterback Kevin Kolb along with center Sterling Doty and safety Will Gulley were named to the Media All-Conference USA First Team, as it was announced Tuesday by the league office in Irving.
The Cougars-who are the West Division champions and play host to Southern Miss of the East Division in the Conference USA Championship game this Friday-produced a league-high 13 total selections on the First, Second and Third teams.
Houston placed five members on the Second Team and four on the Third Team. Leading the way on the second team was junior running back Anthony Alridge. He was joined by senior wide receiver Vincent Marshall, junior tackle Jeff Akeroyd and a pair of sophomores, kicker Ben Bell and defensive end Phillip Hunt. Senior running back Jackie Battle headlined the third team, and the team's second-leading rusher was joined by junior tackle Dustin Dickinson, junior linebacker Trent Allen and senior nose tackle Marquay Love.
Safety Brandon Brinkley and offensive lineman Carl Barnett were selected to the Conference USA Media All-Freshman team.
In his final season at the helm of the Cougar offense, Kolb led Houston to a 9-3 record and 25 wins in his career. A four-year starter who enters the Southern Miss game on a streak of 48 straight starts, Kolb owns almost every passing and total offense mark in UH history and has thrown for 12,320 yards and accounted for 100 touchdowns in his career. A unanimous selection to the First Team, Kolb is a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was the preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year.
Doty has been nothing but solid for the Cougars in the middle, starting 35 straight games at the center position. Earlier this year he was a member of the Rimington Award Watch List.
As for Gulley, the free safety completed his return from major knee surgery with his first-ever placement on one of the league's post season squads. Gulley leads the Cougars with five interceptions and is second on the team with 86 total tackles. Gulley missed all of the 2005 season after suffering a knee injury towards the end of the '04 campaign.
After beginning the year as a wide receiver, Alridge grabbed the spotlight in the second half of the UTEP game on Oct. 21 and never looked back. Alridge racked up four 100-yard games in league play, including a remarkable 225 versus SMU on Nov. 11. Alridge leads the Cougars with 878 yards and an eye-popping 11.3 yards per rush. He scored three touchdowns over 70 yards this season.
Marshall will conclude his career as the school's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, and this year's selection marks the third straight year he picked up C-USA post season accolades. Marshall leads the Cougars with 63 catches and six touchdowns this season.
Akeroyd's selection is the first for the 13-game starter. He began the year as the Cougars' starting left guard but moved outside to left tackle following the season-ending injury to SirVincent Rogers.
Bell and Hunt followed up C-USA All-Freshman selections in 2005 with Second-Team picks this season. Bell leads the Cougars in scoring with 85 points and has nailed 14-of-18 field goals this season. As for Hunt, he leads the team with six sacks and is second on the team with nine tackles for losses.
Finally, Battle wraps up his career with a Third-Team selection after rushing for 801 yards and a team-best 12 touchdowns. Entering the season with just one 100-yard game, Battle registered three in 2006, including back-to-back century performances to conclude the regular season. Providing the blocking for him and Alridge was Doty, Akeroyd and Dickinson, who started all 12 games this season at right tackle.
Speed-burner Avery and run-stuffing Love also pick up conference post season accolades for the first time. Avery leads the Cougar receivers with 767 yards while hauling in five scores from Kolb.
A two-time C-USA Player of the Week, Love elevated his game to the next level in final season with the Cougars. Love finished the regular season with a career-best 48 tackles, including a team-best 10 for losses.
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