Nov. 29, 2010

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has been selected to the 2010 AFCA Coaches’ All-America team it was announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. Jeffery, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best receiver, is one of two wide receivers to be named to the AFCA BCS team. He currently leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (112.6) and is second in receptions per game (6.2). He ranks fifth in the NCAA in receiving yards per game and has 23 plays of 20-plus yards to go along with eight plays of 40-plus yards.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and it is chosen exclusively by the coaches.

Alshon Jeffery By the Numbers

Preseason Honors
• All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
• All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele, Athlon)

Midseason Honors
• Midseason All-America First Team (Phil Steele)
• Midseason All-America First Team (Sports Illustrated)
• Midseason All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)

Award Watch Lists
• Biletnikoff (Finalist – 1 of 3 nationwide)
• Maxwell

This Season
• Named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award along with Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon and Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles.
• Leads the Gamecocks with 75 catches for 1,351 yards.
• Leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (112.6) and is second in receptions per game (6.2).
• Ranks fifth in the NCAA in receiving yards per game.
• Has 23 plays of 20+ yards; eight plays of 40+ yards.
• Passed Phillip Logan (2,063 yards) for 7th all-time in receiving yards with 141 yards in Clemson game; now has 2,114 career receiving yards. Needs 67 yards to move into 6th all-time at Carolina (Jermale Kelly, 2,181); needs 97 yards for 5th all-time (Robert Brooks, 2,211); needs 119 yards for fourth all-time (Sidney Rice, 2,233).
• Set Carolina single-season receiving record in win over Troy; passed Sidney Rice’s 1,143-yard season in 2005.
• Became third different player in South Carolina history to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season (Sidney Rice, Sterling Sharpe).
• Caught five passes vs. for 123 yards vs. Troy; his sixth 100-yard game of the season.
• Hauled in 7 catches for 99 yards vs. Arkansas, including a one-handed grab that was No. 2 on the “SportsCenter” Top 10 that night.
• Had three catches vs. Tennessee for 87 yards, the biggest of which was a 70-yard touchdown reception to give the Gamecocks the lead for good in the fourth quarter.
• Went over 100 yards for the fifth time this season with a 9-catch, 155-yard performance in the Gamecocks’ win at Vanderbilt. Hauled in a season-long 72-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for Carolina.
• Had a 7-catch, 127-yard performance with two touchdowns against No. 1 Alabama. Had a long reception of 45 yards, catching Garcia’s pass one-handed down the sideline with an Alabama defender providing tough coverage.
• Had the fourth-best receiving game in Carolina history with 192 yards on 8 catches at Auburn; set career highs in both categories.
• Became the 23rd player in Carolina history to record 1,000 career-receiving yards with a 5-catch, 97-yard performance vs. Furman.
• Had 7 catches for 103 yards vs. Georgia; two straight games with 100+ yards.
• Has 10 100-yard receiving games for Carolina; is one away from tying the school record (Sidney Rice, 11).
• Has had at least one reception in 20 straight games.

Career Highlights
• 2009 Freshman All-America (FWAA, Phil Steele, Scout.com, CollegeFootballNews.com)
• 2009 SEC All-Freshman Team
• 2009 All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
• Played in all 13 games in 2009, starting seven.
• Led team in 2009 with 46 catches for 763 yards.
• Second on team with six TDs in 2009.
• Only freshman in SEC top 10 in catches/game and yards/game.
• Had three 100-yard receiving games in 2009 (Vanderbilt – 161; Kentucky – 138; Arkansas – 118).
• Named SEC Freshman of the Week for 118-yard, 3-TD performance vs. Kentucky; tied for second-best single-game mark for TDs in school history.

Season Highs
• Receptions: 9 (at Vanderbilt)
• Receiving Yards: 192 (at Auburn)
• Long Reception: 72 (at Vanderbilt) • Touchdown Receptions: 2 (at Auburn, vs. Alabama)
• 100-yard Receiving Games: 7 (Clemson, Troy, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Southern Miss)

Career Highs
• Receptions: 9 (Vanderbilt `10)
• Receiving Yards: 192 (Auburn `10)
• Long Reception: 80 (Arkansas `09)
• Touchdown Receptions: 3 (Kentucky `09)
• 100-yard Receiving Games: 9

IN THE CLUTCH, FIND THE BIG GUY
South Carolina is 12th in the nation in converting third downs as the Gamecocks have kept the chains moving 49.7% of the time (77-of-155). A big reason for that is the clutch performances of sophomore WR Alshon Jeffery. Of those 77 third-down conversions, 17 of those have been successful because of passes to Jeffery. On average, Carolina needed 6.1 yards on those third-down passes, and Jeffery’s catches on those plays averaged 15.0 yards apiece. And keeping those drives alive has paid off tremendously: Carolina has scored on 14 of the 16 drives in which Jeffery made a third-down catch (10 TDs, 4 FGs).