Dec. 5, 2006

University of South Carolina wide receiver Sidney Rice, tight end Andy Boyd, cornerback Fred Bennett and placekicker Ryan Succop were named to the second team All-SEC squad, as selected by the league’s coaches, it was announced today.

Rice, a 6-4, 200-pound sophomore who a first team selection a year ago, was South Carolina’s leading receiver for the second straight season. The Gaffney, S.C. product caught 64 passes for 951 yards and nine touchdowns. His 64 receptions and 951 yards receiving both rank as the third highest single season totals in school history. He is fifth in the league in receiving yards per game (79.2) and fourth in receptions per game (5.33). Rice has over 2,000 yards receiving in just two seasons and is the school’s all-time leader with 22 career touchdown receptions. He recorded four 100-yard receiving games in 2006 and has 10 in his career, tying Sterling Sharpe for the most in school history. He set the single game school record with five touchdown receptions against Florida Atlantic while caught nine passes for 161 yards in that contest, earning SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Boyd, a 6-4, 265-pound senior tight end, is regarded as one of the best blockers on the squad. He suffered a shoulder injury prior to the start of the season which kept him sidelined for four games, but proved to be a key ingredient in the improved offense during the season’s second half. He caught two passes for a total of 63 yards – a 48-yard reception against Florida and a 15-yard touchdown catch against Middle Tennessee. Three of his four career receptions have gone for touchdowns. A native of Concord, N.C., Boyd has been granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA for the 2007 campaign.

Bennett, a 6-1, 199-pound senior was the only defensive starter from 2005 who started more than half the games for the Gamecocks in 2006. He is second on the team with 32 career starts. The Manning, S.C. native logged 31 tackles including 22 solo stops, picked off a pair of passes and led the team with 11 pass break ups. His interceptions came early in the season against Mississippi State and Georgia. He tied for fourth in the SEC in passes defended with 13, averaging just over one per game and owns nine career interceptions.

Succop, a 6-3, 214-pound sophomore handles all three kicking chores: kickoffs, punts and placements for the Gamecocks. A semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award which honors the nation’s top placekicker, Succop connected on 15-of-18 of his field goal attempts. His 83.3 percent accuracy was second in the league. He actually only missed one field goal attempt – a 51-yarder that hit the left upright against Georgia – while his other two misses were blocked. The Hickory, N.C. product was a perfect 10-for-10 from inside 47 yards, booted a 50-yarder against Tennessee and a career-high 55-yarder against Vanderbilt. He also had a 55-yarder taken off the board against Florida due to a penalty. He averaged 41.3 yards per field goal attempt and connected on 32-of-33 extra points for a team-leading 77 points overall.

The Gamecocks (7-5) will wrap up their season on Friday, Dec. 29 when they travel to Memphis, Tenn. to face the Houston Cougars (10-3), champions of Conference USA, in the 48th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl.