Dec. 14, 2006

South Carolina linebacker Jasper Brinkley has been selected to the first team All-SEC squad by collegefootballnews.com, it was announced today.

Brinkley, a 6-2, 258-pound junior from Thomson, Ga., is the Gamecocks’ leading tackler with 96 total stops, nearly twice as many as any other player on the squad. An amazing 80 percent of those (77 of 96) have been solo stops. He ranks fourth in the league in tackles, averaging 8.0 per game. Brinkley also leads the team and is seventh in the SEC with 12.5 tackles for loss. He led the team in tackles in seven of 12 games, including a career-high 13 (11 solos) against Florida, and had 11 stops against Mississippi State.

Brinkley was previously named to the first team All-SEC squad by the Associated Press.

Brinkley and 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. The squad will begin practice for the bowl game on Saturday, Dec. 16.