Dec. 5, 2011

MORE ON MELVIN

University of South Carolina senior defensive end Melvin Ingram has been named to the 2011 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America team, it was announced today.

Ingram, a 6-2, 276-pounder from Hamlet, N.C., led the Gamecocks with 13.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also intercepted two passes, was credited with six quarterback hurries and scored three touchdowns, including a 68-yard scamper on a fake punt in the Gamecocks’ win at Georgia.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.

This marks the third straight year that a Gamecock has earned first-team All-America honors. Eric Norwood was a first-team pick by the Associated Press and Walter Camp in 2009, while Alshon Jeffery earned first-team All-America accolades in 2010 by AFCA, FWAA, ESPN.com and Phil Steele.

Ingram and the Gamecocks (10-2, 6-2 SEC) will begin preparations next week for their Jan. 2 Capital One Bowl date with the Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten).

2011 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team

Offense

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School

WR Justin Blackmon* 6-1 215 Jr. Oklahoma St.

WR Jordan White 6-0 215 Sr. Western Michigan

TE Orson Charles 6-3 241 Jr. Georgia

OL Kevin Zeitler 6-4 315 Sr. Wisconsin

OL Barrett Jones 6-5 311 Jr. Alabama

C Peter Konz 6-5 315 Jr. Wisconsin

OL David DeCastro 6-5 310 Sr. Stanford

OL Levy Adcock 6-6 322 Sr. Oklahoma St.

QB Andrew Luck 6-4 235 Sr. Stanford

RB Trent Richardson 5-11 224 Jr. Alabama

RB Montee Ball 5-11 210 Jr. Wisconsin

Defense

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School

DL Jerel Worthy 6-3 310 Jr. Michigan St.

DL Alex Okafor 6-4 260 Jr. Texas

DL Whitney Mercilus 6-4 265 Jr. Illinois

DL Melvin Ingram 6-2 276 Sr. South Carolina

LB Dont’a Hightower 6-4 260 Jr. Alabama

LB Jarvis Jones 6-3 241 So. Georgia

LB Lavonte David 6-1 225 Sr. Nebraska

DB Mark Barron 6-2 218 Sr. Alabama

DB Morris Claiborne 6-0 185 Jr. LSU

DB Markelle Martin 6-1 198 Sr. Oklahoma St.

DB DeQuan Menzie 6-0 198 Sr. Alabama

Specialists

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School

P Shawn Powell 6-4 235 Sr. Florida St.

PK Randy Bullock 5-9 212 Sr. Texas A&M

AP LaMichael James* 5-9 195 Jr. Oregon

*-2010 All-American