IRVING, Texas – Conference USA announced its 2011 All-Conference football teams today, as selected by the league’s 12 head football coaches.  All 12 schools were represented with at least two overall selections and 10 placed at least one player on first team.  West Division champion Houston produced the most total selections with 12 and the Cougars, along with SMU, had the most first team choices with six.  Bowl-bound teams Tulsa and Southern Miss ranked second and third in total selections with the Golden Hurricane producing nine and the Golden Eagles placing eight.

The Cougars’ first team selections include five on its nation-leading offense.  Record-setting quarterback Case Keenum (383-of-534 for 5,099 yards and 45 TD passes) is joined by running back Charles Sims (team-high 782 rushing yards, 545 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns), wide receiver Patrick Edwards (79 catches for 1,524 yards and a nation-leading 18 receiving touchdowns), tight end Justin Johnson (75 receptions for 1,081 yards) and offensive lineman Chris Thompson in earning first team honors.  Linebacker Sammy Brown (88 tackles, nation-leading 28 TFL’s and 12.5 sacks) represents UH on the first team defense.

SMU has four first-teamers from its offense and two from its defense.  Junior RB Zach Line earned a place after leading the league in rushing for the second straight season (1,224 yards) and scoring a league-best 17 touchdowns  in just 10 games before suffering a season-ending injury.  Senior OL Kelvin Beachum, who helped pave the way for Line to gain those yards, was listed along with a pair of wide receivers in senior Cole Beasley (79 catches for 954 yards, a league-high 7.2 receptions per game) and junior Darius Johnson (72 receptions for 998 yards and seven TDs). 

Tulsa’s first team all-league choices include one each on offense, two on defense and one on special teams.  A quartet of seniors represent the Golden Hurricane, including OL Clint Anderson, DL Tyrunn Walker (8 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss), LB Curnelius Arnick (second in C-USA with 142 tackles) and K Kevin Fitzpatrick (15-of-17 field goals, 93 points).

Southern Miss also had one offensive, two defensive and one special teams selection.  Senior OL Lamar Holmes is joined by senior DL Cordarro Law (the nation’s active leader in career tackles for loss and has 17.5 TFL’s this season), senior DB Marquese Wheaton (55 tackles, three interceptions, one INT return for a touchdown and two fumbles returned for TDs) and senior PR Tracy Lampley (12.1 yards per return and one return for a touchdown).

Marshall and UCF each had a pair of first team choices.  The Thundering Herd is represented by senior DL Vinny Curry (11 sacks, second in the nation with 21 tackles for loss, 72 total tackles, league-high six forced fumbles) and senior DB Omar Brown (107 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles).  The Knights list junior DB Josh Robinson (48 tackles, league-high 17 pass breakups, two interceptions, one INT return for a TD) on first team and KR Rannell Hall (league-high 31.0 yards per return), the lone freshman among the first teamers. 

UAB senior OL Matt McCants, Tulane junior LB Trent Mackey, Rice senior P Kyle Martens and UTEP LS Matt Camilli round out the first team selections. 

The league’s individual awards will be released on Wednesday, December 7.  Conference USA will conclude the 2011 season by sending five teams to bowl games, including two teams that are ranked in the top 20.

 2011 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

 FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB- Case Keenum, Sr., Houston

RB- Zach Line, Jr., SMU

RB- Charles Sims, So., Houston

OL- Clint Anderson, Sr., Tulsa

OL- Kelvin Beachum, Sr., SMU

OL- Lamar Holmes, Sr., Southern Miss

OL- Matt McCants, Sr., UAB

OL- Chris Thompson, Sr., Houston

TE- Justin Johnson, Sr., Houston

WR- Cole Beasley, Sr., SMU

WR- Patrick Edwards, Sr., Houston

WR- Darius Johnson, Jr., SMU

DEFENSE

DL- Vinny Curry, Sr., Marshall

DL- Tyrunn Walker, Sr., Tulsa

DL- Cordarro Law, Sr., Southern Miss

DL- Taylor Thompson, Sr., SMU

LB- Curnelius Arnick, Sr., Tulsa

LB- Sammy Brown, Sr., Houston

LB- Trent Mackey, Jr., Tulane

DB- Omar Brown, Sr., Marshall

DB- Richard Crawford, Sr., SMU

DB- Marquese Wheaton, Sr., Southern Miss

DB- Josh Robinson, Jr., UCF

SPECIAL TEAMS

K- Kevin Fitzpatrick, Sr., Tulsa

P- Kyle Martens, Sr., Rice

KR- Rannell Hall, Fr., UCF

PR- Tracy Lampley, Sr., Southern Miss

LS- Matt Camilli, Sr., UTEP

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB- Austin Davis, Sr., Southern Miss

QB- G.J. Kinne, Sr., Tulsa

RB- Orleans Darkwa, So., Tulane

RB- Ja’Terian Douglas, So., Tulsa

OL- Jacoby Ashworth, Jr., Houston

OL- Joe Duhon, Jr., Southern Miss

OL- Ron Leary, Sr., Memphis

OL- Nick Pieschel, Sr., UCF

OL- Jason Weaver, Sr., Southern Miss

TE- Clay Sears, Sr., Tulsa

WR-Tyron Carrier, Sr., Houston

WR-Willie Carter, Jr., Tulsa

WR-Lance Lewis, Sr., East Carolina

DEFENSE

DL- Marquis Frazier, Sr., SMU

DL- Dezman Moses, Sr., Tulane

DL- Dontari Poe, Jr., Memphis

DL- Scott Solomon, Sr., Rice

LB- Ja’Gared Davis, Sr., SMU

LB- Marcus McGraw, Sr., Houston

LB- Taylor Reed, Jr., SMU

DB- Jamie Bender, Sr., UAB

DB- Emanuel Davis, Jr., East Carolina

DB- D.J. Hayden, Jr., Houston

DB- Dexter McCoil, Jr., Tulsa

SPECIAL TEAMS

K- Danny Hrapmann, Sr., Southern Miss

P- Ian Campbell, Jr., UTEP

KR- Tyron Carrier, Sr., Houston

PR- Patrick Edwards, Sr., Houston

LS- Charley Hughlett, Sr., UCF

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE

RB- Michael Hayes, Sr., Houston

RB- Tyler Smith, Sr., Rice

RB- Trey Watts, So., Tulsa

RB- Joe Banyard, Sr., UTEP

OL- Kevin Forsch, So., Houston

OL- Ryan Tillman, Sr., Marshall

OL- Bryce Tennison, Sr., SMU

OL- Kelly Turner, Sr., SMU

OL- Harris Howard, Sr., Tulane

OL- Tyler Holmes, Sr., Tulsa

OL- Chris Hubbard, Jr., UAB

OL- Theo Goins, Jr., UCF

OL- Jordan Rae, Jr., UCF

OL- Nathan McCage, Sr., UTEP

OL- Eloy Atkinson, Jr., UTEP

TE- Luke Willson, Jr., Tulane

TE- Adam Nissley, Sr., UCF

WR- Aaron Dobson, Jr., Marshall

WR- Tanner Rehrer, Sr., Memphis

WR- Ryan Balentine, Sr., Southern Miss

WR- Kelvin Bolden, Sr., Southern Miss

WR- Tracy Lampley, Sr., Southern Miss

WR- Jackie Williams, So., UAB

DEFENSE

DL- Frank Trotter, Sr., Memphis

DL- Torian Pittman, Jr., SMU

DL- Margus Hunt, Jr., SMU

DL- Cory Dorris, Jr., Tulsa

DL- Elliott Henigan, Sr., UAB

DL- Victor Gray, So., UCF

DL- Bernard Obi, Sr., UTEP

LB- Jeremy Grove, Fr., East Carolina

LB- Cameron Nwosu, So., Rice

LB- Jamie Collins, Jr., Southern Miss

LB- Ronnie Thornton, Sr., Southern Miss

LB- Shawn Jackson, So., Tulsa

LB- Isaiah Carter, Sr., UTEP

DB- Paul Porras, So., Rice

DB- Bryce Callahan, Fr., Rice

DB- Chris Banjo, Sr., SMU

DB- Kendrick Presley, Sr., Southern Miss

DB- Ryan Travis, Jr., Tulane

DB- Milton Howell, Sr., Tulsa

DB- Marco Nelson, So., Tulsa

DB- Kemal Ishmael, Jr., UCF

DB- Antwon Blake, Sr., UTEP

SPECIAL TEAMS

K- Matt Hogan, Jr., Houston

K- Chris Boswell, So., Rice

K- Ty Long, Fr., UAB

P- Richie Leone, So., Houston

P- Tom Hornsey, So., Memphis

KR- Vernon Frazier, Sr., UTEP

PR- Richard Crawford, Sr., SMU

PR- Derrick Strozier, So., Tulane

LS- Tyson Gale, Sr., Marshall

LS- Creighton Nelms, Sr., Southern Miss

LS- Bo Abbott, Sr., Tulsa