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With the college football regular season now in the books for most of the county, the Big 12 co-champion Kansas State Wildcats have carried over their successful 11-win season on the field to the postseason awards, earning seven places on the All-Big 12 first team, including the top three individual awards.
Wildcat senior quarterback Colin Klein, who was fifth in the conference this season in rushing and sixth in passing and is in New York City as one of the finalist for the 2012 Heisman Trophy, was named by a panel of Big 12 coaches as Offensive Player of the Year. His teammate, Arthur Brown, a linebacker, was named Defensive Player of the Year. And Bill Snyder, who guided the Wildcats to their third Big 12 championship and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, probably the second most prestigious of the national bowl lineup this season, was named the conference's Coach of the Year. This is the fourth time Snyder has won the award and the second straight year.
In addition to their two senior leaders, Klein and Brown, other Kansas State players named to the first team are junior running back John Hubert, senior tight end Travis Tannahill, junior offensive lineman Cornelius Lucas, senior defensive lineman Meshak Williams and junior defensive back Ty Zimmerman. Williams also was honored as Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Oklahoma State placed the next most players on the all-conference first team with five, followed by Oklahoma with four and TCU, Iowa State and Big 12 newcomer West Virginia with three each.
Kansas State placed four players on the second team for a total of 11 all told. Oklahoma was next with nine named to the first and second teams, and Oklahoma State and TCU both placed seven players on the first two teams.
Junior defensive tackle Calvin Barnett of Oklahoma State was named Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and Devonte Fields, a defensive end for TCU, was the unanimous choice as Defensive Freshman of the Year. Offensive Lineman of the Year honors went to junior Cyril Richardson of Baylor; the Offensive Newcomer of the Year was Lache Seastrunk, a sophomore running back for Baylor; Offensive Freshman of the Year went to quarterback J.W. Walsh of Oklahoma State, and senior Nick Florence, quarterback at Baylor is the Scholar Athlete of the Year. Seniors Quinn Sharp, the punter and placekicker for Oklahoma State, and the speedy Tavon Austin, wide receiver for West Virginia, shared the Special Teams Players of the Year award.
2012 All-Big 12 Football First Team
Offense
QB - Colin Klein, senior, Kansas State
RB - Joseph Randle, junior, Oklahoma State
RB - John Hubert, junior, Kansas State
FB - Trey Millard, junior, Oklahoma
WR - Terrance Williams, senior, Baylor
WR - Tavon Austin, senior, West Virginia
WR - Stedman Bailey, junior, West Virginia
TE - Travis Tannahill, senior, Kansas State
OL - Cyril Richardson, junior, Baylor
OL - Cornelius Lucas, junior, Kansas State
OL - Gabe Ikard, junior, Oklahoma
OL - Lane Taylor, senior Oklahoma State
OL - LaAdrian Waddle, senior, Texas Tech
PK - Quinn Sharp, senior, Oklahoma State
KR/PR - Tavon Austin, senior West Virginia
Defense
DL - Jake McDonough, senior, Iowa State
DL - Meshak Williams, senior, Kansas State
DL - Calvin Barnett, junior, Oklahoma State
DL - Davonte Fields, freshman, TCU
DL - Stanley Maponga, junior, TCU
DL - Alex Okafor, senior, Texas
LB - A.J. Klein. Senior, Iowa State
LB - Jake Knott, senior, Iowa State
LB - Arthur Brown, senior, Kansas State
DB - Ty Zimmerman, junior, Kansas State
DB - Aaron Colvin, junior, Oklahoma
DB - Tony Jefferson, junior, Oklahoma
DB - Jason Verett, junior, TCU
DB - Kenny Vaccaro, senior, Texas
P - Quinn Sharp, senior, Oklahoma State
Keep up with all the news and developments on Big 12 sports, including heavier coverage and commentary on Kansas and Kansas State, at SB Nation Kansas City.