Few all-conference selections from Louisiana
Louisiana has the reputation of producing numerous outstanding football players.
However, the past college season was not a good one for former Louisiana high school players. Rivals.com selected first and second all-conference teams for all Division I - Football Bowl Subdivision leagues.
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Rivals.com recognized 52 players in each of the six BCS leagues. Only eight players who played their high school football in Louisiana were among those 312 players.
LSU lost a higher number of in-state players to other schools on signing day Wednesday. But, in the recently-completed season, almost all of those eight all-conference players were Tigers.
LSU had six first or second-team All-SEC players from Louisiana - offensive lineman Will Blackwell (West Monroe), cornerback Morris Claiborne (Fair Park), cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (St. Augustine), wide receiver Rueben Randle (Bastrop), safety Eric Reid (Dutchtown) and punter Brad Wing (Parkview).
The other two Louisiana natives to make all-conference in BCS leagues were Oklahoma defensive end Frank Alexander (Southern Lab) and Vanderbilt kick returner Andre Hal (Port Allen). Alexander was a first-team All-Big XII selection, while Hal was a second-team All-SEC pick.
Louisiana did produce 21 other 2011 all-conference football players, but all of them were members of non-BCS teams in the FBS subdivision. Six of those 21 individuals played at Louisiana Tech.
So, as was the case in 2010, Louisiana did not produce many top-flight players for BCS schools. Moreover, LSU is getting those few players who are performing in a spectacular manner on the field.
Here are the 2011 all-conference football players in FBS Subdivision schools who came from Louisiana.
BCS Conferences
Big XII
Frank Alexander, Oklahoma, senior, defensive lineman, Baton Rouge Southern Lab (first-team)
SEC
Will Blackwell, LSU, senior, offensive lineman, West Monroe (first-team)
Morris Claiborne, LSU, junior, defensive back, Shreveport Fair Park (first-team)
Andre Hal, Vanderbilt, sophomore, kick returner, Port Allen (second-team)
Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, sophomore, defensive back, New Orleans St. Augustine (first-team)
Rueben Randle, LSU, junior, wide receiver, Bastrop (second-team)
Eric Reid, LSU, sophomore, defensive back, Dutchtown (second-team)
Brad Wing, LSU, freshman, punter, Baton Rouge Parkview (first-team)
Non-BCS Conferences
Mountain West
Kenny Cain, TCU, junior, linebacker, River Ridge Curtis (second-team)
C-USA
Trent Mackey, Tulane, junior, linebacker, Carencro (first-team)
Dexter McCoil, Tulsa, junior, defensive back, Lutcher (first-team)
Deron Wilson, USM, sophomore, defensive back, New Orleans O. Perry Walker (first-team)
Sun Belt
Luther Ambrose, UL-Monroe, senior, kick returner, St. James (first-team)
Leonardo Bates, UL-Lafayette, junior, offensive lineman, Westwego Higgins (second-team)
Troy Evans, UL-Monroe, senior, defensive lineman, Shreveport Evangel (first-team)
Jason Edwards, UL-Monroe, senior, linebacker, Amite (second-team)
Isame Faciane, Florida International, sophomore, defensive lineman, Slidell Salmen (second-team)
Blaine Gautier, UL-Lafayette, junior, quarterback, Lutcher (second-team)
Lance Kelley, UL-Lafayette, senior, linebacker, Lafayette St. Thomas More (first-team)
Javone Lawson, UL-Lafayette, junior, wide receiver, Harvey Cox (second-team)
Darius Prelow, UL-Monroe, senior, defensive back, Shreveport Southwood (first-team)
Darryl Surgent, UL-Lafayette, sophomore, punt returner, Alexandria (first-team)
Eric Thomas, Troy, sophomore, wide receiver, Shreveport Evangel (second-team)
WAC
Matt Broha, Louisiana Tech, senior, defensive lineman, Baton Rouge Catholic (first-team)
Terry Carter, Louisiana Tech, senior, defensive back, West Monroe (first-team)
Jay Dudley, Louisiana Tech, senior, linebacker, Shreveport Northwood (second-team)
Christian Lacey, Louisiana Tech, senior, defensive lineman, Marrero Shaw (second-team)
Kevin Saia, Louisiana Tech, junior, offensive lineman, Dutchtown (second-team)
Stephen Warner, Louisiana Tech, junior, offensive lineman, Ruston (second-team)