Mooney’s Simon, B.L.’s Wolfe earn AP All-America

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Cincinnati defensive lineman Derek Wolfe (Beaver Local) earned second team honors and Ohio State defensive lineman John Simon (Mooney) made the third team on the Associated Press’ annual All-America team.

Wolfe, the Big East co-defensive player of the year, started all 12 games and led the conference with 19.5 tackles for loss and had 9.5 sacks. He also made 64 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles for the Bearcats, who went 9-3, 5-2. They will meet Vanderbilt in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.

Simon also started all 12 games and made 50 tackles, including a team-best 15 for loss with seven sacks. He also broke up three passes and earned first team All-Big Ten for the Buckeyes, who went 6-6, 3-5. Ohio State will play Florida in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2.

The team was selected by a panel of 16 AP poll voters.

LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne became the first cornerback teammates to lock down spots on the AP All-America team.

Mathieu, a Heisman Trophy finalist, and Claiborne were joined on the All-America team by Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor and finalists Montee Ball of Wisconsin and Trent Richardson of Alabama.

Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck from Stanford was the second-team quarterback.

The second-ranked Crimson Tide had the most first-teamers with four. Richardson was joined by tackle Barrett Jones, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. Tide linebackers Courtney Upshaw and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick also made the second team, giving Alabama the most players selected overall.

The LSU duo was joined on the first team by Tigers punter Brad Wing. LSU guard Will Blackwell was a second-team selection and defensive end Sam Montgomery made the third team.

The top-ranked Tigers will play SEC West rival Alabama on Jan. 9 in New Orleans for the BCS title.

Since the AP began selecting both an offensive and defensive team in 1964, no team had put a pair of cornerbacks on the first team. Of course, few teams have had two cornerbacks as talented as Mathieu and Claiborne.

Mathieu, also known as Honey Badger, has been a mayhem-maker for LSU on defense and special teams. He forced five fumbles, intercepted two passes and scored four touchdowns — two on punt returns, two on fumble returns. Claiborne is a prototypical shutdown corner. The 6-1 junior made six interceptions and averaged 29 yards per return, with a touchdown.