Kansas Athletics

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior linebacker Ben Heeney was named to the 2014 Preseason All-Big 12 Football team as selected by members of the media and announced by the league office on Wednesday.

Heeney, who was an All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2013, is heading into 2014 as the conference’s leading returning tackler. Last year the Hutchinson, Kansas native recorded a team-high 88 tackles and finished fourth in the conference with 8.7 tackles-per-game. Heeney also recorded double-digit tackles in six of his 10 games played a season ago and is one of six active linebackers with 200 tackles and 20 tackles for loss in the last two seasons.

Heeney’s selection to the All-Big 12 team comes on the heels of six other preseason awards he has garnered in 2014 as he was named preseason All-Big 12 First Team by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine and was selected to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik, Butkus and Rotary Lombardi Awards, as well as the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while TCU defensive lineman Devonte Fields was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year. Oklahoma State wide receiver Tyreek Hill was selected as the Newcomer of the Year.

Offensive Player of the Year: Bryce Petty, Baylor, QB
Defensive Player of the Year: Devonte Fields, TCU, DL
Newcomer of the Year: Tyreek Hill, Oklahoma State, WR

Offense

Position	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class/Exp.	Hometown
Wide Receiver	~Antwon Goodley	Baylor	5-11	225	Sr/3L	Midland, Texas
Tight End	!E.J. Bibbs	Iowa State	6-3	261	Sr/1L	Chicago, Ill.
Offensive Line	~Spencer Drango	Baylor	6-6	305	Jr/2L	Cedar Park, Texas
Offensive Line	!Cody Whitehair	Kansas State	6-4	309	Jr/2L	Abilene, Kan.
Center	~B.J. Finney	Kansas State	6-4	303	Sr/3L	Andale, Kan.
Offensive Line	!Daryl Williams	Oklahoma	6-6	329	Sr/3L	Lake Dallas, Texas
Offensive Line	^!Le’Raven Clark	Texas Tech	6-5	303	Jr/2L	Rockdale, Texas
Wide Receiver	~Tyler Lockett	Kansas State	5-11	175	Sr/3L	Tulsa, Okla.
Quarterback	~Bryce Petty	Baylor	6-3	230	Sr/3L	Midlothian, Texas
Running Back	Shock Linwood	Baylor	5-9	200	So/1L	Linden, Texas
Running Back	!Malcolm Brown	Texas	6-0	228	Sr/3L	Cibolo, Texas
Place Kicker	!Michael Hunnicutt	Oklahoma	6-1	180	Sr/3L	Richardson, Texas
Kick Returner	^~Tyler Lockett	Kansas State	5-11	175	Sr/3L	Tulsa, Okla.

Defense

Position	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class/Exp.	Hometown
Defensive Line	~Ryan Mueller	Kansas State	6-2	245	Sr/3L	Leawood, Kan.
Defensive Line	^#Devonte Fields	TCU	6-4	240	So/1L	Arlington, Texas
Defensive Line	^Chucky Hunter	TCU	6-1	305	Sr/3L	West Monroe, La.
Defensive Line	^Cedric Reed	Texas	6-6	271	Sr/2L	Cleveland, Texas
Linebacker	^Bryce Hager	Baylor	6-2	235	Sr/3L	Austin, Texas
Linebacker	!Ben Heeney	Kansas	6-0	230	Sr/3L	Hutchinson, Kan.
Linebacker	!Eric Striker	Oklahoma	6-0	221	Jr/2L	Seffner, Fla.
Defensive Back	Zack Sanchez	Oklahoma	5-11	179	So/1L	Keller, Texas
Defensive Back	!Sam Carter	TCU	6-1	215	Sr/3L	New Orleans, La.
Defensive Back	^Quandre Diggs	Texas	5-10	204	Sr/3L	Angleton, Texas
Defensive Back	Karl Joseph	West Virginia	5-10	196	Jr/2L	Orlando, Fla.
Punter	~Spencer Roth	Baylor	6-4	225	Sr/3L	Knoxville, Tenn.
Punt Returner	Levi Norwood	Baylor	6-2	200	Sr/3L	State College, Pa.

^ 2013 Preseason Team
~ 2013 All-Big 12 First Team Selection
! 2013 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection
# Injured in 2013