Four Hogs make All-SEC football team

Although not headed to a bowl game for the second consecutive year, there may be some solace in the news that four Razorbacks were recognized on the Associated Press All-SEC teams released Monday.

Running back Alex Collins was named Freshman of the Year, and center Travis Swanson was a first-team All-SEC selection. Tight end Hunter Henry and kicker Zach Hocker also were included on the All-SEC second-team.

COLLINS

Collins is the second Razorback to earn AP Freshman of the Year honors, joining Darren McFadden in 2005. Collins is the first freshman in SEC history to begin his career with three straight 100-yard rushing games and the conference’s 10th true freshman to rush for 1,000 yards.

The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native finished the year with 1,026 yards and four touchdowns on 190 carries and added 63 yards on 11 receptions for a team-high 1,089 all-purpose yards. His rushing yards are the most by a freshman in the NCAA this season, and he ranks seventh in the SEC with an average of 85.50 rushing yards per game. Collins leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the NCAA with 355 rushing yards in the fourth quarter, and his 382 rushing yards against ranked opponents are 12th in the nation. His four 100-yard rushing games are second in school history among freshmen, trailing only McFadden’s five.
 
SWANSON
Swanson earned all-conference honors for the second straight year after being a second-team pick in 2012. The Kingwood, Texas, native led an offensive line that blocked as Collins and Jonathan Williams became the second Razorback duo to each reach at least 900 rushing yards in one season. The offensive line, which featured two true freshmen starting the final eight games, also broke the single-season school record by only allowing eight sacks.

Arkansas leads the SEC and is tied for second in the NCAA with an average of 0.67 sacks allowed per game. The Razorbacks’ average of one sack allowed for every 37.63 pass attempts is the best in the conference and seventh in the nation. Swanson started all 50 games of his career, becoming the first Razorback with 50 straight starts and just the second to start 50 total games, and is the 11th two-time team captain in program history.
 
HENRY
Henry is one of four freshmen on the all-conference teams and the first Razorback All-SEC tight end since D.J. Williams in 2010. Henry appeared in all 12 games and made seven starts. The Little Rock, Ark., native tied for the team lead with four receiving touchdowns and ranked second on the team with 28 receptions for 409 yards. His receiving yards total ranks second among NCAA freshmen tight ends and 20th overall at his position. He is the only tight end in the SEC and one of three freshmen in the conference with a 100-yard receiving game, totaling 109 yards vs. No. 10 Texas A&M.

He ranks first among SEC tight ends and fourth overall in the conference by gaining a first down on 78.6% of his receptions, and his average of 14.6 yards per catch ranks second among the conference’s tight ends.
 
HOCKER
Hocker wrapped up his career holding school records for points and points by a kicker with 354, field goal percentage at 77.2%, PATs made with 171, PAT attempts with 173 and 61 made field goals. He also ranks sixth on the SEC’s career PATs made list, seventh in PAT attempts, eighth in points scored and tied for 10th in field goals made.

This season, the Russellville, Ark., native scored 67 points, 28-of-28 on PATs and 13-of-15 on field goals. Three of his field goals rank among the 15 longest in school history, including a 54 yarder that is tied for the eighth-longest by a Razorback. Hocker also kicked off 50 times, averaging 63.2 yards per kickoff with 34 touchbacks. His touchback percentage of 68% ranks second in the SEC and fifth in the NCAA, and his average is fourth in the conference and 18th in the nation.