STARKVILLE — One day after five members of Mississippi State’s Orange Bowl-bound football team raked in All-Southeastern Conference honors from The Associated Press, the same five collected more accolades, this time from the league’s coaches.
This time, the order was different.
MSU placed three players on the coaches’ All-SEC First Team, led by junior quarterback Dak Prescott, who also earned first-team recognition from AP voters. Linebacker Benardrick McKinney and defensive end Preston Smith joined him on the first team. The AP named McKinney and Smith were named second-team All-SEC.
Prescott, McKinney, and Smith gave MSU three first-teamers in the coaches’ vote for the first time since 1994.
For Prescott, award was another in a week full of them. Already a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Trophy and the Maxwell Trophy, both national awards, Prescott added first-team honors from The AP and the Coaches to become the first MSU quarterback since Don Smith in 1986 to receive such recognition.
Prescott led the league in touchdowns (38) accounted for more than 3,900 yards in leading the Bulldogs to their first 10-win regular season in school history. He was named the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week three times this season, and he received national player of the week honors twice. The Haughton, Louisiana native, passed for 2,996 yards and 24 touchdowns, a mark that tied a school record set by former MSU quarterback Tyler Russell two season ago. Prescott also rushed for 939 yards and 13 touchdowns. He finished second in the SEC in that category.
Along the way, Prescott set 10 new school records. He became the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns in a win against Auburn when he eclipsed the old mark of 52 set by Smith in 1986. Prescott has 71 touchdowns entering MSU’s game against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31.
McKinney, a junior from Tunica, led MSU with 61 tackles and finished third in the SEC with 14.5 tackles for loss. A former Freshman All-American and a midseason All-American according to ESPN.com and Phil Steele, McKinney is projected as a first-round NFL draft pick by most major scouting services.
Like McKinney, Preston Smith has flown up draft boards this season thanks to a dominant senior year. At 6-foot-6, 267 pounds, Smith, who is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, was MSU’s most disruptive defender. He earned the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week award in each of the first three weeks, a span that saw him record two interceptions, block two field goals, and play a role in two defensive touchdowns, including a 21-yard interception return for a score in a 47-34 win against Alabama-Birmingham and a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown against Southern Mississippi.
Smith finished with 44 tackles and a team-leading nine sacks.
Josh Robinson and offensive lineman Ben Beckwith were named second-team All-SEC.
Beckwith, a senior from Benton, was a first-team pick on The AP’s team. He was named the SEC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week three times.
Robinson, a junior from Franklinton, Louisiana, was third in the league with 1,128 rushing yards. He scored 14 touchdowns.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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