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The assault that Texas Longhorns defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat has been putting on the award circuit following the completion of the regular season is only rivaled by the work that he did assaulting opposing quarterbacks this season.
In addition to being named to the All-America second team by USA Today, the senior and former five-star prospect was named the winner of the Hendricks Award on Wednesday, awarded to the nation's top defensive end. Jeffcoat earned the award over finalists Vic Beasley of Clemson, Shilique Calhoun of Michigan State, Brad Daly of Montana State, Michael Sam of Missouri and Marcus Smith of Louisville.
Big congratulations to Jackson Jeffcoat - named this year's Ted Hendricks Award Winner! http://t.co/blLH8bcd6R pic.twitter.com/IHhE5Ui1gS
— MBTexasFootball (@MBTexasFootball) December 11, 2013
The 12 sacks recorded by Jeffcoat this season rank with the 12.5 last year by Alex Okafor as the most in the last 29 years of Texas football, a stretch that has included a remarkable run of talented defensive ends like Brian Orakpo, the only other Longhorns defensive end who has won the award.
And Jeffcoat was also feted by the league's coaches, as he shared the conference Defensive Player of the Year honors with star TCU cornerback Jason Verrett.
#Big12FB: @TCUFootball's Jason Verrett & @MBTexasFootball's Jackson Jeffcoat named Big 12 Co-Def. Players of the Year pic.twitter.com/B3H8NDDRmt
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 11, 2013
Interestingly enough, though Jeffcoat shared the award with Verrett, he wasn't even named the winner at his own position, as Kansas State's Ryan Mueller took home the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Kicker Anthony Fera was the only other Texas player to earn an All-Big 12 first team nod from the league's coaches.
