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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Willis 2nd Team AP All-America
12/13/2005 | Football
Dec. 13, 2005
Oxford, Miss. - Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis picked up another honor Tuesday when The Associated Press named him to its All-America second team.
Willis, a 6-2, 230-pound junior from Bruceton, Tenn., notched first team All-America recognition from CollegeFootballNews.com on Monday when he became the 42nd Ole Miss player to earn first team honors since the school began its football program in 1893.
Being selected to The Associate Press second team marked the fourth time for Willis to be named second team All-America in the last week. He had earlier been selected second team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, SI.com, and Rivals.com.
Willis battled through his junior season with a broken middle finger on his right hand, a sprained left knee, a right mid-foot injury and a partial AC joint separation of his right shoulder. He underwent successful surgery to his right foot last Friday.
Last week, Willis was selected Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com and Scout.com. CollegeFootballNews.com also selected Willis to its All-SEC team, while naming him as the top linebacker in the conference and the league's No. 2 player (behind Auburn's Kenny Irons) regardless of position.
He also has been named first team All-SEC by The Associated Press, the SEC Coaches and Scout.com.
Willis finished the regular season as the nation's leader in solo tackles (9.00) and ranked No. 5 in the nation in total tackles (12.80). He also led the Southeastern Conference in tackles (12.8).
A finalist for the Cellular South Conerly Trophy (awarded to Mississippi's top football player), Willis was a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation's Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
As for the 2005 season, Willis' defensive statistics for the Rebels included 128 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (-42), three QB sacks (-28), two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, three passes defensed, two QB pressures and one pass interception.