Pack Garners Third Team Freshman All-America Honors

Dec. 7, 2004

OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman LB Garry Pack earned Freshman All-America and Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors from The Sporting News, while seven Rebel football players garnered All-SEC honors from either the conference's coaches or The Associated Press.

Pack, 6-feet-1, 220 pounds from Hattiesburg, Miss., appeared in all 11 games for the Rebels this season. He was credited with 27 tackles (18 solo), including one TFL, and had two QB pressures. Pack recorded a season high six stops in Ole Miss' 28-21 win over Arkansas State on Oct. 2.

The Rebels had three players named to the Coaches All-SEC squad, released late Monday. Senior OL Doug Buckles was named to the second team offense, while junior DL McKinley Boykin earned second team defensive honors. Senior Jonathan Nichols was named the second team place kicker.

Ole Miss had six players named to The Associated Press All-SEC team, released Tuesday. Senior OL Marcus Johnson was named to the second team offense and Nichols was a second team selection as a kicker. Junior C Chris Spencer was an honorable mention selection on offense, while Boykin and sophomore LB Patrick Willis earned honorable mention defense honors. Junior Mike Espy garnered honorable mention honors as an all-purpose player.

Boykin, 6-feet-2, 285 pounds, from Bessemer, Ala., played in all 11 games, making 10 starts. He was credited with 36 tackles (29 solo), including 8.5 TFLs (-25 yards) and 2.5 QB sacks (-11 yards). Boykin also had two QB pressures and a fumble recovery.

Buckles, 6-feet-5, 305 pounds from Madison, Miss., made 46 career starts, including 38 consecutive. He was an honorable mention selection last year by The AP.

Espy, 6-feet-0, 195 pounds, from Madison, Miss., leads the SEC in kickoff returns, heading into the bowl games, with an average of 20.0 yards per return. Espy also averaged 5.6 yards on 27 punt returns, caught 24 passes for 229 yards and had three rushes for 25 yards and a TD.

Johnson, 6-feet-6, 320 pounds, from Coffeeville, Miss., started all 48 career games at Ole Miss.

Nichols, 6-feet-0, 180 pounds, from Greenwood, Miss., finished his career with 15 school records, including the school's career scoring mark with 344 points. The 344 points also ranks sixth on the SEC's career scoring list. This season, Nichols led the Rebels with 79 points scored, making 20-of-27 field goal attempts and all 19 PAT tries to finish with a streak of 117 consecutive PATs made. He finished the regular season ranked third in the SEC in scoring, averaging 7.2 points per game. Last year, Nichols won the Lou Groza Award, for the nation's top place kicker.

Spencer, 6-feet-4, 310 pounds, from Madison, Miss., started all 11 games this season in his first year as the full-time starter at center.

Wilils, 6-feet-2, 230 pounds, from Bruceton, Tenn., finished tied for third on the team in tackles with 70 (54 solo). He also led the Rebels in TFLs with 11.0 (-62 yards) and QB sacks with five (-39 yards). Willis was also credited with four QB pressures, one pass deflection and one forced fumble.

2004 REBEL FOOTBALL HONORS
Sporting News Freshman All-America
Garry Pack (LB) - 3rd team

Sporting News Freshman All-SEC
Garry Pack (LB)

Coaches All-SEC
Offense
Doug Buckles (Sr., OL) - 2nd team

Defense
McKinkley Boykin (Jr., DT) - 2nd team

Special Teams
Jonathan Nichols (Sr., PK) - 2nd team

Associated Press All-SEC
Offense
Marcus Johnson (Sr., OL) - 2nd team
Chris Spencer (Jr., C) - Honorable Mention

Defense
McKinley Boykin (Jr., DT) - Honorable Mention
Patrick Willis (Soph., LB) - Honorable Mention

Special Teams
Mike Espy (Jr., All Purpose) - Honorable Mention
Jonathan Nichols (Sr., PK) - 2nd team

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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