Alex Collins Named SEC Freshman of the Year; Swanson 1st Team

FAYETTEVILLE – 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 were both included on the All-SEC second-team.

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.

Travis 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 Alex 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 8.0 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.

Swanson has accepted an invitation to the 2014 Senior Bowl and will participate in the nation’s top showcase of senior talent for NFL evaluators with a week of practices leading up to the Jan. 25 game in Mobile, Ala.

Hunter 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 percent of his receptions, and his average of 14.6 yards per catch ranks second among the conference’s tight ends.

Zach Hocker wrapped up his career holding school records for points and points by a kicker with 354, field goal percentage at 77.2 percent, 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 percent ranks second in the SEC and fifth in the NCAA, and his average is fourth in the conference and 18th in the nation.

And on Tuesday three Razorbacks were recognized on the All-SEC team voted by the conference’s coaches.

Center Travis Swanson and defensive ends Chris Smith and Trey Flowers all earned second-team accolades from the coaches.

Smith earned All-SEC honors for the second straight season after being named honorable mention All-SEC in 2012. A native of Mount Ulla, N.C., Smith is tied for third in the SEC and for 26th nationally with 8.5 sacks and is 16th in the country with 71 sack yards. His sack total is tied for the eighth-most in a single season in school history. Smith also ranks seventh in the conference with 11.5 tackles for loss. He finished his Arkansas career with 21.5 sacks, which ranks as the fourth-highest total in school history. Smith finished the season with 36 total tackles, six quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. Smith has also accepted an invitation to the 2014 Senior Bowl and will join Swanson at the nation’s top showcase of senior talent for NFL evaluators.

Flowers received All-SEC accolades for the second time in his career after being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2011. The Huntsville, Ala., native finished the 2013 season with 13.5 tackles for loss, which is tied for second in the SEC and for 46th nationally. He recorded 9.5 tackles for loss in conference play, which ranked fourth in the SEC. Flowers also ranked fourth in the conference and tied for 20th in the country with three forced fumbles. Through his first three seasons as a Razorback, Flowers has 32.0 tackles for loss, which is tied for 11th on the school’s career list. Along with his 13.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, Flowers also added 5.0 sacks, 44 total tackles, one interception, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries in 2013.