Phil Steele Magazine recognizes seven Jayhawks as All-Big 12
HAKEEM ADENIJI
• Third Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches)
DORANCE ARMSTRONG JR.
• Second Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, AP)
• Third Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele)
JOE DINEEN JR.
• Second Team All-America (Sports Illustrated)
• Honorable Mention All-America (SB Nation)
• First Team All-Big 12 (Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Second Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, AP, Phil Steele)
BEN JOHNSON
• Second Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, AP, Phil Steele)
GABRIEL RUI
• Third Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches)
STEVEN SIMS JR.
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches)
BRYCE TORNEDEN
• Third Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches)
DANIEL WISE
• First Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, Waco Tribune-Herald)
• Second Team All-Big 12 (AP, Phil Steele)
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Seven Kansas football players were recognized as All-Big 12 honorees from Phil Steele Magazine Tuesday, as a trio of Jayhawks earned second-team honors and four more were recognized as third-team members.
Senior tight end Ben Johnson and juniors defensive tackle Daniel Wise and linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., earned a second team nod, while juniors defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., and kicker Gabriel Rui, along with sophomores offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji and safety Bryce Torneden were each on the third team.
Johnson, a Basehor, Kansas native, was one of KU’s top offensive weapons in 2017 as he finished the season with 30 receptions, good for 363 yards and a touchdown—all career-high marks. Johnson, who also earned second team honors from the Big 12 coaches and the Associated Press, averaged 12.1 yards per catch from his tight end position and was also a vital member of the Jayhawk special teams.
A Lewisville, Texas native, Wise had one of the best seasons of any defensive lineman in the Big 12 as he turned in 16.0 tackles-for-loss, including 7.0 sacks. His 17.0 TFLs ranks second in the Big 12 in 2017 and 11th in the FBS rankings. Wise’s 7.0 sacks ranks fourth in the Big 12 and tied for 44th in the FBS. For the season, Wise recorded 53 total tackles, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and five quarterback hurries to go along with his sacks and TFLs. Wise earned First Team All-Big 12 honors from the conference coaches and the Waco Tribune-Herald to go along with Second Team All-Big 12 recognition from the Associated Press.
Dineen, a Lawrence, Kansas native, led the Big 12 conference in total tackles (137), tackles-for-loss (25.0) and solo tackles (93). His 7.8 solo tackles per game also led the FBS, while his 2.1 TFLs per contest ranked third in the FBS. His 25.0 TFLs set a new KU single-season record. He finished the 2017 campaign ranked fourth in the FBS in total tackles. Dineen added two pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble during the season.
Dineen recently picked up Second Team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated, the first Jayhawk to do so since Aqib Talib in 2007. Additionally, he was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-American from SB Nation. He also earned First Team All-Big 12 honors from the Waco Tribune-Herald. He was also tabbed Second Team All-Big 12 by the league coaches and the Associated Press.
Armstrong, a native of Houston, Texas, finished his third season in the Crimson and Blue with 63 total tackles, including 9.0 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. Additionally, he hurried the quarterback seven times, had four pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Armstrong was also tabbed Second Team All-Big 12 by the conference coaches and the Associated Press.
Rui, a native of Hinton, Oklahoma, led the Big 12 in field goal kicking percentage at 85 percent as he connected on 17-of-20 on the season, including a career-long 50-yarder against Oklahoma State. Additionally, Rui ranked second in the conference in field goals made per game, averaging 1.7 per contest. He garnered honorable mention honors from the Big 12 coaches.
Adeniji, a Garland, Texas, native, started all 12 games along the KU offensive line, grading out as the group’s top performer. He helped pave the way for sophomore running back Khalil Herbert’s 291-yard rushing performance on his way to also picking up honorable mention honors from the league coaches for the second-consecutive season.
Torneden, who also picked up an honorable mention nod from the Big 12 coaches, finished the season ranked third on the team with 61 total tackles. In addition, the Lawrence, Kansas, native, also had 5.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup while primarily playing the nickelback position for KU.
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