Nov. 25, 2003

Charleston, SC - Seven members of the 2003 Citadel football team were honored as All-Southern Conference by the league's coaches Tuesday afternoon. The coaches selected Ross Armstrong, Lew Dawson and Willie Simmons to the first team, while Scooter Johnson, Kevin Olecki, Nehemiah Broughton and T.J. Rose earned second team laurels. Armstrong, a junior tight end from Blythewood, finished the season with 165 yards on 13 catches. He averaged 12.7 yards per catch and had a season long of 42 against Western Carolina. Armstrong also had a pivotal nine-yard run on a fake punt against Georgia Southern continuing a drive that led to a touchdown.

Dawson, a fifth-year offensive tackle, started all 12 games for the Bulldogs on the offensive line. He had the highlight of his career against Appalachian State as he scored on a fumbled two-point conversion attempt to help lift The Citadel over the Mountaineers 24-21.

Simmons, a fifth-year transfer quarterback, helped lead the Bulldogs to their most successful season in six years. He finished the season with 153 completions and 13 passing touchdowns. Simmons also averaged 18.2 yards rushing per game and scored three times. He finished the season fifth on the single-season top-10 passing chart with 1,864 yards in the air.

On the second team, Johnson, a preseason all-conference selection, led the Bulldogs in receiving with 35 catches and 549 yards. He also led the team in touchdown receptions with seven. Johnson has forever left his mark on the SoCon and The Citadel as he has finished his career second on The Citadel's all-time receiving list with 110 catches. He has also ended his career with 25 consecutive games with a catch and five 100-yard receiving performances, both Citadel records.

The Bulldogs' fifth-year center, Olecki started 11 games and played all five offensive line positions during his career. He will forever be remembered as the lineman who caught an errant Simmons pass against VMI. Olecki was vital to the success of the Bulldog rushing attack.

Broughton, a junior tailback who garnered first-team preseason all-conference honors, led The Citadel's 2003 rushing attack with 778 yards on 165 carries and eight touchdowns. Broughton rushed for three straight 100-yard games giving him nine 100-yard rushing games in his career. His attempt to rush for a second straight 1000-yard season was cut short, as he was lost for the season due to a knee injury.

The Bulldogs' lone defensive representative T.J. Rose, a senior defensive back, was fourth on the team in tackles with 66, including two for a loss. Rose finished the season with three interceptions, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.

The seven members of the 2003 all-SoCon team outdistances the four members that the Bulldogs had named to the 2002 coaches' team.

First Team All-Conference Offense TE, Ross Armstrong, The Citadel WR, Alonzo Nix, Chattanooga WR, Lamont Seward, Western Carolina OT, Lew Dawson, The Citadel OT, Jason Whaley, Western Carolina C, Brandon Mason, Elon OG, Bobby Gibbs, Wofford OG, Eric Deutsch, Wofford QB, Willie Simmons, The Citadel RB, Gaven Varner, East Tennessee State RB, Jermaine Austin, Georgia Southern PK, Danny Marshall, Furman RS, Davon Fowlkes, Appalachian State

Defense DL, K.T. Stovall, Appalachian State DL, Leon Moore, Appalachian State DL, Nick McNeil, Western Carolina DL, Michael Spicer, Western Carolina LB, Sam Smalls, Appalachian State LB, Mike Killian, Furman LB, Derrick Butler, Georgia Southern DB, Derrick Black, Appalachian State DB, Tony Tiller, East Tennessee State DB, Gerald Sensabaugh, East Tennessee State DB, Matt Nelson, Wofford P, Nate McKinney, Appalachian State

Second Team All-Conference Offense TE, Todd Bargella, Western Carolina WR, Scooter Johnson, The Citadel WR, Jeremy Grier, Chattanooga OT, Michael Porter, Appalachian State OT, Chad Bentley, Wofford C, Kevin Olecki, The Citadel OG, Quinton Staton, East Tennessee State OG, Clayton Dyson, Furman QB, Brian Gaither, Western Carolina RB, Nehemiah Broughton, The Citadel RB, J.R. McNair, Wofford PK, Erik Rockhold, Appalachian State RS, Lewis Barr, Georgia Southern

Defense DL, Lee Basinger, Wofford DL, Katon Bethay, Wofford DL, Brandon Calton, East Tennessee State DL, Eric Hadley, Georgia Southern LB, Cedrick Ritter, Furman LB, Rod Dunlap, Western Carolina LB, Timmy Thrift, Wofford LB, Teddie Whitaker, Wofford DB, T.J. Rose, The Citadel DB, Corey Lynch, Appalachian State DB, T.J. Wilson, Furman DB, Cam Newton, Furman P, Jimmy Miner, Wofford