The pressure is officially on for University of South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery …
After a spectacular freshman season that saw him emerge as one of the dominant wideouts in the Southeastern Conference, Jeffery was one of 51 players named to the preseason watch list for the 2010 Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top wide receiver. Named for former Oakland Raiders’ standout Fred Biletnikoff, the award has been handed out in each of the last sixteen seasons. Last year’s winner was Golden Tate of Notre Dame.
Jeffery – a 6’4″, 233-pound sophomore – caught 46 passes for 763 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2009. After seeing minimal duty through the first five games of the season, he put on a receiving clinic down the stretch – hauling in 38 receptions for 674 yards over the final seven games of the year.
A preseason second-team All-SEC selection, Jeffery is one of several talented young offensive players that sixth-year head coach Steve Spurrier will be relying on in 2010 as the Gamecocks look to break a long string of mediocrity against SEC competition. After finishing 5-3 in the conference during his first year in Columbia, Spurrier has gone 13-19 against SEC opponents over the last four seasons – never finishing better than third in the SEC East.
Pic: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina
