Ruud and Josh Bullocks names All-Big 12

Nebraska senior linebacker Barrett Ruud has been named to the first-team All-Big 12 defense as selected by the conference coaches, the league office announced on Wednesday.

Ruud leads a group of seven total Husker players recognized by the Big 12 Coaches.

A 6-2, 240-pounder from Lincoln, Ruud leads the Big 12 Conference in tackles with 143 tackles, including a team-high 18 tackles for loss. Ruud recorded nine games with 10 or more tackles in 2004, including a career-high 19 tackles at Kansas State.

Ruud finished his Husker career as the school's all-time leading tackler with 432 career stops. His career tackle total is the second-most in the conference since the Big 12 was formed in 1996.

Ruud's honor adds to his already prestigious list of records and awards. In addition to being the Nebraska record holder for single-season and career tackles, Ruud was a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a junior and an honorable-mention choice as a sophomore in 2002.

He has also distinguished himself in the classroom, being selected first-team academic All-Big 12 each of the last three years.

Junior free safety Josh Bullocks was the Huskers' lone second-team honoree. A first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2003, Bullocks led Nebraska defensive backs with 63 tackles this season.

He also added seven pass breakups and two interceptions, pushing his career interceptions total to 13, just one off the Nebraska career record.

Five other Huskers earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors by the coaches. Defensively, junior strong safety Daniel Bullocks and junior cornerback Fabian Washington picked up honorable-mention accolades, while on offense junior I-back Cory Ross, junior tight end Matt Herian and sophomore center Kurt Mann were recognized.

Daniel Bullocks led Nebraska with five interceptions in 2004, while Washington had a team-high 15 pass breakups, the second-highest single-season total in NU history.

Ross was Nebraska's offensive leader, rushing for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes out of the backfield. Herian caught 24 passes for 308 yards in seven-plus games before being lost for the season with a broken leg, while Mann had a solid first season as the Huskers' starting center.