Six ISU football players were honored by the Big 12 Conference coaches when they announced their end of season awards Tuesday.

Junior safety David Sims was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, senior linebacker Jesse Smith earned First Team All Conference honors and four others earned honorable mention honors.

Coach Paul Rhoads was also the conference’s only coach to receive honorable mention in the Big 12 Coach of the Year balloting. Texas’ Mack Brown won the award for his team’s 12–0 performance in 2009.

Sims, a junior college transfer from Butte (Calif.) Community College, leads the Cyclones with four interceptions while being one of the top kick returners for Iowa State in 2009, averaging 23.7 yards on his kickoff returns. The Gainesville, Fla., native is also fourth on the team with 81 tackles.

“David has made a major contribution to our defense this season,” Rhoads said in a news release. “He has helped us in so many ways, including on special teams.”

Sims burst onto the scene in the biggest way in the Cyclones’ 35–3 loss to Iowa in September. The safety made two interceptions in the game, as well as making a team-high 11 tackles. He also had three kickoff returns for 61 yards in the game.

Smith, a senior from Altoona, leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th in the NCAA with 10.67 tackles per game.

The former walk-on has amassed 298 career tackles and has broken up a team-high seven passes this season.

Although Smith has played well throughout 2009, his largest impact came in the Cyclones’ upset of Nebraska, in which he had 12 tackles and an interception that ended Nebraska’s final offensive possession and sealed Iowa State’s first win in Lincoln since 1977.

“Jesse is a great story,” Rhoads said. “He is deserving of the recognition he has received. Beyond his stats, Jesse is a great leader on the field and has helped anchor our defense from a key position.”

Smith’s performance against Nebraska earned him the Walter Camp National Player of the Week award. He was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after the game.

On the offensive side, three Cyclones received honorable mention honors.

Sophomore tackle Kelechi Osemele was selected for the first time in his career after having not allowed a sack in 2009.

Senior center Reggie Stephens was selected for the second time in his career. Stephens is the anchor and undisputed leader of the Cyclones’ offensive line that has been near the top in the country in terms of sacks allowed all season.

Tailback Alexander Robinson was also honored for his 1,000-yard performance this season. Robinson averaged 96.2 yards per game in 2009, despite missing the game against Nebraska and sitting out parts of three other games with a groin injury.

Robinson, a junior, is the first ISU running back to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark since Stevie Hicks did so in 2004.

Punter Michael Brandtner, regarded by many as the best punter in the Big 12, also received an honorable mention. Brandtner, a senior from Bettendorf, has averaged 40.7 yards per punt on his 61 kicks this season, including pinning 21 inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.