Albert McClellan came back with a vengeance.

The Conference USA defensive player of the year as a sophomore, McClellan injured his knee in preseason and missed all of last season.

But the Marshall Thundering Herd defensive end returned this season and put to rest any questions about his recovery when he was named to the C-USA all-conference first team.

McClellan was the only Marshall player named to the first unit, but five teammates were named to the second team and four more Herd players were on the all-freshman team.

Sophomore running back Darius Marshall, senior lineman Brian Leggett, and senior wide receiver Darius Passmore were on the second team offense while senior linebacker Maurice Kitchens and senior defensive back C.J. Spillman were named to the defensive side.

Two-time first team junior tight end Cody Slate was named honorable mention along with sophomore defensive lineman Michael Janac and junior linebacker Mario Harvey.

Darius Marshall was also an honorable mention selection to the special teams as a kick returner.

Named to the all-freshman team for the Herd were cornerback DeQuan Bembry, placekicker Tyler Warner, and offensive linemen C.J. Wood and Ryan Tillman.

2008 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback – Chase Clement, Sr., Rice

Running Back- Damion Fletcher, Jr., Southern Miss

Running Back- Tarrion Adams, Sr., Tulsa

Offensive Lineman- Sebastian Vollmer, Sr., Houston

Offensive Lineman- Brandon Pearce, Sr., Memphis

Offensive Linemen- Troy Kropog, Sr., Tulane

Offensive Lineman – Justin Morsey, Sr., Tulsa

Offensive Lineman- Robby Felix, Jr, UTEP

Tight End- James Casey, So., Rice

Wide Receiver- Jarett Dillard, Sr., Rice

Wide Receiver- DeAndre Brown, Fr., Southern Miss

Wide Receiver- Brennan Marion, Sr., Tulsa

DEFENSE

Defensive Lineman- Phillip Hunt, Sr., Houston

Defensive Lineman- C.J. Wilson, Jr., East Carolina

Defensive Lineman- Albert McClellan, Jr., Marshall

Defensive Lineman- Clinton McDonald, Sr., Memphis

Linebacker- Gerald McRath, Jr., Southern Miss

Linebacker- Joe Henderson, Sr., UAB

Linebacker- Adam Vincent, Sr., UTEP

Defensive Back- Van Eskridge, Jr., East Carolina

Defensive Back- Kevin Sanders, Sr., UAB

Defensive Back- Sha’Reff Rashad, Sr., UCF

Defensive Back- Joe Burnett, Sr., UCF

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker- Jose Martinez, Jr., UTEP

Punter- Swayze Waters, Sr., UAB

Kick Returner- Jor Burnett, Sr., UCF

Punt Returner- Joe Burnett, Sr., UCF

Long Snapper- Craig Gelhardt, Sr., Tulane

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback – Case Keenum, So., Houston

Running Back- Darius Marshall, So., Marshall

Running Back- Curtis Steele, Jr., Memphis

Offensive Lineman- Sean Allen, Jr., East Carolina

Offensive Lineman- Brian Leggett, Sr., Marshall

Offensive Lineman- David Berken, Sr., Rice

Offensive Lineman- Pat Brown, Sr., UCF

Offensive Lineman- Ryan McKee, Sr., Southern Miss

Tight End- Mark Hafner, Sr., Houston

Wide Receiver- Tyron Carrier, Fr., Houston

Wide Receiver- Darius Passmore, Sr., Marshall

Wide Receiver- Emmanuel Sanders, Jr., SMU

DEFENSE

Defensive Lineman- Anthony Gray, So., Southern Miss

Defensive Lineman- Moton Hopkins, Sr., Tulsa

Defensive Lineman- Bruce Miller, So., UCF

Defensive Lineman- Torrell Troup, Jr., UCF

Linebacker- Pierre Bell, Sr., East Carolina

Linebacker- Maurice Kitchens, Sr., Marshall

Linebacker- Brian Raines, Sr., Rice

Defensive Back- Kenneth Fontenette, Sr., Houston

Defensive Back- C.J. Spillman, Sr., Marshall

Defensive Back- James Lockett, Jr., Tulsa

Defensive Back- Eddie Hicks, Jr., Southern Miss

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker- Swayze Waters, Sr., UAB

Punter- Ross Thevenot, Jr., Tulane

Kick Returner – Damaris Johnson, Fr., Tulsa

Punt Returner- Josh Ferguson, Sr., UTEP

Long Snapper- Jeff Hamby, Sr., UAB

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE

Quarterback – David Johnson, Sr., Tulsa

Quarterback – Trevor Vittatoe, So., UTEP

Running Back- Bryce Beall, Fr., Houston

Running Back- Andre Anderson, Jr., Tulane

Offensive Lineman- Michael Bloesch, Sr., Houston

Offensive Lineman- Philip Beliles, Sr., Memphis

Offensive Lineman- Ryan Hebert, Jr., Southern Miss

Offensive Lineman- Michael Perenton, Sr., Tulane

Offensive Lineman- Rodrick Thomas, Sr., Tulsa

Offensive Lineman- Terence Edge, So., UAB

Offensive Lineman- Jake Seitz, Jr., UAB

Offensive Lineman- Mike Aguayo, So., UTEP

Offensive Lineman- Cameron Raschke, Jr., UTEP

Tight End- Davon Drew, Sr., East Carolina

Tight End- Cody Slate, Jr., Marshall

Tight End- Shawn Nelson, Sr., Southern Miss

Wide Receiver- Maurice Jones, Sr., Memphis

Wide Receiver- Carlos Singleton, Jr., Memphis

Wide Receiver- Aldrick Robinson, So., SMU

Wide Receiver- Damaris Johnson, Fr., Tulsa

Wide Receiver – Frantrell Forrest, So., UAB

Wide Receiver – Kris Adams, So., UTEP

Wide Receiver – Jeff Moturi, Jr., UTEP

DEFENSE

Defensive Lineman- Linval Joesph, So., East Carolina

Defensive Lineman- Jay Ross, Jr., East Carolina

Defensive Lineman- Zack Slate, Sr., East Carolina

Defensive Lineman- Michael Janac, So., Marshall

Defensive Lineman- Scott Soloman, So., Rice

Defensive Lineman- Chance Talbert, Jr., Rice

Defensive Lineman- Reggie Scott, Sr., Tulane

Defensive Lineman- Wilson Garrison, Jr., Tulsa

Defensive Lineman- Bryant Turner, So., UAB

Defensive Lineman- James Olalekan, Sr., UTEP

Linebacker- Nick Johnson, Sr., East Carolina

Linebacker- Cody Lubojasky, Sr., Houston

Linebacker- Mario Harvey, Jr., Marshall

Linebacker- Greg Jackson, Jr., Memphis

Linebacker- Tukumbo Abanikanda, Sr., Southern Miss

Linebacker- Mike Bryan, Jr., Tulsa

Linebacker- Derrick Hallman, So., UCF

Linebacker- Lawrence Young, So., UCF

Linebacker- Adam Vincent, Jr., UTEP

Defensive Back- D.A. Griffin, Jr., Memphis

Defensive Back- Alton Starr, Jr., Memphis

Defensive Back- Andrew Sendejo, Jr., Rice

Defensive Back- Roy Roberts, Sr., Tulsa

Defensive Back- Kenny Sims, Jr., Tulsa

Defensive Back- Johnell Neal, Sr., UCF

Defensive Back- Jason Venson, Sr., UCF

Defensive Back- Cornelius Brown, Jr., UTEP

Defensive Back- Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, Jr., UTEP

Defensive Back- Josh Ferguson, Sr., UTEP

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker- Jarod Tracy, Sr., Tulsa

Punter- Chase Turner, Sr., Houston

Punter- Brent Sutherland, Sr., Memphis

Punter- Thomas Morstead, Sr., SMU

Punter- Michael Such, So., Tulsa

Punter- Kyle Peterson, So., UTEP

Kick Returner- Darius Marshall, So., Marshall

Kick Returner- Frantrell Forrest, So., UAB

Kick Returner- Josh Ferguson, Sr., UTEP

Punt Returner- Andre Watson, Fr., Southern Miss

Long Snapper- Wilson Raynor, Jr., East Carolina

Long Snapper- Keenan Bratcher, So., Memphis

Long Snapper- Brandon Long, So., Rice

Long Snapper- Cody Tawater, Jr., Southern Miss

Long Snapper- John Warren, Sr., Tulsa

Long Snapper- Jamar Hunt, Sr., UTEP