Nebraska lands six players on FWAA’s 75th anniversary All-America teams
The Football Writers Association of America picked its 75th anniversary All-America teams, and a couple of Chiefs players were on the first team.
While no players were selected from Missouri, Kansas or K-State for the three teams, Derrick Thomas (of Alabama) and Will Shields (of Nebraska) were among the first-team selections.
Shields was one of six Cornhuskers chosen, and that was the most for any school. Ohio State and Pittsburgh had five each, while Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama each had four.
Willie Roaf (Louisiana Tech) and former Royals outfielder Bo Jackson (Auburn) were third-team selections.
“Picking the FWAA’s 75th Anniversary teams was like taking a final exam with no wrong answers,” FWAA president Lee Barfknecht said in a news release. “Even though some answers may be more ‘right’ than others, this will add to the colorful conversation about college football, honor those chosen, and help celebrate the game.”
These teams certainly will be open for debate. Take a look:
POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
QB | Roger Staubach, Navy | Tim Tebow, Florida | Tommie Frazier, Nebraska |
RB | Archie Griffin, Ohio State | Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh | Bo Jackson, Auburn |
RB | Herschel Walker, Georgia | Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State | Doak Walker, SMU |
WR | Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh | Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State | Anthony Carter, Michigan |
WR | Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State | Randy Moss, Marshall | Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech |
TE | Keith Jackson, Oklahoma | Mike Ditka, Pittsburgh | Gordon Hudson, BYU |
OL | John Hannah, Alabama | Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh | Barrett Jones, Alabama |
OL | Orlando Pace, Ohio State | John Hicks, Ohio State | Willie Roaf, Louisiana Tech |
OL | Will Shields, Nebraska | Calvin Jones, Iowa | Jerry Sisemore, Texas |
OL | Ron Yary, USC | Jonathan Ogden, UCLA | Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska |
C | Dave Rimington, Nebraska | Chuck Bednarik, Penn | Jim Ritcher, N.C. State |
DEFENSE | |||
POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
DT | Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma | Merlin Olsen, Utah State | Steve Emtman, Washington |
DT | Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska | Randy White, Maryland | Reggie White, Tennessee |
DE | Leon Hart, Notre Dame | Hugh Green, Pittsburgh | Bubba Smith, Michigan State |
DE | Ted Hendricks, Miami (Fla.) | Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech | Jack Youngblood, Florida |
LB | Tommy Nobis, Texas | Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma | Jack Ham, Penn State |
LB | Mike Singletary, Baylor | Dick Butkus, Illinois | Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama |
LB | Derrick Thomas, Alabama | Luke Kuechly, Boston College | Chris Spielman, Ohio State |
DB | Ronnie Lott, USC | Champ Bailey, Georgia | Dré Bly, North Carolina |
DB | Deion Sanders, Florida State | Kenny Easley, UCLA | Dave Brown, Michigan |
DB | Jack Tatum, Ohio State | Jerry Gray, Texas | Troy Polamalu, USC |
DB | Charles Woodson, Michigan | Ed Reed, Miami (Fla.) | Roy Williams, Oklahoma |
SPECIALISTS | |||
POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
P | Ray Guy, Southern Miss | Russell Erxleben, Texas | Rohn Stark, Florida State |
K | Kevin Butler, Georgia | Mason Crosby, Colorado | Tony Franklin, Texas A&M |
RS | Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska | Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame | Derek Abney, Kentucky |
To reach Pete Grathoff, call 816-234-4330 or send email to pgrathoff@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @pgrathoff.