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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (FWAA) – The 12th annual Football Writers
Association of America Freshman All-America Team has been announced,
with all 11 Football Bowl Subdivision Conferences and Notre Dame
represented on the 30-man roster. A pair of players from the
team, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Notre Dame
defensive back KeiVarae Russell, will battle one another in
tonight's Discover BCS National Championship Game.
Heisman Trophy-winning Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel
became the first quarterback to be named to both the FWAA
All-America Team and its Freshman All-America Team. Only three
other players have earned a spot on both teams: Oklahoma running
back Adrian Peterson (2004); and Texas Tech wide receiver
Michael Crabtree and Missouri wide receiver/return specialist
Jeremy Maclin (2007). The FWAA has named a Freshman All-America
team since the 2001 season.
Ohio State's first-year coach Urban Meyer claimed the first-year
coaching honors after his Buckeyes completed a perfect 12-0
regular season.
The team and coach are selected by an 11-person panel of
nationally-prominent writers led by Mike Griffith of the MLive
Media Group. Both
true freshmen (15 players) and redshirt freshmen (15 players) were
considered for the team and are so noted.
| 2012 FWAA
FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM |
| OFFENSE |
| Pos. |
Player, School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
| QB |
Johnny Manziel, Texas
A&M |
6-1 |
200 |
Kerrville, Texas |
| RB |
• Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana
Tech |
6-0 |
215 |
Strong, Ark. |
| RB |
• Todd Gurley, Georgia |
6-1 |
218 |
Tarboro, N.C. |
| WR |
Davante Adams,
Fresno State |
6-2 |
200 |
Palo Alto, Calif. |
| WR |
• Amari Cooper, Alabama |
6-1 |
198 |
Miami, Fla. |
| WR |
J.D. McKissic,
Arkansas State |
5-10 |
185 |
Phenix City, Ala. |
| TE |
• Devin Funchess, Michigan |
6-5 |
229 |
Farmington Hills, Mich. |
| OL |
Jack Allen, Michigan
State |
6-1 |
295 |
Hinsdale, Ill. |
| OL |
Austin Blythe, Iowa |
6-3 |
275 |
Williamsburg, Iowa |
| OL |
Jake Brendel, UCLA |
6-4 |
295 |
Plano, Texas |
| OL |
Le'Raven Clark, Texas
Tech |
6-5 |
303 |
Rockdale, Texas |
| OL |
Parker Ehinger,
Cincinnati |
6-7 |
290 |
Rockford, Mich. |
| OL |
Tyler Johnstone,
Oregon |
6-6 |
292 |
Chandler, Ariz. |
| DEFENSE |
| Pos. |
Player, School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
| DL |
Deion Barnes, Penn State |
6-4 |
246 |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| DL |
• Devonte Fields, TCU |
6-4 |
240 |
Arlington, Texas |
| DL |
Samuel Ukwuachu, Boise
State |
6-4 |
222 |
Pearland, Texas |
| DL |
• Leonard Wllliams,
USC |
6-5 |
270 |
Daytona Beach, Fla. |
| LB |
Kyler Fackrell, Utah
State |
6-5 |
236 |
Mesa, Ariz. |
| LB |
Cory James, Colorado
State |
6-0 |
235 |
Del Rio, Texas |
| LB |
• Tyler Matakevich,
Temple |
6-1 |
220 |
Stratford, Conn. |
| LB |
Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole
Miss |
5-11 |
203 |
Loganville, Ga. |
| DB |
Kevin Byard, Middle Tennessee |
5-11 |
229 |
Lithonia, Ga. |
| DB |
• Ronald Darby, Florida
State |
5-11 |
189 |
Oxon Hill, Md. |
| DB |
• KeiVarae Russell, Notre
Dame |
5-11 |
182 |
Everett, Wash. |
| DB |
• Trevon Stewart, Houston |
5-9 |
183 |
Patterson, La. |
| SPECIALISTS |
| Pos. |
Player, School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
| P |
• Tyler Williams, Marshall |
6-0 |
195 |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
| K |
• Austin Lopez, San Jose
State |
6-0 |
170 |
Euless, Texas |
| PR |
• Jaime Wilson, Western
Michigan |
5-11 |
196 |
Belle Glade, Fla. |
| KR |
• Duke Johnson, Miami |
5-9 |
188 |
Miami, Fla. |
| AP |
• Stefon Diggs, Maryland |
6-1 |
185 |
Gaithersburg, Md. |
| HEAD COACH |
| Urban
Meyer, Ohio State |
| • Denotes
true freshman |
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization
founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football
for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists,
as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works
to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America
team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve
Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or 972-713-6198.
All-Time FWAA Freshman All-America Teams
• 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012
| 2012 FWAA FRESHMAN
ALL-AMERICA COMMITTEE |
| Marc Anderson |
Las Vegas Review Journal |
Mountain West |
| Andrew Gribble |
Alabama Media Group |
SEC |
| Mike Griffith |
MLive Media Group |
Big Ten |
| Rich Hammond |
Orange County Register |
Pac-12 |
| Tommy Hicks |
Mobile Press-Register |
Sun Belt |
| Blair Kerkhoff |
Kansas City Star |
Big 12 |
| Tom Luicci |
Newark Star-Ledger |
Big East |
| Brian Murphy |
Idaho Statesman |
WAC |
| Phil Stukenborg |
Memphis Commercial Appeal |
Conference USA |
| John Wagner |
Toledo Blade |
MAC |
| Greg Wallace |
Freelance |
ACC |
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