Crabtree Garners AFCA All-America Honors

Record-setting receiver is the first freshman since Georgia’s Herschel Walker to make the team.

Athletics

Written by Chris Cook

Not since three-time Georgia All-American Herschel Walker in 1980 has a collegiate freshman been named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches’ All-America Team – until now. Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Dallas, Texas) has led the Football Bowl Subdivision in receiving since the first game of the season. He is joined on the first team by fellow Big 12 Conference receivers Jordy Nelson of Kansas State and tight end Martin Rucker of Missouri.

Other players receiving first-team honors include running backs Darren McFadden (Arkansas) and Jonathan Stewart (Oregon) and quarterback Matt Ryan (Boston College). Jake Long (Michigan), Kirk Barton (Ohio State), Steve Justice (Wake Forest), Duke Robinson (Oklahoma), and Ryan Clady (Boise State) make up the offensive line.

Previously, Crabtree has been honored with All-America status from Rivals.com and Scout.com and was selected as both sites’ national freshman of the year. He was selected to the Big 12 Coaches First Team earlier this week and was named the Big 12’s offensive newcomer of the year by the Associated Press on Wednesday.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The organization’s selection committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA’s nine Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach that serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts, and that information, along with ballots submitted by FBS head coaches, is used to select the AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team.

Photo by Artie Limmer.