2012 Walter Camp All-America Team

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Walter Camp Football Foundation announces the 2012 All-America Team Player of the Year.

According to a press release, University of Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o headlines the 2012 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America team, the 123rd honored by the organization.  The nation’s oldest All-America team was announced this evening on The Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show.

Second-ranked Alabama had the most players (4) selected to the First Team, while Southeastern Conference rival Texas A&M had three honorees and ACC champion Florida State had two.  In all, 20 different schools from nine conferences were represented on the All-America First Team.

The Walter Camp All-America team is selected by the head coaches and sports information directors of the 124 Football Bowl Subdivision schools and certified by Marcum LLP, a New Haven-based accounting firm. Walter Camp Football Foundation President John Marks was pleased with the voting participation.

“Once again, we had more than 80 percent of the Bowl Subdivision schools participate in this year’s voting,” Marks said.  “We are very appreciative of the continuing cooperation of the coaches and sports information directors in our annual effort to honor the nation’s most outstanding college players.”

A Second Team All-America selection in 2011, Te’o is a First Team honoree and was selected the 2012 Walter Camp Player of the Year after totaling 103 tackles and seven interceptions for the top-ranked Fighting Irish (12-0).

Joining Te’o on the 2012 First Team All-American defensive unit is a pair of Southeastern Conference standout junior linebackers C.J. Mosley (Alabama) and Jarvis Jones (Georgia).  Jones is a repeat Walter Camp First Team All-American.

On the interior, sophomore Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina), who ranks second in the nation in sacks, is joined by senior Star Lotulelei (Utah) and juniors Bjoern Werner (Florida State) and Damontre Moore (Texas A&M).

In the defensive secondary, Phillip Thomas (Fresno State), the nation’s leader in interceptions, is a First Team honoree along with fellow seniors Dee Milliner (Alabama), Jordan Poyer (Oregon State) and Johnthan Banks (Mississippi State).

The punter is senior Ryan Allen (Louisiana Tech), who leads the nation with a 48.0 yard-per-punt average.  Allen was a Walter Camp Second Team All-American last year. The kick returner is senior Dri Archer (Kent State), who has three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season.

Leading the offensive unit is redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M).  Manziel, who ranks second in the nation in total offense (383.3 yards per game), has passed for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores for the Aggies (10-2).

Joining Manziel in the offensive backfield are three running backs – seniors Montee Ball (Wisconsin) and Kenjon Barner (Oregon), and sophomore Ka’Deem Carey (Arizona).  A Second Team All-American a year ago, Ball has rushed for 1,730 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Big Ten champion Badgers, while Barner has scored 21 touchdowns while averaging 135.3 rushing yards per game. Carey has been a steady force for the Wildcats and leads the nation with 1,757 rushing yards.

Sophomore Marqise Lee (USC) and senior Terrance Williams (Baylor) are the wide receivers. Lee has 112 catches for 1,860 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Williams has 95 catches for 1,764 yards and 12 touchdowns.  The tight end is Zach Ertz (Stanford).

On the offensive line, two seniors – Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) and Chance Warmack (Alabama) – are joined by juniors Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M) and Taylor Lewan (Michigan).  Senior Barrett Jones (Alabama) is the offensive center, repeating as a First Team Walter Camp All-American.

Senior Dustin Hopkins (Florida State), who has connected on 24-of-28 field goals for the Seminoles, is the placekicker.

The 2012 Walter Camp Player of the Year and members of the All-America team will be honored at the organization’s national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.  In addition, the Foundation will also recognize former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne and NFL player/coach Herm Edwards.

The Foundation is offering a "Holiday Ticket Promotion" for the National Awards Dinner. Buy two tickets for $400 (you save $150) before December 31.  Please call (203) 288-CAMP (288-2267) for more information.

Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side.  The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

2012 Walter Camp All-America

Teams

First Team Offense
Pos. Name, School    Hgt  Wgt Class Hometown 
WR Marqise Lee, USC   6-0 195 Soph. Inglewood, CA
WR Terrance Williams, Baylor  6-2 195 Sr. Dallas, TX
TE Zach Ertz, Stanford   6-6 252 Sr. Alamo, CA
OL Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M  6-6 310 Jr. Arlington, TX
OL Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina 6-3 295 Sr. Wilmington, NC
OL Chance Warmack, Alabama  6-3 320 Sr. Atlanta, GA
OL Taylor Lewan, Michigan  6-8 309 Jr. Scottsdale, AZ
C Barrett Jones, Alabama #  6-5 302 Sr. Germantown, TN
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M  6-1 200 Fr. Kerrville, TX
RB Kenjon Barner, Oregon   5-11 192 Sr. Riverside, CA
RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin  @  5-11 215 Sr. Wentzville, MO
RB Ka’Deem Carey, Arizona  5-10 197 Soph. Tucson, AZ
PK Dustin Hopkins, Florida State  6-2 190 Sr. Houston, TX

First Team Defense
DL Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina 6-6 256 Soph. Rock Hill, SC
DL Bjoern Werner, Florida State  6-4 255 Jr. Berlin, Germany
DL Damontre Moore, Texas A&M  6-4 250 Jr. Rowlett, TX
DL Star Lotulelei, Utah   6-4 320 Sr. South Jordan, UT
LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame @  6-2 255 Sr. Laie, HI
LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia #   6-3 241 Jr. Columbus, GA
LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama   6-2 232 Jr. Theodore, AL
DB Dee Milliner, Alabama   6-1 199 Jr. Millbrook, AL
DB Phillip Thomas, Fresno State  6-1 215 Sr. Bakersfield, CA
DB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State 6-2 185 Sr. Meben, MS
DB Jordan Poyer, Oregon State  6-0 190 Sr. Astoria, OR
P Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech @  6-2 215 Sr. Salem, OR
KR Dri Archer, Kent State   5-8 175 Sr. Laurel, FL

Second Team Offense
Pos. Name, School    Hgt  Wgt Class Hometown
WR Stedman Bailey, West Virginia  5-10 195 Jr. Miramar, FL
WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia  5-9 171 Sr. Baltimore, MD
TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame #  6-6 251 Sr. Fort Wayne, IN
OL DJ Fluker, Alabama   6-6 335 Jr. Foley, AL
OL Zack Martin, Notre Dame  6-4 304 Sr. Indianapolis, IN
OL Spencer Long, Nebraska  6-4 305 Jr. Elkhorn, NE
OL Jake Matthews, Texas A&M  6-5 305 Jr. Missouri City, TX
C Dalton Freeman, Clemson  6-5 285 Grad Pelion, SC
QB  Collin Klein, Kansas State  6-5 226 Sr. Loveland, CO
RB Johnathan Franklin, UCLA  5-11 195 Sr. Los Angeles, CA
RB Stefphon Jefferson, Nevada  5-11 210 Jr. Visalia, CA
PK Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State  6-1 205 Sr. Mansfield, TX
 

Second Team Defense
DL Will Sutton, Arizona State  6-1 267 Jr. Corona, CA
DL Sam Montgomery, LSU   6-5 260 Jr. Greenwood, SC
DL Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame  6-6 303 Soph. Monroe, GA
DL John Simon, Ohio State   6-2 263 Sr. Youngstown, OH
LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State  6-1 231 Sr. Wichita, KS
LB Kevin Minter, LSU   6-2 245 Jr. Suwanee, GA
LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers  6-1 230 Sr. Elizabeth, NJ
DB Matt Elam, Florida   5-10 202 Jr. Palm Beach Gardens, FL
DB Eric Reid, LSU    6-2 212 Jr. Geismar, LA
DB Jason Verrett, TCU   5-10 180 Jr. Fairfield, CA
DB Bradley Roby, Ohio State  5-11 190 Soph. Suwanee, GA
P Kyle Christy, Florida   6-2 199 Soph. Brownsburg, IN
KR Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.)  5-9 188 Fr. Miami, FL

# - 2011 Walter Camp First Team All-America @ - 2011 Walter Camp Second Team All-America

Walter Camp 2012 All-America Notebook

A Little History
This is the 123rd edition of the Walter Camp All-America team – the nation’s oldest All-America team. Twenty-six players have been selected to the first team by the 124 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.  In addition, 25 players have been selected to the Second Team.

• From 1889 to 1964, eleven players were selected.
• In 1965, both offensive and defensive teams were picked.
• In 1972, the first punter (Ray Guy, Southern Mississippi) was honored.
• In 1975, the first placekicker (Chris Bahr, Penn State) was selected.
• In 1998, the first-ever Second Team All-America team was recognized.
• In 2001, the first kick returner (Herb Haygood, Michigan State) was picked.

Conference Info
Nine different conferences, including independent Notre Dame, and 20 schools have representatives on the 2012 Walter Camp All-America First Team. The Southeastern Conference had 10 players representing five member schools selected to the first team, the highest total of any league.  The Pac-12 was next with six players selected.  Alabama had the most first-team selections with four; it is the second straight year and the third time in the last four that the Crimson Tide had four First Team honorees.

Then and Now
Twenty different schools are represented on the 2012 Walter Camp All-America First Team – the 123rd honored in the name of the former Yale University football legend.  Of those 20 schools, Michigan has the honor of being the first represented on a Walter Camp All-America team.  Wolverine halfback Willie Heston made the 1903 All-America squad.

Good to See You Again
Two players – center Barrett Jones (Alabama) and linebacker Jarvis Jones (Georgia) – are repeat First Team All-Americans.  Three additional players – running back Montee Ball (Wisconsin), linebacker Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) and punter Ryan Allen (Louisiana Tech) – were Second Team