Notre Dame’s Leon Hart and Rocket Ismail were honored when the Football Writers Association of America released its 75th Anniversary All-America Team on Thursday.
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Because of this demarcation, the timeline starts at 1940 and as such Nile Kinnick is not part of the discussion.
Ted Hendricks (left) and Ed Reed were chosen as some of the greatest college football players of the last 75 years. And with all due respect to the likes of Tim Dwight, Chuck Long and Robert Gallery… we’d have to agree.
“This was one of the most fun, yet most hard exercises I’ve had in life – next to parallel parking, that is”, said Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls, chairman of the FWAA 75th All-America Committee. In his final two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end helped the Spartans to a combined record of 19-1-1, including back-to-back Big Ten and National Championships in 1965 and ’66. A two-time first-team All-American and the runner-up to BYU’s Ty Detmer for the 1990 Heisman Trophy, the multi-faceted Ismail was a threat to score whether rushing, catching or returning the ball.
Those two players were offensive lineman John Hannah and linebacker Derrick Thomas, and both players’ presence on the first team gives Alabama more first-teamers than any school other than Ohio State. The popular vote was then taken into consideration by a Blue Ribbon Committee of FWAA past presidents, current board members and officers. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
Texas is one of four schools with selections on the offense, defense, and special teams portions of the roster, along with Florida State, Georgia, and Nebraska.
“A nomination ballot with selected players from all FWAA All-America teams was sent to the entire membership this spring”.
Olsen was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and in 1999 he was ranked No. 25 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
Jones was a member of the inaugural class of Iowa Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
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The Football Writers Association acknowledged the All-American teams are subject to debate.
