Kentucky Hall of Fame wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney – who finished his career breaking or tying seven NCAA records – has been named to the Football Writers Association of America 75th Anniversary Team, it was announced on Thursday.
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Three Husker linemen are featured on the FWAA’s first team, as Will Shields and Dave Rimington make the Offense.
Ted Hendricks made First Team and Ed Reed made Second Team – Hendricks a two-time All-American (1967 & 1968) at Miami, eventually converted to Linebacker (under Don Shula) in the NFL, where he was later elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Smith and Florida’s Jack Youngblood were third-team selections, while Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green and Virginia Tech’s Bruce Smith rounded out the second team.
All eight decades in which the FWAA teams have been selected are represented on the 75-man team, starting in the 1940s with SMU’s Walker all the way through Alabama’s two-time All-America Barrett Jones, the 2011 Outland victor.
Ballots for the FWAA All-America teams were distributed to members in the spring, tabulated by a popular vote and taken into consideration by a Blue Ribbon Committee of FWAA past presidents, current board members and officers. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Abney starred at UK from 2000-2003, earning first-team All-America honors as a junior and second-team All-America as a senior. Michigan and Ohio State were also two of 14 programs to have multiple selections. Along with earning All-Pro honors nine times during his career, Olsen was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1962 and the NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1973.
The FWAA has selected All-America Teams in different forms over the years.
“This was truly an enriching experience picking this team”, said FWAA Executive Director Steve Richardson.
Jackson was named to the association’s All-American third team.
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The Football Writers Association of American hasn’t forgotten. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
