Retired Iowa Sports Information Director Steve Roe to be Honored by Walter Camp Foundation

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Recently retired University of Iowa associate athletic director of athletic communications Steve Roe will be honored by the Walter Camp Football Foundation at its 57th annual National Awards Dinner on March 16.

The Walter Camp Sports Communicator award is named in memory of Bill Keish, who was a longtime Foundation member and chairman of the public relations committee. The award originated as the Foundation’s “Media Appreciation” award. It was awarded to local sports media professionals in recognition of their contributions on behalf of the WCFF. It has recently been expanded to a broader scope, recognizing contributions to sports communications.    Roe joins former USC sports communicator Tim Tessalone as recipients of the award.

Roe retired last July after 33-plus years of service at Iowa. He joined the Iowa staff as an assistant SID in September of 1990 and assumed the department’s top position in 2011 after roles as assistant and associate sports information director.

During that time, Roe helped promote a litany of Walter Camp All-Americans, including 15 First Team selections and 11 Second Team honorees.

Last summer, Roe was inducted into the College Sports Communicators’ Hall of Fame.

Prior to Iowa, Roe worked at Drake University as SID (1985-88) and at Northwestern State (La.) as head SID (1980-85).

University at Albany’s Greg Gattuso Named Walter Camp 2023 Football Championship Subdivision Coach of the Year

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University at Albany’s Greg Gattuso has been selected as Walter Camp’s 2023 Football Championship Subdivision Coach of the Year.  This is the first year the Walter Camp Foundation has given this award.

Under Gattuso’s leadership, UAlbany’s 2023 season was the best in program history.  The Great Danes finished with an 11-4 overall record, going 7-1 in the highly competitive Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). UAlbany claimed its first-ever conference title, sharing it with Villanova and Richmond.   The Great Danes defeated Villanova midway through the season, 31-10 at home, and took down Richmond, 41-13, in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

UAlbany was awarded the NCAA’s #5 seed in the FCS playoffs and earned a first-round bye.  Following its second-round win over Richmond, the Great Danes traveled to #4 Idaho and defeated the Vandals, 30-22.  UAlbany’s 2023 season came to an end in the semifinals, falling to top-seeded and eventual national champion, South Dakota State.

Up front, UAlbany led the nation in team sacks – led by Walter Camp FCS All-America defensive end Anton Juncaj (15.0 sacks). Juncaj finished as the nation’s leader in sacks, and finished fifth in the Buck Buchanan Award voting.

Gattuso was also named CAA Coach of the Year, FCS Football Central Coach of the Year and ECAC Coach of the Year in 2023.  Gattuso has been the head coach at UAlbany for 10 seasons, and previously was the head coach at Duquesne University (97-32 record, 12 years) and served as an assistant coach at Maryland and his alma mater Penn State, where he played for the Nittany Lions and graduated in 1983.

Gattuso will be honored along with FCS Player of the Year Jaden Shirden (Monmouth, along with the members of the 2023 Walter Camp FBS All-America Team, Player of Year Jayden Daniels (LSU), Coach of Year Kalen DeBoer (Washington… now at Alabama) and Connecticut Players of the Year Tyler Van Dyke and Justin Barron at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Gala on Saturday, March 16 in New Haven.   National Awards Gala tickets are $350 and available at https://waltercamp.org/product/awards-dinner/

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.  Visit www.waltercamp.org for more information.

 

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Former St. Joseph (HS) and Monmouth University Standout Jaden Shirden Named Walter Camp 2023 FCS Player of the Year

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Former St. Joseph High School and Monmouth University running back Jaden Shirden (West Haven, CT) has been selected as Walter Camp’s 2023 Football Championship Subdivision Player of the Year.  This is the first year the Walter Camp Foundation has given this award.

Shirden, the two-time Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year, finished the 2023 regular season as the nation’s leading rusher for the second consecutive season.  Entering the year at seventh on Monmouth’s all-time rushing yardage list, Shirden’s 1,478 yards on the ground in 2023 saw him rise to third, and his 10 touchdowns on the season brought him into the program’s top-10.  The junior notched seven 100+ rushing yard games including two games eclipsing the 250 mark.

Shirden’s biggest game came at home on October 14 against Hampton where he ran for 276 yards and scored a career-best four touchdowns – including a 63-yard score and 72-yard score – on 16 carries. Two weeks later at nationally-ranked William & Mary, Shirden ran for two touchdowns while notching 251 yards on 21 carries.

Shirden, who finished third in the Walter Payton Award voting, announced he was declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft in December.

Shirden played scholastically for head coach Joe DellaVecchia at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull.   Shirden was a two-time Walter Camp All-Connecticut honoree and led the Cadets to the 2019 Class L state title.

Shirden will be honored, along with the members of the 2023 Walter Camp All-America Team, Player of Year Jayden Daniels (LSU), Coach of Year Kalen DeBoer (Washington… now at Alabama) and Connecticut Players of the Year Tyler Van Dyke and Justin Barron at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Gala on Saturday, March 16 in New Haven.   National Awards Gala tickets are $350 and available at https://waltercamp.org/product/awards-dinner/

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.

 

Rocky Hill’s Justin Barron and Glastonbury’s Tyler Van Dyke Named Walter Camp 2023 Connecticut Players of the Year

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Two former Suffield Academy products – defensive back Justin Barron and quarterback Tyler Van Dyke – have been selected as Walter Camp’s 2023 Connecticut Players of the Year.

The award is presented to the top college football player who is a resident and/or played scholastically in the state of Connecticut. The award is voted on by the Walter Camp Football Foundation membership.

Defense:  Justin Barron, Defensive, Syracuse University (Rocky Hill, CT/Suffield Academy)

The captain of the Orange defensive unit, Barron earned Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors after registering a team-best 90 tackles in 2023 from his rover position.  Barron recorded five tackles for loss, one interception and broke up seven passes as Syracuse finished with a 6-7 record and earned a berth in the Boca Raton Bowl.

Barron’s best game came on November 25 when he posted eight tackles in a win against Wake Forest.

He has appeared in 49 games with 34 starts at defensive back in his collegiate career, and ranks 15th in program history for tackles by a defensive back (201).

 

Offense: Tyler Van Dyke, Quarterback, University of Miami (Glastonbury, CT/Suffield Academy)

Van Dyke, who also earned Connecticut Player of Year honors in 2021, had an outstanding season in 2023.   He completed 219-of-333 passes (65.8%) for 2,703 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Hurricanes, who finished 7-6 and earned a spot in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

Van Dyke’s best game came on Nov. 24 in a win over Boston College when he

completed 23-of-36 for 290 yards and two touchdowns.

In three collegiate seasons, Van Dyke threw for 7,478 yards and 54 touchdowns.  In December, Van Dyke transferred to the University of Wisconsin and will have one season of eligibility remaining.

Barron and Van Dyke each played scholastically for head coach Anthony Gamere at Suffield Academy.   Both were instrumental as the 2019 team had an undefeated season and captured the NEPSAC Class A Championship.

Barron and Van Dyke will be honored, along with the members of the 2023 Walter Camp All-America Team, Player of Year Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Coach of Year Kalen DeBoer (Washington… now at Alabama) at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Gala on Saturday, March 16 in New Haven.   National Awards Gala tickets are $350 and available at https://waltercamp.org/product/awards-dinner/

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.  Visit www.waltercamp.org for more information.

 

Connecticut Player of the Year

Presented to the top college football player who is a resident and/or played scholastically in the state of Connecticut. The award is voted on by the Walter Camp Football Foundation membership.

2023 – Justin Barron, DB, Syracuse; Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (Wisconsin)

2022 – Drew Pyne, QB, Notre Dame (Arizona State)

2021 – Will Levis, QB, Kentucky; Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami

2020 – Andrew Stueber, OL, Michigan

2019 – Christian Montano, C, Tulane

2018 – Zach Allen, DE, Boston College

2017 – Ervin Philips, WR, Syracuse

2016 – Noel Thomas, WR, Connecticut

2015 – Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple

2014 – Tyler Murphy, QB, Boston College

2013 – Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Boston College

2012 – Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

2011 – Silas Redd, RB, Penn State

2010 – John Moffitt, OL, Wisconsin

2009 – Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida

2008 – Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue

2007 – Mike McLeod, RB, Yale

2006 – Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue

2005 – John Sullivan, C, Notre Dame

2004 – Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin; Dan Orlovsky, QB, Connecticut

2003 – Dan Orlovsky, QB, Connecticut

2002 – Niko Koutouvides, LB, Purdue

2001 – Dwight Freeney, DE, Syracuse

2000 – Peter Mazza, LB, Yale

1999 – Bobby Myers, DB, Wisconsin

1998 – Carl Bond, RB, Connecticut

1997 – Kyle McIntosh, RB, Syracuse

1996 – Tarek Salah, LB, Wisconsin

1995 – Tarek Salah, LB, Wisconsin

1994 – Jason Miska, LB, Auburn

1993 – Chris Zingo, LB, Cornell

1992 – Curtis Eller, LB, Villanova

1991 – Corey Vincent, DL, Holy Cross

1990 – Rob Thomson, DB, Syracuse

1989 – Terry Wooden, LB, Syracuse

1988 – Glenn Antrum, WR, Connecticut

1987 – Bill Romanowski, LB, Boston College

1986 – Richard Comizio, RB, Pennsylvania

1985 – Tom Patton, DE, Holy Cross

1984 – No recipient

1983 – Steve Young, QB, Brigham Young

1982 – Mike Marshall, DB, Southern Conn.

1981 – Richard Diana, RB, Yale

 

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Walter Camp Foundation Announces Major Award Winners

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In preparation for its 57th National Awards Dinner, presented by 777 Partners, the Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced its Major Award recipients.

The “Head Ball Coach” Steve Spurrier (Florida ’67) will receive the Distinguished American award.

The Walter Camp “Distinguished American” award is presented each year to an individual who has utilized his or her talents to attain great success in business, private life, or public service and who may have accomplished that which no other has done.  He or she may have a record of dedication to mankind that should not pass unrecognized and a life that has been dedicated to the preservation of the American ideal.   The recipient need not have participated in football but must be one who understands its lesson of self-denial, cooperation, and teamwork, and one who is a person of honesty, integrity, and dedication.  He or she must be a leader, an innovator, even a pioneer, who has reached a degree of excellence that distinguishes him or her from contemporaries, as well as someone who lives within the principles of Walter Camp.

Spurrier joins previous recipients of the Walter Camp Distinguished American honor include nationally respected sportscasters Keith Jackson (1995), Pat Summerall (2004) and Verne Lundquist (2014), all-purpose television personality Regis Philbin (2003), former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue (1994), world-renowned entertainer Bob Hope (1985), former college coach Eddie Robinson (1982), former NFL standout Archie Manning, and last year’s recipient Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Coughlin.

NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews (USC ‘83) is the recipient of the Man of the Year honor.

The Walter Camp “Man of the Year” award honors an individual who has been closely associated with the game of football as a player, coach or close attendant to the game. He must have attained a measure of success and been a leader in his chosen profession. He must have contributed to the public service for the benefit of his community, country and his fellow man. He must have an impeccable reputation for integrity and must be dedicated to our American Heritage and the philosophy of Walter Camp.

Matthews joins a distinguished list of former “Man of the Year” winners, including Roger Staubach (Navy), Gale Sayers (Kansas), Dick Butkus (Illinois), John Elway (Stanford), Jerome Bettis (Notre Dame), and Curtis Martin (Pittsburgh).

Former Texas A&M and current Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Jake Matthews (Texas A&M ‘14) is the Alumni Award recipient.

The Walter Camp “Alumni of the Year” award is bestowed on a worthy individual who has distinguished himself in the pursuit of excellence as an athlete, in his personal career and in doing good works for others.  He must be an individual who has exhibited dedication and good moral conduct in achieving success. He must be a compassionate and unselfish person who contributes his time and assistance in helping to encourage and comfort fellow human beings less talented and less fortunate than himself.  He must be an individual who takes pride in having been a Walter Camp All-American.

Former Alumni Award recipients include including Bo Jackson (Auburn), Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh), Herschel Walker (Georgia), Tim Brown (Notre Dame), Doug Williams (Grambling State), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh) and Von Miller (Texas A&M).

Steve Spurrier – Distinguished American

A native of Miami Beach, Fla., Steve Spurrier became known for his play at quarterback for the University of Florida and earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 1966 after passing for 2,012 yards and 16 touchdowns for the 9-2 Gators.  He also earned the Heisman Trophy for his efforts.   Spurrier went on to play 10 seasons – as a quarterback and punter – in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He then went into coaching and served as an assistant at his alma mater Florida (1978), Georgia Tech (1979) and Duke (1980-82) before accepting the head coach position in the fledgling United States Football League for the Tampa Bay Bandits in 1983.  He led the Bandits to two playoff appearances in three years before the league folded.

Spurrier returned to the collegiate ranks in 1987, serving as the head coach at Duke.  He led the Blue Devils to two winning seasons in three years, including a bowl berth in 1989.

In 1990, he was named head coach at Florida and is credited for an innovative, wide-open passing game (known as “Fun-n-Gun”).  Under his leadership, the Gators proceeded to win 122 games in 12 seasons, earned 12 bowl berths, and won six Southeastern Conference titles.  Spurrier led Florida to the 1996 National Championship, a 52-20 victory over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

In 2002, he accepted the head coaching position with the then-called Washington Redskins.   In 2005, he returned to the collegiate game, assuming the head job at University of South Carolina.  He spent 11 seasons with the Gamecocks, leading them to 86 victories and nine bowl berths, including three straight 11-win seasons from 2011 to 2013.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017, making him just one of four members to be inducted as a both a player and coach.  In 2016, the University of Florida renamed its home field, “Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.”

Spurrier and his wife Jerri have four children and 14 grandchildren.

Bruce Matthews – Man of Year

A 1982 Walter Camp All-American, Bruce Matthews was a standout for the USC Trojans, where he was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection.    He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers and proceed to play 18 seasons before retiring prior to the 2002 season at age 40.

Beginning in 1988 and continuing through his final year, he was selected to the Pro Bowl each and every season.  His 14 consecutive Pro Bowls (9 at guard, 5 at center) tied Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen for the most ever.

He is considered to one of the most versatile offensive lineman to ever play in the NFL.  Matthews was also named first-team All-Pro nine times (1988-1993, 1998-2000) and All-AFC 12 seasons (1988-1993, 1995-2000).  He was selected as a guard on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

In 2007, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.   His number 74 has been retired by the Tennessee franchise.  In 2020, Matthews was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team as one of the top 100 players of the first 100 years of the NFL.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Matthews comes from a football family.  His father, Clay, played in the NFL in the 1950s.  His brother, Clay, Jr., played 19 seasons in the NFL.    Bruce and his wife, Carrie, have seven children, including this year’s Walter Camp Alumni Award winner Jake, the current starting left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons.

Jake Matthews – Alumni Award

Born in Houston, Texas and the son of Walter Camp Man of the Year Bruce Matthews, Jake Matthews attended the Texas A&M University and was four-year standout for the Aggies.  He earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 2013 and was a two-time unanimous All-Southeastern Conference selection.

Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round (6th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, Matthews has played all 10 seasons with the Falcons.  In 2016, Matthews and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI, when they faced the New England Patriots.  Following the 2018 season, Matthews earned his first Pro Bowl selection for his play at left tackle.    Since 2015, Matthews has been a standard of consistency and durability – playing at least 1,000 snaps every season.

Jake and his wife Meggi have one son, Beckett.

The Major Award winners will be honored, along with the members of the 2023 Walter Camp All-America Team, Player of Year Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Coach of Year Kalen DeBoer (Washington; now at Alabama) at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Dinner, presented by 777 Partners, on Saturday, March 16 in New Haven.   National Awards Dinner tickets are $350 and available at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=H4Q8LBUAJGE7S

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 (www.waltercamp.org,@WalterCampFF) – 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.  The Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s website, www.ncfaa.org

Walter Camp Football Foundation Announces 2023 All-Connecticut High School Team; Staples Earns Kelly Award; Breakfast of Champions set for March 16

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The Walter Camp Football Foundation will host its 16th Connecticut High School “Breakfast of Champions,” on Saturday, March 16 at The Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.   Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online (https://waltercamp.eventchamp.com/).

The members of the 2023 All-Connecticut First and Second Teams will be recognized as will the six Connecticut high school 2023 state champions – Staples (Class LL), New Canaan (Class L), North Haven (Class MM), Daniel Hand (Class M), Joel Barlow (Class SS) and Bloomfield (Class S).

Staples of Westport, which finished as the number-one team in the state’s final polls, will be recognized as the Joseph W. Kelly Award winner.  The Wreckers, under the direction of head coach Adam Behrends, won the Class LL state title after defeating eighth-seeded Fairfield Prep (13-12), fourth-seeded Southington (41-0) and third-seeded West Haven (21-10) to finish 12-1.   It is the first time Staples has earned the Kelly Award.

Coach of the Year finalists, presented by Stadium System

Adam Behrends (Staples), EJ DiNunzio (Wilton), Tony Sagnella (North Haven)

Player of the Year finalists

Jett Hall (Naugatuck), Donte Kelly (Maloney), Caleb Smith (Staples)

Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by NFP Sports

George “Coach” DeMaio, WELI 960 AM

Inspiration Award, presented by NFP Sports – TBD

 

2023 Walter Camp All-Connecticut Teams

The Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team is voted on by a Selection Committee, which is comprised of 10 high school head coaches that represent nine conferences around the state.

 

First Team Offense

Quarterback: Caleb Smith (Staples) #

Running Back:  Jett Hall (Naugatuck), Rowan Johnston (Trumbull) #

Wide Receiver: Davien Kerr (Bloomfield)*, Armani Reid (West Haven)

Tight End: Preston Dziubina (Ansonia)

Offensive Line: Tanner Chlupsa (Staples), Eli Fangiullo (Windsor), Ben Reagan (New Canaan), Brendan Ryan (North Haven), Peter Vomvolakis (Greenwich)

Placekicker: Tucker Stevens (New Canaan)

 

First Team Defense

Linebacker:  John Insinga (Greenwich)*, Zakkai Moore (Maloney), Sebastian Parra (Greenwich)

Defensive Back: Alex Benevento (New Canaan), Davion Kerr (Bloomfield), Jon Morris (Fairfield Prep)*, Adam Pandolfi (North Haven)*

Defensive Line: Miles Chisholm (New Canaan), Evan Russo (Cheshire), Owen Theoharides (Wilton), Jayden Vega (Platt)

Punter:  Ben Perry (Fitch)

Kick Returner:  Donte Kelly (Maloney)

 

Second Team Offense

Quarterback: Drayvn Roberts (East Hartford)

Running Back: Aidan Dolan (Daniel Hand), Soren Rief (Killingly) #

Wide Receiver: Evan Anderson (Southington), Kyle Colsey (Ridgefield)

Tight End: Charlie Thom (Darien)

Offensive Line:  Panas Charitopoulos (Bunnell), Gianni Drab (Fitch), Bryce Malary (Daniel Hand), Michael Paine (Notre Dame-West Haven), Justin Reid (Notre Dame-Fairfield)

Placekicker: Jackson Zylick (Masuk)

 

Second Team Defense

Linebacker: Antwan Davis (Notre Dame-Fairfield), Amir Knighton (Rockville), Todd Woodring (Wilton)

Defensive Back: Jose DeJesus (Notre Dame-Fairfield), Jesus Martell (Maloney), Max Maurillo (Staples), Samuel Petrosino (Staples)

Defensive Line: Ricci Fernandez (New Milford), Austin McGoey (Ridgefield), Ifeoluwa Oluborode (SMSA co-op), Chris Taylor (Shelton)

Punter: Zach Bonini (Enfield)

Kick Returner: Jason Champagne (Masuk)

 

* – 2022 Walter Camp First Team All-Connecticut honoree

# – 2022 Walter Camp Second Team All-Connecticut honoree

 

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.

 

www.waltercamp.org

Recapping the 2023 College Football Season – Walter Camp Players of Week, presented by The Heights Group at Morgan Stanley

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Each week during the 2023 regular-season, the Walter Camp Foundation recognized a National Football Bowl Subdivision Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, presented by The Heights Group at Morgan Stanley.

In all, players from seven different conferences were recognized with the Pac-12 Conference having the most with eight total, led by Washington’s four honorees.  The Big-12 Conference was next with five recipients and Atlantic Coast Conference had four.

This was the 20th year that the Walter Camp Football Foundation administered a national player of the week, currently the oldest weekly honor among college football awards organizations.

 2023 Walter Camp FBS Players of Week, presented by The Heights Group at Morgan Stanley 

Sept. 3 – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado (offense); Kaimon Rucker, LB, North Carolina (defense)

Sept. 10 – Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (offense); Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma (defense)

Sept. 17 – Michael Penix, Jr., Washington (offense); Jacob Roberts, LB, Wake Forest (defense)

Sept. 24 – Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State (offense); Jonah Elliss, DE, Utah (defense)

Oct. 1 – Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky (offense), Howard Cross III, DL, Notre Dame (defense)

Oct. 8 – Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma (offense); Devin Grant, S, Buffalo (defense)

Oct. 15 – Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford (offense); Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame (defense)

Oct. 22 – Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State (offense); Mishael Powell, CB, Washington (defense)

Oct. 29 – Hayes King, QB, Georgia Tech (offense); Jalen Green, DL, James Madison (defense)

Nov. 5  – Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington (offense); Jeremiah Trotter, LB, Clemson (defense)

Nov. 12 – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU (offense); Demari Henderson, DB, UCF (defense)

Nov. 19 – Bo Nix, QB, Oregon (offense); Nathanel Watson, LB, Mississippi State (defense)

 

Washington’s Kalen DeBoer Selected Walter Camp 2023 FBS Coach of Year

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Kalen DeBoer, head coach of the University of Washington Huskies, is the Walter Camp 2023 Football Bowl Subdivision Coach of Year. 

The Walter Camp Coach of Year is selected by the nation’s 131 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.  DeBoer is the first coach from Washington and the fifth from the Pac-12 Conference to earn the award.

DeBoer has led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff, the most wins in program history, and the Pac-12 Championship.  Washington has posted a perfect 13-0 record this year and owns the nation’s longest active win streak at 20 games. No. 2 Washington (13-0) will face No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024, in a College Football Playoff Semifinal.

Washington’s perfect 9-0 conference record made DeBoer only the second Pac-12 coach to reach that number, matching Chip Kelly, then at Oregon (and the Walter Camp Coach of Year), in 2010. Washington sealed its second all-time spot in the playoff with a 34-31 win over Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game, its second win over Oregon this season.  Washington is the only school with multiple wins over schools currently ranked in the top eight and is 5-0 against teams that were ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game. The Huskies have excelled in close games, with their last nine games decided by 10 points or fewer.

Two Washington players – quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. (First Team) and wide receiver Rome Odunze (Second Team) – earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 2023.

The 49-year-old DeBoer is the first Washington coach to win 11 or more games in consecutive seasons and is now 24-2 in his two seasons at the school and 36-8 overall in four seasons as a Division I head coach, including a 12-6 record in two seasons at Fresno State. DeBoer has an overall 103-11 record as a collegiate head coach. In five seasons at Sioux Falls, his alma mater, from 2005-09, he was a remarkable 67-3 with three NAIA national titles.

As a student at Sioux Falls, DeBoer set records in both football and baseball. During his football career, he compiled 3,400 yards and 33 touchdowns on 234 career receptions – all school records at the time – and played on the 1996 NAIA Division II National Championship team, which beat Western Washington in the final. He also played baseball for the Cougars, batting .520 (still a school record) as a senior in 1998. His career average of .492 is still best in USF history as are his 37 career homers, and .944 slugging percentage.

A 1998 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls with a degree in secondary education, DeBoer and his wife, Nicole, are the parents of two daughters, Alexis and Avery.

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 (www.waltercamp.org,@WalterCampFF) – 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. 

The Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s website, www.ncfaa.org

 

Walter Camp Coaches of the Year

2023 – Kalen DeBoer, Washington

2022 – Sonny Dykes, TCU

2021 – Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

2020 – Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina

2019 – Ed Orgeron, LSU

2018 – Nick Saban, Alabama

2017 – Mark Richt, Miami

2016 – Mike MacIntyre, Colorado

2015 – Dabo Swinney, Clemson

2014 – Gary Patterson, TCU

2013 – David Cutcliffe, Duke

2012 – Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

2011 – Les Miles, LSU

2010 – Chip Kelly, Oregon

2009 – Gary Patterson, TCU

2008 – Nick Saban, Alabama

2007 – Mark Mangino, Kansas

2006 – Greg Schiano, Rutgers

2005 – Joe Paterno, Penn State

2004 – Tommy Tuberville, Auburn

2003 – Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

2002 – Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

2001 – Ralph Friedgen, Maryland

2000 – Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

1999 – Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech

1998 – Bill Synder, Kansas State

1997 – Lloyd Carr, Michigan

1996 – Bruce Snyder, Arizona State

1995 – Gary Barnett, Northwestern

1994 – Joe Paterno, Penn State

1993 – Terry Bowden, Auburn

1992 – Gene Stallings, Alabama

1991 – Bobby Bowden, Florida State

1990 – Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech

1989 – Bill McCartney, Colorado

1988 – Don Nehlen, West Virginia

1987 – Dick MacPherson, Syracuse

1986 – Jimmy Johnson, Miami

1985 – Fisher DeBerry, Air Force

1984 – Joe Morrison, South Carolina

1983 – Mike White, Illinois

1982 – Jerry Stovall, Louisiana State

1981 – Jackie Sherrill, Pittsburgh

1980 – Vince Dooley, Georgia

1979 – John Mackovic, Wake Forest

1978 – Warren Powers, Missouri

1977 – Lou Holtz, Arkansas

1976 – Frank R. Burns, Rutgers

1975 – Frank Kush, Arizona State

1974 – Barry Switzer, Oklahoma

1973 – Johnny Majors, Pittsburgh

1972 – Joe Paterno, Penn State

1971 – Bob Devaney, Nebraska

1970 – Bob Blackman, Dartmouth

1969 – Bo Schembechler, Michigan

1968 – Woody Hayes, Ohio State

1967 – John Pont, Indiana

 

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2023 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team

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Twenty-seven players from 21 different schools and eight conferences are represented on the 2023 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America team.   The team is voted on by the FCS sports information directors and administered by the Walter Camp Foundation.

Top-ranked and FCS playoff finalist South Dakota State (14-0) has four All-Americans, while its championship game opponent, second-ranked Montana, has two.  Weber State and Monmouth also have two All-America selections.

The Big Sky Conference has eight All-Americans (representing six teams), while the Missouri Valley Conference has seven (representing four teams).

2023 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America Team

As voted by the FCS sports information directors

Offense

Wide Receiver:  Dymere Miller, senior, Monmouth; Hayden Hatten, junior, Idaho

Tight End: Zach Heins, senior, South Dakota State; Cam Grandy, junior, Illinois State

Offensive Line:  Mason McCormick, senor, South Dakota State; Garrett Greenfield, senior, South Dakota State; Noah Atagi, senior, Weber State; Omar Aigbedion, sophomore, Montana State

Center:  Al Forbes, graduate student, Montana

Quarterback:  Mark Gronowski, junior, South Dakota State

Running Back:  Jaden Shirden, junior, Monmouth; Lan Larison, junior, UC Davis

Placekicker:  Matthew Cook, senior, Northern Iowa

 

Defense

Defensive Line:  Anton Juncaj, senior, Albany; Terrell Allen, senior, Tennessee State; Elijah Ponder, junior, Cal Poly; Finn Claypool, sophomore, Drake

Linebacker: Winston Reid, senior, Weber State; Jacob Dobbs, senior, Holy Cross; Micah Davey, sophomore, McNeese State

Defensive Back:  Cole Wisniewski, senior, North Dakota State; Trevin Gradney, junior, Montana; Russell Dandy, senior, Eastern Illinois; Cally Chizik, senior, Furman

Punter:  Aidan Laros, sophomore, UT Martin

Kick Returner: Donovan Wadley, sophomore, Merrimack; Devron Harper, senior, Mercer

 

 

The 134th Walter Camp All-America Teams – 1st and 2nd Teams

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2023 Walter Camp All-America Teams

It is the 134th edition of the nation’s oldest college football All-America team.

Click here for a PDF of the news release

A Little History

This is the 134th edition of the Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America team.  Twenty-five players were selected to the first team by the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.  In addition, 25 players were 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

In all, 35 different schools from 10 conferences (including independents) were represented on the All-America First and Second Teams (a total of 50 players selected).  Overall, the Southeastern Conference has the most honorees (13; 4 first teamers and 9 second teamers), followed by the Big Ten Conference (11; 5 first teamers and 6 second teamers).  Georgia, Iowa and Notre Dame each have two First Team selections.   Alabama has three Second Team selections, while Ohio State has one First Team selection and two on the Second Team.

Good to See You Again

Six players on the 2023 Walter Camp All-America teams are repeat selections.  First Team selection Marvin Harrison, Jr. (Ohio State) was a First Team honoree in 2022.  2023 First Team selections Brock Bowers (Georgia), Joe Alt (Notre Dame) and Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State) were Second Team honorees a year ago. Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newtown is a repeat Second Team Walter Camp All-American, while Second Team running back Blake Corum (Michigan) was a First Team honoree last season.

Then and Now

Twenty-two different schools are represented on the 2023 Walter Camp All-America First Team.  Of the 22 schools, Michigan has the most storied tradition of placing members on the team. The Wolverines had their first selection in 1903, halfback William Heston.   This year, Michigan has two All-Americans (offensive lineman Zak Zinter and running back Blake Corum).   Since 1903, Michigan has had 84 Walter Camp All-Americans.

First Team Tidbits

  • There are 22 different schools represented on the All-America First Team. The Big Ten has the most First Teamers (5), followed by the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 and Pac-12 (4 each).
  • The Sun Belt Conference has three First Team All-Americans with first-time selections from James Madison (DL Jalen Green) and Old Dominion (LB Jason Henderson). Marshall kick returner Jayden Harrison is the Thundering Herd’s first Walter Camp All-American since 1997 (Randy Moss, WR).
  • Iowa has the current longest streak of having a First Team All-American (2019 to present). Punter Tory Taylor and defensive back Cooper DeJean earned First Team honors in 2023.
  • Notre Dame has two First Team All-Americans (OL Joe Alt, DB Xavier Watts). The Fighting Irish have had seven First Team selections in the last four seasons.
  • WR Marvin Harrison is Ohio State’s first repeat Walter Camp All-American since Joey Bosa (2014-15).
  • Omarion Hampton is North Carolina’s first Walter Camp First Team All-American since 2012 (OL Jonathan Cooper), and the first Tar Heel running back to be honored since 1970 (Don McCauley).
  • Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu is the first Nittany Lion offensive lineman to earn Walter Camp First Team All-America honors since two-time recipient Jeff Hartings (1994-95).
  • Georgia has had nine Walter Camp First Team All-Americans in the last five years, including two in 2023 (TE Brock Bowers and DB Malaki Starks).

 Class Distinction

Of the 25 First Team selections, 12 are juniors and 10 are seniors, while three are sophomores. On the Second Team (25 total selections), there are 14 juniors, nine seniors and one sophomore. There is also one freshman (USC kick returner Zachariah Branch, USC).

Walter Camp Weekend is March 15-16, 2024

The 2023 Walter Camp All-Americans will be honored at the Foundation’s annual Awards Weekend on March 15-16, 2024, in New Haven.

 

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

WR      Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State *          6-4       205       Jr.            Philadelphia, PA

WR      Malik Nabers, LSU                               6-0       200       Jr.            Youngsville, LA

TE        Brock Bowers, Georgia #                      6-4       240       Jr.            Napa, CA

OL       Joe Alt, Notre Dame #                           6-8       322       Jr.            North Oaks, MN

OL       Cooper Beebe, Kansas State                  6-4       335       Sr.            Kansas City, KS

OL       Zak Zinter, Michigan                             6-6       322       Sr.            North Andover, MA

OL       Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State #         6-6       317       Jr.            Waldorf, MD

C          Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon           6-3       320       Jr.            Draper, UT

QB       Michael Penix, Jr., Washington              6-3       213       Sr.            Tampa, FL

RB       Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State            6-1       211       Soph.            Fort Worth, TX

RB       Omarion Hampton, North Carolina         6-0       220       Soph.            Clayton, NC

PK       Graham Nicholson, Miami University    6-0       185       Jr.            Cincinnati, OH

 

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Laiatu Latu, UCLA                               6-5       265       Sr.            Sacramento, CA

DL       Jalen Green, James Madison                  6-1       245       Sr.            Baltimore, MD

DL       Jonah Elliss, Utah                                 6-2       246       Jr.            Moscow, ID

DL       T’Vondre Sweat, Texas                         6-4       362       Sr.            Huntsville, TX

LB       Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M               6-3       230       Jr.            Covington, LA

LB       Payton Wilson, North Carolina State      6-4       238       Sr.            Hillsborough, NC

LB       Jason Henderson, Old Dominion            6-1       227       Jr.            Dingmans Ferry, PA

DB       Xavier Watts, Notre Dame                     5-11     204       Sr.            Omaha, NE

DB       Cooper DeJean, Iowa                            6-1       207       Jr.            Odebolt, IA

DB       Malaki Starks, Georgia                          6-1       205       Soph.            Jefferson, GA

DB       Beanie Bishop, West Virginia                5-10     184       Sr.            Louisville, KY

P          Tory Taylor, Iowa                                 6-4       232       Sr.            Melbourne, Australia

KR       Jayden Harrison, Marshall                     5-11     195       Jr.            Antioch, TN

 

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

WR      Rome Odunze, Washington                   6-3       215       Jr.            Las Vegas, NV

WR      Malik Washington, Virginia                   5-8       194       Sr.            Lawrenceville, GA

TE        Dallin Holker, Colorado State                6-4       235       Jr.            Lehi, Utah

OL       JC Latham, Alabama                             6-6       360       Jr.            Oak Creek, WI

OL       Clay Webb, Jacksonville State               6-3       290       Jr.            Oxford, AL

OL       Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State                   6-6       334       Jr.            Tacoma, WA

OL       Luke Kandra, Cincinnati                       6-4       314       Jr.            Cincinnati, OH

C          Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia                     6-4       310       Jr.            New Orleans, LA

QB       Jayden Daniels, LSU                             6-4       210       Sr.            San Bernardino, CA

RB       Blake Corum, Michigan *                      5-8       213       Sr.            Marshall, VA

RB       Cody Schrader, Missouri                       5-9       214       Sr.        St. Louis, MO

PK       Jose Pizano, UNLV                               5-9       220       Sr.            Lehi, UT

 

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois #                    6-2       295       Jr..       St. Petersburg, FL

DL       Howard Cross III, Notre Dame              6-1       288       Sr.            Paramus, NJ

DL       Ashton Gillotte, Louisville                     6-3       270       Jr.            Boca Raton, FL

DL       Tyleik Williams, Ohio State                   6-2       290       Jr.            Manassas, VA

LB       Jay Higgins, Iowa                                 6-2       233       Sr.            Indianapolis, IN

LB       Dallas Turner, Alabama                         6-4       253       Jr.            Fort Lauderdale, FL

LB       Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma                   6-4       236       Jr.            Windermere, FL

DB       Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri               5-11     178       Jr.            Mobile, AL

DB       Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama              6-1       195       Jr.            Birmingham, AL

DB       Denzel Burke, Ohio State                      6-1       190       Jr.            Phoenix, AZ

DB       Tyler Nubin, Minnesota                         6-2       210       Sr.        St. Charles, IL

P          Matt Hayball, Vanderbilt                       6-1       187       Sr.            West Adelaide, Australia

KR       Zachariah Branch, USC                         5-10     175       Fr.            Las Vegas, NV

 

 

* – 2022 First Team Walter Camp All-America selection

# – 2022 Second Team Walter Camp All-America selection

 

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.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients.