The 2023 Walter Camp Preseason Football Bowl Subdivision All-America Teams are presented by 777 Partners, a Miami-based alternative investment firm that invests across several high-growth business sectors, including insurance, consumer and commercial finance, litigation finance, direct lending, aviation, and sports, media and entertainment. Within the latter, 777 Partners has acquired an unrivaled portfolio of seven international soccer clubs, the British Basketball League and a vast catalogue of sports media rights. These industries represent areas of unbridled performance, each one supported by the other in one world-class shared services model.

2023 Walter Camp Preseason Video

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cy8f3ft4q8dpeym/AACRqLkgq96VDC3WMzrS1QuOa?dl=0&preview=WCFF2023+PreSeason+Program.MOV

A Little History

Walter Camp is the nation’s oldest college football All-America team.  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.    

Typically announced in early December, the Walter Camp All-America teams are selected by the FBS head coaches and sports information directors.

• 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.

Good to See You Again

Twelve players who earned 2022 Walter Camp All-America First and Second Team honors are on the 2023 preseason list, led by USC junior quarterback Caleb Williams.  Williams, who was also selected as the 2022 Walter Camp Player of Year, was a First Team honoree last season.   Three other 2022 First Team honorees – Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison, Jr.; Michigan RB Blake Corum; and Indiana KR Jaylin Lucas – are 2023 preseason First Team All-Americans.  

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

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

WR      Rome Odunze, Washington                   6-3       211       Jr.            Las Vegas, NV

TE        Brock Bowers, Georgia #                      6-4       230       Jr.            Napa, CA

OL       Joe Alt, Notre Dame #                           6-7       317       Jr.            North Oaks, MN

OL       Olu Fashanu, Penn State #                     6-6       323       Jr.            Waldorf, MD

OL       Cooper Beebe, Kansas State                  6-4       332       Sr.            Kansas City, MO

OL       Graham Barton, Duke                            6-5       311       Sr.            Brentwood, TN

C          Drake Nugent, Michigan                       6-1       300       Gr.            Lone Tree, CO

QB       Caleb Williams, USC*                          6-1       220       Jr.            Washington, D.C.

RB       Blake Corum, Michigan*                       5-8       210       Sr.            Marshall, VA

RB       Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss                  5-11     210       So.            Pike Road, AL

PK       Joshua Karty, Stanford                          6-2       207       Sr.            Burlington, NC

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Jared Verse, Florida State                      6-4       248       Jr.            Dayton, OH

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

DL       Dontay​ Corleone, Cincinnati                  6-2       320       So.            Cincinnati, OH

DL       Bralen Trice, Washington                      6-4       267       Jr.            Phoenix, AZ

LB       Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State #           6-2       239       Gr.            Cleveland, OH

LB       Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., Clemson               6-0       230       Jr.            Hainesport, NJ

LB       Harold Perkins, Jr., LSU                        6-1       220       So.            New Orleans, LA

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

DB       Kamren Kinchens, Miami                      5-11     202       Jr.            Miami, FL

DB       Calen Bullock, USC                              6-3       190       Jr.            Pasadena, CA

DB       Kalen King, Penn State #                       5-11     190       Jr.            Detroit, MI

P          Kai Kroeger, South Carolina #               6-4       220       Sr.            Lake Forest, IL

KR       Jaylin Lucas, Indiana *                          5-9       185       So.            Houma, LA

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

WR      Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State                    6-1       205       Jr.            Steilacoom, WA

WR      Xavier Worthy, Texas                           6-1       164       Jr.            Fresno, CA

TE        Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota              6-7       270       Sr.        St. Cloud, MN

OL       Zak Zinter, Michigan                             6-6       315       Sr.            North Andover, MA

OL       Christian Haynes, Connecticut               6-3       305       Sr.            Bowie, MD

OL       Beaux Limmer, Arkansas                      6-5       306       Sr.            Tyler, TX

OL       JC Latham, Alabama                             6-6       335       Jr.            Oak Creek, WI

C          Zach Frazier, West Virginia                   6-3       306       Jr.            Fairmont, WV

QB       Drake Maye, North Carolina                  6-4       225       So.            Huntersville, NC

RB       Braelon Allen, Wisconsin                      6-2       236       Jr.            Fond Du Lac, WI

RB       Raheim Sanders, Arkansas                    6-2       237       Jr.            Rockledge, FL

PK       Jonah Dalmas, Boise State                     5-8       172       Sr.            Meridian, ID

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Mykel Williams, Georgia                      6-5       265       So.            Columbus, GA

DL       Mekhi Wingo, LSU                               6-1       295       Jr.        St. Louis, MO

DL       Chop Robinson, Penn State                    6-3       253       Jr.            Gaithersburg, MD

DL       Leonard Taylor, Miami                          6-3       305       Jr.            Miami, FL

LB       Jason Henderson, Old Dominion            6-1       225       Jr.            Dingsman Ferry, PA

LB       Barrett Carter, Clemson                         6-1       225       Jr.            Suwanee, GA

LB       Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia            6-1       245       Jr.            Hyattsville, MD

DB       Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo #                   6-0       200       Jr.            Williston, FL

DB       Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame           6-0       179       So.            Phoenix, AZ

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

DB       Cole Bishop, Utah                                 6-2       206       Jr.            Peachtree City, GA

P          Tory Taylor, Iowa                                 6-4       230       Sr.            Melbourne, Australia

KR       Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State #    5-10     185       Sr.            Philadelphia, PA

* – 2022 First Team Walter Camp All-America selection

# – 2022 Second Team Walter Camp All-America selection

www.waltercamp.org

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

Former two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Tom Coughlin (Syracuse ‘68) 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.

Coughlin 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), and former NFL standout Archie Manning.

NFL Hall of Famer and former Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Tony Boselli (USC ‘95) 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.

Boselli 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 New England Patriot Ty Law (Michigan ’94) 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).

Tom Coughlin – Distinguished American

Two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Tom Coughlin is the recipient of the Distinguished American award.   Coughlin led the New York Giants to victories in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, both times against the New England Patriots.  

In all, Coughlin was a part of three Super Bowls, helping the Giants win Super Bowl XXV as the wide receivers coach under Bill Parcells.    A member of the Giants Ring of Honor, Coughlin recorded a 102-90 record (.531) in 12 seasons as head coach. 

Coughlin was also the inaugural coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 2005 to 2022 and leading the team to four playoff appearances and two AFC Championship Games and a 68-60 mark (.531).  

Prior to his NFL head coaching career, Coughlin served three seasons at the collegiate level at Boston College where he was 21-13-1 record, a victory in the Car Quest Bowl, and a number 12 final national ranking in 1993.  Coughlin also served as an assistant coach at BC, where he coached eventual Walter Camp Player of Year Doug Flutie in 1983.  Coughlin started his head coaching career at Rochester Institute of Technology from 1970 to 1973.

Currently, Coughlin is the President of The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, which was created in honor of Jay McGillis.  Jay was a special young man who developed leukemia while a member of Coach Coughlin’s team at Boston College, and subsequently lost his valiant battle with the disease.   After going through the tragic events with Jay’s family, Coach Coughlin vowed that if he ever had the chance, he would create a way to help families with children battling cancer.  Coach Coughlin kept his promise and started the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund.

For over 25 years, the Jay Fund has evolved in size and scope and has helped over 5,200 families and provided over $17 million in financial assistance to families in Northeast Florida and the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area.

Coughlin is a native of Waterloo, N.Y.   He played halfback for Syracuse and set the school single season pass receiving record in 1967.  He also earned his master’s degree from his alma mater. 

Tony Boselli – Man of Year

A 1992 Walter Camp All-American and member of the Foundation’s All-Time All-America team, Tony Boselli was a standout for the USC Trojans, where he was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection.  Boselli was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

He was selected by the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars as the second player overall in the 1995 NFL Draft.   Regarded as one of the NFL’s elite offensive left tackles, Boselli played seven years and persevered through numerous injuries.  He was a leader of a Jaguars’ team, under the direction of head coach Tom Coughlin, that reached the AFC Championship Game in just the franchise’s second season.  In 1998, he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player after helping the Jaguars to the team’s first division title.

Boselli was elite in all seven seasons he played, allowing just 15.5 sacks during his career. He played his best against the league’s best and had just 11 career holding penalties. There were four seasons in which he had no accepted holding penalties against him.

He was voted to five straight Pro Bowls (1997 to 2001) and was a three-time All-Pro (1997, 1998 and 1999).   He was selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team.

In 2022, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ty Law – Alumni Award

A native of Aliquippa, Pa., Ty Law attended the University of Michigan and was three-year standout for the Wolverines.  He earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 1994 and was a two-time unanimous All-Big Ten selection.

Selected by the New England Patriots in the first round (23^rd overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft, Law proceeded to play 10 seasons and won three Super Bowl championships (XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX).  A two-time First Team All-Pro, Law was a five-time Pro Bowl selection.   Twice, he led the NFL in interceptions and was named to the NFL 2000’s All-Decade Team.   Law also played for the New York Jets (2005, 2008), Kansas City Chiefs (2006-2007) and Denver Broncos (2009).  He finished his career with 53 interceptions.

In 2019, Law was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Major Award winners will be honored, along with the members of the 2022 Walter Camp All-America Team, Player of Year Caleb Williams (USC), Coach of Year Sonny Dykes (TCU) and Connecticut Player of Year Drew Pyne (Arizona State) at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Dinner, presented by 777 Partners, on Saturday, March 11 in New Haven.   National Awards Dinner 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 (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

Offense:

Wide Receiver:   Hayden Hatten (Idaho), Fotis Kokosioulis (Fordham)

Tight End:  Marshel Martin (Sacramento State)

Offensive Line:  Cody Mauch (North Dakota State), Nash Jensen (North Dakota State), Mason McCormick (South Dakota State), Colby Sorsdal (William & Mary)

Center:  Nick Olsofska (Holy Cross)

Quarterback:  Lindsey Scott, Jr.  (Incarnate Word)

Running Back:  Jaden Shirden (Monmouth), Geno Hess (Southeast Missouri State)

Placekicker: Skyler Davis (Elon)

Defense:

Defensive Line:  David Walker (Central Arkansas), Spencer Waege (North Dakota State), Jay Person (Chattanooga), Caleb Sanders (South Dakota State)

Linebacker:  Zeke Vandenburgh (Illinois State), John Pius (William & Mary), Johnny Buchanan (Delaware)

Defensive Back:  Marte Mapu (Sacramento State), Alijah Huzzie (East Tennessee State), Marcus Hillman (Elon), Devin Haskins (Holy Cross)

Punter:  Jake Gerardi (Southern Utah)

Kick Returner:  Dylan Laube (New Hampshire)

A Little History

This is the 133rd 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, 27 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 52 players selected).  Overall, the Big Ten Conference has the most honorees (20; 9 first teamers and 11 second teamers), followed by the Southeastern Conference (11; 6 first teamers and 5 second teamers).

Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, USC and Notre Dame each have two First Team selections.  Ohio State has four players – two on the First Team and two on the Second Team – recognized.   Penn State had three Second Team selections, while Illinois has one First Team selection and two on the Second Team.

Good to See You Again

Two players on the 2022 Walter Camp All-America teams are repeat selections.  First Team selection Will Anderson, Jr. (Alabama) was a First Team honoree in 2021.  In addition, Second Team placekicker Jake Moody (Michigan) was a First Team honoree last season.

Then and Now

Twenty different schools are represented on the 2022 Walter Camp All-America First Team.  Of the 20 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 First Team selections (offensive center Olusegun Oluwatimi and running back Blake Corum).   Since 1903, Michigan has had 82 Walter Camp All-Americans.

Class Distinction

Of the 25 First Team selections, 13 are juniors and six are seniors, while three are sophomores and two have graduate status. There is one freshman (Indiana kick returner Jaylin Lucas).  On the Second Team (27 total selections), there are 10 seniors, 10 juniors, six sophomores, and one graduate.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

WR      Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee                           6-0       185       Jr.            Irmo, SC

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

TE        Michael Mayer, Notre Dame                  6-4       265       Jr.            Independence, KY

OL       Paris Johnson, Jr., Ohio State                 6-6       310       Jr.            Cincinnati, OH

OL       Peter Skoronski, Northwestern               6-4       315       Jr.            Park Ridge, IL

OL       Steve Avila, TCU                                  6-4       330       Sr.            Arlington, TX

OL       O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida                     6-5       347       Jr.            Greensburg, LA

C          Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan             6-3       307       Gr.            Upper Marlboro, MD

QB       Caleb Williams, USC                            6-1       215       Soph.            Washington, DC

RB       Blake Corum, Michigan                        5-8       210       Jr.            Marshall, VA

RB       Bijan Robinson, Texas                          6-0       222       Jr.            Tucson, AZ

PK       Christopher Dunn, North Carolina State  5-8       179       Gr.            Lexington, NC

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Tuli Tuipulotu, USC                              6-4       290       Jr.            Hawthorne, CA

DL       Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh                     6-0       280       Jr.            Miami, FL

DL       Jalen Carter, Georgia                             6-3       300       Jr.            Apopka, FL

DL       Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame                    6-5       265       Sr.            Antioch, CA

LB       Will Anderson, Jr., Alabama*                6-4       243       Jr.            Hampton, GA

LB       Jack Campbell, Iowa                             6-5       246       Sr.            Cedar Falls, IA

LB       Ivan Pace, Jr., Cincinnati                       6-0       235       Sr.            Cincinnati, OH

DB       Christopher Smith, Georgia                   5-11     195       Sr.            Atlanta, GA

DB       Clark Phillips III, Utah                          5-10     183       Soph.            Lakewood, CA

DB       Devon Witherspoon, Illinois                  6-0       180       Jr.            Pensacola, FL

DB       Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State      6-0       180       Jr.            Grenada, MS

P          Bryce Baringer, Michigan State             6-3       215       Sr.            Waterford, MI

KR       Jaylin Lucas, Indiana                             5-9       170       Fr.            Houma, LA

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

WR      Nathaniel Dell, Houston                        5-10     165       Jr.            Daytona Beach, FL

WR      Rashee Rice, SMU                                6-2       203       Sr.            North Richland Hills, TX

TE        Brock Bowers, Georgia                         6-4       230       Soph.            Napa, CA

OL       Joe Alt, Notre Dame                              6-7       317       Soph.            North Oaks, MI

OL       Andrew Vorhees, USC                          6-6       325       Sr.            Kingsburg, CA

OL       Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State             6-6       308       Soph.            Waldorf, MD

OL       Isaac Cochran, Air Force                       6-5       325       Sr.            Concord, NC

OL       Nick Broeker, Ole Miss                         6-5       315       Sr.            Springfield, IL

C          John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota          6-4       320       Sr.            Flossmoor, IL

QB       C.J. Stroud, Ohio State                          6-3       218       Jr.            Inland Empire, CA

RB       Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota               5-10     210       Sr.            Baltimore, MD

RB       Chase Brown, Illinois                            5-11     205       Jr.            Ontario, Canada

RB       DeWayne McBride, UAB                      5-11     215       Jr.            Starke, FL

PK       Jake Moody, Michigan*                        6-1       210       Gr.            Northville, MI

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos.      Name, School                                       Hgt      Wgt.    Class            Hometown

DL       Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan            6-2       252       Sr.            Lake Alfred, FL

DL       Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State     6-4       255       Jr.            Kansas City, MO

DL       Durrell Johnson, Liberty                        6-3       240       Sr.            Baltimore, MD

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

LB       Nick Herbig, Wisconsin                        6-2       228       Jr.            Kauai, HI

LB       Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State             6-2       239       Sr.            Cleveland, OH

LB       Drew Sanders, Arkansas                        6-5       233       Jr.            Denton, TX

DB       Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State             6-0       215       Sr.            Oklahoma City, OK

DB       Joey Porter, Jr., Penn State                     6-2       194       Jr.            Bakersfield, CA

DB       Kalen King, Penn State                          5-11     189       Soph.            Detroit, MI

DB       Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo                      6-0       200       Soph.            Williston, FL

P          Kai Kroeger, South Carolina                  6-4       207       Jr.            Lake Forest, IL

KR       Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State       5-10     185       Jr.            Philadelphia, PA

* – 2021 First Team Walter Camp All-America selection

Sonny Dykes, head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs, is the Walter Camp 2022 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.  Dykes is the second coach from TCU (Gary Patterson, 2009 and 2014) and the 11^th from the Big 12 Conference to earn the award.  

No. 3 TCU (12-1) will face second-ranked Michigan in the College Football Playoff Semifinals in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 31.   TCU was picked to finish seventh in the preseason Big 12 poll.

Dykes was the unanimous Big 12 Coach of Year and twenty-one TCU football players received All-Big 12 recognition in voting by the conference head coaches.  TCU quarterback Max Duggan was a Walter Camp Player of Year finalist, and offensive lineman Steve Avila was a First Team Walter Camp All-America selection.

Dykes was introduced as TCU’s head football coach on Nov. 30, 2021.   Dykes arrived at TCU after serving the last four seasons as head coach at SMU, where he completed one of the more remarkable turnarounds in college football. Behind an offense that consistently ranked among the nation’s best, Dykes guided SMU to 19 weeks in the national top 25 and three consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the mid-1980s.

Before becoming SMU’s head coach, he served as an offensive analyst for TCU in 2017. He was instrumental in the Horned Frogs posting an 11-3 record, reaching the Big 12 Championship Game and finishing with a No. 9 national ranking.

Dykes began his collegiate coaching career with a two-year stint (1995-96) at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. He also was a baseball assistant at Monahans High School in Texas in 1994 and a football assistant at Richardson’s J.J. Pearce High School in 1995.  

Prior to becoming a head coach, Dykes worked as an assistant in the Pac-12, Big 12 and SEC under Mike Stoops (Arizona), Mike Leach (Texas Tech) and Hal Mumme (Kentucky).    In addition to his stint at SMU, Dykes served as a head coach at Louisiana Tech (2010-12) and California (2013-16).  

Born in Big Spring, Texas, Dykes received his bachelor’s degree in history from Texas Tech in 1993 and was a member of the Red Raiders baseball team for two seasons. He and his wife, Kate, have two daughters, Ally and Charlie, and a son, Daniel.

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

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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