Fathead and Walter Camp Football Foundation Announce Strategic Partnership
Fathead, the leading brand in sports and entertainment wall graphics, and the Connecticut-based Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF), selector of the nation’s oldest All-America football team, are proud to announce a new partnership aimed at honoring the legacy and future of college football.
This collaboration will see Fathead produce officially licensed wall decals and memorabilia featuring college football’s top players, coaches, and Walter Camp All-Americans.
The collection will debut in Fall 2025 and will be available for fans nationwide through www.Fathead.com.
A percentage of each sale will go towards supporting a newly created Walter Camp Athlete Innovators and Entrepreneur award, which will encourage and honor efforts by individuals on new ways to watch, play and consume sports. More information regarding the Walter Camp Athlete Innovators and Entrepreneur award will be forthcoming.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Walter Camp Football Foundation, an institution that I care deeply about from my home state,” said Chris Hetherington, Owner and CEO of Fathead. “This partnership allows us to support not only the game’s greatest players but also the new generation of college athlete entrepreneurs who are changing the game off the field with innovative startups”.
John Barbarotta, president of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, added, “We’ve admired Chris for a long time from his days as a standout student-athlete at Yale University and in the NFL and now as a business leader. We look at this partnership as an opportunity to reintroduce “Father of American Football” Walter Camp and the innovations he had that helped shape the great game of football.”
Founded in 2006, Fathead is the industry leader in officially licensed sports and entertainment wall graphics. The company offers a wide range of products, including life-sized wall decals, custom creations, and home décor, featuring athletes, animated heroes, entertainment characters, team helmets, and logos. Fathead is a privately held company led by Chris Hetherington, an 11-year NFL veteran.
About the Walter Camp Foundation
Considered the “Father of American Football,” Walter Camp introduced the play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side in 1880. Nine years later, Mr. Camp, then the Yale University head coach, selected the first-ever college football All-America team. 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.
Thirty-Three Former Walter Camp All-Americans Selected in 2025 NFL Draft
Thirty-three former Walter Camp All-Americans were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24-26, led by 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year Travis Hunter (WR/DB, Colorado), who was the second overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Walter Camp All-America Teams, first selected by the “Father of American Football” Walter Camp in 1889, is the nation’s oldest All-America team.
2024 First Team All-Americans (14)
Cam Ward, QB, Miami – Tennessee Titans, 1st Round, 1st pick
Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State – New York Giants, 1st Round, 3rd pick
Will Campbell, OT, LSU – New England Patriots, 1st Round, 4th pick
Mason Graham, DL, Michigan – Cleveland Browns, 1st Round, 5th pick
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State – Las Vegas Raiders, 1st Round, 6th pick
Kelvin Banks, OL, Texas – New Orleans Saints – 1st Round, 9th pick
Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green – Cleveland Browns, 3rd Round, 67th pick
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa – Pittsburgh Steelers, 3rd Round, 83rd pick
Nohl Williams, DB, California – Kansas City Chiefs, 3rd Round, 85th pick
Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia – Jacksonville Jaguars, 3rd Round, 89th pick
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame – Atlanta Falcons – 3rd Round, 96th pick (also a 2023 First Team -All-American)
Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma – New Orleans Saints, 4th Round, 112th pick
Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina – Lost Angeles Chargers, 4th Round, 125th pick
2024 Second Team All-Americans (15)
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona – Carolina Panthers, 1st Round, 8th pick
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State – Indianapolis Colts, 1st Round, 14th pick
Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia – Atlanta Falcons – 1st Round, 15th pick
Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss – Arizona Cardinals – 1st Round, 16th pick
Jahdae Barron, DB, Texas – Denver Broncos, 1st Round, 20th pick
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina – Los Angeles Chargers, 1st Round, 22nd pick (2023 Second Team All-American)
Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia – Baltimore Ravens, 1st Round, 27th pick
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College – Dallas Cowboys, 2nd Round, 44th pick
Will Johnson, DB, Michigan – Arizona Cardinals – 2nd Round, 47th pick
Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M – Carolina Panthers, 2nd Round, 51st pick
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA – Cleveland Browns, 2nd Round, 33rd pick
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon – Cleveland Browns, 3rd Round, 99th pick
Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee – Cleveland Brown, 4th Round, 126th pick
Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge, Virginia Tech – Philadelphia Eagles, 6th Round, 209th pick
2024 FCS All-American (1)
2023 First Team All-American (1)
Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State – Miami Dolphins, 6th Round, 179th pick
2023 Second Team All-American (2)
Ashton Gillotte, DE, Louisville – Kansas City Chiefs, 3rd Round, 66th pick
Denzel Burke, DB, Ohio State – Arizona Cardinals, 5th Round, 174th pick
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.
Walter Camp Football Foundation Hosts High School Breakfast of Champions
On Saturday, Jan. 18, the Walter Camp Foundation hosted its 17th Connecticut High School “Breakfast of Champions,” at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville.
Thanks to event sponsors Town Fair Tire, Crabtree Lexus of New Haven and NFP Sports.
Members of the 2024 All-Connecticut First and Second Teams were recognized along with the six Connecticut high school 2024 state champions – Greenwich (Class LL), New Canaan (Class L), Masuk (Class MM), St. Joseph (Class M), Killingly (Class SS) and Ansonia (Class S).
New Canaan, which finished as the number-one team in the state’s final polls, was recognized as the Joseph W. Kelly Award winner. The Rams, under the direction of head coach Lou Marinelli, won the Class L state title after defeating FCIAC-rival Darien, 35-21, on December 14 to finish 12-1.
The 2024 Walter Camp “Collegiate” Connecticut Offensive Player of the Year (and a member of the Walter Camp Second Team FBS All-America team) Tyler Booker (Alabama) was recognized. Many thanks for former Connecticut Players of the Year Dan Orlovsky and Niko Koutouvides for attending the event.
Coach of the Year, presented by Stadium System: Rob Fleeting (Windsor)
Player of the Year: Quintez Whittle (Ansonia)
Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by NFP Sports: Paul Pasqualoni – former Syracuse, UConn head coach
Inspiration Award, presented by NFP Sports: Nate Palmer (Rockville)
Click here for an article by Ned Griffen of GameTimeCT.com
2024 Walter Camp All-Connecticut Teams
First Team Offense
QB: Drayvn Roberts (East Hartford) #
RB: Hayden Allard (Killingly), Quintez Whittle (Ansonia)
WR: Andrew Esposito (New Canaan), Shane Walker (Masuk)
TE: Kevin Roche (Darien)
OL: Jameson Barry (Glastonbury), Nathan Kennedy (Brookfield), Michael Paine (Notre Dame-West Haven) #, Jacob Romanowski (Ansonia), Peter Vomvolakis (Greenwich)
First Team Defense
LB: Nick Fox (Masuk), Mason Frey (Fairfield Prep), Cashmire Lewis (Windsor)
DB: Brady Gambee (Watertown), Hashim Jones (Capital Prep), Michael Smith (New Canaan), TJ Wright (St. Joseph)
DL: Kadear Dembele (West Haven), Nick Pavia (Newtown), Derek Schoenberg (Danbury), Simon Tchakarov (New Canaan)
First Team Special Teams
P: Alex Kvaratskhelia (Greenwich)
K: Tucker Stevens (New Canaan)*
KR: Jermel Bynum (Brien McMahon)
Second Team Offense
QB: Nick Conlan (West Haven)
RB: John Manning (Windsor), Michael Walters (Brookfield)
WR: Jesus Martell (Maloney) #, Joseph Mugovero (Manchester)
TE: Tyler Rodriguez (Trumbull)
OL: Michael Allen (Killingly), Malachi Fowler (Windham), Richie McMurray (Greenwich), Tim O’Malley (Daniel Hand), Edward van der Merwe (Staples)
Second Team Defense
LB: Conor Casagrande (Daniel Hand), Davis Crandall (Staples), Anthony Oates (Killingly)
DB: Hunter Allard (Killingly), Nathaniel Banton (Bunnell), Josiah Carter (Notre Dame-West Haven), Luke Shannon (Glastonbury)
DL: Thad Balzi (Brookfield), Rickie Miller (Bunnell), David Rivera, Jr. (Waterbury Career Academy), AJ Tatro (Sheehan)
Second Team Special Teams
P: Josh Marcus (Staples)
K: Ben Conelius (Fairfield Prep)
KR: Joey Montalvo (East Catholic)
* – 2023 Walter Camp First Team All-Connecticut honoree
# – 2023 Walter Camp Second Team All-Connecticut honoree
@ – 2022 (Second Team) and 2023 (First Team) Walter Camp 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.
Walter Camp Leadership Presents FBS Coach of the Year to Indiana’s Curt Cignetti
Walter Camp Foundation president John Barbarotta traveled to Bloomington, Indiana to formally present 2024 Walter Camp FBS Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti with his plaque.
Many thanks to Indiana University president Pam Whitten, athletic director Scott Dolson and associate athletic director Jeff Keag for their gracious hospitality.
Coach Cignetti is the second IU coach to receive the honor (John Pont, 1967).
Indiana finished with a 11-2 record and qualified for the first-ever College Football Playoff in 2024.
Congratulations to Coach Cignetti and his wife, Manette.
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- BLOOMINGTON, IN – January 14, 2025 – fb during the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Presentation at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By RNG#2
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- BLOOMINGTON, IN – January 14, 2025 – Athletic Director Scott Dolson during the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Presentation at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Rachel Gillam/Indiana Athletics
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- BLOOMINGTON, IN – January 14, 2025 – Indiana Hoosiers Head Coach Curt Cignetti and Manette Cignetti during the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Presentation at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Rachel Gillam/Indiana Athletics
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- BLOOMINGTON, IN – January 14, 2025 – President Pam Whitten, Indiana Hoosiers Head Coach Curt Cignetti and Athletic Director Scott Dolson during the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Presentation at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Rachel Gillam/Indiana Athletics
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- BLOOMINGTON, IN – January 14, 2025 – Indiana Hoosiers Head Coach Curt Cignetti and Jeff Keag during the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Presentation at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Rachel Gillam/Indiana Athletics
Photos courtesy of IU’s Athletics Strategic Communications Dept (Rachel Gillam).
Keiser University’s Myles Russ Named Walter Camp 2024 NAIA Coach of the Year
Keiser University first-year head coach Myles Russ is the first-ever recipient of the Walter Camp NAIA Coach of the Year award.
Russ led the Seahawks to a 12-1 overall record, advancing to the NAIA Football Championship Series for the sixth straight season while making the team’s third straight appearance in the NAIA National Championship Game. Top-ranked Keiser ended its season with a 35-7 loss to the No. 2-ranked Grand View Vikings in the NAIA National Championship. The loss snapped the Seahawks nation’s longest winning streak which ended at 23 games.
Russ was named the 2024 Sun Conference Coach of the Year, after the team claimed its third straight Sun Conference title, going a perfect 6-0 in league action.
Russ was named head coach on January 29, 2024, after serving six years as an assistant. Prior to coming to Keiser, Russ spent five seasons at his alma mater Robert Morris as the running backs coach. He was then selected for the Bill Walsh Minority Internship for the NFL, working with the Buffalo Bills.
Russ accumulated 4,271 career rushing yards, which still stands as a Robert Morris career record. Russ received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management at Robert Morris in 2011 and went on to complete his Master of Science in Instructional Leadership in 2014.
Russ and his wife, Alexandrea, have two daughters, Averie and Audrie.
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.
Ferris State’s Tony Annese Named Walter Camp 2024 Division II Coach of the Year
Ferris State head coach Tony Annese is the first-ever recipient of the Walter Camp Division II Coach of the Year award.
Annese led the Bulldogs to their third national titles in the last four years. This season, the Bulldogs totaled a 14-1 overall record, culminating with a 49-14 victory over Valdosta State in the national title game on December 21.
To reach the finals, Ferris State defeated Harding, 41-7, in the quarterfinals and Slippery Rock, 48-38, in the semifinals.
The Bulldogs also claimed the GLIAC regular-season championship along with the Super Region Three Championship and won trophy rivalry games against West Michigan foes Grand Valley State and Davenport to capture both the Anchor-Bone Trophy and the Calder City Classic Trophy, respectively.
Under Annese’s guidance, FSU has posted a 137-21 overall mark (.867) in his 12-year tenure. Annese has led FSU to the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 10 consecutive years, which ranks as the longest streak in the country.
Overall, Annese is 362-66 (.846) in his coaching career that includes several stops on the high school level in Michigan where he won three prep state championships along with a pair of national junior college crowns at Grand Rapids Community College prior to his FSU arrival.
The Corunna, Mich. native played collegiately at Alma and also earned a masters degree in educational administration from Central Michigan. Annese and his wife, Christine, have four children, including Steven, Nick, Allie and Anthony.
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.
