Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and North Carolina LB Kaimon Rucker Named Walter Camp National FBS Players of the Week (Sept. 3)
The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced the Football Bowl Subdivision National Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for games ending September 2. Please note: Outstanding performances from games played on September 3 and 4 will be considered for next week’s awards.
About the Award: This is the 20th year that the Walter Camp Football Foundation will honor one offensive and one defensive player as its national Football Bowl Subdivision player of the week during the regular season. Recipients are selected by a panel of national media members and administered by the Foundation. It is the nation’s longest running Player of Week award.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior, Quarterback, Dallas, TX
Shedeur Sanders passed for a school-record 510 yards and threw for four touchdowns as Colorado defeated 17th-ranked TCU, 45-42. Sanders, who completed 38-of-47 passes in the game, led the Buffs to their first win against a ranked opponent since 2019, connected to four different CU receivers who totaled over 100 yards each. Sanders also became the first player since 1996 to throw for 500+ yards in his FBS debut.
Notes: Shedeur Sanders is the third Colorado player (and first offensive honoree) to earn Walter Camp National FBS Player of Week honors since 2004, joining former Buffaloes Terrence Wheatley (DB, Oct. 28, 2007) and Nate Landman (LB, Nov. 29, 2020).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior, Linebacker, Hartwell, GA
Senior linebacker Kaimon Rucker recorded eight tackles (6 solo), including 5.5 tackles for loss, and two quarterback sacks as North Carolina opened the 2023 season with a 31-17 victory over South Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Classic. Rucker led a Tar Heel defense that tallied nine sacks and limited South Carolina to -2 yards rushing.
Notes: It is the seventh time a North Carolina player has earned Walter Camp National Player of the Year honors since 2004. Kaimon Rucker is the first Tar Heel defensive POW honoree since DE Kareem Martin (Nov. 17, 2013).
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 Foundation Mourns the Passing of Honorary Member Gil Brandt
The all-volunteer membership of the Walter Camp Foundation mourns the passing of honorary member Gil Brandt, who passed away at the age of 91.
Brandt, the pioneering NFL executive who helped turn the Dallas Cowboys into “America’s Team,” was recognized by the Foundation as its 1999 Man of the Year.
Forty Five Players Named to Walter Camp 2023 Player of Year Preseason Watch List
The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced the names of forty-five “players to watch” for its 2023 Player of the Year award, the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams was the 2022 Walter Camp Player of Year. Williams headlines the 2023 watch list, which includes 38 offensive players (20 quarterbacks, 11 running backs, five receivers/tight ends and two offensive lineman) along with seven from the defensive side of the ball.
Players from 35 different schools representing 11 conferences (including independents) are represented on the preseason watch list. Ohio State has four players on the watch list, while eight schools (Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Texas and Washington) each have two.
“We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation,” Foundation president Tony Mortali said. “This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football.”
The 2023 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in mid-November. The 2023 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 133 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show in December. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s 57th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Conn in early 2024.
Please note: Appearing on the preseason Watch List is not a requirement for a player to win the Walter Camp award or be named to the All-America team.
2023 Walter Camp Player of Year Preseason Players to Watch
Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin
Joe Alt, OL, Notre Dame
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Chevan Cordiero, QB, San Jose State
Dontay Corleone, DL, Cincinnati
Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State
Samson Evans, RB, Eastern Michigan
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Olu Fashanu, OL, Penn State
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma
Frank Gore, Jr., RB, Southern Miss
Taylen Green, QB, Boise State
Frank Harris, QB, UTSA
Marvin Harrison, Jr., WR, Ohio State
Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss
Jaylin Lucas, RB/KR, Indiana
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Kool-Aid McKinstry, DB, Alabama
Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee
Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Jaydn Ott, RB, California
Michael Penix, Jr., QB, Washington
Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
Will Rogers, QB, Mississippi State
Austin Reed, QB, Western Kentucky
Kurtis Rourke, QB, Ohio
Raheim Sanders, RB, Arkansas
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
Jeremiah Trotter, LB, Clemson
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
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) – 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. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter at @NCFAA.
2023 Walter Camp Player of Year Watchlist will be announced Friday, August 11
The 2023 Walter Camp Player of Year Watch List will be announced on Friday, August 31 as part of the National College Football Awards Association annual watchlist release.
Here is the schedule of releases, all of which will come at Noon ET each day.
Earlier this year, Walter Camp announced its preseason All-America team, presented by 777 Partners
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award
Tue., Aug 1: Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award and Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award and Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
USC quarterback Caleb Williams was the 2022 Walter Camp Player of Year
Kellen Winslow and Jim Covert to be Inducted into the Ring of Honor
2023 Walter Camp Preseason FBS All-America Teams, presented by 777 Partners
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
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
