With the sheer volume of All-Americans and the ensuing conversation, we’ve split the All-Americans into two articles. The article regarding offense has already been released and this one details the defense and special teams.
DL: Mohammad Dmour, fla; Mike Miller, CLEM; Atlas Zervos, MICH
Three defensive ends earned the title for All-American. Miller has had double digit sacks every single season he’s been in the CFSL and Zervos and Dmour both had a couple games they took over. Zervos had such a strong start to the season it helped him to nail down the award, due to his five sacks in week one. Dmour, was such a stud throughout the season and made such instrumental plays in key moments that the voters could not deny him the honor of All-American.
LB: Mark cALLOWAY, aub; aARON dAVIS, nd; jACK tYLER, clem
Three of the hardest-hitting linebackers to grace the CFSL were nominated for this honor. Throughout the regular season, Davis led the CFSL in tackles and a was a dominant run-stuffer consistently. Calloway was a stud, who consistently made plays in the opposition’s backfield and proved he can be counted on in pass coverage. Then there’s Tyler, who was one of the league’s leaders in interceptions. For a linebacker that’s really impressive, but then you add on the fact that he scored on one of them and then recorded high volume tackles this season and one can see why he was included among the three linebackers at All-American.
CB: TERRENCE TOP, TEX; TOM PENCE, OSU; DAKOTA WOLF, FLA
The cornerback position is always difficult to evaluate, but these guys were studs. Top is one of the all-time CFSL leaders in interceptions, and that is certainly true for the number of pick-sixes, and this season he had several. Pence was a lockdown corner all season long and recorded a couple turnovers himself. Wolf, on the other hand, was one of the league leaders in interceptions this season with four, and he recorded three of them in just one game. While his picks dwindled during the season, he still stood out above the rest, hence the All-American honors for these corners.
S: Jimbo Smithers, TEX; Barry Allen, Clem; Lamar Fant, Bama
Normally the safety position is evaluated on a multitude of aspects with the two larger ones being tackles and turnovers. Smithers has been an enforcer for the Longhorns, and a guy counted on to change the tide of a game and he had a couple of interceptions that did exactly that. Barry Allen, like Smithers, has been a safety known for his ability to come downhill and attack. Fant had a string of near back-to-back 20 tackle games to end the regular season. He had a 20+ tackle game and followed it up with a 19 tackle game, and those games helped him to solidify an impressive freshman campaign which, as evidenced by this article, earned him All-American honors.
K: FRIAR cOOK, aub
When you go throughout the regular season without missing a field goal, it’s difficult to make a case against you being regarded as an All-American. Auburn’s Friar Cook did exactly that this season, going 11 for 11 on field goals and 29 of 29 on extra points in the regular season. His first miss wasn’t until a 50 yarder in the National Championship game. Cook was not only effective, but efficient throughout the season and this is displayed by his honors of being named All-American.
KR: Dakota Wolf, Fla
The All-American at corner doubled up this season. While Wolf was dynamic on defense, hauling in four interceptions, his kick return game was really impressive as well. Wolf led the league in kick-sixes, taking two kick returns back for touchdowns and finished the season with 906 return yards, which was the most among the candidates for kick returner. Wolf has been electric, but the kick returner spot fluctuates, so it’ll be interesting to see if he is able to repeat.
