The FWAA 75th Anniversary All-American Team

The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced its 75th Anniversary All-American team today. As a member, I was privileged to nominate players.

Selecting the team was an enormous and difficult task. Indeed, the third-team running back tandem of Bo Jackson and Doak Walker could just as easily been the first-team backfield. “Picking the FWAA’s 75th Anniversary teams was like taking a final exam with no wrong answers,” said 2015 FWAA President Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald. “Even though some answers may be more ‘right’ than others, this will add to the colorful conversation about college football, honor those chosen, and help celebrate the game.”

So true. You have three selections at quarterback. Roger Staubach and Tim Tebow were the two I felt absolutely needed to be in there. Staubach helped redefine the position at the college level, and Tebow consistently impacted games more than most college players that I can remember. My short list for the third spot included Tommie Frazier, Johnny Lujack, and Vince Young. Young made arguably the most memorable play in NCAA history, and he also arguably had the greatest single game performance in history. In my opinion, his career didn’t quite stand up to Frazier’s two national titles and Lujack’s three. I ultimately chose Frazier. Those three qbs made the Anniversary Team’s roster, so I certainly wasn’t alone in my thinking. Who would you have chosen at QB?

I’ve followed football since the end of the 1976 pro season. Two players stand out in my mind as the most dynamic college players that I remember. Reggie Bush and Desmond Howard. Neither of them made the Anniversary Team. Which is what makes these types of things fun. Were Bush and Howard as good as I remember? Did anybody remember Howard’s game-breaking or Bush’s incredible outside speed? Marshall Faulk was another phenomenal guy. I remember him bulldozing for over 200 yards one game — in the first half.

Below is the FWAA 75th Anniversary Team. Check it out and see how your team would differ. More information can be found here.