The 1977 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1977. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes four selectors as "official" for the 1977 season. They are:[1] (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA);[2] (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers;[3] (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected by the nation's football writers;[4] and (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers.[5] Other selectors included Football News (FN),[6] the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA),[7] The Sporting News (TSN),[8] and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC).
Eight players were unanimously selected by all four official selectors and all four unofficial selectors. They were Ken MacAfee of Notre Dame, offensive tackle Chris Ward of Ohio State, offensive guard Mark Donahue of Michigan, running backs Earl Campbell of Texas and Terry Miller of Oklahoma State, defensive ends Art Still of Kentucky and Ross Browner of Notre Dame, defensive tackle Brad Shearer of Texas.
Consensus All-Americans
editThe following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1977 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Offense
edit| Name | Position | School | Number[9] | Official | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Campbell | Running back | Texas | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Mark Donahue | Offensive guard | Michigan | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Ken MacAfee | Tight end | Notre Dame | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Terry Miller | Running back | Oklahoma State | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Chris Ward | Offensive tackle | Ohio State | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Ozzie Newsome | Receiver | Alabama | 3/4/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Leotis Harris | Offensive guard | Arkansas | 3/4/8 | AFCA, AP, UPI | NEA, WC |
| Charles Alexander | Running back | LSU | 3/1/4 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI | WC |
| Guy Benjamin | Quarterback | Stanford | 2/2/4 | FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA |
| Dan Irons | Offensive tackle | Texas Tech | 2/2/4 | AFCA, UPI | FN, WC |
| John Jefferson | Receiver | Arizona State | 3/0/3 | AFCA, AP, FWAA | -- |
| Tom Brzoza | Center | Pittsburgh | 2/1/3 | AP, UPI | WC |
Defense
edit| Name | Position | School | Number[9] | Official | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Browner | Defensive end | Notre Dame | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Brad Shearer | Defensive tackle | Texas | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Art Still | Defensive end | Kentucky | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Zac Henderson | Defensive back | Oklahoma | 4/3/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, WC |
| Jerry Robinson | Linebacker | UCLA | 4/3/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, WC |
| Randy Holloway | Defensive tackle | Pittsburgh | 3/4/7 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN, WC |
| Dennis Thurman | Defensive back | USC | 4/2/6 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI | FN, WC |
| Luther Bradley | Defensive back | Notre Dame | 2/3/5 | AFCA, UPI | FN, TSN, WC |
| Bob Jury | Defensive back | Pittsburgh | 2/2/4 | AP, FWAA | TSN, WC |
| Tom Cousineau | Linebacker | Ohio State | 2/1/3 | FWAA, UPI | WC |
| Gary Spani | Linebacker | Kansas State | 2/1/3 | AFCA, UPI | FN |
| Dee Hardison | Defensive tackle | North Carolina | 2/1/3 | AP, FWAA | FN |
Offense
editReceivers
edit- Ozzie Newsome, Alabama (AFCA [split end], AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN [end], NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- John Jefferson, Arizona State (AFCA [flanker], AP-1, FWAA, NEA-2)
- Wes Chandler, Florida (AP-2, UPI-1, FN [running back], NEA-1, TSN)
- James Lofton, Stanford (AP-2, NEA-2)
- Gordon Jones, Pittsburgh (AP-3)
- Mike Renfro, TCU (AP-3)
Tight ends
edit- Ken MacAfee, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN [end], NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Mickey Shuler, Penn State (AP-2, NEA-2)
- Clennie Brundidge, Army (UPI-2)
- Mike Moore, Grambling (AP-3)
Tackles
edit- Chris Ward, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Dan Irons, Texas Tech (AFCA, UPI-1, FN, WC)
- Keith Dorney Penn State (AP-3, FWAA)
- Gordon King, Stanford (UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN)
- Dennis Baker, Wyoming (AP-1)
- William Fifer, West Texas State (AP-2)
- Mike Kenn, Michigan (AP-2)
- J. T. Taylor, Missouri (AP-3, UPI-2)
- Frank Myers, Texas A&M (NEA-2)
- Jeff Morrow, Minnesota (NEA-2)
Guards
edit- Mark Donahue, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Leotis Harris, Arkansas (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, NEA-1, WC)
- Joe Bostic, Clemson (AP-3, FWAA, NEA-2)
- Greg Roberts, Oklahoma (AP-3, FN)
- George Collins, Georgia (TSN)
- Jim Hough, Utah State (AP-2)
- Ernie Hughes, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2)
- Leon White, Colorado (UPI-2)
- Bob Cryder, Alabama (NEA-2)
Centers
edit- Tom Brzoza, Pittsburgh (AP-1, UPI-1, WC)
- Walt Downing, Michigan (AFCA, AP-3, FN, NEA-2, TSN)
- Tom Davis, Nebraska (FWAA, UPI-2)
- Blair Bush, Washington (AP-2, NEA-1)
Quarterbacks
edit- Guy Benjamin, Stanford (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1)
- Doug Williams, Grambling State (AP-1, UPI-2, NEA-2, TSN, WC)
- Matt Cavanaugh, Pittsburgh (AFCA)
- Derrick Ramsey, Kentucky (AP-3)
Running backs
edit- Earl Campbell, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Terry Miller, Oklahoma State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Charles Alexander, LSU (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-2, WC)
- John Pagliaro, Yale (AP-3, WC)
- Jerome Persell, Western Michigan (AP-2)
- I. M. Hipp, Nebraska (UPI-2, NEA-2)
- Johnny Davis, Alabama (UPI-2)
- Ben Cowins, Arkansas (UPI-2)
- Bo Robinson, West Texas State (AP-3)
Defense
editDefensive ends
edit- Art Still, Kentucky (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Ross Browner, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- John Anderson, Michigan (UPI-2)
- Kelton Dansler, Ohio State (AP-2)
- Willie Fry, Notre Dame (UPI-2)
- Hugh Green, Pittsburgh (AP-2)
- Al Harris, Arizona State (NEA-2)
- Jerry DeLoach, California (AP-3)
- Chuck Schott, Army (AP-3)
Defensive tackles
edit- Brad Shearer, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Randy Holloway, Pittsburgh (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC)
- Dee Hardison, North Carolina (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN, NEA-2)
- Mike Bell, Colorado State (AP-2)
- Manu Tuiasosopo, UCLA (UPI-2)
- Mekeli Ieremia, Brigham Young (NEA-2)
- Larry Bethea, Michigan State (AP-3, NEA-2 [DE])
- Jimmy Walker, Arkansas (AP-3)
Middle guards
edit- Aaron Brown, Ohio St. (AFCA, UPI-2, WC)
- Reggie Kinlaw, Oklahoma (AP-3, UPI-1)
- Randy Sidler, Penn State (AP-1)
- Don Latimer, Pittsburgh (AP-2)
Linebackers
edit- Jerry Robinson, UCLA (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, WC)
- Tom Cousineau, Ohio State (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-2, WC)
- Gary Spani, Kansas St. (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2)
- Mike Woods, Cincinnati (AP-1, NEA-1, TSN)
- Lucius Sanford, Georgia Tech (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2, TSN)
- Clay Matthews, Jr., USC (NEA-1, TSN)
- Daryl Hunt, Oklahoma (AP-3, UPI-2, FN, WC)
- John Anderson, Michigan (FWAA)
- George Cumby, Oklahoma (AP-1)
- Bob Golic, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2)
- Harold Randolph, East Carolina (NEA-2)
- Michael Jackson, Washington (AP-3)
Defensive backs
edit- Zac Henderson, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, WC)
- Dennis Thurman, USC (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2, WC)
- Luther Bradley, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2, TSN, WC)
- Bob Jury, Pittsburgh (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-2, TSN, WC)
- Keith Simpson, Memphis State (NEA-1, TSN)
- Ray Griffin, Ohio State (UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN)
- Ken Greene, Washington State (NEA-1)
- Dwight Hicks, Michigan (AP-2)
- Bill Krug, Georgia (UPI-2)
- Charles Williams, Jackson State (AP-2)
- Eric Felton, Texas Tech (NEA-2)
- Larry Anderson, Louisiana Tech (AP-3)
- Ron Johnson, Eastern Michigan (AP-3)
- John Sturges, Navy (AP-3)
Special teams
editKickers
edit- Steve Little, Arkansas (FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-1, TSN)
- Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (NEA-2)
Punters
edit- Russell Erxleben, Texas (FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN)
- Johnny Evans, NC State (NEA-2)
Key
edit- Bold – Consensus All-American[1]
- -1 – First-team selection
- -2 – Second-team selection
- -3 – Third-team selection
Official selectors
edit- AFCA – American Football Coaches Association, selected by more than 2,000 members for Kodak[2]
- AP – Associated Press[3]
- FWAA – Football Writers Association of America[4]
- UPI – United Press International[5]
Other selectors
edit- FN – Football News[6]
- NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association[7]
- TSN – The Sporting News[8]
- WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. pp. 3, 11–12. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
- ^ a b "All-American squad named". Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News. November 24, 1977. p. 12.
- ^ a b "Grambling Senior QB Named to AP Team". Beckley (WV) Post-Herald. November 30, 1977. p. 20.
- ^ a b Ted Gangi (ed.). "FWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ a b "UPI All-America". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 2, 1977. p. 2C.
- ^ a b "College football". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 20, 1977. p. 9F.
- ^ a b "Campbell, Browner top All Americans". The Waxahachie Daily Light. December 8, 1977. p. 3.
- ^ a b "All America teams: Sporting News". The Courier-Journal (Louisville). December 7, 1977. p. D3.
- ^ a b This column lists the number of selectors choosing the player as a first-team All-American as follows: official selectors/other selectors/total selectors.
- ^ "Irish, Pittsburgh, Buckeyes dominate Camp All-America". Alamogordo Daily News. December 13, 1977. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.