Three Mountaineers Named Walter Camp All-Americans
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Appalachian State University leads all programs with three selections on the 2009 Walter Camp NCAA Division I FCS all-America team, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced on Monday. Quarterback Armanti Edwards (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood), offensive lineman Mario Acitelli (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic) and defensive back Mark LeGree (Columbus, Ga./Pacelli Catholic) represent Appalachian on the 27-member Walter Camp squad.
Edwards' selection makes him the first four-time all-American in ASU history. The record-breaking signal-caller threw for a school-record 3,291 yards and ran for 679 more as a senior, good for an average of 330.8 yards of total offense per game, which ranked third nationally. He also ranked among the nation's top 20 in rushing touchdowns (t-3rd - 18), completion percentage (4th - .680), passing yards (8th), scoring (10th - 108 pts.), passing efficiency (12th - 147.90 rating), completions (13th - 257) and touchdowns responsible for (16th - 30).
For his career, Edwards ranks second in FCS history behind only Steve McNair with 14,753 yards of total offense (McNair amassed 16,823 at Alcorn State from 1991-94). With 10,392 passing yards and 4,361 rushing yards, he is the only player in Division I history (FCS or FBS) with at least 9,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards in a career and the only FCS player to reach the 8,000 passing/4,000 rushing plateau. He was responsible for 129 touchdowns in his career (74 passing, 65 rushing), highlighting dozens of school and Southern Conference records that he holds.
Acitelli was the anchor of an Appalachian offensive line that helped the Mountaineers rank among the nation's top 20 in total offense (3rd - 465.1 ypg), rushing (10th - 206.4 ypg), scoring (12th - 33.2 ppg), passing (15th - 258.6 ypg) and passing efficiency (18th - 141.76 rating). The left tackle finished his career with 28-consecutive starts and, in addition to providing protection for Edwards to put up his record-breaking numbers, helped pave the way for Devon Moore to rush for 1,374 yards in 2009, the sixth-highest single-season total in ASU history.
For the second-straight season, LeGree led the SoCon in interceptions en route to all-America recognition. His seven INTs tied for fourth nationally while he also ranked fifth on the team with 70 tackles and second with 13 passes defended and a forced fumble. With 17 career interceptions, he'll lead all active FCS players heading into his senior season next fall.
Edwards and LeGree are both repeat Walter Camp all-America honorees while Acitelli is the fourth Mountaineer offensive lineman in as many years to earn the recognition.
Postseason honors will continue to be announced throughout the week, highlighted by the presentation of the Walter Payton (FCS Player of the Year) and Buck Buchanan (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) awards on Thursday evening in Chattanooga, Tenn. Edwards, the 2008 Payton Award winner, is one of three finalists for the '09 honor and is looking to become the first two-time winner in the 23-year history of the award. LeGree is one of 20 finalists for the Buchanan Award for the second-straight year.
Elon’s Hudgins Garners Third Walter Camp FCS All-America Honor
NEW HAVEN, Conn. ? Three-time selection Terrell Hudgins of Elon headlines the Walter Camp Football Foundation 2009 Football Championship Subdivision All-America team. The team was selected by the head coaches and sports information directors of the Football Championship Subdivision schools and certified by UHY Advisors, a New Haven-based accounting firm. Hudgins is the lone three-time recipient on this year's squad.
Hudgins and quarterback Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State) are the lone repeat Walter Camp FCS All-Americans on offense. The nation’s leading receiver, Hudgins caught an FCS-record 123 passes for a Southern Conference-record 1,633 yards and 16 touchdowns this season to help lead the Phoenix to its first-ever FCS playoff berth.
Hudgins, a first-team All-SoCon selection, earned two league player of the month nods during his senior campaign. During the course of the season Hudgins became the NCAA Division I all-time leader in receiving yards (5,250) and receptions (395). He concluded his stellar career by holding 10 NCAA records.
In all, players from eight different conferences and 22 institutions were represented on the 2009 Walter Camp FCS All-America team. The Colonial Athletic Association has the most selections with seven, followed by the Big Sky with six and Missouri Valley Conference with five. Four schools had multiple players selected, led by Appalachian State with three. Villanova, Weber State and Southern Illinois each placed two players on the 2009 Walter Camp 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 All-America teams for the Football Bowl and Championship subdivisions.