FWAA names Barron first-team All-American
TUSCALOOSA _ The University of Alabama football team received its first big postseason honor Saturday when junior safety Mark Barron was named first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
Co-team captain and co-defensive player of the year for the Crimson Tide has made 75 tackles this season to go with three interceptions, two sacks, nine passes defended and two quarterback hurries. After having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle sustained against Auburn he'll miss the Capital One Bowl against Michigan State.
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Sophomore safety Robert Lester was named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation on Thursday. Barron, the lone returning starter in the secondary, was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press last season after he led the Southeastern Conference with seven interceptions and tied with teammate Marquis Johnson for the league lead with 18 pass breakups.
Barron was one of seven SEC players named and one of three from the Mobile area, joining Florida State guard Rodney Hudson and Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
Interestingly, mere hours before the awarding of the Heisman Trophy, Cam Newton was not honored by the FWAA, even though it designated two offensive backs with Boise State's Kellen Moore as quarterback and Michigan's Denard Robinson as offensive back. It's just the second time since 1967 two quarterbacks have been named to the team (BYU's Ty Detmer and Virginia's Shawn Moore in 1990).
The committee also selected three wide receivers instead of a tight end.
The FWW's 2010 All-America Committee was comprised of Desmond Conner, Hartford Courant; Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle; Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror; Kate Hairopoulos, Dallas Morning News; Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post; Ted Miller, espn.com; Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman; Joshua Parrott, Lafayette Advertiser; Randy Rosetta, Baton Rouge Advocate; John Sahly, DeKalb Daily Chronicle; Phil Steele, Phil Steele Publications; and Jake Trotter, The Oklahoman.
The FWAA has named an All-America team in some form since 1944.
OFFENSE
QB Kellen Moore, Boise State 6-0 191 Jr. Prosser, Wash.
B LaMichael James, Oregon 5-9 185 So. Texarkana, Texas
B Denard Robinson, Michigan 6-0 188 So. Deerfield Beach, Fla.
WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State 6-1 207 So. Ardmore, Okla.
WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma 5-11 183 Jr. Norman, Okla.
WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina 6-4 233 So. St. Matthews, S.C.
OL Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin 6-7 327 Sr. Cottage Grove, Wis.
OL Rodney Hudson, Florida State 6-2 282 Sr. Mobile, Ala.
OL Nate Solder, Colorado 6-9 315 Sr. Buena Vista, Colo.
OL Lee Ziemba, Auburn 6-8 319 Sr. Rogers, Ark.
C Mike Brewster, Ohio State 6-5 293 Jr. Orlando, Fla.
DEFENSE
DL Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson 6-4 275 Jr. Bamberg, S.C.
DL Wayne Daniels, TCU 6-2 250 Sr. Kilgore, Texas
DL Nick Fairley, Auburn 6-5 298 Jr. Mobile, Ala.
DL Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue 6-4 263 Sr. Muncie, Ind.
LB Justin Houston, Georgia 6-3 258 Jr. Statesboro, Ga.
LB Greg Jones, Michigan State 6-1 240 Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio
LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College 6-3 235 So. Cincinnati, Ohio
DB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska 6-1 205 Sr. Glendale, Ariz.
DB Mark Barron, Alabama 6-2 210 Jr. Mobile, Ala.
DB Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State 6-0 190 Sr. Clermont, Fla.
DB Patrick Peterson, LSU 6-1 222 Jr. Pompano Beach, Fla.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Josh Jasper, LSU 5-11 171 Sr. Memphis, Tenn.
P Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State 6-1 194 So. Mansfield, Texas
RS Cliff Harris, Oregon 5-11 180 So. Fresno, Calif.
The NCAA recognized All-American teams from the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation to determine consensus and unanimous status.
No one from Alabama was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American team announced Nov. 29. The Sporting News and Associated Press have yet to announce their teams.