Football: Wiley Nabs Two All-American Honors
November 25, 2003 04:08 PM | General
November 25, 2003
 Wiley |
DALLAS - Top-ranked Oklahoma dominated the 2003 Football Writers Association of America All-America team announced on Tuesday with an unprecedented six players on the 25-man team.
The FWAA All-America team is the second oldest continuously published team in college football. And this is the most players by one school on the team since the FWAA started selecting an All-America squad in 1944.
During the modern era of college football, Miami (Fla.) had four players on the 2000 FWAA team.
Oklahoma quarterback Jason White and wide receiver Mark Clayton were selected on the offensive team. Cornerback Derrick Strait, tackle Tommie Harris and linebacker Teddy Lehman made the defensive team. OU’s Antonio Perkins, a punt returner, cracked the special teams list.
Players from Oklahoma, Southern California, Virginia Tech and Miami, Fla., accounted for (13 spots), which is more than half the team.
Southern California landed three players on the team _ wide receiver Mike Williams, offensive lineman Jacob Rogers and defensive end Kenechi Udeze. Miami, Fla., and Virginia Tech had two each on the squad. Tight end Kellen Winslow and defensive back Sean Taylor of Miami made the team. The Hokies' center Jake Grove and running back Kevin Jones were selected.
Arkansas offensive tackle Shawn Andrews and Lehman were the only repeat All-Americas from the 2002 FWAA Team.
West Virginia linebacker Grant Wiley made the team after producing a team-best 143 tackles and 13 tackles for losses heading into Saturday’s season finale against Temple. Wiley also leads the country with seven forced fumbles to go along with a sack, two interceptions and four pass breakups.
Because the passing game has exploded on the college scene and many schools are using three wide receivers and one-back sets, the nine-member FWAA All-America selection committee voted to use that configuration when naming the 2003 team for the first time. In the past, the FWAA at times has selected three wide receivers, but dropped the tight end from the team.
The FWAA's 25-man team will be honored on Dec. 12 in Orlando, Fla., by Florida Citrus Sports during a banquet under the stars at the Citrus Bowl. FCS is the organizing group which produces the Capital One Bowl and the Mazda Tangerine Bowl among other events.
On Monday, the FWAA will announce three finalists for the Outland Trophy, which has been award to the top interior linemen in college football since 1946.
DEFENSE
LB-Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma
LB-Derrick Johnson, Texas
LB-Grant Wiley, West Virginia
E-Dave Ball, UCLA
T-Tommie Harris, Oklahoma
T-Chad Lavalais, LSU
E-Kenechi Udeze, Southern California
B-Derrick Strait, Oklahoma
B-Sean Taylor, Miami, Fla.
B-Will Allen, Ohio State
B-Keiwan Ratliff, Florida.
OFFENSE.
WR-Mark Clayton, Oklahoma
WR-Mike Williams, Southern California
WR-Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh
TE-Kellen Winslow, Miami, Fla.
OL-Robert Gallery, Iowa
OL-Shawn Andrews, Arkansas
C-Jake Grove, Virginia Tech
OL-Alex Barron, Florida State
OL-Jacob Rogers, Southern California
QB-Jason White, Oklahoma
RB-Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech
SPECIAL TEAMS
K-Nick Browne, TCU
P-Dustin Colquitt, Tennessee
KR-Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma
Meanwhile, Wiley was also named to the Southern Football Weekly 2003 All-American football team, announced today.
Wiley joins Larry Fitzgerald (Pitt) Veron Carey and Jonathan Vilma and Sean Taylor (Miami) and Jake Grove (Virginia Tech) as Big East players making the team.
