Two Mountain West Conference student-athletes are among the freshmen who have been honored by The Football Writers Association of America and AON Insurance as 2007 All-Americans.
BYU running back Harvey Unga, who also earned Freshman All-America status from The Sporting News, is the first freshman at BYU and the third in MWC history to rush over 1,000 yards. In 2007, Unga racked 1,227 yards rushing to become the league's all-time freshman running back leader. During the season, he produced seven 100-yard games, the most by a freshman Cougar.
UNLV offensive lineman Matt Murphy played in all 12 of the Rebels' games this season, and started at left tackle in the last nine, averaging 76 plays per game. Murphy's blocking helped the program's leading rusher, Frank Summers, to 928 yards, which is the eighth-best single-season total in school history. The Lake Forest, Calif. native averaged three knockdowns per game, and allowed only three sacks.
The 2007 AON Insurance FWAA Freshman All-America Team was chosen from 104 players nominated and is selected by a group of writers, led by FWAA vice-president Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Both true freshmen and redshirt freshmen were considered for the team and so noted.
2007 AON INSURANCE FWAA FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
OFFENSE
Pos.
Player, School
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
QB
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
6-4
214
Oklahoma City, Okla.
RB
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
5-11
207
Belford, N.J.
RB
• LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh
5-11
200
Harrisburg, Pa.
RB
Harvey Unga, BYU
6-0
221
Provo, Utah
WR
Michael Crabtree, Texas
Tech
6-3
208
Dallas, Texas
WR
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
6-1
185
Kirkwood, Mo.
TE
James Casey, Rice
6-4
245
Azle, Texas
OL
• Anthony Castonzo, Boston
College
6-7
262
Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
OL
• Anthony Davis, Rutgers
6-6
350
Piscataway, N.J.
OL
• Rodney Hudson, Florida
State
6-2
285
Mobile, Ala.
OL
• Matt Murphy, UNLV
6-3
265
Lake Forest, Calif.
C
Ryan McMahon, Florida
State
6-3
275
Rome, Ga.
DEFENSE
Pos.
Player, School
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
DL
Everson Griffen, USC
6-3
265
Avondale, Ariz.
DL
Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
6-5
250
Coral Springs, Fla.
DL
• Ian Williams, Notre
Dame
6-2
300
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
DL
Colby Whitlock, Texas
Tech
6-2
281
Noble, Okla.
LB
• Greg Jones, Michigan
State
6-1
220
Cincinnati, Ohio
LB
Scott Lutrus, Connecticut
6-3
220
Brookfield, Conn.
LB
• Rolando McClain, Alabama
6-4
255
Decatur, Ala.
DB
• Eric Berry, Tennessee
5-11
195
Fairburn, Ga.
DB
• Omar Bolden, Arizona
State
5-11
200
Ontario, Calif.
DB
Alex Kube, Northern Illinois
6-1
203
Cary, Ill.
DB
Tavious Polo, Florida
Atlantic
5-10
160
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DB
Deunta Williams, North
Carolina
6-2
195
Jacksonville, N.C.
SPECIALISTS
Pos.
Player, School
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
P
Keenyn Crier, Arizona
6-1
200
Spring, Texas
K
Thomas Weber, Arizona
State
6-1
202
Downey, Calif.
KR
• Max Suter, Syracuse
5-11
190
Ruffs Dale, Pa.
ATH
• Antonio Brown, Central
Michigan
5-11
175
Miami, Fla.
First-year
Coach of the Year: Jeff Jagodzinski, Boston College
